Aa
Not sure what's going on
I am not sure what I have but I have a lot of symptoms. About a month ago I noticed a pea sized round node behind my right ear. I went to my doc about 4 days later and he put me on 5 days of amoxicillin. I then went back to him 2 weeks later but the week before I went to him I felt horrible. I have joint pain and stiffness and muscle fatigue I've had headaches and my pain almost feels like a nerve type pain especially around my face its an odd type of pain. I can only explain like inflamed nerve pain. The node has definitely decreased almost gone but I can still slightly feel. Then I had a bad wisdom tooth and my debris up me on amoxicillin again for a week. After I stopped 2 nd time I feel horrible again. My muscles feel like I ran a marathon. My nose feels allergenic and itchy like. I feel foggy a lot. Forgetful. I just am not right. I had ,y left leg swell and I had an ultrasound which was negative but they saw a benign small but enlarged node in my groin. I can't feel it. Key knees hurt my ankles hurt they feel inflamed and almost burn at times. I am some,times nauseated. I have no really loss of appetite no weight loss. My ear also hurts. I am going to call my doctor tomorrow. Does this sound like lyme??? I do have a son who plays baseball near wooded area. I also have a camp where I spend a lot of time at. I haven't been there a lot this year but was there all summer last year up to September. I never saw a tick on me or a bulls eye. Please help!!!!
Have you considered it MIGHT be a staph infection? I put MIGHT in all caps so that you know that I'm just guessing.
Have you seen a doctor for that 'pimple'. Have you someone else that can look at it? But it's good that you're seeing a doctor next week.
Staph is very common and fairly easily treated but it MIGHT also be MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) which is more serious. Again----- that's just a 'worse case scenario' and I don't want you or anyone else to forget that it's just a guess and nothing more by someone who isn't a doctor and can't see the 'pimple'.
Could it be a spider bite?
Here are some other things it might be-----:
Folliculitis Definition: red bumps with or without very small collections of pus fluid at the top red bump.
These red bumps are always centered around individual hair follicles and can be located anywhere there is hair on the body including the nose, eyelids,
Furuncles Definition: collections of several hair follicles that are inflamed, red, and infected.
Simply stated this is the next step of progression of staph infection from folliculitis where several areas of folliculitis occur close together.
Carbuncles Definition: collections of many, many infected hair follicles that combine together to form a large skin abscess that is commonly referred to as a boil.
Many times these abscesses are mistaken as spider bites even by physicians."
Found at http://www.hivinfo.us/staph.html but has absolutely nothing to do with or suggest HIV.
I found also found this on another site------ but I have never tried it, don't know anyone who has and don't know if it actually works. (grin)
But it doesn't sound like it could hurt to try it. I would.
"simple home test that will tell you whether you have a pimple or a staph
infection.
Here's what you do to find out if it's a pimple or staph boil:
1) Get some Hydrogen Peroxide 3% from the Chemist. Also get some cotton buds.
2) Use the cotton bud to apply some Hydrogen Peroxide to the skin area in
question.
3) If it is a pimple it will form a white head within 5-10 minutes. If it is a staph
infection it won't change color or may turn red."
I hope you get some of your worries lessened---- real soon!
Have you seen a doctor for that 'pimple'. Have you someone else that can look at it? But it's good that you're seeing a doctor next week.
Staph is very common and fairly easily treated but it MIGHT also be MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) which is more serious. Again----- that's just a 'worse case scenario' and I don't want you or anyone else to forget that it's just a guess and nothing more by someone who isn't a doctor and can't see the 'pimple'.
Could it be a spider bite?
Here are some other things it might be-----:
Folliculitis Definition: red bumps with or without very small collections of pus fluid at the top red bump.
These red bumps are always centered around individual hair follicles and can be located anywhere there is hair on the body including the nose, eyelids,
Furuncles Definition: collections of several hair follicles that are inflamed, red, and infected.
Simply stated this is the next step of progression of staph infection from folliculitis where several areas of folliculitis occur close together.
Carbuncles Definition: collections of many, many infected hair follicles that combine together to form a large skin abscess that is commonly referred to as a boil.
Many times these abscesses are mistaken as spider bites even by physicians."
