I am posting here because I was hoping to gain some knowledge about lyme disease symptoms from people who have been through them. I have been having some strange symptoms for 2 and a half months and have been getting the run around from doctors as my symptoms are becoming more persistent and changing.
In august 2007 I was bit by a big mosquito in a forest preserve in the southwest suburbs of chicago. The bite itched bad at first, and then swelled to be 6" wide, bulls eye like. Since it was a mosquito, I didn't think much of it, just waited about a month for it to go down, didn't think I needed to see a doctor because I felt fine.
At the end of Febuary 2008 I felt tingling sensations on the left side of my lips and chin. For a few months prior, I had had mild tingling and pain in my whole left arm and shoulder, figured I was sleeping on it wrong or it was soar from mountain biking.
Beginning of March the headaches started and have not stopped. I have consistantly had a dull headache ever since. This headache changes sides of my head and is accomponied with a stiff neck and scalp sensitivity. I frequently get the chills, but I have no fever. I am very sensitive to temperature changes, and hot and cold foods and liquids.
I had all of a sudden developed acid reflux, so bad that I had to have an endoscopy because they thought I had a ulcer. Anxiety could have brought this on?? From all of the reflux, I developed a sinus infection and I am currently being treated with omnicef.
My newest symptoms are tingling in my tounge, this also changes sides with my headaches, and muscle twitching all over my body. I also feel sharp tingling in my fingertips and toes, with mild numbness in my legs and arms that comes and goes. My energy level is OK, I can still go to work and to the grocery store, but my heart starts pounding when I exert myself, for example: 4 flights of stairs.
I do feel forgetful and it is hard to read, I usually have to read things twice. It is hard to sleep because putting my head on my pillow can be painful, or one side of my face is so sensitive I can't sleep on it.
I just got the lyme titers test (IgM) back today and it was negative. MRI of brain is negative (no MS) MRI of cervical spine shows small amount of arthritis (I am only 27) MRI of shoulder is negative All of my bloodwork is normal - Normal TSH too
I am taking nexium 40mg for reflux Neurontin 600mg for headaches? not working Omnicef 600mg for sinus infection
I have been to numerous doctors: 2 internal medicine, 1 neurologist, 1 ENT, 1 GI doctor, 1 orthodpedist, 1 physical therapist, 1 opthomologist, and I am feeling scared it might be lyme and it could get worse or get undiagnosed. I am trying to be proactive and get treatment, but all my doctor are running me around in circles. The best diagnosis they can give me is atypical migranes.
Do any of these symptoms sound familiar in the early stages? Has anyone gotten lyme from a mosquito? What testing should I have done? Any advice or experience is helpful to me.
Thank you
Posts: 33 | From Chicago | Registered: May 2008
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Welcome! It's late for me right now so my post might be short but hopefully someone can come along after me and flesh out a better explanation and get you pointed in the right direction (hit it, Bettyg! )
1. Yes, mosquitoes carry Lyme so it is entirely possible and in my opinion from what you said probable that you contracted Lyme and possible co-infections from the mosquito bite that gave you the bullseye rash.
2. What lab was used to test your Lyme? Did they just do IgM and not IgG? Many (ok most) labs do not do the testing correctly and you can get a false negative. This happened to me, where they tested me at one lab and I was completely negative but then when I was tested by Igenix it lit up like a Christmas tree.
Igenix is one of the only labs that does accurate testing for Lyme.
3. One of your symptoms that I had in the beginning stages was all the tingling and the migrating headaches. The tingling for me was on my tongue and fingers and toes and then hands and feet.
Hope that helps a bit...make sure to check out the newbie links at the top of the medical questions page, adn welcome again!
Alison
--------------------
The obscure we see eventually. The completely obvious, it seems, takes longer. --- Edward R. Murrow Posts: 923 | From California | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
Hi: Where in Illinois do you live? I live in Lake Villa, grew up in Oak Lawn. I get that rash from bug bits.
I did have a tick, and got the numbness and tingling in my hands, arms, legs, still get it from time to time.
Julie
-------------------- Julie Posts: 61 | From Lake Villa IL | Registered: Aug 2007
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jamescase20
Unregistered
posted
I did read that they discovered the keets in a mosquitoe. Of course though, that does not mean for certain it can be spread. Hiv, is in the bugger, but it cannot be passed to human. But hiv is a very weak virus. Lyme is not.
