posted
I had a bulls eye rash and tested positive for 2 igM bands of Lyme. I am on my 3rd week of antibiotics and I feel horrible. Can't go outside sunlight makes me dizzy, can't sleep at night...can't eat much. A red rash is everywhere on my torso and back. Has anyone else had any of these side effects?
Posts: 78 | From Pa | Registered: May 2015
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
If a red rash is everywhere on your torso and back, you need to let the doctor know about it.
This shouldn't happen. It is a side effect of doxy and will likely cause the doctor to tell you to stop it. You can stop it now. Don't want that to turn into an emergency.
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Agree with TF. This should not happen.
STOP THE DOXY IMMEDIATELY and get medical consult now. Could be an allergy.
If you go to Urgent Care, take photos of all rash area first, in good light.
------------------
if the rash were not as severe, I'd say [things to consider later after seeking medical care]
Sorry to hear of the rough & tumble road.
Even if sunlight were not to make you dizzy, when on doxycycline, sun exposure is to be avoided. It can cause terrible burns, even weeks after stopping.
As for dizzy, that's a tough one. Your liver support may not have been enough before starting. Doxy (and many Rx) affect the inner ear system and vertigo is one typical property of that. Liver support is REQUIRED to help.
Topic: TINNITUS: Ringing Between The Ears; Vestibular, Balance, Hearing with compiled links - including HYPERACUSIS -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- PHOTOS of the rash you have could be helpful for diagnostics whether identifying possible other tick borne infection or allergic reaction. For reference:
Lyme Disease; Comprehensive overview covers symptoms, treatment, diagnosis and prevention of this tick-borne illness.
. . . rashes can mimic spider bite, ringworm, or cellulitis. Multiple, so-called “satellite” rashes may appear on different parts of the body. . . .
Judie posted this Feb. 2015:
Mine was a raised, round blob, not like a bullseye at all. This article may be helpful. It describes EM rashes. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- If possible call your LLMD before going to Urgent Care.
One key question is that if you go to Urgent Care and are prescribed steroids, what then ? [because you will likely not have any antibiotic protections with doxycycline stopped].
Other options besides steroids may be something your LLMD can advise you about over the phone.
Benadryl may be suggested. Still, according to the link TF posted, emergency consult is required for such a rash. So be sure to connect with LLMD &/or others. Please let us know how you get along.
Topic: what do STEROIDS actually do to those with lyme? Risks, long term damage discussed. Links.
Even steroid topical creams are to be avoided.
If a life-threatening situation, of course, steroid may be needed but along with antibiotic protection. Detail in this thread. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
Aloe Vera Gelly (notice how clear it is, free of oils and lotions) - it calms heat burns so maybe will help calm chemical burns (from an insect bite, that is?)
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012:375671.
Epub 2012 Jan 24.
Wound Healing and Anti-Inflammatory Effect in Animal Models of Calendula officinalis L. Growing in Brazil.
Excerpt:
. . . This experimental study revealed that C. officinalis presented
anti-inflammatory and antibacterial activities as well as angiogenic and fibroplastic properties acting in a positive way on the inflammatory and proliferative phases of the healing process. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
I paged my dr and never received a call back. She has probably had enough of me....I spoke to the 24 hour nurse for my healthcare and she advise me to go to urgent care in the morning.
Posts: 78 | From Pa | Registered: May 2015
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Assuming you have stopped the doxycycline (and if not yet, do not take anymore), maybe the rash will be gone or much relieved by morning.
Maybe you won't need to go to Urgent care if it's better but do still try to connect with your doctor by Tues. a.m. in that case so you can figure this out.
Still, be sure you've got some photos of that for your personal record and to share with your doctor.
Good luck. Please keep us posted. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
I'm at ER and they are advising me to continue to take doxy. They are running test but they do not think this is an allergic reaction. Just took my morning dose, even though it is getting the best of me.
Posts: 78 | From Pa | Registered: May 2015
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posted
I am home. Thanks for your support. They rulled out anything serious like blood infection etc... I have 7 days left of treatment and I guess I am just going to live inside like a vampire. I have had so much anxiety over this whole ordeal maybe stress is getting to me as well! I pulled a muscle around in my csection scar doing yoga and went to a bunch of different dr trying to get the right course of action. 2 weeks after the pull is when 2 bands of blood vessels appeared by my hip exactly where the muscle pull/inflammation was. Those later formed rings and after 3 dr and a dermatologist my 4th opinion said lets test for Lyme. I live in the city and it was winter(Feb/March).
I did not have any other symptoms but the rash over the muscle I pulled doing yoga so it was a shock I tested positive.
Posts: 78 | From Pa | Registered: May 2015
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
If you got lyme in February or March, then 30 days of doxycycline is not going to be enough to cure it. No way.
If you just had the bite within a week, then perhaps that treatment would be sufficient. So, you are not finished treating lyme. Not by a long shot. You have just begun.
Also, the tick that gave you lyme disease almost certainly gave you other infections as well. Nobody gets just lyme. The ticks in our area carry babesiosis, bartonella, ehrlichia, etc.
Don't expect any of your regular doctors to know anything about this. You MUST get to a doc who specializes in lyme disease. We can give you names.
Don't go to an infectious disease doctor. They are the ones who are SUPPOSED to treat lyme patients, but they are actually the enemies of those with lyme disease.
Lyme is involved in a major medical controversy and the ID docs are on the wrong side of the controvery. They persecute the lyme doctors who really know how to treat lyme.
Don't let this go. If you do, you will only get worse. Here is a quote for you:
"GENERAL PRINCIPLES In general, you can think of LB as having three categories: acute, early disseminated, and chronic. The sooner treatment is begun after the start of the infection, the higher the success rate. However, since it is easiest to cure early disease, this category of LB must be taken VERY seriously. Undertreated infections will inevitably resurface, usually as chronic Lyme, with its tremendous problems of morbidity and difficulty with diagnosis and treatment and high cost in every sense of the word. So, while the bulk of this document focuses of the more problematic chronic patient, strong emphasis is also placed on earlier stages of this illness where closest attention and care must be made." (page 3) Burrascano Guidelines
See pages 19-20 for an idea of proper length of treatment in your case. Get tested for all of the coinfections through Igenex. Get treated for each of them that you test positive for OR have symptoms of. You may have bartonella based on your statement of having "2 bands of blood vessels appear by my hip." Bartonella causes red streaks on the skin among other symptoms.
You can look up pictures of bartonella rashes (the red streaks) and compare them to what you had. If you get them again, take pictures of them so you can show them to a lyme doctor.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
The rash I have is Petechia. it doesn't look like strech marks. More like patches of red dots that look like broken blood vessels. I will look into seeing someone who treats Lyme in my area.
Posts: 78 | From Pa | Registered: May 2015
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posted
Also--The 2 bands of blood vessels eventually formed a ring and that is why I was tested for Lyme.
Posts: 78 | From Pa | Registered: May 2015
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