Pediatrician gave her Augmentin, because she has a sinus infection and a headache. I asked for a script for bloodwork for Lyme. She told me that she would order both Elisa and WB.
I am afraid to give her the Augmentin. I am afraid she will herx. Am I crazy? Not even sure she has Lyme.
I called MDL and they said I could bring her down for testing next week with the script and they would pull the blood.
Please help!! Posted by fflutterby (Member # 28081) on :
OK if you think I am being irrational, tell me...I can take it..
Posted by tick battler (Member # 21113) on :
I would definitely give the augmentin because you might gain some information about whether she has lyme or not. The testing is not very accurate, so you really need to watch for clinical signs. The herx will most likely not be that bad if you think her only lyme symptom is a headache. She may even feel better b/c the sinus symptoms will go away.
Why do you suspect lyme? The headache? Has she been bitten by a tick? Do others in your family have it? Did you have it when you gave birth to her?
tickbattler
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
How long has your daughter been sick with symptoms of the sinus infection? How high are her fevers? How old is she? Does she get any relief with Ibuprofen, antihistamines, and sudafed?
Often doctors will recommend these meds along with the antibiotics because the antihistamines will dry up the mucus, sudafed (not the PE version) will drain the mucus, and the ibuprofen will reduce inflammation. All these things help relieve pain and pressure in the head. And they are dosed specifically on the child's weight.
Most sinus infections start with allergies or a cold virus. The mucus builds up and allows bacteria to grow. Doctors don't usually treat for suspected sinus infections unless you have been sick for more than 7days and have a fever.
So, it is up to you. We don't know how sick your daughter is. If you and the doctor think that she needs the antibiotics then don't hesitate to give them. If you think that you may have brought her to the doctor prematurely and would like to try other treatment methods then that is your right as a mom.
When I had my labs drawn to send to Igenex I had already been on antibiotics for 4wks. My well respected LLMD said that it would not affect the results. You will find both opinions here on LN, the group that says go ahead and take the antibiotics and the group that says it is best to be off them for a couple weeks before testing.
You are not being irrational by asking these questions. You care. We just can't make the decisions for you, we can only give you our opinions based on what you tell us.
Posted by fflutterby (Member # 28081) on :
Well I have Lyme, I only started symptoms this past summer. No recollection of a bite. I am not sure if I had this when I was pregnant either, and I did nurse her.
She has stayed home with me all these years,(no daycare) so the doctor says her three week cold turned into a sinus infection.
No high fever, just a little fluid in her ears and yellow mucus in the nose.
I am sure she has been exposed to different germs since she has started school in September. She is active as heck. But does complain about a belly ache and headache for the past two weeks.
I gave her the antibiotic and will see how things improve. Thanks tick battler and sammy Posted by fflutterby (Member # 28081) on :
OK so, my daughter told me to rub her feet tonight. I moved up to her knees and she said ouch.
So now I am scared. Two days on antibiotic. Her headache is gone, belly ache is gone. Now her feet and knees hurt a "little".
Picking up the script from pediatrician for the bloodwork for Elisa and WB follow up. (Pedi swears she does not have Lyme)
Should I bring her down to MDL and have them pull the blood? Should I ask Pedi. for a script for a different test?
OMG I am so scared right now for my baby girl.
Posted by tick battler (Member # 21113) on :
Don't worry - if she does have it - she does not have many symptoms so the treatment should not be too traumatic. You are doing the right thing by looking into it now. It is a little suspicious that she is having knee pain. That could very well be the herx that you were wondering about. I have a mild case of lyme and my herxes are very slight joint pain. The fact that her head is better would probably mean the sinus infection is going away.
I have three young children with it and they are doing much better since being in treatment. My twin boys started treatment at age 4 and my daughter at age 2. But my children were much sicker than your daughter, if she does indeed have it.
I would use Igenex for the lyme WB test (#188 and 189 I think on the requisition form). You can call them and get a kit sent to you. Then ask the ped for an RX the EMLA numbing cream for the blood draw. She shouldn't feel a thing. Have the pediatrician sign the requisition form and you can send in the blood to the lab. Must do it on a Mon, Tues or Wed I think.
