posted
Hello. I have a question that I am not able to find an answer to and I hope that you can help.
Background 43 year old female. I live in eastern Maryland.
Two and a half weeks ago, we went for a walk in the woods in PA in a State Park. We went hiking down to the creek, thru tall grass off the beaten track. I got tired of the stickers, so I took a game trail and I ended up crossing thru a deer bed down. I never thought about ticks this late in the year or I really would have been more careful. When I got home I checked for ticks, but didn't see any so I thought I was fine. Two days later I saw a tiny speck on my stomach and took a picture of it so I could zoom in to see what it was. Sure enough, it was a tick. It had 8 legs, so it was nymph stage deer tick. I searched all over my body where I could see and found and removed 5 more that morning. Checked DH and he was clean. Checked my daughter and she had one.
I called her ped. and was told all the wonderful things to look for on her and about her. And I figured I would just follow the same advice for myself. She's not had any problems so far. She'll be on tick watch till Oct. 31.
Two days later I found 2 more that were fat and well fed. (4 about {98 hours} days total) Removed them as well. My heart sank. Now I feel like there is a time bomb ticking in me. Anyway, I have watched carefully for a rash, but have not really seen one. I did spend a few days feeling pretty bad, but I can account for that because of a medication-or more correct- a withdrawal from wellbutrin. Achy, flu-like-same symptoms for both conditions.
Ever since then, I have been doing a lot of research on Lyme diseased. Years ago, back in the mid 1986 or 87 I distinctly recall having a whole mess of ring-like and bullseye rashes all over one arm. At the time, I thought it was ringworm and my dad treated it with some fungal medication for horses. I was 16 and it was the 80's. It never itched and it didn't respond to the medication, it just went away after a couple weeks. I've looked at pictures of ringworm compared to the Lyme rash and I suspect it may not have been ringworm after all. And reading all the symptoms of later stage Lyme, I am getting really worried! Most notably, I have arthritis in my knees and one wrist, but no where else. I have had this for 10 years now and was diagnosed with it at age 33 with no family history of early arthritis. I have some odd mental things happen once it awhile and happening quite a bit lately. I use the wrong word. Example, just today I said something to my husband about we can work on getting that done this winter. Only I didn't say winter, I said Christmas. This is getting more common all the time.
Post these bites,I've been very tired, had sore joints, tired muscles, mild headache. Again that could all be because of the Wellbutrin thing...don't know.
But in general, I suspect I may have later stage Lyme. What I want to know is this. If a person has later stage Lyme, would they get the rash again after new tick bites? I've been basing everything on this rash.
Now yesterday I did notice I had a very small faint ring on my chest. It was there then gone within an hour. A new one came along and left and right now I have another small one. After looking over this site, I did take a picture of this latest one and I will post it if I can figure out how.
If anyone can offer any suggestions, please do. I am just worried that I am passing off the possible symptoms because of the lack of a rash. If one wouldn't get the rash because of it being pre existing.......
Thanks!!!
Posts: 12 | From Conowingo, MD | Registered: Oct 2011
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sixgoofykids
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11141
posted
Many of us didn't have rashes. You *could* have Lyme. Maybe it's worth getting an appt with a Lyme doc to get tested. If you post in seeking a doctor someone will send you a list of docs in your area.
Welcome to Lymenet!
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
Still wondering about the rash as I would go to the dr and present with pictures of it, but then I don't know if I will get the best course of treatment. My insurance makes it thus that I have to see my primary before I can get a referral to see someone else. He won't treat without symptoms. If I tell him I have first stage symptoms he'll do a short course of antibiotics. Then I can get the referral...but being on the antibiotics will mess up blood test results. Right??? Egads I hate dealing with stuff like this! ))
And Carol, I have been checking her all over and watching for any sign of anything. So far so good. But here is another quick question, because now I'm not sure. Her tick was at her waist line. Would a rash be that far away? This disease process is very complicated.
Posts: 12 | From Conowingo, MD | Registered: Oct 2011
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posted
And thank you all for taking time to comment!!!
Posts: 12 | From Conowingo, MD | Registered: Oct 2011
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
Get that igenex test asAp
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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Catgirl
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 31149
posted
Sent you a pm.
-------------------- --Keep an open mind about everything. Also, remember to visit ACTIVISM (we can change things together). Posts: 5418 | From earth | Registered: Mar 2011
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Carol in PA
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 5338
posted
quote:Originally posted by Sharbear: Her tick was at her waist line. Would a rash be that far away? This disease process is very complicated.
You found a tick at her waistline, but I'm thinking that a tick might crawl up and reach her head, that you did not find. So it's good to keep checking.
Posts: 6956 | From Lancaster, PA | Registered: Feb 2004
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lymeboy
Unregistered
posted
you can avoid a lot of horrible suffering if you just treat it right away. You could test negative. Listen to your body. Once this thing gets hold of you it is NOT pleasant.
Not saying you have it, but it cannot hurt to treat the bite.
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quote:Originally posted by randibear: Get that igenex test asAp
- You need to wait until antibodies can form before getting a Western Blot. You can take antibiotics now and then find an LLMD for more. Make an appointment NOW. You will need to be checked for coinfections too.
When the time is right for testing, then you can go off the abx (antibiotics) for 10-14 days, then test.
Since your insurance will likely NOT pay for your LLMD, you dont' really need a referral.
posted
Thanks everyone! I really do apprecaite all the advice!!! To make matters come rather quickly to a head, this evening I spotted a faint red circle, (clear center) rash on my daughter. Oddly enough, it is in the same exact spot as the ones I am getting.
Tomorrow, she and I will both be heading to the DR to get started on antibiotics. She is confirmed allergic to all cillian drugs, but she has taken TMP_SMZ (sulfa) before with no problems. Again oddly enough, I can take cillians, but TMP made me so sick I thought I was going to die.
While I am there tomorrow, I will see if I can y primary motivated on doing any blood work and see what his path is going to be.
And thus it starts.......
Posts: 12 | From Conowingo, MD | Registered: Oct 2011
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posted
If your daughter goes on the TMP, don't touch those pills yourself, since you are allergic to them. Even better to ask for something else for her, and not have it in the house at all.
Posts: 9 | From Nevada County, CA | Registered: Sep 2011
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posted
Follow up time. She and I have different doctors so we have different treatment plans.
With her allergy she was put on Ceftin (oral suspension) for 21 days. The pharm. warned me ahead that there is a slight chance she may still react to this RX like a cillian drug. She is on this for 21 days. WallyWorld was out of it, so she starts tonight. She had a blood test done yesterday (Lyme titer) and will either continue the treatment or stop depending on the outcome of that. Her ped isn't convinced her symptoms are related to Lyme, but she is taking a better safe than sorry approach. She has another appointment in Nov. Whatever the test results, I am going to request another blood test for around the first of the year.
For me, I am on Doxy for 14 days with a slip for blood work in Dec.
Neither treatment plans sounds great, but for now, at least it's something.
Posts: 12 | From Conowingo, MD | Registered: Oct 2011
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![[Frown]](frown.gif)
I never thought about ticks this late in the year or I really would have been more careful. When I got home I checked for ticks, but didn't see any so I thought I was fine. Two days later I saw a tiny speck on my stomach and took a picture of it so I could zoom in to see what it was. Sure enough, it was a tick. It had 8 legs, so it was nymph stage deer tick. I searched all over my body where I could see and found and removed 5 more that morning. Checked DH and he was clean. Checked my daughter and she had one.![[Smile]](smile.gif)
It never itched and it didn't respond to the medication, it just went away after a couple weeks. I've looked at pictures of ringworm compared to the Lyme rash and I suspect it may not have been ringworm after all. And reading all the symptoms of later stage Lyme, I am getting really worried! Most notably, I have arthritis in my knees and one wrist, but no where else. I have had this for 10 years now and was diagnosed with it at age 33 with no family history of early arthritis. I have some odd mental things happen once it awhile and happening quite a bit lately. I use the wrong word. Example, just today I said something to my husband about we can work on getting that done this winter. Only I didn't say winter, I said Christmas. This is getting more common all the time. 
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