Found at http://www.hivinfo.us/staph.html but has absolutely nothing to do with or suggest HIV.
I found also found this on another site------ but I have never tried it, don't know anyone who has and don't know if it actually works. (grin)
But it doesn't sound like it could hurt to try it. I would.
"simple home test that will tell you whether you have a pimple or a staph
infection.
Here's what you do to find out if it's a pimple or staph boil:
1) Get some Hydrogen Peroxide 3% from the Chemist. Also get some cotton buds.
2) Use the cotton bud to apply some Hydrogen Peroxide to the skin area in
question.
3) If it is a pimple it will form a white head within 5-10 minutes. If it is a staph
infection it won't change color or may turn red."
I hope you get some of your worries lessened---- real soon!
Every gland in my body was swollen when I first got very sick. I was told it was part of the co-infection, Bartonella. With antibiotic treatment, it has improved a great deal but some things are still swollen and sore.
Has anyone ever had lymphedema from Lyme? My foot is swollen again and with the swollen lymph node in groin I am wondering if it is this.
The first thing that comes to my mind, from personal experience alone, is it could be a Bartonella lesion, which hurts and might look like a pimple. Bartonella is a co-infection of Lyme.
Yes, pains come and go for many of us.
Yes, pains come and go for many of us.
Thanks everyone. The wisdom tooth is not abscesses and they told me that none of this is related to it. I had a deep cavity in that tooth in 2009 so they r not surprised that its bad they were surprised it lasted this long. I had the tiger drawn today I figured its better than nothing. I have this bite/ something n back of head. I've asked my husband to look at it numerous times. He says its a pimple. Well. I've never had a pimple for a month. Plus it's hurts terrible like a pinch or bad pimple. I can't see it so its frustrating it feels like a small bump with a head that hurts to touch. I have an appointment with my MD next week. I am trying to get this tooth out to eliminate one thing. Is this how everyone's pain and aches r they come and go? ll my complaints r random sometimes just one thing hurts etc. but when it's a,l going on I can't stand it
If Leila's the queen of lymph nodes, I am the princess, lol. Every lymph node in my body was swollen when I first got very sick.
The Lyme titter will not show much of anything.
If you have an integrated medical doctor or naturopath, close by, I would try those types if an LLMD is not close to you. They often times are Lyme aware and will do the IgeneX tests for you.
Otherwise, many people drive the 3 hours or more. When I lived in DC area, my LLMD had folks drive from Georgia to see her. We don't want you to eventually get as sick as many of us have become, bedridden, and worse.
The Lyme titter will not show much of anything.
If you have an integrated medical doctor or naturopath, close by, I would try those types if an LLMD is not close to you. They often times are Lyme aware and will do the IgeneX tests for you.
Otherwise, many people drive the 3 hours or more. When I lived in DC area, my LLMD had folks drive from Georgia to see her. We don't want you to eventually get as sick as many of us have become, bedridden, and worse.
Hi Picclisa, while I tend to side with most opinions here, since Lyme disease is just a very nasty and complex condition to dx and to treat, why not approach it form a simpler angle?
Ruling out some conditions matching some of your symptoms, that are easier to rule out compared to Lyme Disease would be my approach at first.
So, we assume that the onset of your initial symptoms took place after
the 5 days of amoxicillin, for a suspected bacterial infection (otherwise why prescribe antibiotics).
Then the bad wisdom tooth followed by another course of amoxillin, with some new symptoms.
OK now, conditions you can get ruled out easily. Candida,Leaky gut/gut dysbiosis, mild and severe allergy to amoxillin.
You can do a Youtube search for : saliva test for Candida. very simple!
If positive, you can ask for a leaky gut simple urine test through your doctor (even if it is not an "established" medical condition)
The mild to severe allergy to amoxillin possibility, must be discussed with your doctor and perhaps your pharmacist, as it must be formally reported, in the event it is indeed the case. You can look this up FYI.
Conditions more difficult to rule out . Systemic infection (viral or bacterial) but not Borelliosis (Lyme) of arthritic nature and triggered by a. the abx treatment or b. the wisdom tooth abscess/infection.
Happens more often than what most people think, however, it rarely get's investigated properly.
