posted
So this is a bit complicated, hopefully someone will be able to follow it and help me. I just got back from Scotland (3 wks ago) where I got three ticks on a hike. Found them ~24 hours after the hike. They were not engored with blood, but were attached. (all on my legs). -Never saw any rash, or had any severe symptoms. I was tired a couple of the days following, but we were on a 3 wk trip. Also noticed a sore throat. -3 weeks later (now) I still haven't had any notable symptoms, the bites are still there, but probably because I picked them,
Now the complicated part. I'm planning on trying to get pregnant soon and just wanted some info on Lyme disease in regard to pregnancy. Everything I found was so scary and i just kept reading until I was throughly stressed and freaked out.
I called my doc, she said, no symptoms, no worries, which I'm inclined to be ok with.
Here's the cincher: In Oct 2004, on my honeymoon I was in Hawaii and after an adventurous hike, had a bunch of bites on my legs. I never saw any ticks or had any bites that look like the ones I have now, they were raised and red and quite big (dime sized). These DID turn into the bullseye rash. At the time I was slightly worried and knew it was a symptom of LD, but since I had not seen any ticks (and I would have been pretty observant, we were in swimsuits the whole trip!) I did not go to the doctor (I'm kicking myself now!) Since the trip I have not had any recurring problems that show up on any list of LD symptoms.
So I've made an appointment with my doc, to discuss the old bullseye rash from 2004 more than the more recent bites. A couple of questions: -Know of any LLMD's in Colorado? -Does anyone know of other bug bites that cause the bullseye rash (i read about brown recluse spiders, my bites healed after the bullseye). -Should I trust my doctor if she doesn't seem concerned?
Thanks so much! I have been sleepless and web addicted since I started worrying about this!
Posts: 1 | From Colorado | Registered: May 2006
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Bea Seibert
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
Jenn,
If you think there is a chance you have Lyme, then I would suggest you follow through with that hunch before trying to get pregnant.
There have been cases of Lyme being passed on to the child during pregnancy. Even if many doctors say that isn't possible, do you want to take that chance?
I've just seen such pain in the eyes of mothers I met who believe they passed Lyme on to their children. Maybe print out the guidelines from ILADS website and bring it to your doctor. Just to be sure and get abx just in case.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
Better to be safe than sorry _ get to a LLMD and get checked out, You dont need the stress of the uncertainty of health and a child if you want to have a child. Just get checked out. Be safe. Be sure, Be happy. Be healthy. Have baby be healthy.
First steps first, LLMD to make sure no problems coming at you.
Posts: 719 | From Delaware | Registered: Jan 2006
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
Jenn, welcome to lymenet. I'll copy/paste my newbie info here. Be sure to read the stuff on testing for lyme: western blot info. Suggest you copy info for MD.
Welcome to this 24/7 LYME support group board!
Here's TREEPATROL's and Tincup's combination newbie links.
Print off the links then check them off as you read as you could spend several months reading all of this.
print & read Dr. Burrascono's 2005 info first; you will come back to this often.
Extensive info in Treepatrol''s newbie links about the meaning of WESTERN BLOT IGM/IGG test results from Igenex! Be sure to read or print this info IF Igenex tested you ok!
Also, see Cheryl''s extensive web sites on: LD DIAGNOSIS, SYMPTOMS, & TREATMENT ... wonderful! Read the area on CO-INFECTIONS! You could have from 1-12 other illnesses that tick is carrying...lyme, malaria, etc.
If you are showing symptoms of co-infections, I would like to suggest being tested for co-infections when you have LYME western blots done. It isn''t cheap!! But if you are positive, you can treat the co-infections first, and then work on LYME symptoms.
EYE SENSITIVIES & NOIR, no infrared sunglasses info., 2-28-06 updated YES, I have what you have! Are you on doxy too? That made my extreme eyes
200% MORE sensitive than they we were earlier. I learned a lot about eye sensitivity/lighting on www.marshallprotocol.com board.
Look for AUSSIE BARB'S EAST FINDER and then eyes/sunglasses, etc. Wealth of info there.
I ordered the NOIR sunglasses. 2-26-06 corrected wrong email to:
mention you have lyme and marshall protocol, they will give you 20% off! I'm NOT on MProtocol, but mention it anyway. I was on their new board almost 12 months!
Also they have been kind enough to replace the SCRATCHED LENSES & BROKEN BOWS! How's that for service?
I don't drive often at night, but I can wear NOIR's 901 lenses at night while driving; it creates soft candle lights coming at me...tolerable. NOT to wear in town with all the action of people crossing where they shouldn't be, etc.
from LOU to Betty on LONG web links and Thank You Lou!: "If you hit the return key in the middle of a link, I don't think it will be clickable anymore. An alternative that maybe Betty should be telling people about is the tiny url website. I have it on my tool bar at the top of the page and use it for those incredablylongwebsiteaddresses.
