Rivendell
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19922
posted
I posted here a week ago about being bitten by a deer tick.
Here is what I have done so far. Need your input.
Found a deer tick attached to me on Sunday evening, April 5. I picked up the tick either Saturday or Sunday, so I guess it could have been attached for 24 to 36 hours. I discovered it becaused the bite was itching. The tick did not appear gorged.
Removed the deer tick the wrong way with fingers, rather than tweezers, and destroyed it with fire. (I now know I did everything wrong).
Went to Dr. the next day (Monday) and was given Azithromycin, 2000g liquid time-released. Good for 10 days. (Averages 200 mg. per day.) I took the medicine that same day.
(The next day after starting the Azithromycin, I saw a "faint" ring around the bite, which faded after a couple of hours. This concerned me a great deal.)
I realized this dosage was low, so went back to the doctor, told him about the faint ring, and asked for more antibiotics. Was given Amoxil 500 mg. twice per day for 7 days. Started the Amoxil after the 10 days of Azithromycin.
Again, this dosage seemed really low, so I called another of my doctors, told the office I was bitten by a deer tick. Was prescribed Amoxil 500 mg. 3 x per day for 14 days.
All of this will total about 29 days, or so, of antibiotics when I finish with the Amoxil.
I feel that I have pushed my doctors enough and am also afraid that the pharmacist will get suspicious if I keep getting antibiotics from different doctors.
After I finish the Amoxil, I am thinking of following Stephen Buhner's protocol.
Any suggestions?
Thanks so much.
P.S. I am not experiencing any symptoms of illness at this time.
Posts: 1358 | From Midwest | Registered: Apr 2009
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posted
I would go get a prescription of doxycyline. Amox won't kill Erhlicia.
Find an LLMMD and take something for 2 months is what I would do.
You will probably be fine.
Let me know if you want to trade bodies sometime.
Posts: 743 | From New York | Registered: Apr 2009
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Rivendell
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19922
posted
Hey John,
I understand about chronic illness. I have been disabled with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome since 2001. I have also been without health insurance until this past year. I never considered that I could have Lyme Disease, and even if I had, I wouldn't have been able to pay for the tests out of pocket, anyway. So who knows, I may already have Lyme, although I don't think so.
But as for as the tick bite is concerned, I'm not feeling any new symptoms. Just the usual brain-fog, fatigue, and neurally-mediated hypotension.
But since I already have CFS, I didn't want to add to my woes by getting Lyme from this deer tick.
I wish I go afford to go to a LLMD, but I don't have any money. I am in the process of getting ready to apply for SSDI.
I tried to get my doctors to prescribe Doxycycline, but that didn't work.
I hope that you get well from whatever treatments you are using. Don't give up. People do recover. At least with Lyme, you have some idea what to do. With CFS it is all a big mystery.
Good luck John, and best wishes.
Posts: 1358 | From Midwest | Registered: Apr 2009
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adamm
Unregistered
posted
Did I not send you my LLMD info? Oh well, I'll resend it just in case. As for pharmacists getting suspicious--who cares about that when you're dealing with the possibility of lifelong infection?!?!?
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Rivendell
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19922
posted
Adamm,
Yes you did send me the LLMD info and I appreciate it very much. I have saved the info in an email file folder to print out later. I just assume that these doctor's are very expensive.
I have trouble coming up with the $50.00 I pay to see my CFS doctor about twice per year. I doubt that the LLMD's would be affordable for me, although maybe some work out deals with patient's who have no money. (My insurance only covers doctors in my state, and there aren't any LLMDs in my state. My CFS doctor is out-of-state, so I pay out-of-pocket twice a year just for a check-up.)
Anyway, just wanted some feedback on my tick treatment so far, and wanted to know what people thought of Stephen Buhner's protocol. I might be able to afford some of those herbs, if the antibiotics aren't sufficient.
Thanks again.
(P.S. As for the pharmacist being suspicious. I didn't want them to get my doctor's, or me, in trouble.)
