Potential lyme disease

Hello,

On Sunday of last week, March 28th, I was hiking in the northwest Connecticut woods.  2 days later I found 2 ticks on my back (1 appeared to be a deer tick).  They both appeared to be dead, but there was blood, and although my wife tried to pick them out properly, it wasn't possible.  I went to my G.P. the next day with the ticks, who also sent the ticks away to be tested for "potentiality" of lyme-disease.  

I (still) haven't developed erythema migrans (which apparently appear in 75% of lyme disease cases), so my doctor gave me 200 mg Doxycycline in one dose, which he says is effective in staving off lyme disease in 90% of cases.  He told me to keep an eye out for erythema migrans and also for "spiking" fever.  Eight days later and I have not developed either; however, I've been having tingling in my extremities (legs, feet, and forearms, both right and left) starting on Friday (i.e. 3 days after I found the ticks, and 5 days after getting the ticks).

I have a couple complicating problems:
- I contracted my wife's cold virus on the Tuesday that I found the ticks.  I have watched my symptoms - sore throat, congestion, etc, but no fever - and they have been identical to hers (i.e. probably unrelated to my tick bites), except for the tingling.
- I have had a pain in the lower right-hand side of my back for several weeks.  A friend mentioned that this would seem like sciatica.  As I understand sciatica, this might explain tingling in my legs, but probably not my arms.

I'm asking you as sort of a second opinion.  Maybe the tingling is anxiety over the bites, but I frankly haven't felt overly nervous about it (I don't think), and this weekend I was relaxed and working out in the sun, etc.

Is it possible to develop lyme-disease related tingling (or any other tick-related disease) only 5 days after the ticks found their host (i.e. me)?  Could it be something else?  Anything else you can recommend?

Thank you very much for your time.

[J.M. Keyes, MD]

Hi Ben,
Neurological symptoms can be a result of Lyme disease, including numbness/weakness of the limbs.  I think that it is unlikely that your symptoms are due to Lyme disease, but you do need to keep an eye on it, because it is possible.  Usually it takes a few weeks to develop antibodies that can be tested for, so consider asking your doctor about further testing if it continues.  I would follow up sooner if your symptoms change, or get worse.  Good luck.
JMK MD