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treepatrol
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 4117
posted
Department of Biology and Medical Parasitology, Pomeranian Medical University, Powstancow Wielkopolskich Av. 72, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland. [email protected]
The aim of the study was to determine the infection level of adult forms and larvae of ticks and mosquitoes with Borrelia burgdorferi in the forested areas of Szczecin. A total of 1699 ticks Ixodes ricinus, including 1422 nymphs, 277 adult forms and 2862 mosquito females representing the genera Aedes (89.6%) and Culex (10.4%) were collected between the years 2004 and 2005. A further 3746 larvae and 1596 pupae of Culex pipiens pipiens were colleted from water bodies. Borrelia burgdorferi s. l. was detected in the arthropods by the method of indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA). A positive immunological reaction was detected in 16.6% of the adult forms and in 16.5% of the nymphs of Ixodes ricinus. Spirochetes were also detected in 1.7% of mosquito females, 3.2% of larvae and in 1.6% of pupae of Culex pipiens pipiens. The results of the present study confirm that contact with ticks constitutes the main risk of contracting Lyme disease, although mosquitoes play a role as vectors as well.
PMID: 18274258 [PubMed - indexed for
heres a list yes
1: Eisen RJ, Eisen L. Spatial modeling of human risk of exposure to vector-borne pathogens based on epidemiological versus arthropod vector data. J Med Entomol. 2008 Mar;45(2):181-92. PMID: 18402133 [PubMed - in process]
2: Kosik-Bogacka DI, Kuźna-Grygiel W, Jaborowska M. Ticks and mosquitoes as vectors of Borrelia burgdorferi s. l. in the forested areas of Szczecin. Folia Biol (Krakow). 2007;55(3-4):143-6. PMID: 18274258 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
3: Katz TM, Miller JH, Hebert AA. Insect repellents: historical perspectives and new developments. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2008 May;58(5):865-71. Epub 2008 Feb 13. PMID: 18272250 [PubMed - in process]
4: Megy K, Hammond M, Lawson D, Bruggner RV, Birney E, Collins FH. Genomic resources for invertebrate vectors of human pathogens, and the role of VectorBase. Infect Genet Evol. 2008 Jan 3. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 18262474 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
5: Z�kovsk� A, Capkov� L, Ser� O, Halouzka J, Dendis M. Isolation of Borrelia afzelii from overwintering Culex pipiens biotype molestus mosquitoes. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2006;13(2):345-8. PMID: 17199258 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
6: Kosik-Bogacka DI, Kuźna-Grygiel W, G�rnik K. Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection in mosquitoes from Szczecin area. Folia Biol (Krakow). 2006;54(1-2):55-9. PMID: 17044261 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
7: Pugliese A, Beltramo T, Torre D. Seroprevalence study of Tick-borne encephalitis, Borrelia burgdorferi, Dengue and Toscana virus in Turin Province. Cell Biochem Funct. 2007 Mar-Apr;25(2):185-8. PMID: 16312014 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
8: Francischetti IM, Mather TN, Ribeiro JM. Tick saliva is a potent inhibitor of endothelial cell proliferation and angiogenesis. Thromb Haemost. 2005 Jul;94(1):167-74. PMID: 16113800 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
9: Kosik-Bogacka D, Kuźna-Grygiel W, Bukowska K. The prevalence of spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in ticks Ixodes ricinus and mosquitoes Aedes spp. within a selected recreational area in the city of Szczecin. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2004;11(1):105-8. PMID: 15236506 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
10: S�ss J, Schrader C. [Tick-borne human pathogenic microorganisms found in Europe and those considered nonpathogenic. Part I: Ticks and Viruses] Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz. 2004 Apr;47(4):392-404. Review. German. PMID: 15205783 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
11: Spielman A, Pollack RJ, Kiszewski AE, Telford SR 3rd. Issues in public health entomology. Vector Borne Zoonotic Dis. 2001 Spring;1(1):3-19. Review. PMID: 12653132 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
12: Z�kovsk� A, Nejedla P, Hol�kov� A, Dendis M. Positive findings of Borrelia burgdorferi in Culex (Culex) pipiens pipiens larvae in the surrounding of Brno city determined by the PCR method. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2002;9(2):257-9. PMID: 12498597 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
13: Kosik-Bogacka D, Bukowska K, Kuźna-Grygiel W. Detection of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in mosquitoes (Culicidae) in recreational areas of the city of Szczecin. Ann Agric Environ Med. 2002;9(1):55-7. PMID: 12088398 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
14: Matuschka FR, Richter D. Mosquitoes and soft ticks cannot transmit Lyme disease spirochetes. Parasitol Res. 2002 Apr;88(4):283-4. Review. No abstract available. PMID: 11999012 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
15: Parola P, Raoult D. Ticks and tickborne bacterial diseases in humans: an emerging infectious threat. Clin Infect Dis. 2001 Mar 15;32(6):897-928. Epub 2001 Mar 14. Review. Erratum in: Clin Infect Dis 2001 Sep 1;33(5):749. PMID: 11247714 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
16: Sanogo YO, Reipert S, Halouzka J, Hub�lek Z, Nemec M. Isolation and morphological characterization of mosquito spirochetes from a Lyme disease endemic area. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2000;916:672-5. No abstract available. PMID: 11193698 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
17: Thomson MC, Connor SJ. Environmental information systems for the control of arthropod vectors of disease. Med Vet Entomol. 2000 Sep;14(3):227-44. Review. PMID: 11016429 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
18: Kitron U. Risk maps: transmission and burden of vector-borne diseases. Parasitol Today. 2000 Aug;16(8):324-5. No abstract available. PMID: 10900476 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
19: Halouzka J, Wilske B, St�nzner D, Sanogo YO, Hub�lek Z. Isolation of Borrelia afzelii from overwintering Culex pipiens biotype molestus mosquitoes. Infection. 1999;27(4-5):275-7. PMID: 10885843 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
20: Gzhegotskaia LS. [Current epidemiology of parasitic diseases and tick-borne encephalitis in the Lvov region] Med Parazitol (Mosk). 2000 Jan-Mar;(1):48-9. Russian. No abstract available. PMID: 10808720 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
-------------------- Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Remember Iam not a Doctor Just someone struggling like you with Tick Borne Diseases.