Posts: 1358 | From Midwest | Registered: Apr 2009
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Ocean
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3496
posted
Hi Rivendell,
I'm sorry that you are going through this. I just wanted to say that if you cannot afford an LLMD then the herbs may be something good to try. Doxy would be the best since you are considered more early stage.
I just wanted to note that I was diagnosed with CFS in 1997, after I'd been sick for a year. Do you specifically remember getting the 'flu' in the months preceding your CFS? I know I did, which is kind of what led me to see an LLMD.
I was tested for Lyme with an Elisa in 1997 and it was negative, those tests are no good for Lyme disease. If you really have Lyme causing your CFS you may not notice any new symptoms, unless the tick gave you a 'bonus' co-infection.
Anyway you could afford to do an Igenex Western Blot test ($200), and if a doc would write an order for you? Don't use Lab Corp or Quest, they aren't very sensitive and don't include 2 very important bands for Borellia.
Rivendell
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19922
posted
Hi Ocean,
Thanks for responding. I have had CFS/NMH symptoms that would wax and wane since 1971, but I was always able to "push-through" my symptoms and keep going.
However, about 1996, I developed pneumonia. I didn't get it treated right away. I don't remember if it started with influenza or not. But I thougt it was just bronchitis. It kept getting worse.
I didn't have health insurance, so I put off going to the doctor. By the time I sought treatment it was pneumonia. I was given antibiotics and it took me a long time to get well. About six months later, I developed asthma, and my health gradually deteriorated.
A new job required me to stand a long time which seemed to worsen neurally-mediated hypotension, which I didn't know that I had; but I knew the longer I stood, the dizzier and more fatigued I became.
I started an office job, which allowed me to sit a lot, but by then the fatigue was getting so bad. I then had insurance and consulted a doctor who diagnosed CFS with autonomic dysfunction. I tried different meds for the autonomic dysfunction, but none of them helped me enough.
Finally, I quit full time work, and Substitute Taught, sitting most of the time. I finally had to admit to myself that working 0 to three days a week is not enough to keep a bird alive and that I must apply for SSDI.
Yes, I used to hike a lot in the 1980's and 1990's, and have picked ticks off of me, though I was never bitten until now, that I am aware of.
Did I get Lyme? I don't know, but the CFS/NMH has been with me since about age 17. (I wasn't hiking in those years, and I didn't live in the country or in a high lyme area then.) I am now 55, but in the last decade I have become totally disabled.
The Western Blot test sounds like a good idea when I can get the money together.
Sorry this is so long. Hard for Brain Fog, I know.
Rivendell
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19922
posted
P.S. Ocean, what lab would you recommend?
Posts: 1358 | From Midwest | Registered: Apr 2009
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Ocean
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3496
posted
Hey,
I'm sorry you have been sick for so long. I mean, I think it's quite possible that you could have been infected years ago, although it could have been a virus, ect as well.
For me every time I've gotten better and then relapsed, it's been either pregnancy, sickness or extreme stress. I just found out in Oct 2008 it was Lyme.
The Lab that many LLMD's use is Igenex in California. They specialize in Lyme and other tick-borne infections. Their website is www.Igenex.com
Most MD's will not think it to be necessary to use Igenex and I believe it is a grave mistake. Igenex includes band 31 and 34 which 'commercial labs' do not. They created the Lyme vaccine from band 31 which means it is a very specific band.
I wish I had known long ago what this 'thing' was that happened to me, it was like it just took over my life. I was never satisfied with the diagnosis of CFS because they have no means of helping besides abating some of the symptoms. I turned to alternative medicine after my doc said he couldn't help me with CFS.
If you have the opportunity to watch the movie Under Our Skin, I think you will be (as I was) FLOORED by the number of people who were told they had CFS and later were tested for Lyme and found to have Lyme.
Let me know if you need any more info/help. There are quite a few on this board who were prior CFS'ers who now know it has been Lyme all this time.
