new here-question re long term effects and pregnancy

[zzlymegirl]

Hello,

I recently contracted lyme disease.  I am lucky it was caught early, and am about half way through my doxy treatment.  Doctors say that because it was caught early, I shouldn't have any long term effects.  Is that true from first hand experience?

Also, I would like to have children in the future.  Does anyone know if there are issues with getting pregnant/having a baby after you complete treatment for lyme disease?

Thanks!

[ree427]

Some antibiotics are contraindicated while pregnant. My doctor prescribes Amoxicillin if a patient has Lyme and is pregnant.

[JackieCalifornia]

Consider that tick bites are not uncommon, and getting infected the first time might be held in line by your immune system ... then a second infection (that is, another bite) could overwhelm the defenses.  So if you think you are in the early stages because of when you first saw the rash, consider the possibility that you had been infected previously, accounting for having second-stage symptoms.  Just a thought.  It happens.

A fairly high percentage of those ultimately diagnosed with Lyme+ never saw tick or rash.

[mjfmurray]

However, I did read somewhere that you should NOT take doxycycline while pregnant. I'm not sure what antibiotic doctors prescribe for pregnant woman or else I would inform you on that.

I was recently diagnosed with lyme too, and the doctors say they caught it early because I had the bullseye rash though I have symptoms from the second stage of lyme disease. The doctor I saw in the ER prescribed my 21 days of 100 mg doxycycline twice daily and i'm on the 8th day of that treatment.

[ewford]

Ree is right.  If on ABX during pregnancy, very good chance not a problem since bacteria might be in cystic state.

[ree427]

I have Lyme and recently had a baby. So far my baby is fine.  I was advised that women who have Lyme and are pregnant have to be taking an antibiotic which decreases the chances of the bacteria crossing the placenta.  If you have Lyme and are pregnant and do not take antibiotics, I believe there is a 50% chance the baby will have it.  However, you caught yours early so this may not be an issue, but it's good to be informed. In my opinion and to my knowledge, there should not be any long-term effects in regards to pregnancy as long as your Lyme is treated appropriately and you no longer have it when treatment is discontinued.

[JackieCalifornia]

It's good to hear that you caught the infection early -- I would say if you have further symptoms after treatment is completed, to go back to the docs for retesting and perhpas further treatment.  Lyme can be difficult to stamp out sometimes, and vigilance is the key.  Retreatment can be done, with hope for success the second time around.

It's a good question you ask about pregnancy.  Joseph Burrascano, MD, has written treatment guidelines which are posted at ILADS [dot] org, and include the following concerning pregnancy during Lyme (dated 2008).  This is written for women who still have Lyme when they become pregnant, so this is a 'worst case' scenario, that is, that you would not have been cured by the time you become pregnant:  
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"LYME DISEASE AND PREGNANCY

'It is well known that B. burgdorferi can cross the placenta and infect the fetus. In addition, breast milk from infected mothers has been shown to harbor spirochetes that can be detected by PCR and grown in culture.

"The Lyme Disease Foundation in Hartford, CT had kept a pregnancy registry for eleven years beginning in the late 1980s. They found that if patients were maintained on adequate doses of antibiotic therapy during gestation, then no babies were born with Lyme. My own experience over the last twenty years agrees with this.

"The options for treating the mother include oral, intramuscular, and intravenous therapy as outlined above. It is vital that peak and trough antibiotic levels be measured if possible at the start of gestation and at least once more during treatment.

"During pregnancy, symptoms generally are mild as the hormonal changes seem to mask many symptoms. However, post-partum, mothers have a rough time, with a sudden return of all their Lyme symptoms including profound fatigue. Post partum depression can be particularly severe. I always advise help in the home for at least the first month, so adequate rest and time for needed treatments are assured.

"I also advise against breast feeding for obvious reasons as mentioned above."
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You might also search this Lyme forum for pregnancy; there was a member who seldom posts now who had a baby while dealing with Lyme, and I think she posted one or two more times after the baby arrived, and all was well.

Best wishes!