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Recent Tick Bite
I was bitten by a deer tick 5 days ago. Unfortunately it was latched on for two days until i found it. The day i found it i was starting to having slightly achy knees. No EM rash was present, at least that i caught. aches randomly popped up until today (7/30) When they persisted all day. I woke up feeling oddly foggy with a small headache, similar to when i have a hangover but i had zero alcohol the day before. The headache was gone within an hour or two but the haziness was sort of on and off all day. My left cervical lymph node has also been swollen all day. All this has been accompanied by general fatigue throughout the day. I will be going in to the doctor tomorrow to hopefully be prescribed antibiotics.
I'm an incredibly anxious person, but also very curious. Unfortunately now i've been researching it for a few hours and all i'm finding is horror stories. I'm basically going to insist on the antibiotics tomorrow. I hear some doctors won't prescribe it unless the EM rash is present or a test comes back positive, which i read is also unreliable.
Does anyone know what my chances of a full recovery are since i caught it so early if it is indeed Lyme Disease?
Any answers are appreciated. Even if you don't know but have other advice.
I'm an incredibly anxious person, but also very curious. Unfortunately now i've been researching it for a few hours and all i'm finding is horror stories. I'm basically going to insist on the antibiotics tomorrow. I hear some doctors won't prescribe it unless the EM rash is present or a test comes back positive, which i read is also unreliable.
Does anyone know what my chances of a full recovery are since i caught it so early if it is indeed Lyme Disease?
Any answers are appreciated. Even if you don't know but have other advice.
My story of hope is my ex husband a golf course superintendent, got bit by ticks a million times and he got doxy right away and has not gotten Lyme yet.
[Part two]
The longer you wait to be diagnosed and treated, the longer it can take to cure (and it can make the cure more difficult, taking longer and needing to switch out meds for new one, etc.) All those are specific results in specific people who perhaps did not have all their co-infections identified at the initial encounter with a Lyme doc, but are now told it's not curable. Blah blah. I would plow ahead until I was *certain* nothing else could be done, but have not read of anyone who could not be cured *assuming appropriate and accurate diangosis and treatment ILADS-style*.
[Side note: one reason some patients do not do well in treatment is that they were perhaps not fully diagnosed, and some other unidentified infections linger. Or one gets bitten again, but doesn't realize it's a re-infection. Nothing to panic about, but just be watchful. There are people who state flatly that NO ONE is cured of Lyme, but perhaps their diagnosis and treatment were not done right the first time around. Lyme and its evil friends are tricky, but don't take it as anything but a challenge.]
You ask: "does anybody know anything about the effectiveness of minocycline vs. doxycycline? I took mino for acne until 10 days ago when i ran out and am still technically prescribed it." Don't freelance with meds. It will just mess up your doc's approach and can foul up your treatment.
Good for you and your fighting spirit -- we're with you! Keep us posted.
The longer you wait to be diagnosed and treated, the longer it can take to cure (and it can make the cure more difficult, taking longer and needing to switch out meds for new one, etc.) All those are specific results in specific people who perhaps did not have all their co-infections identified at the initial encounter with a Lyme doc, but are now told it's not curable. Blah blah. I would plow ahead until I was *certain* nothing else could be done, but have not read of anyone who could not be cured *assuming appropriate and accurate diangosis and treatment ILADS-style*.
[Side note: one reason some patients do not do well in treatment is that they were perhaps not fully diagnosed, and some other unidentified infections linger. Or one gets bitten again, but doesn't realize it's a re-infection. Nothing to panic about, but just be watchful. There are people who state flatly that NO ONE is cured of Lyme, but perhaps their diagnosis and treatment were not done right the first time around. Lyme and its evil friends are tricky, but don't take it as anything but a challenge.]
You ask: "does anybody know anything about the effectiveness of minocycline vs. doxycycline? I took mino for acne until 10 days ago when i ran out and am still technically prescribed it." Don't freelance with meds. It will just mess up your doc's approach and can foul up your treatment.
Good for you and your fighting spirit -- we're with you! Keep us posted.
