I'm a 31 year-old male New Zealander living in New York without health insurance. About three weeks ago I had a pretty intense fever for two days with a stiff neck and joint pain. The fever subsided but I still have several sore joints, particularly my wrists and my left groin. They feel like sprains but I haven't had any injury or trauma. As well as the sore wrists I've also lost sensation in both hands - as I'm typing this now it's hard to coordinate what I'm doing. I've made several visits to woody areas of Connecticut, so Lyme disease is a possibility.
I went to see a sliding scale doctor this afternoon. She's holding off on testing for Lyme disease because apparently the testing is expensive without insurance. Instead she took a urine sample (I have prostatitis and am currently having a flare-up) and is testing for a form of arthritis that people get in their teens and 20s.
I'm a little anxious about all of this and am not sure what to do. How expensive is a Lyme disease test? Is there anything natural I can take in the meantime, in case it is Lyme disease?
Also, I'm returning to NZ on Nov 7, where healthcare is free and I won't have to worry about costs, insurance etc. Is there any risk in me waiting for a month before doing anything about this?
Any help would be much appreciated.
Paul
Posts: 11 | From New York | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
If you could get her to give you Doxy for 30 days at as high of a strength she would prescribe, you would be ahead of the game by the time you got home. Doxy isn't that expensive and she could give that to you without the testing. Just a clinical dx.
Posts: 219 | From Aubur,Al. USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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lymie tony z
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5130
posted
No one could really give you a timeline on how much lyme could disseminate thru your system.
Suffice to say you should be on some kind of antibiotic as soon as you get back to NZ...
You may have difficulty where you are now and we have some aussies that have a difficult time there...with treatment...
Wish I could help you more but someone else from Australia may be on to help you decide...
I hope they recognize your disease when you get back.....hope it isn't lyme disease also...maybe you could tell doctor here you suspect Wnile Virus and they'll give you something...ya gotta kinda do what ya gotta do, say what ya gotta say to get what you need......ya know??..complain that the stiff neck pain is back and worse...cuz believe me if it's neuro lyme encephylitis/menengitis you'll have it comming back...maybe then you'll get some kind of IV abx that will stop it before it gets too far.......zman
-------------------- I am not a doctor...opinions expressed are from personal experiences only and should never be viewed as coming from a healthcare provider. zman Posts: 2527 | From safety harbor florida(origin Cleve., Ohio | Registered: Jan 2004
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posted
A test might not be accurate at this stage anyway since it takes antibodies weeks to develop. So, that is a good reason not to bother, you might get a false negative.
If you can get doxy to hold you until you get back to NZ, this would be good. The most important thing about lyme is catching it early. Nobody really knows what "early" means, but I think you still fall into that category, and might still in Nov when you get home. At this stage, 4 to 6 weeks of high dose doxy might knock it on the head. End of story. But if it doesn't or you got coinfections from the tick, will need more treatment.
Don't think they will give abx for west nile, will they? It is a virus.
Are you sure you don't remember a tick bite? This might be enough to get meds.
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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Kara Tyson
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 939
posted
Hi Paul,
Others can answer your questions. I just wanted to add that when you go back..watch yourself for the bird flu.
It has been suggested in recent days that if New Zealand gets hit with the bird flu, they may actually quarentine the whole country--you may not be able to get back--or get out.
-------------------- Kara Tyson Lyme Disease Support Group Of Alabama--MobileChapter Posts: 6022 | From Mobile, AL | Registered: Apr 2001
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Don't think they will give abx for west nile, will they? It is a virus.
Right.
Ask for at least 400mg of doxy per day. If you're a large person, even more. This dr should do this "just in case"....It should do no harm if it's something else. NOT treating it properly could do ALOT of harm down the line.
Lyme Disease Symptoms List 1. Unexplained fevers, sweats, chills, or flushing 2. Unexplained weight change--loss or gain 3. Fatigue, tiredness, poor stamina 4. Unexplained hair loss 5. Swollen glands: list areas____ 6. Sore throat 7. Testicular pain/pelvic pain 8. Unexplained menstrual irregularity 9. Unexplained milk production: breast pain 10.Irritable bladder or bladder dysfunction 11.Sexual dysfunction or loss of libido 12.Upset stomach 13.Change in bowel function-constipation, diarrhea 14.Chest pain or rib soreness 15.Shortness of breath, cough 16.Heart palpitations, pulse skips, heart block 17.Any history of a heart murmur or valve prolapse? 18.Joint pain or swelling: list joints_____________ 19.Stiffness of the joints, neck, or back 20.Muscle pain or cramps 21.Twitching of the face or other muscles 22.Headache 23.Neck creeks and cracks, neck stiffness, neck pain 24.Tingling, numbness, burning or stabbing sensations, shooting pains 25.Facial paralysis (Bell's Palsy) 26.Eyes/Vision: double, blurry, increased floaters, light sensitivity 27.Ears/Hearing: buzzing, ringing, ear pain, sound sensitivity 28.lncreased motion sickness, vertigo, poor balance 29.Lightheadedness, wooziness 30.Tremor 31.Confusion, difficulty in thinking 32.Diffculty with concentration, reading 33.Forgetfuiness, poor short term memory 34.Disorientation: getting lost, going to wrong places 35.Difficulty with speech or writing 36.Mood swings, irritability, depression 37.Disturbed sleep-too much, too little, early awakening 38.Exaggerated symptoms or worse hangover from alcohol
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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quote:Originally posted by lou: Are you sure you don't remember a tick bite? This might be enough to get meds.
Thanks Lou.
I don't recall an actual tick bite, but I got bitten by lots of things while I was in Connecticut and Boston. I had quite a few bite marks and itches from what I assumed were mosquitos.
I called my doctor earlier this afternoon. She's still reluctant to give me Doxy for Lyme at this stage, despite the symptoms. She said she might give it to me for my prostatitis, so I'm going to work that angle.
Does anyone in NYC have any Doxy they can loan me?
Thanks again.
Paul
Posts: 11 | From New York | Registered: Oct 2005
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livinlyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3773
posted
Paul, I have some tetracycline but I'm in Florida!
Sorry, I hope this all works out for you and when you do finally touch down on homeland please find your self a good practitioner and don't waste time on getting those Antibiotics... early treatment is the best approach on this or so they say it is!
-------------------- "Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it." Posts: 1389 | From who knows, who cares, but somewhere over the rainbow | Registered: Mar 2003
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posted
You are in charge of your health. If I had insisted with my Dr lo these many years ago, I wouldn't be in the condition I'm in today. If the Dr you saw won't give you a 30 day dose of doxy, find another doctor. My word! They hand out abx for teenage acne and they won't prescribe doxy for 30 days. The consequences are more severe if you have Lyme and don't take than if you don't have lyme and take doxy for 30 days.
Sorry to be terse but i'm in the middle of a herx (i think) from mino i started Monday.
Posts: 277 | From NY | Registered: Jun 2005
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