I've had a red spot that I first thought was a mosquito bite, about two months ago. It enlarged to about 4"x2", then slowly almost dissapeared. Then it showed up again, and then a third time. This time has been the worst, becoming about 8"x3". First doctor thought it looked like a tick bite/Lyme, but because of our location, Washington state, and my minimal exposure, thought it was highly unlikely. He prescribed Keflex. After 7 doses, my spot continued to enlarge, and I went to the ER last night. The Dr. is CONVINCED it is Lyme and prescribed a round of Doxycycline and did a blood test. My lesion is responding. Could it be responding this quickly to the new antibiotics? Also, do I need to seek more advice from a specialist, rather than just the ER doc? If it is Lyme, it's early. I have no symptoms other than the rash. Thanks,
Calimar
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
welcome to the board!
i'll send you a separate private message, PM, with my 47 pages of newbie links/advise.
get a western blot igm and igg blood test drawn and sent to IGENEX, CALIF. .... read the info on this i'm sending ok! Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
Yes, you will need to seek an LLMD (lyme literate medical doctor). Go to the seeking doctor section of this website and ask for one in your area. Get one who is a member of ILADS. http://www.ilads.org/
There are several reasons that you need to see a specialist. Ticks carry more than just borrelia. You may need to be treated for babesia (there is a strain named after Washington state) which does not respond to antibiotics and needs meds that are generally used to treat malaria. Also, different antibiotics are needed for various other types of infections that can be caused by a tick bite.
Even if you only had borrelia (causes lyme), you are likely to need a longer course than an emergency room doctor will give and a variety of antibiotics to get rid of it. This is because borrelia can morph into 3 different forms one of which is a cyst that needs specific antibiotics to get rid of it.
Now is the best possible time to be cured. If you don't get adequate treatment ASAP, you could end up like many of us, with a chronic illness that is very difficult if not impossible to get rid of.
Terry
Posted by calimar (Member # 11655) on :
Thanks for all the info. I founda doctor some what close by. I plan to continue to seek help.
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
W E L C O M E !*)*!)*)!*!W E L C O M E !*)*!)*)!*!W E L C O M E !*)*!)*)!*!W E L C O M E !*)*!)*)!*!W E L C O M E !*)*!)*)!*!W E L C O M E !*)*!)*)!*!W E L C O M E !*)*!)*)!*!W E L C O M E !*)*!)*)!*!W E L C O M E !*)*!)*)!*!W E L C O M E !*)*!)*)!*!W E L C O M E !*)*!)*)!*!
WA1 Babesiosis is in Oregon so I would get tested for that!!!!!
An EM rash means YOU HAVE LYME!!!! Take a photo of it NOW- make sure you get copy of ER visit paperwork and make sure it says Lyme- make sure the ER doc fully wrote out diagnosis- you may need it for insurance later on if you do not get fully treated now and have to fight for treatment later!!! FIGHT to get continued treatment NOW and you may save yourself being chronic for a lifetime. Yes, I mean to scare you- in your best interest!! You have Lyme and you have a BRIEF window to get rid of it completely- some people who go chronic NEVER get full remission. STAY ON ABX- GET THE PRESCRIPTION EXTENDED- IT IS WORTH IT!!!!!!!!!
I am a support group facilitator in CA and people who get treatment right away can go into full remission- even a few weeks or months of delay can be crucial-
I hope what you are on will be enough for you- it may be- but around here it would NOT be-
Don't regret inaction later- get into action now!!!
I was caught right away.
They treated me with a month.
I was almost well.
Then they told me no more abx- too dangerous.
I have been sick for 9 years now.
I would have fully recovered if they had conitinued my script. I was so responsive.
They let me get sicker for a year and told me I had "Post Lyme Syndrome".
Then they told me I had "a progresive mutli-system neurological disease triggered by post-Lyme syndrome". Chronic Lyme disease.
THEN they offered me orals but by then I was so sick they did nothing and I needed $50,000 9 months of IV Rocephin to get better-
I am at 99.9% and have been for 6 plus years but I went through hell and back before then. Agony and lost the ability to walk-
Please stay on abx NOW-!!!
You are so lucky!!! If you can get rid of it now and never get sick sick SICKER!!!!!!!!!
I hope you get rid of it now- Best wishes, Sarah from CA
Posted by CaliforniaLyme (Member # 7136) on :
p.s. ONLY comprehensive serosurvey of a community in CA (blood survey of residents) showed 23% of the community had at least one tick borne disease!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! TBDs are NOT rare!!! But docs think they are- you are lucky to have gotten such a good ER doc!!!!
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)