posted
After being in remission for a handful of years (although with lingering issues), I noticed a bite on my thigh yesterday that has me concerned.
I have a bite slightly smaller than a quarter.
It basically looks like a red circle with a darker red "dot" in the middle.
It doesn't look like a target where you see a red circle, then my skin color, then a red dot or circle. It's just a light red solid circle with a darker spot in the center.
There are no bulls-eye "rings," and the bite is flat rather than raised. It does not itch.
The circular area spread out in size just a bit since yesterday.
I took pictures yesterday and today (wish I could post them here!) and emailed them to my LLMD.
He reviewed and advised that - because it does not itch and there is not a "ring," he is not overly concerned at the moment.
However, he does want me to keep a close eye on it and call him if there are any changes.
Now, when I had a bulls-eye rash back in 2007, it did not itch. I was under the impression that tick bites often don't....which is partly why they can come and go unnoticed - there is no annoying itching to demand your attention.
I could really use some advice.
What if the LLMD thinks all is well....and it really is a tick bite? Should I ask to be given antibiotics and tested for coinfections?
If it is a tick bite, I wouldn't go chronic within the next 1-2 weeks, would I? My old LLMD said that many doctors believe that it would take 1-3 months with no treatment to become chronic.
I am so upset about this.
Something else worth mentioning. About 2 inches away from this bite, there had been what looked like a smaller bug bite.
This smaller bite didn't really have a circle around it. My thought was....oh....that's probably a good sign because I don't think ticks attach....then move over a few inches and attach again.
I thought....maybe a little spider or other type of bug was crawling on my leg and got me twice.
Could this be some other type of bug bite? Are there any other bites where you have that darker spot in the center where the bug actually bit?
Sorry if I'm rambling. I just really need some advice.
Thanks so much!
Posts: 711 | From Bucks County, PA | Registered: Apr 2008
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Catgirl
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
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posted
It sounds like a tick bite to me. I've had a really weird bite that looked like a mosquito bite. A couple months later I was in the hospital. I also had (later) a bite with a tiny round darker red circle in the middle of it. Lyme and company symptoms surfaced shortly afterwards.
I'm not sure it has to itch to be lyme. I think anything that even slightly resembles a circle and looks odd should be considered a tick bite, but that's just me. You might get some abx just to be safe.
-------------------- --Keep an open mind about everything. Also, remember to visit ACTIVISM (we can change things together). Posts: 5418 | From earth | Registered: Mar 2011
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hiker53
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posted
I'd go to prompt care and get doxy just in case.
Tick bites don't usually itch and not all rashes are perfect bull's eyes.
-------------------- Hiker53
"God is light. In Him there is no darkness." 1John 1:5 Posts: 8880 | From Illinois | Registered: Aug 2004
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posted
With the holiday weekend approaching (I swear, any time I need a doctor, it's a holiday weekend), if I have to wait until next week to either get an appointment or
ask for medication, will a possible infection become chronic by then?
What do I ask for? Doxy? How much for how long?
I can't believe this might be happening.
If there is any chance in hell that this isn't a tick bite.....I hope that's the case.
Posts: 711 | From Bucks County, PA | Registered: Apr 2008
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posted
Spiders, chiggers....there are other eight legged critters that bite and leave red, itch marks. =) I got bit up by chiggers a month ago.
-------------------- Lyme flare June, July, August of 2013. Diagnosed September 2014 Lyme, Bartonella, Mycoplasma, Mono Posts: 595 | From Texas Crossroads | Registered: Oct 2014
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
A lyme rash does NOT have to have rings and look like a target.
The one I got was all red. It was 3 inches in diameter. It didn't hurt and it didn't itch.
The red "dot" in the middle is where the bite occurred. The redness around the bite is your body's reaction. A small amount of redness around a bite is normal. Both I and my husband have removed attached ticks and gotten a small amount of redness around the bite area. But, we never went on to get any lyme symptoms.
Remember, not all ticks carry disease. I remove attached ticks from my husband at the rate of 3 per year. This has been going on for at least 10 years. Still, he has never had anything but the small amount of redness around the bite.
So, I would say that if this rash gets bigger, you definitely need treated for lyme. If it is a lyme rash, it should get bigger in a day or so.
