Docs -- Lyme Disease

Big Ed · 06-30-2009, 04:39 AM

It appears that I have contracted this disease, waiting on the bloodwork to return but I have all the symptoms -- bullseye rash, fever, chills, headache, muscle ache, joint pain, and extreme fatigue. Other than that, I feel super! Had symptoms getting progressively worse, starting on Thursday evening. The bullseye rash showed up Sunday which sent me ton the doctor.

Anyway, the reason I'm writing is some people I know have shared their experiences with the disease, and one in particular has had a bad time getting treated and recently went to a specialist who suggested that some doctors do not do an adequate job of treating the disease.

So my question is as follows: what should the appropriate course of treatment be, so I know to ask my doc the right questions. He has prescribed Doxycycline 100mg 2x a day for 10 days, asssuming based on my symptoms that the bloodwork will indicate Lyme. I'll know that answer Thursday morning, but does this sound like the correct treatment?

This all assumes I do not jump off a bridge between now and then, I have never felt this lousy.

deanp · 06-30-2009, 06:42 AM

Ed - the husband of one of my wife's coworkers had it bad last summer - most of the above plus partial paralysis of the side of his face. Looked and sounded like he had a mild stroke. Saw him recently and he was fully recovered.

I believe they now look at Lyme on a case by case basis but treatment for 30+ days isn't unheard of. I believe there is a chance of recurring symptoms if not treated aggressively initially.

Check these resources -

http://www.guideline.gov/summary/summary.aspx?doc_id=4836&nbr=3481&string=lyme

http://www.ilads.org/burrascano_1102.htm#oral

Big Ed · 07-01-2009, 06:34 PM

Thanks for those links, Dean. It looks like I'm not being treated aggressively enough if Lyme is confirmed (which this huge bullseye on my chest says it will be). I'll have a good chat with the doc tomorrow when the blood test results come in.

deanp · 07-01-2009, 07:15 PM

No problem. Also check this one -

http://truthaboutlymedisease.com/

There was an event in Sturbridge recently on the town common and I believe this was the site listed.

The bulls eye rash is a dead giveaway, along with the other symptoms. Read up on how the blood test can be inconclusive and not reliable.

It sounds like you caught it early, and the rash was in a detectable area. I've known two people with it, and it doesn't sound like much of a good time.

It also sounds like it may not only be deer ticks that are carriers, I've read a couple things that indicate it is believed that mosquitoes and other biting insects can also carry it, though deer ticks are the most common.

Erakad · Erakad's Garage

I've had Lyme's, contracted it in Europe. Had the telltale rash, but none of the other symptoms. Doc had no idea what it was, did a punch biospy (showed nothing), and on a whim did antibodies to Lymes....bingo, just took 6 months to diagnose. Went from being a small rash on my side to covering my entire side. Was treated for 2 weeks with doxy and cured it. If you read the various websites, there's horror stories about people and their experience with the disease. I've had no problems/symptoms since (despite a lengthy course).

Big Ed · 07-02-2009, 04:58 AM

Well, I actually spent several hours last night researching this and reading a bunch of stuff, and stumbled across this piece: The Clinical Assessment, Treatment, and Prevention of Lyme Disease, Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis, and Babesiosis: Clinical Practice Guidelines by the Infectious Diseases Society of America which looks to be a pretty thorough piece on the treatment of the disease. Seems my doc is following their guidelines to the letter.

This study concludes that better results were not found given higher doses and longer duration of antibiotic treatments. It appears from my reading that this is the mainstream medical opinion, and that the groups referenced in the links provided by Dean are more fringe elements. Which I guess isn't to say they are wrong, but they are certainly the minority opinion.

In any case, now I've read both sides of the story. so the doc and I have a good chat about the course of treatment. And everyone is in agreement that the blood tests are not reliable, so I'm sticking to the treatment even if today's result is negative.

Robert Adams · Robert Adams's Garage

Just happened to take a break and saw your thread. My 2 cents worth.
I haven’t plowed through all the links listed above to know if any deal with post disease. Most people take the drugs, go home and feel better. In my case I was out for a month licked the disease and then felt lousy again for weeks if not months. Come to find out the drugs kill off the good bacteria along with the bad.
I suggest following up with a couple compounds readily available that helped me as well as several friends and family. The horror stories are very real and extremely easy to become one if you don’t do a lot of research on the disease as well as the follow-up. The medical community was not up to speed with this disease in many locations; don’t know if that is still the case. My wife and I have each had it twice and the rest of the family has had it once. These are some of the things we took post disease and they work, put not overnight. I was sick for the better part of a year before I even came close to feeling almost normal and about 3 years before I was actually able to handle a normal work week and stuff around the house. I was about 45 at the time, but felt like I was 145. Worst couple of years I ever had with anything and frankly, thought I was about as close to dying as I would like to come.
1st to build up the immune system is paramount, because these drugs are NASTY and they kill almost everything.
I found green tea helped, so did B-2 in a BIG way. No need to be overly aggressive in the doses, it’s a little by little approach. It gave me back my energy level so I could at least get out of bed and start back to work. I recommend taking Acidophilus for at least a year after you are off the drugs and strongly suggest taking it for 2 to 3 years. The good news is you’ll hardly ever be sick again once you make it through all this. These 3 items help build back the immune system which takes a MAJOR hit with these drugs. You will most likely need to wait a while to let the drugs get out of your system before you will feel any benefits. Most Doc’s don’t discuss follow up with folks and I was lucky in having an adhoc support group who had the disease before me and/or during the same time and we helped out each other with what worked and what didn’t.

Good luck!

pwd72s · 07-02-2009, 10:34 AM

Ed...pulling for you!

t951 · t951's Garage

My mother called me this morning to tell me she had a large tick that fell off her in the shower. She has the bulls eye as well. I am guessing that the bulls eye is indicative of Lyme, and if you get bitten, but don't get the bulls eye, then you are ok. Is that accurate?

Big Ed · 07-02-2009, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t951

My mother called me this morning to tell me she had a large tick that fell off her in the shower. She has the bulls eye as well. I am guessing that the bulls eye is indicative of Lyme, and if you get bitten, but don't get the bulls eye, then you are ok. Is that accurate?

The bulls eye is a pretty good indication of Lyme, she should see a doctor immediately. It's the only symptom that's easy to take...

Absence of the rash does not mean you are safe, not everyone gets the rash.