Got bit by a tick

[flamepro2003]

Hi,Do you know what the symptoms of lyme disease are? I got bit by a black legged tick last June and I've been sick since september/october with fatigue,chills,nausea,body aches(flu like symptoms),and sweats. My right ribs are sore(side of bite). I can't hardly move and I've been getting headaches. I was tested back in june(about 12 days after the bite)and the first test was borderline and the second test was negative. It's about 7 months later and I still have a red looking bump. I don't like this feeling. The doctors don't know whats wrong with me,but I know there's something wrong. I just got another blood test done 2 days ago for lyme and waiting for the results. Any advice would be greatly appreciated,thank you! I posted on this website before regarding endometriosis because of the horrible pelvic pain and irregular periods.

[margypops]

I have been very interested reading this thread ,I was bitten by a tick over 20 years ago in England, husband got it out , no rash , didnt know anything about Lymes desease then,I remember I got a horrible ear infection few weeks later , terrible headaches , pains,and palpitations, again no hint of Lyme.. I also was so fatigued I took Iron Tabs thinking I was aneamic. I then got a bladder infection so was put on some anti biotics, for that.. after that time I seem to get better, however through the years I have had varying symptoms I have thought were allergies etc, I had have chronic hives ,which have got better but bad all round my neck at presant, aches and pains insomia for years, I have low blood pressure, get Raynauds and cold if the temp drops. ,the list goes on. I thought maybe the antibiotic cured it I did have a Lyme test a few years ago, was negative, however I am feeling worse again, my long winded question is can Lyme have always been there , all these years and reemerge every now and again?

[patsy10]

Hope you feel better in the morning.  Sleep well.

[flamepro2003]

Hey,
  Just wanted to let you know I just got back from the urgent care. My symptoms got bad..severe headaches,chills,sweats. It turns out I have something else(not lyme),and i have bronchitis big time. The doctor said my throat is really red..he was a nice doctor. He said hes gonna call me sometime this week to see how I'm doing. I just wanted to let you all know. I'm gonna be going to sleep anytime..he gave me some medicine that has codeine in it. Talk to you all later!!

-Tracie

[flamepro2003]

I also wanted to say that my menstrual cycles have been so unpredictable. I've had 2 this month that were 18 days apart and this last one lasted for a week. Has anyone had/have problems with cycles? I also develop alot of cycts. Since October they've been messed up. They're October 15th,November 9th,December 8th,January 5th,February 1st,March 2nd,and March 20th.

[flamepro2003]

Wow,I'm soo sorry what you've been through. I can't imagine how you've felt. I wish there were more doctor's out there that can help us. It's been hard trying to find an LLMD here in Oregon. I will look up the websites tonight.

I've been in so much pain the past 3 months(rib pain)and feeling sick alot. It's hard to do everyday chores and taking care of 3 kids. It's weird that all of a sudden I felt sick..going from completely fine one day and "bam"the next day I can't do anything. I was fine before the bite,but it seems like my bodys going down hill now. I've developed more symptoms since I was on here last. My memory has been soo bad lately..I  sometimes can't remember what I did or what happened the day before.

My husband thinks I have it also,and hes been very supportive of me. Hes such a sweetheart. I would like to find an LLMD close by. It would be worth every penny for out of pocket. I just want to get treated. I know I would have to be on them for a long time. Could it also takes 3-4 months to get symptoms after a bite? I don't remember the rash though.

Oh yeah,another symptom is sever headaches. They get so bad that I need to rest my eyes and lay down. I've also had red eyes that hurt. Well,I need to get off of here and give my girls lunch. Talk to you all later!!

-Tracie

[lucecaboose]

Tracie - I just finished reading this message thread.  How are you doing?  It just burns me up to read what you have been going through but this is what is happening all over.  Regular docs do not understand Lyme, they don't know how to diagnose and treat it - it is just pathetic.  We need to find you an LLMD.  You had a tick bite and you are still sick - that is PLENTY for a diagnosis.  It is a clinical diagnosis but unfortunately, docs are told to use the tests and they are simply inaccurate.

I had a tick bite in 1999 - never saw the tick - but had a big bullseye rash.  Doc told me that I couldn't get Lyme in Michigan.  And, I wasn't sick at the time, so I received no treatment.  I did some research but never found information to the contrary.  Christmas, 2002 (3.5 years later), I got pneumonia and got sicker as I recovered.  I thought back to that tick bite, and asked for a Lyme test, but it was negative.  I was initially diagnosed with CFS/fibromyalgia, but it just didn't fit because I was so much sicker (and in so much pain).  The symptoms were endless.  I had all the basics of insomnia, fatigue, pain, then developed Raynaud's, vision problems, and in the next 4 years, lost my gallbladder, developed excessive arthritis, had a seizure, developed small and large fiber neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy, lost 110lbs for no reason, lost most of my hair, developed permanent chills...and then it hit my brain very seriously, and that is scary.  After 4.5 years of symptoms and 3 negative Lyme tests, I found the right information, diagnosed myself and found an LLMD.

That was two years ago and I am still getting worse, but it's hard to determine what is going to work for a specific patient when there are no established guidelines.  I would have never believed that I would get a disease that would just about destroy my life, that doctors don't know how to treat, that the CDC says doesn't exist (advanced, or "chronic" Lyme doesn't officially exist, but here I am!).  You can't even mention the name of an LLMD online.  It's surreal.

I didn't mean to go on about myself.  I just wanted to let you know that this is a disease that so little is still known about, and that you can have it without testing positive.  I'd say you have it.  You were bitten by a tick, followed by classic symptoms.  You need to be on antibiotics for a long time.  

If you haven't found an LLMD yet, there are two good ways:

1.  Go to the Lyme Disease Association Doctor Referral page:  
http://www.lymediseaseassociation.org/referral/   You can find the LLMDs closest to you.  You can only use this three times in one month, or I would have looked them up for you.

2.  Go to ***************.  Join.  Go to the Flash Discussion, then to Seeking a Doctor.  Leave a message that you are looking for an LLMD in your area.  When you get there, you will see the guidelines for posting this message.  You should join Lymenet anyway...it's full of everything you'd ever want to know about Lyme, and then some.

Again, my heart goes out to you, sweetie.  Hang in there!