I'm 34 weeks pregnant and just found a female deer tick on my leg this morning. It was attached and sucking but not engorged. I do not know how long it was on me for. I have a small rash left on my leg from the tick (black hole, white middle size of dime with red ring - all about 1 inch in diameter). I noticed the tick because the bite was painful and continues to throb/hurt now 7 hours after tick removal. The immediate area is very tender to the touch.
Could I be infected with Lyme if the tick was not engorged? Is the rash I'm seeing a true "bulls eye rash" or just swollen (and painful!) from the bite? Should I look for other symptoms or be concerned with possible co-infections?
Having been treated for Lyme 5 years ago I immediately called my OBGYN and got a prescription. I can't take doxycycline because I'm pregnant but he prescribed amoxicillian, 500 mg, 3x a day, for 10 days. Is this an adequate medication, dosage and length of treatment?
Thanks for any advice you have!!
Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
That's the right med, but not long enough and most likely too low of a dose. Do you still have contact with your previous LLMD? I'd contact him and ask for an adequate script. It's best for you and baby to be treated properly!!
Sounds like a bullseye to me. Take a PICTURE!!! Doesn't matter if the tick was engorged.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- I'm glad to hear you are on Amoxicillin.
Yes, as SGK says, take photos of your rash at various points in time. And 10 days is not nearly long enough. You should probably be treated for a minimum of 30 weeks. And you'll need to be assessed for other tick-borne infections.
But - it's too early for a lyme test for you. Soon, other tick-borne infections need to be considered.
On Monday, you can call around for a good LLMD (Lyme Literate Medical Doctor). You will likely need to be treated for 30 weeks, at least - and your baby's cord blood may need to be tested at birth - but your LLMD would know more about all that.
Likely, since you are addressing this very early, all will be fine.
LDA - lower left menu: photos of rashes - but know that rash can appear many different ways - or no rash at all.
Do not take any steroids - not even a steroid cream. Not even a little.
Good luck. -
Posted by painted turtle (Member # 7801) on :
From what I understand, this could be the bulls eye, or it could be a reaction to the bite itself.
Do you still have the tick? Send it off and get it tested.
The good thing is you caught it exceptionally early.
I would definitely consult with a few other Drs. on how you ought to proceed.
I would also go into full swing do everything you can mode to avoid penetrating long term problems, I mean in every holistic pregnant safe way you can for the next 5-6 weeks.
Posted by Beachinit (Member # 21040) on :
I do not think the presence or absence of a rash, bullseye shaped or otherwise makes any difference. Amoxicillin is commonly used during pregancy and is thought to be safe for that reason. Whether to take one versus two tabs 3X/ day is a concern. Given your past history of lyme disease and concern for rekindling this disease I would think the higher dose would be preferable.
Beachinit.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- painted turtle reminded me -
LEDUM homeopathic if taken at the time of the bite or soon after, may be of great help.
Topic: How did they CURE lyme in Romania - from Marnie
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Posted by maureen2174 (Member # 11471) on :
my llmd recommends 3000 mg a day- (1000 mg 3x a day) for pregnancy. i think that is the dosage recommended for pregnancy by many llmds.
Posted by Beachinit (Member # 21040) on :
Length of treatment is a good question . . . anyone?
Beachinit.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- For brand new case of uncomplicated lyme: at least 30 weeks - or two to three months after cessation of symptoms.
With other tick-borne infections, it can vary. With advanced lyme, it can take one - three years if everything is done correctly. Sometimes, longer.
CONTROVERSY CONTINUES TO FUEL THE "LYME WAR" - 2007
" . . .To treat Lyme disease for a comparable number of life cycles, treatment would need to last 30 weeks. . . ."
"...If all cases were detected and treated in the early stages of Lyme disease, the debate over the diagnosis and treatment of late-stage disease would not be an issue, and devastating rheumatologic, neurologic, and cardiac complications could be avoided..."
. . . . -
Posted by Lyme in Maine (Member # 7734) on :
Thanks for the advice and suggestions. I do still have the tick - it's in a baby food jar right now. What should I do with it? My OB said that the state of Maine is no longer even bothering to test ticks if you bring it to the emergency room because they will assume the tick IS infected with Lyme.
The LLMD I saw a few years ago is apparently on vacation until April 6th so I'll run out of my 10 day dosage before then.
Can they accurately test now for possible co-infections? What symptoms should I look for?
Thank you!!
Posted by Beachinit (Member # 21040) on :
Send to Maine Medical Center Tick lab in Portland, ME. I'll look for more info shortly.
