posted
I have a huge bull's eye rash on my right leg for almost a week now and on my other leg, my ankle is all swollen for no apparent reason. I'm walking on crutches because it's so painful I can't put any weight on the swollen leg. I also had some mild arthritic pain on my left hand wrist and knuckles for a couple days, and then it was on my right wrist and knuckles, but now it's all gone. It's just weird because I've never had arthritis and there's no history of it in my family.
Two days ago, I went to an urgent care center and the nurse noticed that I have a temperature of 100.3 degrees. The doc gave me some anti-inflammatory for my swollen ankle and some antibiotics for my rash plus some pain killers. I asked him if it's possible that I have Lyme but he said normally a tick would stay on my skin for at least 24 hours for me to get Lyme. Since I don't recall seeing a tick, he said it's very unlikely that I have it. I don't know if that true though. He did get my blood for Lyme testing. I didn't know much about lyme at the time so I didn't ask him which test he's using (Western blot or ELISA, I guess). I called the urgent care center today and they still don't have my test results. I'll call again tomorrow but I'm just not sure how much I should trust those results.
All the knowledgable users here, please give me some advice! If the blood test result turns out to be negative, should I just forget about my silly suspicions and go on with the treatment? So far, I'm not seeing any improvements. My left ankle is swelling more and more, but not as painful as before (maybe it's the pain killers). The rash is gradually fading. But what bothers me the most is that my right ankle is also starting to hurt.
If it really is lyme, from what I'm reading online, it's developing quite fast in my case. I called several lyme docs in my area but all were fully booked until June. I'd really appreciate it if someone can PM me a list of lyme docs in California (preferably San Francisco Bay Area) so I can get some professional opinions as soon as possible.
My husband tells me to stop worrying so much I hope I can get some support here...
Posts: 5 | From CUPERTINO, CA | Registered: May 2011
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-------------------- 10/10 EIA 1.4+, 41 (IGG), 23 (IGM) Bitten over 20 years ago. Currently not treating, looking for a Dr who will work with my insurance lol.
More muscular, cognitive, nerve issues than joints. Facial droop and blurred vision. Posts: 323 | From Michigan | Registered: Apr 2011
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merrygirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12041
posted
all you need is a bullseye rash its diagnostic by itself.
Posts: 3905 | From USA | Registered: May 2007
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posted
please do as lymetoo says and check your scripts.
What i think she meant by "REAL trouble" is that steroids are extremely dangerous complicating drugs with lyme.
I am not expert but I understand they lower immune and let the lyme go crazy all over the body. makes it way worse and can do severe damage besides. Sometimes fatal.
So it is absolutely not ok to take them with a lyme dx.
when asked if I am "allergic" to any meds...I just say I can't take steroids. I don't explain.
So it is an extremely important and urgent matter so the emphasis cannot be overstated.
but I also need to say please do not panic.
It is not inevitable that you suffer permanent damage from steroids.
I personally had a kind but completely lyme illiterate neurologist put me on 3 days of IV steroids when I first presented with paralysis in the hospital that turned out to be lyme and coinfections.
I did not die and my story is not over. i am NOT minimizing steroids...merely wanting to assure you in the midst of this scary time.
you are in the right place asking the right questions so don't panic...
you need your head to make some imminent and compelling decisions for yourself.
Bulls eye rashes can look quite variable. i have had one that if i had not seen online pix I would not necessarily have known mine was...they are not all not so neat and tidy.
your husband is well intentioned to try to keep the calm and perspective, but he probably has the wrong angle at the moment.
i am not a doctor so I cannot dx but you can make informed decisions for your welfare while you find one. The first of many...doctor or not.
Since a bullseye is diagnostic ramping up the urgency of lyme literate intervention is critical not dialing down and delay.
In early lyme sooner is better...it makes a huge difference.
-------------------- Not everything in life that can be counted counts and not every thing that counts can be counted...Albert Einstein Posts: 208 | From Northeast | Registered: Aug 2010
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posted
Thank you so much for your information and support! I got a couple of PM's with doctor listings. It seems like I'll be able to get an appointment early next week!
I took a picture just now. Like I said, the rash is already fading, so I better keep it as a piece of evidence. The red areas used to be raised and more vivid. So what do you think? Does it look like bull's eye to you?
Posts: 5 | From CUPERTINO, CA | Registered: May 2011
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Looks like one to me. Put a newspaper or something with a date next to it also .. then take another pic for your records. Wish you could get one with your face in there.. but don't think you can stand on your head!
So .. Do you have a script for a steroid? (hope not)
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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I hope I can get some support here...
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