All she lost: My sister's battle with Lyme disease

[subkron]

Good point, false positives are also bad. I would suggest you check out www.ilads.org to get more information. With respect to testing, the MAJOR RECOMENDATIONS at the following link suggest clinical analysis of symptoms, not testing, be used to guide the treatment. http://www.ilads.org/lyme_disease/treatment_guidelines_clearing_ilads.html.

Best of luck.

 

[long-a-coming]

Thanks for the feedback. I am at work right now and dont have the lab results with me so I dont remember exactly what type of blood test. I will check it out tomorrow. When I see my doctor on the 17th I plan on asking a lot of questions. I feel good lately and have not had the joint pain in a month. Hoping for the best.

 

[long-a-coming]

That website is helpful Ed thanks. Subkron appreciate the info. Guy I am hopeful that I got this early enough and it will not affect me getting out there with you all.

 

[piker56]

When I had Lymes in the early 90's, my doctor treated it agressively with Doxycycline for about 4 months (July thru October). I've had no symptoms since. Find a doctor who will listen to you and treat you appropriately! Some will put it off as a "virus" and not properly treat it, you may need to get pushy or find another doctor.

 

[PancoastDrifter]

So I woke up this morning with a pain in my neck. I walked to the bathroom expecting to find a pimple but to my horror it was a tick burrowed deep. Ten hours later there is a small rash and the area is sensitive and actually hurts. I have the tick, still alive, in a jar. My question is, can I have the tick tested before waiting for symptoms to appear?

 

[Teegate]

If it is a regular tick that you always see, it is not a deer tick.

Guy

 

[PancoastDrifter]

If it is a regular tick that you always see, it is not a deer tick.

Guy

Great - thanks.

 

[PancoastDrifter]

Here it is. It is almost 2/16's of an inch long. I think it is a deer tick.

 

[Teegate]

Looks like the one on Google images. I agree.

Guy

 

[dogg57]

http://www.oes.org/html/how_2_identify_different_ticks.html

 

[Teegate]

I say a female deer tick.

http://pestid.msu.edu/Portals/0/dnnPhotoGallery/1019/679.jpg

http://www.entomology.wisc.edu/diaglab/06images/0419adult-female-deer-tick.jpg

http://pestid.msu.edu/Portals/0/dnnPhotoGallery/1019/714.jpg

 

[PancoastDrifter]

I will keep an eye on the bite and see if the rash appears. It is already red, swollen and painful. I got the address and phone number of the doctor mentioned above. Thanks.

 

[subkron]

Looks like an engorged deer tick to me. I'm hoping that you will not wait until the "...rash appears", since the rash does not appear in 100% of the actual bites.
To get back to the question about testing, yes you can send the tick away to test for Lyme, I believe it is around $150. The problem is that in many cases there are other tick-borne illnesses that are also transmitted with equally as nasty results, so unless you want to shell out a bunch of money it's probably not worth it. Either way here's some info on the testing.

http://www.lymediseaseassociation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=267&Itemid=179

Instead of putting your money into testing, spend it on gas money to get to the doc, the office visit and the likely antibiotics you may get placed on.

Good luck.

 

[PancoastDrifter]

Thanks for the advice and help everyone. I made an appointment with Dr. Streit. He could only see me ten days from now. Does anyone with experience in this think that is too long to wait to be put on antibiotics?

 

[subkron]

When you made the appointment did you mention about pulling off an engorged deer tick? Not sure if they would have been able to fit you in sooner. If you do wait the 10 days I'm sure the doc will adjust the meds as neccessary.

Good move in seeking out a quick treatment.

 

[piker56]

I will keep an eye on the bite and see if the rash appears. It is already red, swollen and painful. I got the address and phone number of the doctor mentioned above. Thanks.

I never got the bulls eye rash. My first test was "borederline negative", but my doctor bagan treatment with Doxicycline anyway. My second test wes positive almost off the scale. If you're not getting satisfaction from your doctor see someonr else! You may have to get pushy, but it's your body!

 

[PancoastDrifter]

Seeing me in ten days with the holiday this week was as soon as they could take me in, otherwise the earliest was Dec 20th.

 

[Teegate]

Jessica found two female deer ticks on her today. They were really sluggish. I am assuming the warm weather has brought them out. We had never had one on us like these before and it was a surprise to have two of them in one day. They have a noticeably different look than a regular tick.

Guy

 

[PancoastDrifter]

Update: I did get lyme from that tick. I have been on antibiotics since after turkey day. I have another 8 weeks to go but the symptoms (for me; joint pain, extreme stiff neck where I was bit and random shooting pains) have almost all been eliminated. Getting it early seems to be the key to making it manageable. Thanks for all the help.

 

[Teegate]

Wow! Sorry to hear that. I hope it doesn' discourage you from getting out in the same places you went to before. The odds most likely are very good that it may never happen again.

Guy