Beachinit
Posted by Beachinit (Member # 21040) on :
As part of a program to establish the distribution of the deer tick, Ixodes scapularis (dammini), the vector for the Lyme disease bacteria and other pathogens, the MMCRI Vector-borne Disease Laboratory offers free identification of ticks. The following form should be used. Ticks will not be tested to see if they contain the Lyme Disease spirochete because the clinical value of this information is uncertain. You will be notified of the tick identification as soon as possible. We regret that staff limitations do not allow us to identify ticks submitted from outside the State of Maine. In addition, if it appears from the description in Ticks in Maine that your tick is a dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), we would appreciate that it not be submitted for identification. These ticks are present in overwhelming numbers, particularly in early summer, and are not effective vectors of the Lyme disease bacterium.
Why is this important? It is important for your physician (or your pet's veterinarian) to know what species of tick has bitten you (or your pet). It is also important for us to know the location of the tick for inclusion in our continually updated distribution map.
How do I submit ticks? Remove ticks by grasping them with fine tweezers as near to the skin as possible and pull gently but firmly. The barbed mouth parts may not let go easily, so be patient. It may take several minutes or more. Do not handle ticks with your bare hands.
Ticks should be sealed in a small, crushproof vial of 70% alcohol, the vial padded with absorbent paper towel and sealed in a plastic bag, and mailed to us along with a completed submission form:
Vector-borne Disease Laboratory Maine Medical Center Research Institute 75 John Roberts Rd., Suite 9B South Portland, ME 04106
Print out the following form, complete it, and mail it in with the specimen.
Submission forms:
Click here to download our tick submission form as an Adobe PDF document Click here to download our tick submission form as a Microsoft Word document We will mail a report of the tick's identification to you as soon as possible, usually within five days. We may also send you a map to identify the site where you think the tick was acquired.
Posted by hshbmom (Member # 9478) on :
Note the statement above:
"Ticks will NOT be tested to see if they contain the Lyme Disease spirochete because the clinical value of this information is uncertain. You will be notified of the tick identification as soon as possible."
I wouldn't waste my time sending the tick to this organization. They don't test for Lyme disease.
Send your tick to Igenex if you want an honest assessment of the presence of the Lyme bacterium. But remember, even these tests are not 100% accurate.
Don't forget about the possibility of coinfections in this tick. Does Igenex test submitted ticks for coinfections?
Or save your money and proceed with treatment by a qualified physician.
Posted by Beachinit (Member # 21040) on :
Could try Clongen then. They do PCR: Bb,Babesia, Bartonella all three for only: $195.00 or single test only:$75.00
Nice pick up HSHBMOM. What's the point of ID'ing the tick without checking for infections/microbes. Sounds like some public service / political gesture with no real substance behind it. Sorry I mentioned it.
Beachinit.
Posted by blinkie (Member # 14470) on :
Yes, you should treat for the remainder of the pregnancy for the health of the baby. I gave birth while infected with lyme and this is standard protocol for LLMD's to treat the entire pregnancy.
BTW- your bite is just like mine was with a black center...stupid duck said it was a spider bite...a year later, diagnosed with lyme and near death, I now know the truth...it was a tick.
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
You were very smart to get on antibiotics right away! Good for you.
Not sure exactly on the dose. The 1,000 mg 3 times a day may be what is preferred by LLMD's, who are the ones that take this kind of thing more seriously because they see the worst cases.
I would also have the umbilical cord blood tested, for Lyme, babesia, and bartonella, through Clongen. You will have to plan for this ahead of time. I am thinking you can probably call Clongen to find out what you would need to do to have that done.
The are a specialty lab, and regarded as one of the best. Phone # is 877-CLONGEN. Or 877-256-6436.
My guess is that they will send you a test kit by mail, and you will need to get a doctor to write the order for the test to be done, usually (ask Clongen). The kit will be used at the hospital, then either you (personally I'd do it unless you trust the hospital) or the hospital can put the kit in the mail to Clongen once you follow the instructions in the kit (usually it's filling out a form, enclosing a check, and filling vials with blood or specimen).
I have never done testing with Clongen so I'm not certain on those details (so call them to find out), but that's how it works with most of these Lyme specialty labs. I believe Clongen is the lab the LLMD's use to test the cord blood.
Be sure to take each Amoxicillin dosage 8 hours apart, and don't skip doses.
If I were you, I would want the antibiotic for the rest of my pregnancy. I would say 4-8 weeks is minimum. There have been cases of babies being born with Lyme despite the mother taking a short antibiotic course after the bite, so it's best to be safe in my opinion and take the antibiotics longer. Luckily, you got on them right away.
Also, you want to be taking a high quality probiotic from a health food store, 3 hours after each antibiotic dose if possible (or at least after 2 of the 3 doses, so twice a day). I would take a couple different brands to get different "strains." This is to prevent yeast infections from the antibiotic. Also, it will prevent stomach issues from the antibiotic like diarrhea or constipation.
It needs to be 3 hours after the antibiotic though, because it can't be in your stomach with the antibiotic....it's a living good bacteria, so the antibiotic will kill it if you take them together!
Hope some of this helps. Blessings to you and your little one!
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :