Anyone experienced w/ Lyme disease?

[GoddessOfGuinness]

My older boy called me today. He said he found a tick the other day, and removed it. A couple of days later he noticed the classic bulls-eye. He said he didn't have time to make a Dr appointment today, so freaked-out mom that I am, I decided to do it for him. My gut feeling is he should go in NOW and get treated; but when I called the doctor's office to make an appointment, they said the earliest they could manage was May 1st. I was pretty pissed, and called the county health department's tick-bourne disease division, which was no help at all.

When my dog had Lyme, the vet saw him and gave him meds the same day.

Should I wait until May 1st, take my son to the ER or try to make an appointment with the vet?

[bicentennial_baby]

1. I'd take him to the ER, at least they can get things started asap

But, that's just me. The sooner the better, with Lyme, afaik.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes :)

[seemunkee]

2. I wouldn't wait.

Sucks to have to do it but I would say ER of a clinic.

[TZ]

3. Yeah the ER sounds good

Its a matter of getting him on antibiotics. Since he saw the bullseye, the hardest part (diagnosis) is out of the way...

[GoddessOfGuinness]

4. ER it is...

Now if I can convince him that it's more important than his plans for the evening... :eyes:

Thanks, y'all! :loveya:

[undeterred]

5. Go to the ER

It has a 30 day incubation period, so the sooner he starts on antibiotics the better. This is a terrible disease if not treated early, so your gut feeling is right. Do not wait, and if the ER will not treat, be aggressive and find someone who will. Its amazing that there are still a lot of docs who don't understand this disease.

(I know someone who didn't discover she had Lyme Disease till after she gave birth in her thirties, but she apparently contracted it as a teenager. She will always have it, and goes to NY for treatment.)

[CC]

6. I would go to the ER.

My nephew had it and didn't go right away. He was lucky in that it did not make it to his spinal fluid, unlucky in that they did a spinal tap to make sure. He was on antibiotics for 4 months and told they don't know if it will come back or now. They wished he had gone in sooner. Time does matter with lyme.

[OmahaBlueDog]

7. Either ER or get to a GP like tomorrow

If they start antibiotics early, mu understanding is you can beat Lyme.