LymeNet Flash: go to ER or wait til Mon. to see Dr?

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Posted by aaamom (Member # 7810) on :

About 4 days ago my 16 year old daughter was bitten by what she thought was just a small black bug. She didn't think anything about it at the time. Last night she showed her dad a "funny looking bruise" on her arm where she was bitten. It's a little smaller than a dime, clear in the middle with a light brown ring around the outside, almost a perfect circle. After looking at some pictures of deer ticks on the web she thinks that could be what bit her. The place on her arm looks more brown than pink or red. Most of the pictures of the rash that we looked at look red or pink. Do you think this could be lyme? And should we go to the ER today or can we wait until Mon. and see our Dr.? I would appreciate any answers I can get as soon as possible. Thanks.

Posted by orion (Member # 3858) on :

Having a 16 year old with Lyme (she got bit at 13), let me say that you don't want this.

First thing, take a picture of the rash. NOW. Take more pics as it changes.

The bulls-eye rash is 100 percent CDC positive for Lyme disease. There should be NO argument against her being treated immediately. If there is, keep moving, you just haven't found the right person yet.

I'd get her to whatever place can and will give her a prescription for a broad spectrum antibiotics such as doxycycline -- today.

If this were me and I knew now what I didn't know before, by the end of the day I would get my hands on some doxy either the legit way or I'd call friends and family and get them to go through their medicine cabinets in search of doxy and get her started NOW. Don't wait the weekend.

It is at the beginning of this that you stand the greatest chance of knocking it out.

But you are going to need to learn more, which you can do here. You are entering a no-womans' land of disinformation, marginalization, and downright lies. Warning: it's a minefield. But this is your child, and you gotta put on the Mama Lion suit and INSIST on your daughter being treated properly. And NOW.

The antibiotic dosage recommended by doctors and experienced Lyme patients is different by a factor of, oh, 100%.

I had to take my doctor to an LLMD -- Lyme literate MD, which is what you want to find in your area, post a message asking for referrals -- I took my daughter to an LLMD who prescribed 400 mg of doxy a day. (The standard dosage is 200mg a day.) Then I would take the prescription to my HMO Lyme-compassionate doctor, who would rewrite the prescription so I would get it for almost free, saying, "Please, don't tell me how you're taking this." Bless him.

So best of luck to you -- you can certainly contact me if you like. You can email me directly at [email protected].

orion

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Posted by cbb (Member # 788) on :

Welcome to LymeNet.
So sorry your daughter has this problem, but I feel confident you'll get the help she needs.

Won't repeat the great info Orion gave, but will add a few comments.

Print "Diag Hints & Treatment Guidelines..." www.ilads.org/burrascano_1102.html
It's 32 pages of excellent info written by one of the best LLMDs in the country.

Read the last section "Rationale for Treating Tick Bites", especially the last paragraph.
"...It follows that the risk benefit ratio favors tick bite prophylaxis."

page 16: Antibiotic Choices
Doxycycline: Adults - 100 mg qid with food
which totals 400 mg per day.
Typical dose is 200 mg/day.

pages 17-18: Treatment Categories
Early Localized - single erythema migrans (bull's eye rash) with no constitutional symptoms.
Adults: oral therapy for 6 weeks
Some LLMDs are now treating for 8 weeks or longer just to be sure they've eliminated the bacteria.

Go to www.ilads.org
Print Home Page to show reliability of this wonderful organization.

On the left, click "Basic Info" & print both pages. Important facts that everyone should read.
#10 begins "There has never...been one study that proves even in the simplest way that 30 days of antibiotic treatment cures Lyme disease..."

Take copies of these 3 items where ever you go to see a dr about Lyme (Home Page for ILADS, Basic Info, & Guidelines).

Could you call your family dr about the situation? Some see patients on the weekend when necessary.

Do you have a Doctor's Care or other walk-in clinic in your area?

I've heard that some people have found an understanding dr at some of these clinics who will prescribe for Lyme. If your ER is like ours, the walk-in clinic would be faster & less expensive, but they MAY NOT want to follow Dr B's Guidelines.

ER would be another option, but they MAY NOT want to follow the Guidelines either.

Do not waste time or money with a Lyme test this early.
It takes the body 4 to 6 weeks to produce enough antibodies for a positive result.
In "Basic Info" from ILADS, read # 5-8 about testing & the problems with test results.

The Lyme Disease Foundation brochure says:
"A test may support the diagnosis of LD, but cannot be used solely to make the diagnostic decision. No test can definitively 'rule-out' Lyme disease."
"Lyme disease is a 'clinical' diagnosis, based on signs/symptoms, with consideration given to other factors..."

The bull's eye rash is diagnostic for Lyme disease & should be treated adequately.
Be sure to take pictures & write down date of bite & day bull's eye rash appeared.

DO NOT wait for other symptoms to appear.

In my case, I removed a tiny tick, had the rash but NO symptoms appeared until 5-10 years later.
No diagnosis for another 5 yrs because I didn't associate the symptoms with the tick bite many years before. By then, my case of LD was much more difficult to deal with.

Because of the seriousness of Lyme when it's allowed to spread throughout the body - my recommendation is to err on the side of caution. Treat now.

Posted by troutscout (Member # 3121) on :

You live in an area where exists....get it now.

Trout

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Now is the time in your life to find the "tiger" within.
Let the claws be bared,
and Lyme BEWARE!!!
Iowa Lyme Disease Assoc.
www.ildf.info

Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :

quote:
Originally posted by orion:
The bulls-eye rash is 100 percent CDC positive for Lyme disease. There should be NO argument against her being treated immediately. If there is, keep moving, you just haven't found the right person yet.
It is at the beginning of this that you stand the greatest chance of knocking it out.
The antibiotic dosage recommended by doctors and experienced Lyme patients is different by a factor of, oh, 100%.

I agree!! Look through these pics of rashes. I know there's one that looks like a bruise.
Treepatrol's links http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum5/HTML/000569.html

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Do not take anything I say as medical advice. I am not a doctor, but I DID stay at a Holiday Inn Express!
oops!
Lymetutu

[This message has been edited by Lymetoo (edited 27 August 2005).]

Posted by brainless (Member # 6771) on :

Take the picture, Now and when it changes. Get het treated as aggressively as possible. Some nonLLMDs will quibble with the size of the rash ( smaller than a quarter, smaller than a half dollar, smaller than an elephant). Go to another doctor but get her treated, high dose, and long term as possible. My life would have been totally different if I had followed that advice.

This has the potential to ruin her life.

Posted by brainless (Member # 6771) on :

This is so potentially ruinous that I suggest, if you're able, to call Dr Charles Ray Jones in New Haven, CT and fly to CT to see him on Sunday. Last I knew he was open 7 days a week.

I don't want to scare you but, whatever you're going to do, DO IT NOW.

Most doctors know less than nothing about Lyme.