CO EXISTNG CONFIRMED MS AND NOW HAVE BULLS EYE RASH/ CLASSIC

DX MS 1993:.
CONFIRMED
BY SPINAL FLUID ...ELISA (ANA)..OFF)LYME TITER NEGATIVE/ B12 NEGATIVE / SED RATE ELEVATED/ EVOKED POTENTIALS ..OFF (NOT LOOKING FOR PAPERS NOW) MRI SHOWED  BRIGHT SPOTS ON PONS/ EXTREMELY HYPER REFLEXIVE IN LOWER EXTREMITIES.  IF NOT FOR SPINAL PRESENTATION COULD HAVE BEEN MINOR INFARCTS...PER REPORT.   RECURRING REMITTING MS..NO BIG GUN DRUGS CAPAXONE / RE BIF ( HOWEVER U SPELL IT) JUST DEXAMETASONE FOR EXACERBATION WHICH SEEMS TO WORK...HAVE NO FEELING IN FINGERS /ONLY RESIDUAL THUS FAR/EYESIGHT BECOMING WORSE
QUESTION:  
FAST FORWARD 2009...PRESENTING WITH CLASSIC BULLS EYE  RASH./  .LYME ??? AM WATCHING RASH BUT AM OUT OF A JOB AND NO CASH FOR LABS.  I HURT AND MORE NUMB THEN EVER..IT IS UNREAL.  WHAT WOULD I HAVE TO DO IF BOTH.

[Lulu54]

Hi Lori,

Welcome to the Ms forum here at MedHelp .... I'm so sorry you are having these problems now.  Sixteen years with MS is enough to deal with, let alone throw in Lyme disease on top of it.    

You do realize that you need to find a way to get the Lyme testing done - it is not something you want lingering in your body without treatment.  There is a very active Lyme Disease forum here at MedHelp - they are truly experts on this disease and would be happy to help you out.

If you have an infection brewing in your body, your MS symptoms are likely to go into a flare.  That would explain why you are more numb than usual.  

Just because we have MS that doesn't mean we can't have another disease as well ....

i'm sorry you are going through this.  Welcome again to our community and I hope we will see you around.

my best,
Lulu

[wonko]

Hi,

The erythema migrans rash is specific to Lyme--You can be diagnosed on that alone without further tests.  

Lyme disease doesn't always cause the rash, but if you have the rash, then you have Lyme.  Take a picture of the rash in case it goes away.  

The rash can occur within days of a tick bite near the bite, or the rash can be secondary and show up much later (years even) and be nowhere near the bite.  

The blood tests for Lyme are simply not reliable.  If you just got infected, it can take several weeks before your body will make the antibodies that show up in the tests.  If you've had Lyme for a long time, then your immune system may no longer be making the antibodies in amounts great enough to show up on the test.  So the tests can fail for both early and late cases.

My advice is to take a picture of the rash and show it to a doctor.  The treatment for Lyme is antibiotics, which can vary a lot in price but some are inexpensive.  

I do not have MS, I only have Lyme.  You're welcome to come and post on the Lyme forum here on MedHelp:

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Lyme-Disease/show/148

Take care.

[sllowe]

Hi Lori,

Welcome. I 2nd Lu with saying that you can definitely have both.

It is going to be important to get to a Dr. or a clinic or something so it can be seen.  Take a pic if you can, like Wonko says.

Self dxing classic anything is not good practice for those of us who are not Drs. Though it is important to know all the classic symptoms and signs so you go and get care when you truly need it.

Thanks for joining us,
shell