Blood tests for this can be ordered by your doctor.
If you need any details in anything, please let me know.
Best wishes!
Niko
Ruling out some conditions matching some of your symptoms, that are easier to rule out compared to Lyme Disease would be my approach at first.
So, we assume that the onset of your initial symptoms took place after
the 5 days of amoxicillin, for a suspected bacterial infection (otherwise why prescribe antibiotics).
Then the bad wisdom tooth followed by another course of amoxillin, with some new symptoms.
OK now, conditions you can get ruled out easily. Candida,Leaky gut/gut dysbiosis, mild and severe allergy to amoxillin.
You can do a Youtube search for : saliva test for Candida. very simple!
If positive, you can ask for a leaky gut simple urine test through your doctor (even if it is not an "established" medical condition)
The mild to severe allergy to amoxillin possibility, must be discussed with your doctor and perhaps your pharmacist, as it must be formally reported, in the event it is indeed the case. You can look this up FYI.
Conditions more difficult to rule out . Systemic infection (viral or bacterial) but not Borelliosis (Lyme) of arthritic nature and triggered by a. the abx treatment or b. the wisdom tooth abscess/infection.
Happens more often than what most people think, however, it rarely get's investigated properly.
Blood tests for this can be ordered by your doctor.
If you need any details in anything, please let me know.
Best wishes!
Niko
I did have. See rate drawn with a ton if labs 2 weeks ago. I did get a response from LLMD. There is not a doctor closest to me. I talked to my doc nurse and questioned about lyme. She gave me a blood slip for a lyme titter. Will this show anything? I figured anything is better than nothing at this point. I will have to arrange for an appointment otherwise as we'll as a 3 hour trip. Today I felt better. I didn't have the severe pain. I did have the pain yesterday and needed to nap. I feel like I'm crazy. One day ok next horrible. And the headache I get is such a weird nerve pain type headache, thank u all for ur responses.
Oh dear... I am the queen of crazy lymph nodes! Mine are flaring up left and right and have been for over a year now. Some come and go ("wax and wane"), some get really big and then shrink into a hard "cyst", and some just get bigger and bigger and ENORMOUS. I've really put this poor lyme community through it with the lymph node questions. (PS thanks again, everyone for bearing with me and your great advice!) Also, I have all of the other symptoms you listed:( I feel for you, but on a plus side... I am getting a teensy bit better since I started treatment nearly 3 months ago.
Your "benign node" sounds like it's a reactive lymph node. My largest node was said to be "reactive" by the sonographer (she's an diagnostic MD, not just a radiologist). She said it was reactive either due to infection or auto-immune. My doctor had the largest node removed anyway to be sure that it was reactive and it was. Pathology showed nothing other than a really big lymph node. My nodes are painful, but not to the touch... just like they are stretching beyond the limits of what they are physically capable of. I have gone through a plethora of testing... in the end all that comes up is borderline Lyme through Igenex (therefore, most likely chronic lyme positive), positive for Babesia and Hashimoto's positive (thyroid antibodies (auto-immune disease). To my understanding any one of those could be the culprit of reactive lymph flares. Do get an LLMD via ILADS as mojogal said. Along with the tests that the LLMD will run (Lyme and co-infections) be sure to have ANA, SED rate, and thyroid antibodies (TPOab and Tgab) tested so you can rule out the great Lyme mimickers.
Your "benign node" sounds like it's a reactive lymph node. My largest node was said to be "reactive" by the sonographer (she's an diagnostic MD, not just a radiologist). She said it was reactive either due to infection or auto-immune. My doctor had the largest node removed anyway to be sure that it was reactive and it was. Pathology showed nothing other than a really big lymph node. My nodes are painful, but not to the touch... just like they are stretching beyond the limits of what they are physically capable of. I have gone through a plethora of testing... in the end all that comes up is borderline Lyme through Igenex (therefore, most likely chronic lyme positive), positive for Babesia and Hashimoto's positive (thyroid antibodies (auto-immune disease). To my understanding any one of those could be the culprit of reactive lymph flares. Do get an LLMD via ILADS as mojogal said. Along with the tests that the LLMD will run (Lyme and co-infections) be sure to have ANA, SED rate, and thyroid antibodies (TPOab and Tgab) tested so you can rule out the great Lyme mimickers.
Mojo seems to be busy now so I'll try to help you.
Mojo said:
"I would suggest going to our association website ILADS.org and email them to ask them for an LLMD (Lyme literate doctor) closest to where you live."
If you've already accessed the above web site then look for a black band that stretches across the page, close to the top.
You will see 'Contact Us' at the far right.
Click on that.
A page will come up with some fields to be filled in and then sent to ILADS. (Ignore the field that says Company Name)
In the comments box ask them for a referral to an LLMD nearest to where you live. Be sure to give your city and state and zip code.
Then click on the blue box at the bottom "Send Email to ILADS"
I've never used that but from what I understand you're only allowed 3 searches in some sort of time frame.
Does that help you?
Mojo said:
"I would suggest going to our association website ILADS.org and email them to ask them for an LLMD (Lyme literate doctor) closest to where you live."
If you've already accessed the above web site then look for a black band that stretches across the page, close to the top.
You will see 'Contact Us' at the far right.
Click on that.
A page will come up with some fields to be filled in and then sent to ILADS. (Ignore the field that says Company Name)
In the comments box ask them for a referral to an LLMD nearest to where you live. Be sure to give your city and state and zip code.
Then click on the blue box at the bottom "Send Email to ILADS"
I've never used that but from what I understand you're only allowed 3 searches in some sort of time frame.
Does that help you?
They called it a benign node but the girl doing scan asked me if I had an infection. The doc told me it was small but noticeable on scan. I also have right ear pain at times also. My lips sometimes tingle and my nose also. This is all weird to me. I feel like absolute crap and not normal. My muscles r so sore at times that just touching me hurts. I have a small ? Bite on the back of my dad. I've had my husband look at it about 2 weeks ago he said it a blind pimple. Well it's still here an still sore when touched. How do I find a doc on that site???
About:
"they saw a benign small but enlarged node in my groin."
Did they say what it was? A guess (and ONLY a guess!) is it might be a lipoma--- always benign and only removed if it's getting larger and causing a problem with clothing or cosmetically.
You used the word 'node' which could mean a lymph node and not a lipoma.
So, as I said---- 'just a guess'.
"they saw a benign small but enlarged node in my groin."
Did they say what it was? A guess (and ONLY a guess!) is it might be a lipoma--- always benign and only removed if it's getting larger and causing a problem with clothing or cosmetically.
You used the word 'node' which could mean a lymph node and not a lipoma.
So, as I said---- 'just a guess'.
I think you described the pain well. Overused nerve type pain. The tests I believe took a few weeks to come back but the LLMD (at least mine did) will give you doxy while you wait if they think you have Lyme.. If you have a co-infection you will be given a different antibiotic As well.
I would hesitate to say that you have Lyme or one of it's co-infections but since Lyme is very prevalent in NY there is the chance you do have it----- added to the fact that you go to a camp and are near wooded areas a lot.
The best thing for you to do is to find a doctor that is knowledgeable in Lyme and get tested by Igenex Labs.
We can't give out the names of doctors here but perhaps someone else who lives in NY can Private Message you with the name of one or more doctors fairly near you.
If you go to an Infectious Disease doctor you will be tested by inferior tests and if found positive you'll be treated by far too short a course of antibiotics. But it's a start---- while you continue to look for a doctor who's knowledgeable about Lyme.
About the nerve pain------ That could be Lyme. The good thing about seeing a good Lyme doctor is they usually rule out any other reasons for the pain/symptoms a person is doing. And they use a specialist lab for tests.
And please take Mojo's suggestion----- go to the ILADS web site and search for both the ILADS guidelines and one by a Dr. B.
The best thing for you to do is to find a doctor that is knowledgeable in Lyme and get tested by Igenex Labs.
We can't give out the names of doctors here but perhaps someone else who lives in NY can Private Message you with the name of one or more doctors fairly near you.
If you go to an Infectious Disease doctor you will be tested by inferior tests and if found positive you'll be treated by far too short a course of antibiotics. But it's a start---- while you continue to look for a doctor who's knowledgeable about Lyme.
About the nerve pain------ That could be Lyme. The good thing about seeing a good Lyme doctor is they usually rule out any other reasons for the pain/symptoms a person is doing. And they use a specialist lab for tests.
And please take Mojo's suggestion----- go to the ILADS web site and search for both the ILADS guidelines and one by a Dr. B.
There are three antibiotics that are used as first-run treatment for Lyme: doxycycline is the first choice, explained below in the quote from ILADS.
But sometimes a doctor will rx amoxycillin or Ceftin if it's summer and the patient shows an unwillingness to stay out of the sun or to take the simple precautions needed to protect from the sun while taking doxy. Doxy often (almost always) will give a sunburn to unprotected skin, even through windows.
Sometimes a doctor will just automatically rx something other than doxy under the assumption that 'it's summer, don't rx doxy'. My personal opinion is ---I think that's unwarranted in most cases.
From the ILADS guidelines:
"Doxycycline has the advantage of being efficacious for treatment of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE), which may occur simultaneously with early Lyme disease.
Doxycycline is relatively contraindicated during pregnancy or lactation and for children aged less than 8 years. Because of its higher cost, cefuroxime axetil, [Ceftin] which is as effective as doxycycline in the treatment of erythema migrans (A-I), should be reserved as an alternative agent for those patients who can take neither doxycycline nor amoxicillin."
But sometimes a doctor will rx amoxycillin or Ceftin if it's summer and the patient shows an unwillingness to stay out of the sun or to take the simple precautions needed to protect from the sun while taking doxy. Doxy often (almost always) will give a sunburn to unprotected skin, even through windows.
Sometimes a doctor will just automatically rx something other than doxy under the assumption that 'it's summer, don't rx doxy'. My personal opinion is ---I think that's unwarranted in most cases.
From the ILADS guidelines:
"Doxycycline has the advantage of being efficacious for treatment of human granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE), which may occur simultaneously with early Lyme disease.
Doxycycline is relatively contraindicated during pregnancy or lactation and for children aged less than 8 years. Because of its higher cost, cefuroxime axetil, [Ceftin] which is as effective as doxycycline in the treatment of erythema migrans (A-I), should be reserved as an alternative agent for those patients who can take neither doxycycline nor amoxicillin."
What does the pain feel like? Mine is like an overused nerve type pain. Sometimes so severe especially in my knees and ankles. And neck/back. It's terrible. Thanks for the info. How long does a lyme test take to get results?
In my non medical opinion this could very well be from a tick bite. Most of us did not ever get the round rash that most mainstream doctors say you should get. Many of us do not even remember being bit so being in the wooded area, it could have happened.
There is a certain antibiotic that is used to kill the Lyme bacteria which is doxycycline. The fact that this medication was not used, could have caused the Lyme disease. Swollen lymph nodes, joint pain and stiffness is a sign of Lyme and perhaps one of the co-infections that come along with it.
I would suggest going to our association website ILADS.org and email them to ask them for an LLMD (Lyme literate doctor) closest to where you live. An LLMD can be any kind of doctor but one who does more research on the illness. These doctors use a special lab called IgeneX. They can test you for Lyme and also have them test you for co-infections. While on the site, go to Burascano's treatment guidelines and read up on the signs and symptoms of Lyme. Knowledge is power.
I had swollen glands all over my body before I started treatment. It gets better.
Let us know if you have any other questions. Good luck!
There is a certain antibiotic that is used to kill the Lyme bacteria which is doxycycline. The fact that this medication was not used, could have caused the Lyme disease. Swollen lymph nodes, joint pain and stiffness is a sign of Lyme and perhaps one of the co-infections that come along with it.
I would suggest going to our association website ILADS.org and email them to ask them for an LLMD (Lyme literate doctor) closest to where you live. An LLMD can be any kind of doctor but one who does more research on the illness. These doctors use a special lab called IgeneX. They can test you for Lyme and also have them test you for co-infections. While on the site, go to Burascano's treatment guidelines and read up on the signs and symptoms of Lyme. Knowledge is power.
I had swollen glands all over my body before I started treatment. It gets better.
Let us know if you have any other questions. Good luck!
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