Lyme disease

Several people I've talked to in SW Indiana where we live have seen more of these tiny deer and/or turkey"nymph" ticks this year than ever before. I never had one stuck on me until this year. Everyone in my family of four has had a least one stuck on them this year alone. I am concerned about my 18 year old daughter. She felt one on the back of her neck just below the hairline a few days ago. Yesterday while shampooing her hair she noticed a bigger bump/lump right next to where she removed this tiny tick (she didn't know until I looked that the bigger bump was NEXT to the bite, not actually the bite itself). This bigger lump/bump is tender and sore. The bite itself is red and about the size of a chigger bite, with the bite mark clearly visible. What worries me is from what I'm reading even most doctors don't give the Lyme diagnosis at this stage. They are giving it after it has progressed into a bullseye and the patient is complaining of flu-like symptoms, which can lead to permanent neurological damage or worse. Should I go ahead and take her in and pretty much demand she be put on an antibiotic? Because again from everything I've read once it's into the secondary stages it can cause permanent damage and lots of pain the rest of your life. Is it okay to wait it out a few days and see if the lump next to the bite goes away, or have her seen ASAP? THANKS!!!

[gorbybelle]

you could take her to the doc. and ask advice anyway - apparently the body doesn,t form anti-bodies to the lyme bacteria staight away - so at this stage a 'test' wouldn,t give a clear result - that is my understanding of it - lyme tests are not reliable - many give false negatives .

I am sure you will get more knowledgeable advice here-as many folks here have researched lyme in a lot more detail than myself.

fever/chills/muscle pain can be amongst the first symptoms - and of course the 'bullseye' rash - for me the first symptoms were very stiff neck / headaches /night sweats - but I didn't know 'lyme' existed so my treatment has started late in the disease.

I can tell that you are very concerned and rightly so - this is not something to be 'flippant' about - if the doc. treats your daughter with antibiotics please ensure it is the correct dose - if she has symptoms arise - from my experience - the best people to treat lyme are 'lyme literate medical docs' - known as LLMD's.

please keep us posted - hopefully things won't progress any further.

gorbs x

[patsy10]

Welcome.  If it were me I would take her to go see the doctor and explain my concerns.

[wonko]

I think gorbybelle & patsy10 gave great advice.

Personally, (I'm not medically trained) I would insist on a course of doxycycline (unless your daughter is below a certain age, in which case ammoxicillin would be appropriate, your doctor should know the age cutoff).  The rash doesn't need to be a clear bull's eye, Lyme can present in a wide variety of ways.  

To me, the risk of a course of antibiotics is low relative to the risk of missing the chance to treat early.  I would be rather insistent to the doctor.

I don't know when I was bitten and therefore experienced a long delay in starting treatment.  From my experience, it is very difficult to treat in later stages.

[Amyloo]

My personal advice would be take her to her dr., if you think they will help you.  In my opinion a course of abx cannot hurt her, whether it turns out to be lyme or not.  God bless you.

[Hope75]

To the doctor - quick!  Doxy - quick!  Do not let them take it lightly.  You may not see the bullseye.  I am now diagnosed with Lyme disease, CDC positive, and 20 years ago I had three ticks embedded in my head when playing in a barn in the suburbs of Indianapolis!  I had lumps on my scalp and was not treated - and here I am diagnosed.  This is too close to my story to not take seriously.  I'm not trying to scare anyone to death, but those are the facts about my case.  I may have contracted it three years ago, who knows, but I don't remember any other tick bites than the ones I received in Indiana - ever.