Hang in there. You will get through this. I can certainly relate to how you are feeling.
tickbattler
Posted by fflutterby (Member # 28081) on :
tick battler thank you, do you know the cost of this test?
Posted by kimmie (Member # 25547) on :
Best to be proactive here. Worst case scenario, she test +...well atleast you are starting treatment and not waiting.
Posted by tick battler (Member # 21113) on :
I haven't checked the cost lately but I think it's around $200.
Posted by Al (Member # 9420) on :
ROCHESTER, MINN. -- Mayo Clinic researchers say they have found the cause of most chronic sinus infections -- an immune system response to fungus. They say this discovery opens the door to the first effective treatment for this problem, the most common chronic disease in the United States. An estimated 37 million people in the United States suffer from chronic sinusitis, an inflammation of the membranes of the nose and sinus cavity. Its incidence has been increasing steadily over the last decade. Common symptoms are runny nose, nasal congestion, loss of smell and headaches. Frequently the chronic inflammation leads to polyps, small growths in the nasal passages which hinder breathing. "Up to now, the cause of chronic sinusitis has not been known," say the Mayo researchers: Drs. David Sherris, Eugene Kern and Jens Ponikau , Mayo Clinic ear, nose and throat specialists. Their report appears in the September issue of the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings. "Fungus allergy was thought to be involved in less than ten percent of cases," says Dr. Sherris. "Our studies indicate that, in fact, fungus is likely the cause of nearly all of these problems. And it is not an allergic reaction, but an immune reaction." The researchers studied 210 patients with chronic sinusitis. Using new methods of collecting and testing mucus from the nose, they discovered fungus in 96 percent of the patients' mucus. They identified a total of 40 different kinds of fungi in these patients, with an average of 2.7 kinds per patient. In a subset of 101 patients who had surgery to remove nasal polyps, the researchers found eosinophils (a type of white blood cell activated by the body's immune system) in the nasal tissue and mucus of 96 percent of the patients. The results, the researchers say, clearly portray a disease process in which, in sensitive individuals, the body's immune system sends eosinophils to attack fungi and the eosinophils irritate the membranes in the nose. As long as fungi remain, so will the irritation. "This a potential breakthrough that offers great hope for the millions of people who suffer from this problem," says Dr. Kern. "We can now begin to treat the cause of the problem instead of the symptoms." More research is underway at Mayo Clinic to confirm that the immune response to the fungus is the cause of the sinus inflammation. The researchers are also working with pharmaceutical companies to set up trials to test medications to control the fungus. They estimate that it will be at least two years before a treatment will be widely available. The researchers distinguish chronic sinusitis -- sinusitis that lasts three months or longer -- from acute sinusitis, which lasts a month or less. They say that the cause of the acute condition is usually a bacterial infection. Antibiotics and over-the-counter decongestants are widely used to treat chronic sinusitis. In most cases, antibiotics are not effective for chronic sinusitis because they target bacteria, not fungi. The over-the-counter drugs may offer some relief of symptoms, but they have no effect on the inflammation. "Medications haven't worked for chronic sinusitis because we didn't know what the cause of the problem was," says Dr. Ponikau. "Finally we are on the trail of a treatment that may actually work." Thousands of kinds of single-cell fungi (molds and yeasts) are found everywhere in the world. Fungal spores (the reproductive part of the organism) become airborne like pollen. Some people develop allergies to fungi. The new evidence from the Mayo study suggests that many people also develop a different kind of immune system response.
Posted by Need Lots of Help (Member # 18603) on :
I have been telling people that my sinustis and bronchitis cleared up tremendously after being treated with diflucan for 3 to 4 months. Finally the May comes up with something worthwhile....even though most Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia specialist have known this!!
Posted by fflutterby (Member # 28081) on :
Thanks all, This is her first sinus infection. My LLMD says if she is getting better I should not worry. And she is Posted by sixgoofykids (Member # 11141) on :
Even if she has Lyme, since she has few symptoms, treatment should be relatively early. You wouldn't have even considered she might have Lyme if you weren't so familiar with the symptoms.
That's what happened with me and my daughter. She only needed 8 months of treatment, the last three months were symptom-free. Her treatment was relatively painless. Her daily headaches went away.
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