Page 7 of Burrascano says that a lyme rash is an expanding lesion. "It is an erythematous, centrifugally expanding lesion that is raised and may be warm. Rarely there is mild stinging or pruritus."
My rash wasn't raised when it got large. It was only raised when it was less than an inch. Then, it looked like a hive. But, by the next day, it had really expanded.
You will NOT be chronic in a week or even a month. So, I would not stress over this. There are urgent care walk-in clinics that should be open on the weekend if need be.
You have a lyme doctor, which means that you can get good treatment starting next week if you need it. So, that is very good. Keep a look-out for other symptoms. Make a list if you get any. Hopefully, you won't and the rash will not expand either.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
Update: I asked the LLMD office about getting an Rx and am waiting to hear back.
With the holiday weekend, I also called my regular internist, and he is going to prescribe Ceftin 500mg 2x day for 14 days.
Does this sound right?
I was thinking I would get Doryx (doxy), but checking my notes, I see that my old LLMD prescribed Ceftin at one point when I was treating over the summer
because there is no sun sensitivity with that drug.
Wondering if this sounds logical?
Is 14 days enough?
Posts: 711 | From Bucks County, PA | Registered: Apr 2008
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WPinVA
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posted
Ceftin does hit Lyme but I believe doxy is the first choice in this instance. If I was me, I'd want doxy and just stay out of the sun.
Posts: 1737 | From Virginia | Registered: Aug 2011
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LisaK
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posted
I never get sun sensativity from doxy.
and you can easily put on a hat and long sleeves, right?
-------------------- Be thankful in all things- even difficult times and sickness and trials - because there is something GOOD to be seen Posts: 3558 | From Eastern USA | Registered: Jul 2013
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WPinVA
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posted
Chiming in again... a few years back we were in this same situation with my daughter. She had a rash that was probably not from Lyme, but impossible to completely rule it out, per a LLMD.
She got it after we had gone to a pumpkin patch and she had rolled around in a bin with dried corn (no we have not done that again.)
From my googling, it didn't look like like a classic Lyme rash, but I also saw a few Lyme rash pics that did resemble it.
We went with a six week course of antibiotics, and she is fine. And I'd do it again.
Interestingly, a doctor recently told me that in the Long Island area some people are now taking abx during tick season as a prophylaxis WITHOUT a tick bite or a rash. Just because it's tick season.
That puts things in perspective.
Posts: 1737 | From Virginia | Registered: Aug 2011
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LisaK
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 41384
posted
<<in the Long Island area some people are now taking abx during tick season as a prophylaxis WITHOUT a tick bite or a rash.>> end quote
WOW! that is amazing. geting abx here is like winning the lottery!
sheesh.
I had a rash almost 2 years ago that all drs thought was a spider bite or 'just a rash' and it ended up giving me encephalitis within 3 days to the point of no return since, so I would treat any bite! I think mine was RMSF and that rash / bite can look like a pimple or spider bite.
-------------------- Be thankful in all things- even difficult times and sickness and trials - because there is something GOOD to be seen Posts: 3558 | From Eastern USA | Registered: Jul 2013
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posted
I'd actually prefer Doxy as well. I didn't have much (if any) sun sensitivity while on it, and it was very effective for me.
I just never feel comfortable "telling" a doctor what drug I want. It makes we feel that the doctor thinks I'm trying to act like I know better than he does.
When I called, I did tell the nurse that if the doctor prescribes something, I had taken Doryx (this version of doxy was WAY easier on my stomach!!!). So, that's what I expected.
I'm afraid to call back and ask for Doryx instead.
Ironically, this is coming from my regular doc....not the LLMD. I asked about an Rx and am waiting to hear back.
Posts: 711 | From Bucks County, PA | Registered: Apr 2008
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LisaK
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 41384
posted
rigth jwick25. I feel like that too. not may drs want a smart patient. i always dumb myself down and feel out the dr to see if i can be more of myself or not. sometimes i plant key words so they can feellike they came up with the idea- whatever that may be.
so dumb we have to play games, but it is the sad truth where I live
-------------------- Be thankful in all things- even difficult times and sickness and trials - because there is something GOOD to be seen Posts: 3558 | From Eastern USA | Registered: Jul 2013
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posted
I just thought that this should be treated as a new bite....just to be totally safe and not have to have this awful worry in the back of my mind for the next few years.
