posted
I have had many difficult years with lyme in the past but have been pretty good for the last couple of years so have not been keeping up with latest protocols/treatments etc. I was bitten on the scalp a week ago - it came off very easily but it had a tiny piece of skin in it's jaws, no blood, was not embedded. I believe the tick was only there a very short time. I contacted my lyme doc next morning and he prescribed doxycycline 100mg 2 x day for 3 days so I started treatment within 14 hours of my discovering the tick. I did not actually speak with him. A few days later I am having headaches, achy neck, and imagining the worst. Is this 3-day protocol common? Was it enough?
Posts: 133 | From Far Hills, NJ 07931 | Registered: May 2003
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
You need to contact your lyme doctor and tell him about your symptoms. Obviously, this was not enough treatment for you.
Don't delay. The sooner you get on more meds, the quicker this will be resolved.
I must say that at first I figured you contacted your primary care doctor, because the treatment you got is more along the lines of what a non-lyme literate doctor would do.
Hopefully, now that you tell the lyme doctor of all of your new lyme symptoms, you will get better treatment. It should be a higher dose of doxy, plus at least one other antibiotic (or two), and the treatment should last 30 days.
That is how my lyme doctor treated my new bite that I had about 7 years ago. I had been rid of lyme and coinfections for 2 years when I got that bite. I got the bulls eye. I started treatment about 1 week after the bite. All I needed was his 30 day treatment. I had a very mild herx at about day 2-3 of the treatment. He treated me for lyme, babesiosis and bartonella.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
Thanks TF - I will contact him right now. I was surprised at only getting a 3-day Rx but thought maybe it was new thinking.
Posts: 133 | From Far Hills, NJ 07931 | Registered: May 2003
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-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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desertwind
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25256
posted
Get more!!!!!!!!!!
We are neighbors - I live just a few miles from you and I got bitten 2 weeks ago in my neck/scalp area. Been finding ticks crawling all over me and in my house. Out of control in our county.
You need more!!!! Dr. H. put me on 400 mg.'s for 30 days, along with flagyl and staying on malarone and regular herbs. I may stay on longer but starting with 30 days.
But yes, if you are having symptoms get more Doxy. If your LLMD will not give you more go to the Somerset Valley Urgent Care in Bedminster. They have given me meds after a tick bite when I could not reach my llmd. Tell them you got bitten and are feeling sick.
Posts: 1671 | From Tick Infested New Jersey | Registered: Apr 2010
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Judie
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Member # 38323
posted
The tick does not need to be embedded to transmit Lyme. It could have just fed elsewhere and be ready to spread the infection immediately.
I'm sorry you're going through this. 3 days does not sounds like enough. Even a conservative practitioner I was seeing did 5 days for a new bite (not enough either).
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
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posted
Doc gave me 30 more days doxy so will go from there. It's very discouraging. Who is Dr H desert wind - could you please PM me tx
Posts: 133 | From Far Hills, NJ 07931 | Registered: May 2003
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
You need a better doctor. This does NOT sound like a lyme doctor.
If all he gave you was more doxy at the same dose as before, he does NOT know how to treat lyme disease.
Desertwind may not remember to look at this thread, so send her a private message asap.
To do that, just click on the envelope icon above her post. Then, type in the window that appears.
The treatment her doctor gives is 100 times better than what your doctor has done for you. Drop him.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
Thanks TF - good advice. This doc is lovely, always very thoughtful in his treatment approach, keeps things simple which is what I like. But I must admit I am baffled by this. He also told me to see my internist in case it was something else. So not like him.
Posts: 133 | From Far Hills, NJ 07931 | Registered: May 2003
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desertwind
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25256
posted
Thanks - got your PM and just responded.
Posts: 1671 | From Tick Infested New Jersey | Registered: Apr 2010
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Sammi
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 110
posted
Are you sure this doctor is Lyme literate? I would think that a three-day protocol is pointless.
What dose of Doxy were you given? Make sure it is in the treatment range for Lyme which is 300-600 mg daily. 400 mg daily is often prescribed.
Since you are symptomatic, I would recommend longer treatment than 30 days so you can eradicate this now. Infections are only "early" for a brief time.
Just a reminder of the tips for taking Doxy. Do not have any dairy, magnesium, or iron within two hours of taking it or it will not be absorbed properly. If it makes you nauseous, eat something substantial and non-dairy before taking it. Sometimes it helps to take the it in the middle of a meal.
Avoid the sun. You can get a severe burn in minutes even when wearing sunscreen. When I took Doxy, my knuckles got severely burned from the sun shining through the car window when I was driving! Do not lay down for at least an hour after taking it or you can ulcerate your esophagus. This is very painful. Drink a full glass of water with it for the same reason.
Whenever you take any antibiotics, be sure to take high-quality acidophilus at least two hours away from the meds. This helps to prevent yeast overgrowth. The best kind to get have a high-culture count and are refrigerated. Most health-food stores carry this.
Sammi
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 110
posted
desertwind, yikes! Do you treat your yard?
Posts: 4681 | Registered: Oct 2000
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desertwind
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 25256
posted
I did a couple of years ago w/ an organic compound but I swear the sweet smell if it made me feel sick but perhaps I should rethink it.
Another bite last night while reading lymenet- ironic right??!!??
Posts: 1671 | From Tick Infested New Jersey | Registered: Apr 2010
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Sammi
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 110
posted
quote:Originally posted by desertwind: I did a couple of years ago w/ an organic compound but I swear the sweet smell if it made me feel sick but perhaps I should rethink it.
Another bite last night while reading lymenet- ironic right??!!??
This is terrible desertwind.
There are likely a lot of different products you could use to treat your yard. Try something else. It would have to help. It is not good to get all these bites.
Posts: 4681 | Registered: Oct 2000
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