posted
How long do the Bulls eye rashes last? My started with a red band right over the muscle area I pulled. They have been there for almost 5 weeks.
I was giving a steroid to deal with muscle inflammation and that started taking them away but then my dr tested for Lyme and said she wanted to treat for it. Now I'm off the steroid.
I don't beleive I've had a western blot test---She said I could have a false positive for Lyme but started me on 3 week doxy treatment.
I have been dealing with this for 3 months? It started with a pulled muscle--2 weeks later a red band over that muscle-, 2 weeks after that it expanded to a ring and a bunch other rings and red marks all over my abdominal area. Help!
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Breaking up your post into a couple lines at a time for easier reading for many here -
[ 05-14-2015, 02:14 AM: Message edited by: Robin123 ]
Posts: 78 | From Pa | Registered: May 2015
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posted
Hi - you need to see a real Lyme-treating doctor. You can make a post in Seeking for referrals and people will send you private messages. Put PA in the heading, or wherever you're willing and able to travel to.
Lyme patients are not supposed to have steroids, false negatives are far more common than false positives, which are rare, and you need more than three weeks of treatment and you will need stronger treatment than what you're getting in that three-week treatment.
You can look at info at the top of Medical Questions and also look at the 2008 Burrascano treatment guidelines.
You've come to the right place! Others will be along to also make comments.
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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posted
I am seeing my dr this week. Should I ask her to test me with the western bolt? Or is the Elisa positive enough?
Posts: 78 | From Pa | Registered: May 2015
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Judie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 38323
posted
A bulls-eye rash is 100% diagnostic. It takes 6 weeks after infection to even build up enough antibodies for a test to "possibly" become positive.
Steroids can make Lyme go out of control. It's probably why the bulls-eye is going on so long.
These tests are awful and not 100% diagnostic in the least. You'll be lucky to get a positive test even if you have Lyme disease.
A positive test is a golden ticket. There are no false positives.
There's even a law in Virginia that you're likely to get a false negative.
"The association said that current Lyme disease laboratory testing can produce false negatives, especially in the early state of the disease."
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
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posted
I was feeling so much better with the sterriods and the rash instantly started to disappear as soon as I took them. Now I'm off them an on antibiotics they are not fading as well.
Posts: 78 | From Pa | Registered: May 2015
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posted
Don't worry about the rash. That is the least of your worries right now. It may go away and show up 6 months from now. You never know about those rashes.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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steve1906
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16206
posted
I agree with all above, and like lymetoo said don't worry about the rash. But, it's always good to take some pic's of it for your doctors - like right NOW.
Just to add to the rash - I've had lyme for over 8/9 years that I know of, and I still break-out in rashes 4 or 5 times a year - Abdominal area & chest.
-------------------- Everything I say is just my opinion! Posts: 3529 | From Massachusetts Boston Area | Registered: Jul 2008
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- So you can refer back to previous questions and links, you can just click onto your "web name" to see your posting history.
There is a wealth of detail there for you, too. You might want to copy & paste some of the previous replies to a "study" file as it will take several runs at this to have it all fall into place.
You simply do not need another lyme test. You HAVE a positive test already and the rash. You have classic symptoms. Hope you can find a doctor who is a true lyme literate doctor.
There are no false positives but there are false negatives. If the test "shows" it, "sees" it, "records" it - it's there or it would not have shown up.
On the other hand, the test can fail to "see" or "register" it. And that really is what most doctors want. They do NOT WANT you to register positive because they do NOT want to treat it, and they don't even know how. They've not been educated in this area and have lots of pressure to ignore it.
If you have another test and it fails to register, the diagnosis will be forever dismissed.
Good luck -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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