Greetings --
It is a bit jarring when you find a tick on you and know about Lyme disease -- the good news that there are MDs who understand how to diagnose and treat Lyme effectively, and that is what I would focus on.
You give a good history, and you might consider making some brief notes each day while you are ill, indicating your symptoms, what meds you take (whether prescription, over the counter, or herbal) and how much you take, and generally how you feel or felt during the day and how you slept. A medical diary of sorts.
Some docs wave the notes away and say, "Just tell me", but I would still do the notes and always keep my own copy in a 3-ring binder. It helped me see patterns and changes in my condition and symptoms, how I tolerated meds, what meds I took (whether prescription or otherwise, such as vitamins, supplements, herbs, etc.) on each day and at what dosages, how I slept, how my energy levels were, what exercise I did, and so on. In other words, whatever summarized my day. It took me maybe 15-20 minutes a day to do the summary, spread out through the day. The details add up to a mosaic over time, and that is valuable information to a wise doc. I did my notes on computer, with a column for each of the categories above, the printed them out and took them to the next doc's appointment. He would spend a little time reading them before calling me in to the office. Helps keep the mind focused -- both mine AND the doc's.
(Some docs aren't interested in this approach and say with a wave of the hand: "Oh, just tell me generally", because the doc doesn't have or want to spend time to review the notes. My doc spent less than 10 minutes before the beginning of each appointment to review my notes, then called me in, we talked, and I answered his questions about various things. It's like a mosaic: lots of little bits that add up to an informative picture.)
You say: "I was bitten by a deer tick 5 days ago. Unfortunately it was latched on for two days until i found it." It's helpful that you found it, so points to you on that. I never saw any tick or bite, so I was not much help to the doc in that regard at the intial appointment, but I learned to keep notes. Even if your doc doesn't like the notes ("Just tell me generally how you've been feeling", says the doc), do them anyway. Might come in handy down the road with a new doc, perhaps, and for your own look-back and context.)
And if you get another tick on you, gently remove it without squeezing it so hard that your cause more of the bug juice and bacteria to be pushed into your body. There are places online that tell you how to do it carefully, then put the tick in a plastic baggie (or plastic wrap or a small jar with lid), WASH you hands thoroughly with soap and hot water, and take the wrapped bug to your doc or ask how you should get it tested, if the doc was to do testing on the tick.
You say, "The day i found [the tick] i was starting to having slightly achy knees. No EM rash was present, at least that i caught. aches randomly popped up until today (7/30) When they persisted all day. I woke up feeling oddly foggy with a small headache, similar to when i have a hangover but i had zero alcohol the day before." These all sound much like my symptoms. I described it as the cross between the flu and a hangover. (Don't worry, it goes away with proper treatment.) If this sounds like overkill, remember that Lyme bacteria are in the same 'family' as the bacteria that cause syphilis. Not pretty, and explains why it is SO important to be treated fully.
You also say: "The headache was gone within an hour or two but the haziness was sort of on and off all day." Ah, brain fog. Many of us have it when ill. I had it for months before being diagnosed. Like a cross between a hangover and the flu. It will go away when the Lyme is fully treated.
You say: "All this has been accompanied by general fatigue throughout the day." Not uncommon with Lyme. I had it too.
You say, "I will be going in to the doctor tomorrow to hopefully be prescribed antibiotics." Don't be disappointed if you don't get any meds handed to you on the spot. Tests may need to be run to get the proper medication for whatever ailments the ticks may have gifted to you.
"I'm an incredibly anxious person, but also very curious." Good. Many with Lyme find themselves anxious -- I did, and I'm normally focussed and calm. I took magnesium (Mg) supplements every day (as I still do now, since the American diet is said to be rather deficient in that regard). Any variety of magnesium ending in "-ate" is said to be most absorable (Mg malate, orotate, aspartate, etc.) and is very calming (but not the 'CalMag' combo ... I read a while back that taking them together lessens the calming effect). Some docs think taking Mg is useless, but I STILL take Mg every day and feel generally calmer and better than if I forget to take it. fyi. Many docs don't think vits and supplements are useful, but I disagree.
