posted
Hi. A friend of mine was just bitten yesterday and has some redness around the area. He is not sure what bit him but I was wondering as a precautionary measure should he be asking his doctor for antibiotics and what kind? I just dont want to see him go through the suffering we with chronic lyme have to deal with. He doesn't have any symptoms right now that I'm aware of. I tried to do some research online and getting mixed information. He doesnt have any insurance to go to a LLMD so he will have to ask his primary for the meds. Thanks for your help.
Posts: 56 | From SouthWest | Registered: Jul 2008
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
print and read dr. burrascano's lyme guidelines below! dosages are shown there!
Dr. Burrascano's most recent "Diagnostic Hints and Treatment Guidelines for Lyme and Other Tick Borne Illnesses" @ http://www.ilads.org/burrascano_0905.html suggests that you discuss with your doctor continuing treatment until you are symptom free for 2 months.
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posted
It's my opinion that people should go on prophylactic abx after a bite. I was bitten and did not develop symptoms for three months.
Posts: 13171 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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posted
A friend of mine had a bug bite that wasn't a typical bullseye, just a red rash, so she didn't think she had Lyme. Turns out she does.
I hope your friend will push his PCP to put him on meds. Also try to get him to convince the doctor for a higher dose than most non-LLMD's prescribe. For example, the doctor might prescribe 200 mg/doxy per day, but the dose really should be 400 mg/day.
Posts: 449 | From Vermont | Registered: Nov 2004
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posted
For how long should he ask to take it? He says he doesnt feel anything but itching and pain and redness on his finger? He also says it wasn't a tick bite but he doesnt know wht it was. I think it might have been a spider? But I know they can infect as well.
Posts: 56 | From SouthWest | Registered: Jul 2008
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quote:Originally posted by brite7: For how long should he ask to take it? He says he doesnt feel anything but itching and pain and redness on his finger? He also says it wasn't a tick bite but he doesnt know wht it was. I think it might have been a spider? But I know they can infect as well.
If he doesn't know what it was, it could have been a tick. Although I think the finger is an unusual place to be bit by a tick? Maybe someone else knows that.
He should ask for 3 months. But the doctor may only be willing to prescribe 1 month.
Posts: 449 | From Vermont | Registered: Nov 2004
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posted
Thanks Sweet Pea Posts: 56 | From SouthWest | Registered: Jul 2008
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adamm
Unregistered
posted
Someone needs to do whatever it takes to get him 3 months @ 400mg/day, which is twice the dose his PCP will have him take it at. unfortunately, 200mg/day will simply make his case worse in the long run by aborting his initial immune response to the organism.
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posted
Question about length of time for taking prophylactic abx - I have heard six weeks, two months, three months - is there any consensus on this or is it just left up to anyone's choice?
Posts: 13171 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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posted
How many people who take 200mg/day doxy for a month get better?
Seriously, aren't there people who get bitten and are fine?
I know about 4 people who have been bitten this year, two of whom got the bullseye. Only one of those people got sick. He's on 200mg/day doxy for a month. I *really* want to help people keep from getting chronically ill, but I don't want to come off like a paranoid hypochondriac. No one will listen if you're all gloom and doom.
Are those of us who got really sick are special cases?
???
Posts: 227 | From Northern CA (bitten in Illinois) | Registered: Jan 2008
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adamm
Unregistered
posted
200 mg/day, started 3 days after my bite and continued for a month, utterly failed me.
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quote:Originally posted by backintherain: How many people who take 200mg/day doxy for a month get better?
Seriously, aren't there people who get bitten and are fine?
I know about 4 people who have been bitten this year, two of whom got the bullseye. Only one of those people got sick. He's on 200mg/day doxy for a month. I *really* want to help people keep from getting chronically ill, but I don't want to come off like a paranoid hypochondriac. No one will listen if you're all gloom and doom.
Are those of us who got really sick are special cases? ???
You bring up a really good point. I do know people who have had a bullseye, had minimal treatment, and have been fine for a long time.
However, I believe in better safe than sorry. There are ways of encouraging people to get better care without scaring them or using gloom and doom. I just explain to people that one or a couple of months on abx, with the proper probiotics, is the lesser of two evils than if they decide not to pursue immediate treatment. I try not to be pushy, but I feel it is my responsibility to educate people.
Posts: 449 | From Vermont | Registered: Nov 2004
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