Lyme Disease Support Group
Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the Northern Hemisphere. It is now one of the fastest growing infectious diseases in the U.S. Lyme disease is caused by infection with the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria, and is primarily transmitted to humans as well as dogs, horses and other domesticated animals by the bite of infected ticks.
HELLO!! i am new here.
i was bit by a (THE) black legged dear tic~had the bullseye (rash?) as they call it. this was about 3 months ago.
the walk in doctor prescribed doxicycline for 2 weeks. it was horrific on my stomach, and i may have missed a dose or two so that i could complete my shift at work on an occation. i did the very best i could with it.
for the past month i have been cronically fatigued. hurts to move as well. joints ach. i take ibuprophen for the pain but nothing and i mean nothing, helps relieve the fatigue. it is so bad that sometimes i cry on the way to work because i just have no strength.
i guess im wondering~
should i still be having these symptoms even though i took the antibiotic?
is there a test to see if i have lyme and if so is it accurate (ive heard or read that they are not)
and...i am wondering ??? if the doxiclyline works so well,,,then why are there so many people suffering from lyme..enough to have an intire web site or two..just about lyme....and its sufferes.
glad to be here. . appreciate any advice you can give~ thank you
i was bit by a (THE) black legged dear tic~had the bullseye (rash?) as they call it. this was about 3 months ago.
the walk in doctor prescribed doxicycline for 2 weeks. it was horrific on my stomach, and i may have missed a dose or two so that i could complete my shift at work on an occation. i did the very best i could with it.
for the past month i have been cronically fatigued. hurts to move as well. joints ach. i take ibuprophen for the pain but nothing and i mean nothing, helps relieve the fatigue. it is so bad that sometimes i cry on the way to work because i just have no strength.
i guess im wondering~
should i still be having these symptoms even though i took the antibiotic?
is there a test to see if i have lyme and if so is it accurate (ive heard or read that they are not)
and...i am wondering ??? if the doxiclyline works so well,,,then why are there so many people suffering from lyme..enough to have an intire web site or two..just about lyme....and its sufferes.
glad to be here. . appreciate any advice you can give~ thank you
have referrals to Lyme literate doctors in your area. Maybe you
are already working with one now.
Part of the reason there are so many websites and people
dealing with Lyme is that there is what is called chronic Lyme.
Some people do not detect it early. Some do not receive
treatment until years after they've contracted it. That is much
harder to treat. That's what many people here have.
If it's treated early on like yourself, the outcomes are much
better. I don't know all the statistics, but some never have it
recur. I hope that's the case with you. It's important to work
with a good doctor.
I'm sorry to hear about your fatigue. I've been treated
for six years. I have mostly good days. After 5 tonight, I too
had fatigue set in. The kind you're talking about. I've been
sleeping and waking the rest of the time. Achey muscles.
Can't do the dishes. Can only lie on the couch. I feel for
what you're going through. There are many informed
people here who can offer you guidance and support. I'm
glad you put up your post.
And yes, there are tests that can be done. but
sometimes it's a clinical diagnosis. Tests aren't always
reliable. Igenex labs and western blot are two I"m
familiar with.
You asked:
"should i still be having these symptoms even though i took the antibiotic?"
I'm sorry to say but you were terribly undertreated and that short course did nothing towards 'curing' Lyme.
I will ditto what RosaQ said----- go to the ILADS site and start reading. Read everything and learn just what you're up against.
Some of the reasons there are so many people suffering from chronic Lyme disease:
* It's not often that a person who has been bitten by an infected tick has that tell-tale (and definitive) bulls-eye rash, or any rash. Maybe about 50%? You had it but had the misfortune to go to a doctor who didn't know (or chose to ignore) the real facts even though you had the bulls-eye.
* Those that do and go to a doctor that isn't a Lyme specialist who will probably go to the CDC's site about Lyme and read that 10 to 30 days of doxycycline will 'cure' Lyme.
That's total misinformation.
* Not only does a short course not cure Lyme (may drive it underground for an undetermined time) but in many cases it ensures that the patient could later have a much more refractory condition and many times enters the CNS (central nervous system) with neurologic problems.
* the bacteria that causes Lyme is one of the most complicated, elusive and persistant one around. I'll start a new thread about replication time of the bacteria.
* So 'why are there so many people still sick?"-----if I had to pick two reasons one would be that the bacteria is complicated and the second would be the total misinformation given out the the CDC (via the Infectious Disease Society of America) about 'how easy it is to cure'. Shame on both of them.
About your fatigue-----that's been one of my decades long and most persistant symptoms. I have days when if I want to get out of the recliner and answer the phone------ pfffft! Let the answer machine do its thing. :)
Then about your reaction to doxy----- Most people have to take it with food. I did or I'd get nauseous. Even then, the first few weeks would give me a mild nausea but that almost always went away after a month or more.
Another possibility---- I was given doryx once instead of doxy. Horrible reaction for me, but others can use it just fine. Mine was always in the form of a tablet, either pink or pinkish, as I remember.