posted
I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease by an Urgent Care doctor after I developed a rash two days after I noticed some bug bites on my neck. The day after I noticed the bites, I got a horrible headache followed by feeling more sick than I have felt in a long time with flu-like symptoms. My head was pounding and I vomited. The next day, the rash developed. 2 days later after the rash kept getting worse, I went to Urgent Care and was given 100 mg of Doxycyline to take 2 times a day for 14 days. About 5 days after that, the rash was still getting worse, so I went back to Urgent Care and that is when they told me I had Lyme Disease. By this point, a had a very sore lymph node near the bites as well. They had me do a Lyme test at this point and told me to follow up with my doctor later. The test came back negative. My doctor didn't believe that I didn't have Lyme Disease, even though he never saw me while I had the rash. He referred me to an Infectious Disease Specialist at this time. The specialist didn't even want to see me because my Lyme test came back negative. The only thing my doctor told me to look for was arthritis.
That all happened back in May. I haven't really had a good feeling about things since then. I've had some back pain that comes and goes. It doesn't feel like it is in a muscle. I have some knee pain occansionally. Also, I keep waking up in the middle of the night which is super annoying. I also have more vision floaters now than I did before and they are shaped like coils or snakes.
Can you please help me find a specialist near me? Even though my doctor doesnt' seem to think I had Lyme Disease, the doctor that diagnosed me with it seemed pretty confident. I want to make sure I have this figured out, especially since I was never checked for co-infections.
Thank you for your help and insight!
Posts: 2 | From Salem, Oregon | Registered: Nov 2009
| IP: Logged |
posted
I've a recommendation for you, but will need to PM you. The moderators request that we don't use doctors names publicly, so you should turn the PM feature on to get their info.
Posts: 36 | From Corvallis, OR | Registered: Jul 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
I have turned it on. Thank you for the information!
Posts: 2 | From Salem, Oregon | Registered: Nov 2009
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- I live about 30 miles from you.
In order for me to read your post, I need to repost it with shorter paragraphs. I will then PM you after I read it.
-------
Orignial post by natdance:
I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease by an Urgent Care doctor after I developed a rash two days after I noticed some bug bites on my neck. The day after I noticed the bites, I got a horrible headache followed by feeling more sick than I have felt in a long time with flu-like symptoms. My head was pounding and I vomited.
The next day, the rash developed. 2 days later after the rash kept getting worse, I went to Urgent Care and was given 100 mg of Doxycyline to take 2 times a day for 14 days. About 5 days after that, the rash was still getting worse, so I went back to Urgent Care and that is when they told me I had Lyme Disease.
By this point, a had a very sore lymph node near the bites as well. They had me do a Lyme test at this point and told me to follow up with my doctor later.
The test came back negative. My doctor didn't believe that I didn't have Lyme Disease, even though he never saw me while I had the rash.
He referred me to an Infectious Disease Specialist at this time. The specialist didn't even want to see me because my Lyme test came back negative. The only thing my doctor told me to look for was arthritis.
That all happened back in May. I haven't really had a good feeling about things since then. I've had some back pain that comes and goes.
It doesn't feel like it is in a muscle. I have some knee pain occansionally. Also, I keep waking up in the middle of the night which is super annoying. I also have more vision floaters now than I did before and they are shaped like coils or snakes.
Can you please help me find a specialist near me?
Even though my doctor doesnt' seem to think I had Lyme Disease, the doctor that diagnosed me with it seemed pretty confident. I want to make sure I have this figured out, especially since I was never checked for co-infections.
Thank you for your help and insight!
(natdance) -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
| IP: Logged |
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- PM sent.
We have no LLMDs in Oregon but there are some support groups and a couple good LL ND (naturopathic doctors). Local support groups, however, can guide you to LLMDs in California or Seattle, WA.
I am very much impressed with the Urgent Care Doctor for the quick diagnosis.
I am not surprised but continue to be deeply saddened by your GP and the Infectious Disease doctor you saw. The test was most likely an ELISA. With the bulls eye rash, that is POSITIVE, no test for lyme was needed.
You will need tests for other tick-borne infections, though. Sadly, the official treatment in Oregon is to deny that lyme or any other tick-borne infection exists - or treat it for far too short a time. The Oregon Medical Board is very strict and I'll bet they come down on that Urgent Care doctor for the diagnosis, even.
However, you are fortunate that there is one LL ND (naturopathic doctor) in your town and another about 45 minutes from you. Both are members of ILADS (a good thing). They know much more about lyme than most of the MDs in the state.
The Oregon Lyme Disease Network can also further guide you.
I see that ebbakarin also lives about 90 miles from you. Hope you got some good suggestions from him/her, too.
Good luck.
================
This explains WHY you need an ILADS-educated doctor:
You should also be evaluated for coinfections. Not all tests are great in that regard, either, but a good LLMD can evaluate you and then guide you in testing. One of the top labs is:
The International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) provides a forum for health science professionals to share their wealth of knowledge regarding the management of Lyme and associated diseases.
Siciliano
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15920
posted
Hi, Natdance and welcome to our site!
I also sent some info.
-------------------- I'm sorry but I am no longer accepting any private messages due to my own battle with lyme. Posts: 3897 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Jun 2008
| IP: Logged |
bettyg
Unregistered
posted
WELCOME NATDANCE
check your profile above for my pm to you of the state of washington llmds.
my welcome letter is in my link below....hugs
god bless you keebler for breaking that up for us neuro to read and comprehend. i was going to skip it since i couldn't read as is.
nat, could you break up your posts/replies in future like keebler did yours above; we neuros would really appreciate it. hugs/kisses
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!
![[hi]](graemlins/hi.gif)
Natdance and welcome to our site!![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Printer-friendly view of this topic