posted
I had the dreaded bullseye rash a month and half ago. Finally Started taking doxycicline (400mg a day) a week ago. During the entire time since the rash i've had no symptoms for lyme or any coinfection (no malaria or fever symptoms). My question is how common are the symptoms for coinfection. If i had a coinfection like babesia wouldn't i have exhibited a symptom like temporary fever?
The reason i'm asking is that i keep hearing that if you don't treat for coinfections first(babesia) the initial treatment for lyme is useless. I can't afford to test for coinfections but jus wondering based on peoples experience...how common are the coinfection symptoms especially in my case over a month has gone by?
Posts: 27 | From NYC | Registered: Jul 2009
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posted
Finding co-infections can be a tough call, because many of the symptoms are very similar to regular Lyme symptoms.
There are certain, specific one that seem to really point to co-infections, but if you don't have them, it doesn't mean you don't have the co-infection.
For babesia: Drenching sweats (esp at night), panic attacks, stinky sweat, and muscle pain were what my LLMD looked for.
For bart: Shin pain, pain in the bottom of the foot, burning feet, stretch-mark like things, and anxiety. My LLMD also attributed muscle twitches to Bart (not big ones, little ones)
He also said that if you have anxiety out of nowhere, it is more likely Babs, while if your anxiety is constant, with occasional "wave", it is more likely Bart.
I think co-infections are really common, but I have no specific nunbers.
Also- other LLMD's/people may look for different symptoms. This is just what my Dr. looked for in me.
Posts: 503 | From Alberta, Canada | Registered: Jun 2009
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posted
So you have no symptoms other than the rash? My guess is then, that you are probably catching it early enough. Stay on the doxy for 28 days if you continue to have no symptoms .... longer if you do.
Dr. B's guidelines on www.ilads.org tells the protocol for Lyme caught early as well as late stage.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
Just want to mention that in the book "Cure Unknown", the author states that only 4 of the 20 strains that can cause rash actually cause dissemminated disease.
If you have the book, read the last 2 paragraphs of page 343. I think that means that the bullseye rash can't be considered definitive for lyme disease.
Maybe you are lucky and don't have lyme disease? That said, knowing how sick one can get, I personally would probably not take a chance.
As far as co-infections, I would not recommend treatment since you have no symptoms and no positive tests. You would have no way to know if you have a co-infection or not and even if you thought you might, which co-infections do you have? It seems very unlikely you could find a doctor to treat under those circumstances anyway.
If you can't afford a test, how could you afford treatment? The two common co-infections (Babesia and Bartonella) are both expensive to treat unfortunately.
Terry I'm not a doctor
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
please check out the SYMPTOMS LIST at top of medical and read down thru EACH OF THE CO-INFECTION SYMPTOM LISTS ok
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posted
i've read through the list and don't seem to have any of the symptoms but if it is possible to have a coinfection hypothetically speaking, does that mean that my current treatment for lyme is uselss since i'm not adressing the coinfection first??
Posts: 27 | From NYC | Registered: Jul 2009
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