posted
Holly M, your symptom history is like reliving what happened to me throughout spring/summer/fall 2005 and through early 2007, when I was finally diagnosed. My symptoms became more and more debilitating, so I think you should visit an LLMD ASAP.
Although we've got local deer, dogs, etc. etc. I am 100% sure my LD was caused by a mosquito. Not that I can prove that!
I've had many, many positive Lyme bands on IGenex WB, but never yet the full, 'CDC positive' test result. Nevertheless, I've been treating for LD - which unfortunately left me bedridden before it was finally clinically diagnosed (and here I am in beautiful NJ, one of the hearts of the epidemic - how could it take so long??!!) - with abx for about 14 months.
First thing that happened was that I got out of bed. And then, slowly but surely, I've gotten better and better.
I had a million diagnostic tests, for all the rheum, neuro, infectious possibilities, all negative. But my LLMD felt my entire symptom history was 'classic Lyme' - and mine matched yours, & went further downhill from there.
So, I would pursue it further. And, sooner the better, because if it is Lyme, it can get so bad.
Good Luck -
onthemend
Posts: 314 | From east coast | Registered: Oct 2007
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adamm
Unregistered
posted
Yes mosquitos can spread it--your current doctor doesn't
know this however, and it is imperative that you find one
who's a member of the International Lyme and Associated
Diseases Society. Post in seeking a doctor ASAP!
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
allison, i'll be happy to send her info galore! thanks for the nice plug!
holly, i'll be answering your pm to me also, but when you get my newbie package, and have copied it to MS WORD, do the following ok!
do a search using EDIT, FIND, and type in igenex; hit enter until you see a very DETAILED post about it giving you the test nos., $$$$, how to order a test kit, the names of the lyme diagnostic labs we use, etc.
also do a search PREPARING FOR 1ST LLMD VISIT; print that off and print off Dr. Burrascano's 33 2005 lyme treatment guidelines. this is vital info for you to learn about lyme from our no. 1 RETIRED llmd!
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-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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tailz
Unregistered
posted
I used to get bull's eye mosquito bites as a kid (I'm 43). I got another one maybe in 2003? I can't remember now. Yes, mosquitos carry Lyme.
It's only May and I've gotten several mosquito bites already (I'm positive for Lyme and babesia, though I know I have every coinfection out there), so if anybody tells you mosquitos don't carry Lyme, they do now.
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sparkle7
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10397
posted
It might be West Nile Virus?
A main part of the beginning Lyme infection has to do with the chemicals in the tick's saliva. Lyme may be present in mosquitoes but I'm not sure if it can be transmitted to people in the same way as it is from a tick.
Also - you may have been bitten by a tick & never noticed it. I had no bulls eye rash. Many people don't get any sign of being infected with Lyme - like the bulls eye rash. Ticks that carry Lyme can be very small & you may not have noticed it.
It doesn't help the situation knowing that Lyme spirochetes are in mosquitoes. We may end up in a situation where everyone will have Lyme spirochetes to some degree over time. I have no idea what this will mean to life as we know it.
I don't know if people will start to build up antibodies to it or if we are all doomed to Lyme hell. Some people may be resistant due to genetics. It's a scary scenario.
Posts: 7772 | From Northeast, again... | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
hi holly not sure where in chicago area your from but cook county and will county forest preserves are loaded with lyme infected ticks.
I saw a document from the cdc that said its a growing problem here so it would not suprise me if skeeters are also infected. I think there are going to be a lot of lymies being diagnosed here this year-pj
Posts: 294 | From sw chicago suburbs | Registered: Apr 2007
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