All you have to do is ask tiny url to produce a short version, which it will do with a unique address, which you then use instead in your post. Works just the same when clicked! Here is the website, spread the word!
3-1-06, fyi, I tried dragging tinyurl to my toolbar without success, so that''s why I currently have LONG addresses vs. short tiny ones! I''ll keep trying.
Tincup posted March 8, 2005, 2218 Lyme Disease Survey Responses February 27, 2005 - March 9, 2005 1. How many doctors did you have to see before being properly diagnosed? 112 responses Average number of doctors consulted before being diagnosed- 14 Answers ranged from 1- 120 different doctors 2. Have you had problems getting insurance to pay for doctors or treatment? 87 responses Yes- 63 No- 24
3. Have you lost income because of Lyme disease? 106 responses Yes- 99 No- 7 4. How much does it cost you (average) per month for Lyme related expenses? 61 responded Average cost per month per patient- $4,472.49 Low- $500.00 High- $21,492.00
5. How many different medications do you take per day? 77 responded Average - 14 different medications per day Low- 3 High- 25 ``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````` LYME DIAGNOSIS:
The WESTERN BLOT IGM & IGG bloodtest nos. 189 and 188, are the only accurate tests for lyme disease.
They should be sent to USA's Lyme testing (1 of 3 top lyme labs only: IGENEX, MD LAB, OR BOWEN LAB!):
IGENEX LAB: 797 San Antonio Road Palo Alto, CA 94303 1.800.832.3200.
(If the early test, called IGM, is negative; the later test IGG is NOT done!) Please see their web site: www.igenex.com
CALL for current prices and to print their REQUIRED form, which MUST be signed by the doctor, Medicare's UPIN no., DIAGNOSIS CODE completed, and your blood taken EARLY in the week so it doesn't sit in post offices! Afternoon lab draws show more positive lyme results.
NON-Medicare patients must PREPAY by check or credit card for the tests since they do NOT handle insurance papers.
Medicare patients do NOT have to prepay!
Lyme should be diagnosed clinically using medical history in addition with the Western Blot blood tests as no currently available test is definitive in ruling-in or ruling-out infection with Ld pathogens, or whether these infections are responsible for the patient's symptoms.
Write on IGX form, FAX results to my dr., and snail mail paper copy. Mine were lost for 4+ weeks! Also local lab, didn't transfer drs. dx code & hung up my reimbursement from BC/BS.
Since I was from Iowa, it went to BLUE CARD to go to Calif. BS office. They sent to IGX to have them call my dr. for dx code; but IGX didn't & returned paperwork to Calif. office. CA office sent it to my dr. & went to business office who DIDN'T put the dx code on, but sent all to me! frustrating.
I tested positive on both from IGX.
I have 2 suggestions I'd change for the future for anyone testing there!
1. Make sure IGX's pre-printed form has the drs. diagnosis on it, signed by him, etc. I was the first one tested by local lab; they missed putting in code transferring it from their regular to IGX's. So when I sent my paperwork in for reimbursement for my out of pocket $180, it went to Blue Card, California. They sent it to IGX to call my local dr. for this needed dx no. The next thing I knew, IGX sent it back to Cal. BC without any dx no. on it; Cal. sent it to my drs. office for numbers.
They would NOT put it on, and sent it all back to me 6 wks. after I originally sent it to Iowa's BC/BS. I spent 2.5 hrs. on phone calling IGX, Cal. BC, and Iowa's BC offices...ready to hang them all. I did call IGX and talk to the office mgr. about this mixup. She said they ATTEMPT to call the drs. for this info. If they can't get thru, they fax them. I checked w/local drs. office; they did NOT fax them anything.
2. Write on IGX's preprinted form, you want the results FAXED back to your drs. office with paper copy sent as usual. This way, if one if lost; other will get thru. Mine was "LOST" for 1 month. I had to do the followup on this since local blood lab did not! It was 4.5 wks. before I received my positive dx.
Suggestion: You could call out to IGX's 1-800 lab and ask that they make a note on FAXING to your dr. for results when done! Waiting is unbearable especially since someone was sitting on my results for over 4 wks! Betty G
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dontlikeliver
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4749
posted
Personally, I would see a Lyme literate MD and take a course of antibiotics now (for six weeks or so) while there is a chance to stop it becoming a chronic infection IF it is there now but not really showing symptoms yet.
Posts: 2824 | From The Back of Beyond | Registered: Oct 2003
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