Treat it now....while it would be uncomplicated versus waiting for something worse to happen.
Am I missing something?
The only other LLMD I know from years ago has been getting very mixed reviews in recent years, so I feel like I have no other avenue
I took comfort in knowing that if something ever happened, I know who to call.
Yet now the LLMD won't treat this.
What, does he want to wait to see if I get sick first? Wait until it's a worse situation (and more expensive one)?
He gets good reviews, but I am terrified right now.
Posts: 711 | From Bucks County, PA | Registered: Apr 2008
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WPinVA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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posted
You have the rash still right? Go to an urgent care!
Or call another LLMD and tell them you have a bite with a rash and ask if they can get you in. Some LLMDs will get you in quick for an acute case.
Posts: 1737 | From Virginia | Registered: Aug 2011
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posted
I left a message today for my last LLMD. With the holiday weekend, I probably won't hear back until Tuesday.
I have Ceftin at home now that I can start just to take something that is effective against Lyme.
I am also going to call our local urgent care to see about the hours this weekend (and today).
The rash is almost completely faded. I only saw it for 3 days. It never expanded by more than the smallest bit, so I am praying that is a good sign.
I think most rashes really expand a lot. I know the one I had back in 2007 did.
I'll also call my current LLMD on Tuesday to see if I can come in.
TF advised that a person will NOT become chronic in a week or even a month....so at least I have a little time to get in to appointments.
Posts: 711 | From Bucks County, PA | Registered: Apr 2008
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My urgent care is open this weekend. If they can prescribe me doxy, how many weeks worth should I ask for?
Not that they will listen to me.....but I'd at least like to go in informed. Posts: 711 | From Bucks County, PA | Registered: Apr 2008
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hiker53
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posted
6 weeks at 2000 mg twice a day. They may not do that for you, so take what you can get.
Guess I don't play the doctor game well. I am very polite, but I tell them exactly what I think and if I need a drug, what has worked well for me in the past.
And if I thought I had a tick bite I would be at prompt care so quickly to at least get started on antibiotics. They only give 10 days worth here and not a high enough dose, but that is where I would start.
-------------------- Hiker53
"God is light. In Him there is no darkness." 1John 1:5 Posts: 8880 | From Illinois | Registered: Aug 2004
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posted
Exactly .. Take what you can get. Ceftin will work .. but if you happen to have ehrlichia, then you would need the doxy.
I agree .. Doryx is awesome when compared to doxy!! No way my stomach can handle doxy.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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TF
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posted
I am sure hiker meant 200 mg twice per day. Not 2000 mg.
That being said, no urgent care will give you that dosage. They all adhere to the IDSA guidelines and give you only 100 mg twice per day.
I doubt they will give you any if the rash is gone now. If you have pictures of the rash and they see it was smaller than a quarter, they will most likely tell you that that was a normal reaction to any type of bite.
When you tell them you never saw a tick and don't know what bit you, that will be the end for you.
And, they will probably not give you anything.
My husband's dermatologist wouldn't give him anything and we told her it was an attached tick. The rash was small like yours. She said it was normal to get a little redness around a bite.
So, be prepared for no treatment today.
Your lyme doc is your best bet, but it looks like he is "playing it safe" and not giving out antibiotics to folks with small rashes. (When I say he is playing it safe, it means safe for HIM. He is likely afraid of persecution.)
If they give you anything, it will be 2 weeks of doxy. That is better than nothing.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
Hey....just an update that my LLMD got me in for an appointment later this afternoon.
At first, they had me on schedule for this coming Friday, but called back and said LLMD will see me today. SO grateful!
I've been getting symptoms and felt HORRIBLE last night after a 20-minute Epsom salt bath.
It was so strange. It actually felt like a herx, but I thought those baths help to relieve die off symptoms.
Anyway, my hope is that starting treatment about a week after seeing a bite is soon enough that I can totally cure this infection with no long-term issues.
They say that's the case when you start proper treatment early enough, so hopefully, a week after a bite falls into that category.
I know TF mentioned that you don't become chronic in a week or even a month.....so fingers crossed.
Posts: 711 | From Bucks County, PA | Registered: Apr 2008
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