You say, "I'm basically going to insist on the antibiotics tomorrow." First you need to be tested for what infections you have. Wrong meds result in treatment failure. Patience, grasshopper.
You say, "I hear some doctors won't prescribe it unless the EM rash is present or a test comes back positive, which i read is also unreliable." The old standard ELISA and Western blot tests are accurate when positive, but these older tests often do not register positive even when the patient has a raging case of Lyme. Why? Because ELISA/W.blot tests look for your immune system's reaction to the Lyme bacteria, but the Lyme bacteria have the ability to suppress your immune system, thus a 'false negative' test result can too easily occur, and then the docs may refuse to treat. These docs aren't dumb or mean: they just don't understand and haven't caught up with more recent medical views.
IGeneX Labs in Palo Alto CA offers blood tests to detect the presence of your immune system's antibodies against Lyme, rather than looking (as the older W.blot and ELISA tests do) for direct evidence of Lyme ("Look! there's a Lyme bacterium in your blood sample!") This matters because the Lyme bacteria can suppress the human body's reaction to the presence of Lyme, which then often results in **negative** W.blot/ELISA tests.
The whole basis of the W.blot/ELISA tests is to find antibodies produced by the human immune system against the presence of Lyme ... but what Lyme suppresses, the immune system can't measure. Result: a false negative test in a truly ill patient. (The IGeneX tests work differently and are more accurate, so I read.)
You ask: "Does anyone know what my chances of a full recovery are since i caught it so early if it is indeed Lyme Disease?" With accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment for an extended period of time (several months, not a few days or weeks), cure is indeed doable. I am cured, now some five years down the road, and so is a family member of mine. There are those who deny that cure is possible and say it is only suppression of the illness(es), but I disagree. My first thought would be that the person was inadequately treatment and needs to see a more thoughtful doc.
All this is why it is so important to get a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment: out of date tests and sloppy analysis are when treatment failures arise. You may hear very sincere statements from those who are not cured that it was impossible to cure them. I would not buy into that statement: I would instead find another Lyme doc.
[see part 2 in the following message page below]
It is a bit jarring when you find a tick on you and know about Lyme disease -- the good news that there are MDs who understand how to diagnose and treat Lyme effectively, and that is what I would focus on.
You give a good history, and you might consider making some brief notes each day while you are ill, indicating your symptoms, what meds you take (whether prescription, over the counter, or herbal) and how much you take, and generally how you feel or felt during the day and how you slept. A medical diary of sorts.
Some docs wave the notes away and say, "Just tell me", but I would still do the notes and always keep my own copy in a 3-ring binder. It helped me see patterns and changes in my condition and symptoms, how I tolerated meds, what meds I took (whether prescription or otherwise, such as vitamins, supplements, herbs, etc.) on each day and at what dosages, how I slept, how my energy levels were, what exercise I did, and so on. In other words, whatever summarized my day. It took me maybe 15-20 minutes a day to do the summary, spread out through the day. The details add up to a mosaic over time, and that is valuable information to a wise doc. I did my notes on computer, with a column for each of the categories above, the printed them out and took them to the next doc's appointment. He would spend a little time reading them before calling me in to the office. Helps keep the mind focused -- both mine AND the doc's.
(Some docs aren't interested in this approach and say with a wave of the hand: "Oh, just tell me generally", because the doc doesn't have or want to spend time to review the notes. My doc spent less than 10 minutes before the beginning of each appointment to review my notes, then called me in, we talked, and I answered his questions about various things. It's like a mosaic: lots of little bits that add up to an informative picture.)
You say: "I was bitten by a deer tick 5 days ago. Unfortunately it was latched on for two days until i found it." It's helpful that you found it, so points to you on that. I never saw any tick or bite, so I was not much help to the doc in that regard at the intial appointment, but I learned to keep notes. Even if your doc doesn't like the notes ("Just tell me generally how you've been feeling", says the doc), do them anyway. Might come in handy down the road with a new doc, perhaps, and for your own look-back and context.)
