posted
I have a rash around the bite-site of the tick. It appeared the next day. Now the rash is not bullseye, but irregular and faded, but larger. Does a rash always mean lymes?
Posts: 4 | From Eastern Ontario | Registered: Jun 2010
| IP: Logged |
dmc
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5102
posted
Print out green booklet from http://lymepa.org great info & will answer alot of questions on the Tick diseases
Yes a rash usually means lyme but Bartonella has a rash also.
If it happen right away, then yes it more Lyme. you are fortunate you got a rash though having Lyme isn't so fortunate.
Most of us don't recall a rash.
Posts: 2675 | From ct, usa | Registered: Jan 2004
| IP: Logged |
randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
my doc said simply -- "bulls eye rash, any rash, around tick bite -- positive lyme, no doubt about it."
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
| IP: Logged |
There are some strains that can cause only the rash, but taking that chance is a HUGE risk.
Personally, I would want 400mg of doxy per day for minimum of 6-8 wks for that bite/rash.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
| IP: Logged |
TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
Some strains of lyme disease only cause a rash and no further illness. Let's hope that is what you got.
There are no tests to tell if you got one of these harmless strains of lyme or not, so you have to treat the rash as serious. You have to get a doctor to give you at least 300 mg of Doxycycline per day for at least 30 days starting within a week of the bite. That will treat lyme and ehrlichia.
To treat babesiosis and bartonella, you need Bactrim DS, one twice per day.
These 2 meds will cover the most common tick-borne infections you probably got with this bite. But, I'll bet you won't be able to find a doc who will treat you this way. Only a lyme literate physician would do it.
That is how my lyme doc treated my tick bite with rash. I never got any further symptoms. And, since I didn't, after 30 days of meds he said I could stop. That was in late August 2008 and I have been fine since.
If you develop any symptoms, you must stay on these medications for a much longer period. Stay on them for at least 6 weeks after all symptoms have gone away.
Previous to that bite, I had had undiagnosed lyme disease for 10 years. I finally found a lyme doctor who knew enough to cure me of this disease. I also had babesiosis and bartonella, which is very, very common in Maryland. One tick bite usually gives you more than one disease.
So, since I got to my lyme doc within 1 week of the bite, I was saved the torture of having this horrendous disease all over again.
Believe me, this is one horrible disease. It stole 5 years of my life the first time I had it.
To get an education on this disease, you should read the Dr. Joseph Burrascano lyme treatment guidelines found here:
Here's what he says to do for a tick bite with rash:
"After a tick bite, serologic tests (ELISA. IFA, western blots, etc.) are not expected to become positive until several weeks have passed. Therefore, if EM is present, treatment must begin immediately, and one should not wait for results of Borrelia tests. You should not miss the chance to treat early disease, for this is when the success rate is the highest. Indeed, many knowledgeable clinicians will not even order a Borrelia test in this circumstance." (p. 7)
"EARLY LOCALIZED - Single erythema migrans with no constitutional symptoms: 1) Adults: oral therapy- must continue until symptom and sign free for at least one month, with a 6 week minimum. 2) Pregnancy: 1st and 2nd trimesters: I.V. X 30 days then oral X 6 weeks 3rd trimester: Oral therapy X 6+ weeks as above. Any trimester- test for Babesia and Ehrlichia 3) Children: oral therapy for 6+ weeks.
DISSEMINATED DISEASE - Multiple lesions, constitutional symptoms, lymphadenopathy, or any other manifestations of dissemination.
EARLY DISSEMINATED: Milder symptoms present for less than one year and not complicated by immune deficiency or prior steroid treatment:
1) Adults: oral therapy until no active disease for 4 to 8 weeks (4-6 months typical) 2) Pregnancy: As in localized disease, but treat throughout pregnancy. 3) Children: Oral therapy with duration based upon clinical response." (p 19-20)
So, based on this quote, if you get any symptoms other than the rash, you now have "disseminated disease."
The rash is called an EM or erythema migrans.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic