could it be lyme disease or ms

[thetyguy]

I was bite by something that left a black thing which look like a insect legs in my skin when i pulled it out i pulled a piece of my skin off a couple days later the area had a red circle me being a city girl i never heard of lyme disease i thought it was just a insect bite almost a year ago and six months ago back in june of 2008 i got really constipated then i stared getting really sick the day after drinking alcohol the numbness and tingling started in arms and legs.within the last 6 months my knees hurt so bad i can barely walk sometimes my balance is not bad but not always steady  i wake up in the morning very nerves.i am very moody and forget alot of things at times and have neck pain my doctor gave me the western blood test last month it was neg could some on please help me my doctor has no answers. i had a eye infection last month and the doctor gave me a 30 day supply of docxycline 200mg a a day i started feeling better but now my symptoms are back can someone please help me my doctors thinks its stress because i had a cbc test done and it was normal i know my body is not right i woulder if i could be the begining stages of ms.

[thetyguy]

hi its thetyguys just a question what are some symptoms of ms also is ms very painful in the begining stages?

[thetyguy]

thank you so much i have posted my question on the lyme disease site hopefully someone can futher help me with the medical term that i can ask my doctor at next appt

[Amyloo]

I agree with the ladies above.  I am one that was (mis?) diagnosed with MS, only to find I do indeed have lyme, plus three coinfections.  Tick soup as they say.  Please find a doctor that is familiar with lyme disease, and ask them to run a western blot, preferably through a lab that is a vector bourne illness specialty lab.  Igenex is highly recommended, even by the infectious disease dr (mainstream) that I saw.

He was unwilling to treat me, but stated in his report that my neuro "may wish to treat me with IV rocephin for at least two weeks".  I guess they just don't want a "lyme patient" on their records.  Who knows.  God bless you, if you need anything further I am happy to share any info I can with  you.  Amy

[Heather3418]

Welcome.  Although I have been diagnosed with MS for over a decade, I did have an experience with a tick bite a few years ago.  When I pulled out the "black spot" it did have some skin that came with it.  I realized this was the ticks head holding onto the piece of skin.  

I had my then husband look at my back where I was bitten and saw the typical bull's eye's rash and circle.  I took the tick with me to the doctor and was immediately placed on antibiotics.  I have had two follow-up Western Blot tests for Lyme disease and both came back negative.

What you describe sounds like it could be from a tick bite.  Sometimes it takes more than one round of antibiotics.  I know that it should be a least a couple of months on the medication.  Were you treated for several weeks with an antibiotic?

Lyme disease and MS symptoms can sometimes be confusing.  Since you report a bite with the symptoms you are describing, it sounds more like a return of Lyme disease symptoms, which can be treated.

Please give your doctor a call and get another blood test.  I wish you well.

All the Best,
Heather

[Georgeios]

Hello, I was treated for Lyme's for the first 3 mths of my symtoms with test after test and on the 3rd blood test for lymes the Specilist ruled it out. My Dr said is rare in the UK but seems to have become The In Thing to DX over here now, the Antibiotics i was give for months were strong enough to treat a "wide spread" ammount of possibilitys, it was when this made no difference to me that i was then sent for MRI and LP... then after my second MRI i was DX'd with MS.. However your symptoms dont sound anything like the ones I had so maybe as Quix said go down the Lymes Forum route.

Good luck all the same

Georgeios.x

[Quixotic1]

Your story sounds far more like inadequately treated Lyme disease than MS.  Joint pains, reactions to alcohol both are things suggestive of Lyme disease or a similar infection and NOT suggestive of MS.  Balance  mood disorders are non-specific and can be seen in a multitude of neurologic diseases.  What you have told us does not sound like MS to me.

I would pursue the work up of Lyme.  We have a Lyme Forum here at MedHelp.  I suggest that you post this there and start from there.  Doctors well-versed in treating Lyme disease prefer to have two or three Western Blot tests for Lyme and request that the specific band results be reported.

I will tell some of my friends who are being treated for Lyme, but who initially thought they had MS.

I hope others will be by to add their thoughts.

Quix