Also, the fact that you have pulled off ticks from your body multiple times pushes you closer in the direction of Lyme.
quote:Originally posted by John S: [QB] I would go get a prescription of doxycyline. Amox won't kill Erhlicia.
Find an LLMD and take something for 2 months is what I would do.
The Midwest has a high rate of ehrlichia. Most mainstream drs KNOW to prescribe doxy!
I'm glad you're not feeling ill..... BUT
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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'Kete-tracker
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17189
posted
Very Odd you recieved Zithromax as a 1st-line abx for a tick bit. Doesn't make sense. Not particularily effective against borrelia Burgdorferi [Lyme] by Itself.
Good that you went back to another doc & ended up on 29 days of Amoxil (amoxicillun, I presume). That's a great 1st step, & if you aren't particularily big, likely enough to quash any BB that might have gotten in you. (It's Also good the tick didn't appear "engorged")
A faint ring the next day? The characteristic Lyme ring doesn't show up that quickly. Usually a few days to a couple - 3 weeks. (And that's for the 50% +/- that even GET a Lyme rash!) It won't fade away right off, but gets larger in diameter each day.
You'll probably be fine, but [especially as you are in the Midwest] you Should have been put on doxycycline. As Lymetoo said, that area is known for ehrlichia (a red bloodcell-based co-infection) & doxy knocks that right out. Be on the watch for any fever/chills, O.K?
Posts: 1233 | From Dover, NH | Registered: Sep 2008
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Rivendell
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 19922
posted
Thanks everyone.
Actually, it was Azitromycin 200 mg. for 10 days, then Amoxil 500 mg 2 x per day for 7 days. THEN A NEW DOC who prescribed Amoxil 500 mg. 3 X per day for 14 days. All of that totals about a month. NOT Amoxil for an entire month.
So, I hope that will be enough. I may ask my father if he has some Tetracyline that he used to take for adult acne. (Only if its not expired.)
Ocean, I'm glad that you found out what was causing your illness. I hope that you heal. Thanks for the info.
'Kete-tracker
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 17189
posted
Azitromycin & Zithromax... same exact drug: azithromycin. It's known as an 'intra-cellular'. NOT a good choice to knock out early Lyme. In fact, pretty useless.
3 weeks of amoxy is NOT really enough, esp. at that 1 gram/day. You need to bracket atleast 1 growth cycle which, with borrelia Burgderfori, is [an astounding] 28 days.
This is why it's so non-sensical that the IDSA maintains 10-21 days of an abx like doxycycline is appropriate for early Lyme. (But that will change, I believe, once the whole guideline review process plays out.)
Re: your dad's leftover tetracycline- You should NOT self-medicate (w/ Rx'ed drugs) w/o MD or atleast RN supervision. Even if you DID take the tetracycline (& you'd need to Stay Out of The Sun!), you'd need to take it for... 28 days minimum, so you'd probably not have enough. Plus, tetra is not as effective as doxy at this point.
Still, you Should be fine. The real risk doesn't start until the (Lyme-infected) deer tick is really starting to swell w/ your blood. Sounds like you got it out before that stage. Posts: 1233 | From Dover, NH | Registered: Sep 2008
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
rivendell,
what state are you from? i have llmd info & try to have $$$ amounts too.
you need enough antibiotics for 3 MONTHS; 2 months showing NO SYMPTOMS at all.
ssdi .... please go to SUPPORT, top area and print off ALL OF MINOUCAT'S DISABILITY INFO.
using the combined personal experience of many of us and especially CONNIE MC'S FORMS that show the PHYSICAL LIMITATIONS & HOW MANY HRS. YOU CAN WORK will help you tremendously win your claim 1st time, 1st step.
how long have you NOT worked now? don't let this time expire since otherwise it takes 2.5 years plus to get up and have admin law judge hearing. ok
somehow, you need to get another 2 months of antibiotics!!
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