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Edited on Mon Aug-31-09 05:08 PM by ooglymoogly
Also treated with antibiotics.
If Lyme disease is left untreated, it may progress in stages from mild symptoms to serious, long-term disabilities. There are three stages of Lyme disease: early localized, early disseminated, and late persistent.
Stage 1: Early localized infection (1 to 4 weeks)
Some people with Lyme disease have a rash (called erythema migrans) at the site of the tick bite. The rash is usually circular and it gets larger over time. Other people don't have any symptoms in the early stages of Lyme disease and do not remember having had a tick bite. About half the people infected with Lyme disease develop a rash within 1 to 4 weeks.1 See a picture of a Lyme disease rash Click here to see an illustration..
For people who live in areas where Lyme disease most often occurs—in the United States along the Atlantic coast, the Midwest, and parts of Oregon and California—the circular rash can be a sign of Lyme disease, especially when it appears during the summer months.
Some people with Lyme disease will have flu-like symptoms with or without a rash. These symptoms may include:
* Lack of energy, which is the most common symptom.
* Headache and stiff neck.
* Fever and chills.
* Muscle and joint pain.
* Swollen lymph nodes.
In some cases of Lyme disease, the person does not notice any symptoms during this stage.
Stage 2: Early disseminated infection (1 to 4 months)
If Lyme disease is not detected and treated while early symptoms are present, or if you do not have early symptoms that trigger the need for treatment, the infection may affect the skin, joints, nervous system, and heart within weeks to months after the initial infection.
Symptoms at this stage may include:
* Being tired.
* Additional skin rashes in several places on your body that develop as the infection spreads.
* Pain, weakness, or numbness in the arms or legs.
* Inability to control the muscles of the face (paralysis of the facial nerves).
* Recurring headaches or fainting.
* Poor memory and reduced ability to concentrate.
* Conjunctivitis (pinkeye) or sometimes damage to deep tissue in the eyes.
* Occasional rapid heartbeats (palpitations) or, in rare cases, serious heart problems.
Stage 3: Late persistent infections
If Lyme disease is not promptly or effectively treated, damage to the joints, nerves, and brain may develop months or years after you become infected (late Lyme disease). Symptoms at this stage may include:
* Swelling and pain (inflammation) in the joints, especially in the knees.
* Numbness and tingling in the hands, feet, or back.
* Severe fatigue.
* Partial facial nerve paralysis (Bell's palsy), which usually occurs within the first few months after the tick bite.2
* Neurologic changes, including problems with memory, mood, or sleep, and sometimes problems speaking.
* Chronic Lyme arthritis, which causes recurring episodes of swelling, redness, and fluid buildup in one or more joints that last up to 6 months at a time.
Heart, nervous system, and joint symptoms may be the first signs of Lyme disease in people who did not have a rash or other symptoms of early infection.
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Treatment Overview
Lyme disease is treated with antibiotics such as doxycycline or amoxicillin. Antibiotic treatment for early Lyme disease is effective, and symptoms usually go away within 3 weeks of treatment.3
The earlier antibiotic treatment is started after infection, the faster and more completely you will recover.4 Research indicates that if you are given a single dose of the antibiotic doxycycline within 72 hours after being bitten by an infected tick, your chances of getting Lyme disease may be reduced by up to 87%.5 This treatment may be especially effective for those who live in high-risk areas.
If Lyme disease is not diagnosed and treated until later problems arise, it may take you a long time to get better or you may need additional treatment.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as aspirin or ibuprofen, are usually helpful for symptoms of arthritis that can occur with late Lyme disease. These symptoms may include pain, swelling, redness, warmth, and limitation of movement.
Some people with untreated Lyme disease get achy joints. Sometimes, repeated episodes of swelling, redness, and fluid buildup in one or more joints can last up to 6 months at a time. This is a condition called chronic Lyme arthritis. Treatment for this problem usually requires antibiotics, such as amoxicillin or doxycycline. But joints that have been badly damaged by Lyme arthritis may take a long time to get better, or antibiotics may not improve symptoms. If chronic Lyme arthritis continues despite antibiotic treatment, surgery to remove the lining of the affected joint (synovectomy) may be considered.
Long-term antibiotics are also commonly used to treat nervous system problems (such as tingling and numbness or conditions such as meningitis). But a number of examinations and tests may be done to rule out other causes of symptoms before more aggressive or long-term antibiotic treatment is started.
People with partial facial paralysis (Bell's palsy) as a result of Lyme disease may improve on their own without additional treatment.
Antibiotics and other treatments are used to help people who develop serious heart problems, such as severe irregular heartbeat or pericarditis, from Lyme disease that was left untreated or was not treated effectively. But these problems are extremely rare, especially in people who did not have heart problems before getting Lyme disease. Heart problems may start getting better on their own, even before antibiotic treatment has started.
In the past, a Lyme disease vaccination was available for people who lived in high-risk areas, but the vaccine is no longer made. It was removed from the market due to uncertainty over its effectiveness and lack of demand.
What To Think About
Most people who have had a tick bite do not get Lyme disease. But it is still important to talk to your doctor if you have had a tick attached to you.
Even after successful treatment for Lyme disease, you can get it again. So it is important to continue to protect yourself against tick bites.
Previously, doctors recommended using the antibiotic doxycycline for about 20 days to cure early Lyme disease. But a study suggests that 10 days of doxycycline is as effective as 20 days to cure early, uncomplicated Lyme disease.6 The type of antibiotic your doctor gives you and the number of days you take it depends on your symptoms and the stage of the disease. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions about your antibiotic treatment.
Misdiagnosis of Lyme disease is common, especially if you do not have the characteristic circular red rash. In addition, anxiety and awareness of Lyme disease has resulted in frequent use of antibiotic treatment for people who really do not need it. In general, antibiotics are not usually needed unless it is clear you have Lyme disease.
In some rare cases, severe joint and nervous system damage cannot be reversed.
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Last updated: September 03, 2008
Author: Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS
Get it checked out. If you are desperate get the above mentioned antibiotics the best way you can. search the internet. There are ways.
P.S If your parrot is sick there is pharmaceutical grade doxycycline on line.
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