And if you get another tick on you, gently remove it without squeezing it so hard that your cause more of the bug juice and bacteria to be pushed into your body. There are places online that tell you how to do it carefully, then put the tick in a plastic baggie (or plastic wrap or a small jar with lid), WASH you hands thoroughly with soap and hot water, and take the wrapped bug to your doc or ask how you should get it tested, if the doc was to do testing on the tick.
You say, "The day i found [the tick] i was starting to having slightly achy knees. No EM rash was present, at least that i caught. aches randomly popped up until today (7/30) When they persisted all day. I woke up feeling oddly foggy with a small headache, similar to when i have a hangover but i had zero alcohol the day before." These all sound much like my symptoms. I described it as the cross between the flu and a hangover. (Don't worry, it goes away with proper treatment.) If this sounds like overkill, remember that Lyme bacteria are in the same 'family' as the bacteria that cause syphilis. Not pretty, and explains why it is SO important to be treated fully.
You also say: "The headache was gone within an hour or two but the haziness was sort of on and off all day." Ah, brain fog. Many of us have it when ill. I had it for months before being diagnosed. Like a cross between a hangover and the flu. It will go away when the Lyme is fully treated.
You say: "All this has been accompanied by general fatigue throughout the day." Not uncommon with Lyme. I had it too.
You say, "I will be going in to the doctor tomorrow to hopefully be prescribed antibiotics." Don't be disappointed if you don't get any meds handed to you on the spot. Tests may need to be run to get the proper medication for whatever ailments the ticks may have gifted to you.
"I'm an incredibly anxious person, but also very curious." Good. Many with Lyme find themselves anxious -- I did, and I'm normally focussed and calm. I took magnesium (Mg) supplements every day (as I still do now, since the American diet is said to be rather deficient in that regard). Any variety of magnesium ending in "-ate" is said to be most absorable (Mg malate, orotate, aspartate, etc.) and is very calming (but not the 'CalMag' combo ... I read a while back that taking them together lessens the calming effect). Some docs think taking Mg is useless, but I STILL take Mg every day and feel generally calmer and better than if I forget to take it. fyi. Many docs don't think vits and supplements are useful, but I disagree.
You say, "I'm basically going to insist on the antibiotics tomorrow." First you need to be tested for what infections you have. Wrong meds result in treatment failure. Patience, grasshopper.
You say, "I hear some doctors won't prescribe it unless the EM rash is present or a test comes back positive, which i read is also unreliable." The old standard ELISA and Western blot tests are accurate when positive, but these older tests often do not register positive even when the patient has a raging case of Lyme. Why? Because ELISA/W.blot tests look for your immune system's reaction to the Lyme bacteria, but the Lyme bacteria have the ability to suppress your immune system, thus a 'false negative' test result can too easily occur, and then the docs may refuse to treat. These docs aren't dumb or mean: they just don't understand and haven't caught up with more recent medical views.
IGeneX Labs in Palo Alto CA offers blood tests to detect the presence of your immune system's antibodies against Lyme, rather than looking (as the older W.blot and ELISA tests do) for direct evidence of Lyme ("Look! there's a Lyme bacterium in your blood sample!") This matters because the Lyme bacteria can suppress the human body's reaction to the presence of Lyme, which then often results in **negative** W.blot/ELISA tests.
The whole basis of the W.blot/ELISA tests is to find antibodies produced by the human immune system against the presence of Lyme ... but what Lyme suppresses, the immune system can't measure. Result: a false negative test in a truly ill patient. (The IGeneX tests work differently and are more accurate, so I read.)
You ask: "Does anyone know what my chances of a full recovery are since i caught it so early if it is indeed Lyme Disease?" With accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment for an extended period of time (several months, not a few days or weeks), cure is indeed doable. I am cured, now some five years down the road, and so is a family member of mine. There are those who deny that cure is possible and say it is only suppression of the illness(es), but I disagree. My first thought would be that the person was inadequately treatment and needs to see a more thoughtful doc.
All this is why it is so important to get a proper diagnosis and appropriate treatment: out of date tests and sloppy analysis are when treatment failures arise. You may hear very sincere statements from those who are not cured that it was impossible to cure them. I would not buy into that statement: I would instead find another Lyme doc.
[see part 2 in the following message page below]
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