I have posted about my daughter and the CBC was normal so the dr. won't give doxy to clear up what was suspected of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.
She is saying it's just lyme...then why the text book rash on palms and soles? that has now begun the peeling stage..
They also claim that she would be much sicker, which I do agree, but she isn't herself by any means: lathargic, fever, doesn't want to eat, short of breath...
Please help...what should I do next? She's still on amoxicillin. (only a 21 day dose)
Posts: 15 | From PA | Registered: Jul 2007
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Michelle M
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7200
posted
"JUST" lyme?
Come again??
Whether the CBC is normal or not is neither here nor there and proves nothing.
Your daughter needn't feel bad 24/7 to be infected, especially this early.
Find an LLMD by posting on "Seeking a Doctor."
You badly need tests for other co-infections as well -- they are extremely common with lyme, especially in your area. I promise you that your present doctor will be utterly clueless about which ones to even TEST for!!
Good luck and hope your little girl is in treatment soon with an LLMD.
Michelle
Posts: 3193 | From Northern California | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
I apologize for starting another post previously, I will continue on this on and the one in the medical, I didn't fully understand how this worked.
Now I know thanks to those of you that took the time
Here is the latest to my saga:
Dr. said she didn't want to start Hannah on doxycycline because the CBC was normal.
She said that it would have been abnormal if she had rMSF. Which I know is NOT true because of all the medical articles and advice that I have been receiving.
The RMSF antibody test is not back yet (of course) nor do I know where it was sent. Along with 3 other tests.
For now she said to keep her on the amox. and to come in Monday. She said if she has any changes or a fever over 101. to call.
I must say I wasn't too happy when I hung up. i don't want to p.o. the dr. and seem like I am underminding her but at the same time I want to scream In the first few weeks a lot of serology comes back negative. But Hey I only have Masters degrees, not M.D's.
There is a LLMD in the Bloomsburg Area and my parent live about half hour away so I called today and they were gone for the day...going to call tomorrow.
Betty also gave me an addy in Cochranville (not sure where that is yet...)
Dr. Also said that hannah would be really bad sick in the previous weeks if she had RMSF. She had all the textbook signs...the fever, bullseye rash, rash on palms and hands which now has evolved into, red, itchy and peeling now, horrible itching in the am. (when she wakes)
She has also developed red (pimple like) rash on belly chest and down legs...(no clue) Dr. said today it was the lyme
Dr. said hannah's hands would have become petechia (sp) and they didn't...but she also didn't see the beginning stage of rash on palm and soles I was too busy dealing with the A$$holes in the ER.
Thursday will be week 4...and I have no idea if she has Lyme b/c it came back neg because it was only little over 2 weeks after her bullseye.
Really feeling like I don't know what to do...today she was semi-more energetic, played around and jumped around a little today. Right now back to playing with my hair and watching t.v.
Ate two tiny bites of her ham for supper...so she had 3 bites of banana, 3 spoons of pudding and 2-3 bites of ham today! NEAT!
I have a splitting headache, can't sleep and am totally befuddled!
Posts: 15 | From PA | Registered: Jul 2007
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hshbmom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9478
posted
If Hannah had a bulls-eye rash, Hannah has Lyme & who knows what other coinfections.
That particular type rash is a flashing red flag that your child has the disease.
It's like seeing the spots of chicken pox...you know the child has chicken pox when the child has those particular lesions and symptoms.
See the CDC's definition of Lyme disease, which is to determine if a case of Lyme disease fits the criteria for being counted as an official case in your county.
When the health department gets a report of a person with Lyme disease, the #1 thing they want to know is if the patient has a bulls-eye rash that was diagnosed by a physician as an EM.
It helps to have photos of various stages of the rash/rashes in case your physician is not familiar with the types of rashes caused by Lyme disease. I'd take photos of your daughter's peeling skin too & any other rashes or pimply bumps on her skin. It will help her LLMD make a proper diagnosis.
If she has the rash she has the disease and needs treated accordingly.
If she didn't have the bulls-eye rash, they healthy department would ask about other clinical signs of a disseminated infection and positive lab test results.
Your pediatrician may not realize that a person can have RMSF without the characteristic rash. It's not common, but it happens.
I'd find fairly recent medical references about the different types of rashes seen with RMSF, lack of abnormalities in the CBC, or the need for treatment regardless of blood test results.
I'd copy them and take them to your pediatrician.
If she still refuses to treat your daughter you may want to draw up a document for the pediatrician to sign....to document her refusal to treat despite numerous clinical signs.
You many want to list your daughter's symptoms on the paper in chronological order.
I have seen a document like this mentioned somewhere on LymeNet...maybe in the Newbie Learning Links.
Posts: 1672 | From AL/WV/OH | Registered: Jun 2006
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tailz
Unregistered
posted
I want doxy, too. I had some rashes on my forearm in my early 20's, and then on my ankles in my late 20's. I'm 42 now.
Do these rashes have to be on the hands and feet?
Both times they itched like CRAZY - kept me up at night especially.
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bettyg
Unregistered
posted
when taking photos, get out coins to show the size vs. size of coin or $1.00 bill! date photos promptly too..
write it down on the calendar dates taken so you don't forget.
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posted
Yes, she had an EM, now the weird thing is I guess due to me being super lyme illiterate at the time...She had a black something on her back and quick power swatted it off of her, now I understand due to the 50 or so ticks I have pulled off my dog after visiting the woods, that it wouldn't have knocked off...but it did
A few days later she had the EM (i now have even seen pictures with the same exact thing)
I was then distracted by it because her hands started (exactly 1 week afterward) weird red semi raised spots all over her palms and some on her feet, she had 1 sore in her mouth a few days later (that's why the ER said it was HFM)
I told them about the bite...they ignored it...I didn't buy HFM
Anyhow, I digress...the dr. is convinced that the CBC would be abnormal if she had or there was a great need for doxy.
She also said that she would be much sicker and have petechia so she doesn't think it's RMSF
However, pics from the one sight...CDC perhaps of a toddlers sole and palm...LOOK IDENTICAL to what Hannah started with..
She even had conjunctivitis in her eye for two days in the very beginning
Hannah's energy level is a bit higher but she wakes up with insane itching and HOT all over especially her feet and palms...the rash on her belly is just kinda there...doesn't itch!
Dr. said to call back if anything changed....
Posts: 15 | From PA | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
The doctor may have tested her too soon for Lyme. It takes about 4-6 weeks for antibodies to develop. However, testing isn't required because a bulls eye rash is definitive for Lyme and treatment should have started that day.
I don't know anything about RMSF, so I can't any opinions there.
-------------------- The best index to a person's character is how he treats people who can't do him any good, and how he treats people who can't fight back. -Abigail van Buren (Pauline Esther Friedman) (1918-2002) Posts: 409 | From Florida | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
She has her on amoxicillin but only for 21 days...she believes lyme...but can't explain the rash on palms, soles...she said her belly rash is Lyme...
UGH
Posts: 15 | From PA | Registered: Jul 2007
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