posted
Greetings, my son who is 8 hours away at college (it figures) just called and said that he has lots of tiny red bumps on his hand and feet (after looking closer, he found they were also on his arms, legs, and torso) They aren't itchy but he says that the skin is getting tighter and his fingers are starting to peel. He sent me a photo of the spots and they are raised and not "blood spots."
He's not itchy but he says that his pain level is still high (he came home for Spring break and got a flare-up that aggravated *everything*.)
He's on two antibiotics for Lyme, and on a monthly anti, for bebesia (he has taken that 3 months now), from a photo he sent me he clearly has a yeast infection (white tongue)
Not asking for a diagnosis but wondering if anyone else has seen red spots on their body from Lyme treatment.
Also wondering if I need to go get him to get him checked out (and yes, I'm monitoring him very closely)
thanks for any help.
Posts: 10 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Mar 2012
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posted
He's got yeast meds at college and so I told him to start taking the liquid (4x a day) I also told him to wash ALL his bedding and take a hot shower with soap, (he is in college after all it's not unheard of to have bedbugs)
Posts: 10 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Mar 2012
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posted
Well I'm wondering if it is a herx, he started meds in August. I also have 2 other sons who are positive who started meds in October.
What a miserable disease this is. Everytime we seem to get on top of it, it keeps popping out somewhere else.
I'm a writer and I've been writing a few articles on Lyme and how is is affected families. I cringe everytime I hear that someone's treatment was put off because a Dr didn't believe in chronic lyme.
I want them to see my kids.
Posts: 10 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Mar 2012
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Haley
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 22008
posted
sounds like Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Can you post the picture?
Posts: 2232 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2009
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posted
I just looked up photos on the net and that's just what his rash looks like (he's in the ER right now w/severe abdominal pain.) He's already on 3 antibiotics, and he still got this? Geesh.
The Dr. treating him is trying to tell him that chronic Lyme does not exit. I told him to have that Dr. call me so that I can tell him to go to hell.
Posts: 10 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Mar 2012
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Rumigirl
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posted
Have the ER dr page his LLMD---I know it's late, but this is an emergency, and with RMSF---that's no joke! The last thing he needs is a stupid ER dr not taking it seriously and lecturing him about Lyme (I've been there---I wanted to strangle the drs).
Plus, yes, you should talk to the ER dr, but, of course, you'd better be somewhat diplomatic, hard as that is under the circumstances. I HATE ER's; they are not good for us Lymies, but we need them all to often. What a mess.
When I first read your post, I knew: RMSF! If you don't hear back from the LLMD tonight, which actually would be best, definitely call first thing tomorrow am . You need to see that what the ER drs give him is adequate (probably not), and what else is needed.
Posts: 3771 | From around | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
We still don't have closure on this (my son is seeing a Dr at the college this afternoon who is in contact with his primary physician) thanks in part to this discussion.
The ER doc diagnosed him with "Unknown rash" and sent him back to the school with Claritin (I couldn't make this stuff up)
I've been on the phone with health services and they are on top of this. Of course, remember, I'm not a doc in real life and this might not be RMSF however, with the symptoms, flat red spots that started on his hand and feet that have progressed up his body. Abdominal pain, increase in joint/muscle pain. it certainly seems to be pointing in that direction.
Thanks all for your suggestions.
Posts: 10 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Mar 2012
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posted
My first thought was RMSF also. The rash on the feet is especially significant.
Hubby has been ill with lyme and coinfections for 11 years now and his RMSF did not show up until last year when he tried some more aggressive meds. He ended up having low positive tests which supposedly indicated past infections with RMSF, typhus and 2 or 3 different ehrlichia/anaplasma species. I do not think he has or had all those infections but they are all inter related and the tests can cross react somewhat.
Doxy finally stopped hubby's fevers that he had been having daily for the 5 months it took to figure out what was going on. He did finally get a rash which led us to test for the RMSF.
Hubby's rash was only on his hands and arms up to his elbows and then on his upper thighs. So it is not always a full body rash. And the skin did peel off on his hands at least.
But if your son has had a recent change in meds then you of course need to rule out an allergic reaction to a new med.
The only other time hubby had a rash was on mepron and that was hives which migrated into his entire body turning beet red with big welts. Mepron does seem to be a common cause of rashes in lymies so you need to keep that in mind if he is on that med.
Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
Actually that's another symptom my son told me about, his fingers peeling.
He's been on the same meds now for at least 3.5 months so although not impossible, it's highly unlikely this is an allergic reaction to his meds.
Posts: 10 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Mar 2012
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steve1906
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16206
posted
I hope your son is doing better - keep us updated.
Just throught I'd post a photo of (RMSF)
Symptoms
Symptoms usually develop about 2 to 14 days after the tick bite. They may include: Chills, Confusion, Fever, Headache, Muscle pain
Rash -- usually starts a few days after the fever; first appears on wrists and ankles as spots that are 1 - 5 mm in diameter, then spreads to most of the body. About one-third of infected people do not get a rash.
Other symptoms that may occur with this disease: Diarrhea, Light sensitivity, Hallucinations, Loss of appetite, Nausea, Thirst, Vomiting
-------------------- Everything I say is just my opinion! Posts: 3529 | From Massachusetts Boston Area | Registered: Jul 2008
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'Kete-tracker
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Member # 17189
posted
Oh (phew!}, Steve, I though that was the kid. I was about to say, "Haul him in to the E.R. again, pronto!"
Re: "ER doc diagnosed him with "Unknown rash" and sent him back to the school with Claritin." And we pay nearly a $1000 a visit to get THIS kinda crap?!
(My PCP was dis-believeing when I told him Claritin did squat for my hayfever. Sometimes I think these doctors believe the pharmaceutical reps over what WE tell them.)
Posts: 1233 | From Dover, NH | Registered: Sep 2008
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steve1906
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posted
How's your son doing today?
-------------------- Everything I say is just my opinion! Posts: 3529 | From Massachusetts Boston Area | Registered: Jul 2008
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Rumigirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15091
posted
He needs to go to the ER; the college drs know absolutely nothing about this! Plus, call your LLMD (emergency call on the weekend) and have them call the ER drs-or the other way around). Don't wait on this. It clearly sounds like RMSF.
You haven't posted in a while, so who knows what is happening.
Posts: 3771 | From around | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
Sorry for the delay on responding to this thread, right after this ER visit, there was a false alarm of a gunman at his college. The entire school was in lockdown for 2 hours while until they figured out it was a student with one of those samari-sword umbrellas. Don't think my heartbeat has returned to normal yet, I just want to keep my kid home wrapped in bubble-wrap.
The day after the ER run, he was at the campus infirmary being seen by a Doctor who was in touch with our LLMD. He didn't think it was RMSF but took some blood to confirm. He thought it was a reaction to one of his meds and with our docs agreement took him off of that (Doxy family) he is still on two other meds.
Today, he reports that the spots have not gotten worse but that they haven't gone away. He has another apt at the college infirm today and hopefully they will have the lab results.
He has been on meds for 3 cycles now for bebasia and I'm wondering if this also might finally be a herx reaction from that.
It's tough having a teen with lyme, it's even tougher having a teen with lyme who is 8 hours away at school.
Thanks for all your input and concern.
Posts: 10 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Mar 2012
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posted
My daughter had red spots on hands and feet. Some even looked like bull's eye rashes. We went to patient first and fell of the chair when the dr said this looks like a Lyme rash. The rash could also be a dermatological herx. Do they burn or are painful. My daughter has been soaking in baking soda , and taking antihistamines just in case. Feel better.
-------------------- gatorade girl
"I still have Mt.Everest to climb, but I have traveled across the world and arrived at the mountain". Posts: 633 | From baltimore | Registered: Mar 2010
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posted
Did they mention stevens john sons syndrome? I thought of this bc you mentioned peeling feet. Just a thought.
-------------------- gatorade girl
"I still have Mt.Everest to climb, but I have traveled across the world and arrived at the mountain". Posts: 633 | From baltimore | Registered: Mar 2010
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posted
The rash was never itchy and although it is still there it has not gotten any worse. I should have more information from him this evening.
Posts: 10 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Mar 2012
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posted
My son will be coming home in a few weeks for Easter vacation. You can bet I'll be checking his symptoms out.
For now, he says that the spots are fading. There is no change in his severe psoriasis (covering his entire body) which may actually be a reaction to the lyme and not psoriasis.
It's all one big long waiting game with Lyme isn't it?
Posts: 10 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Mar 2012
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