I think I might have Lyme disease...

[Squatch]

I'm going in on Thursday to get it checked out.

5 years ago, while turkey hunting in MO, I pulled a tick off the inside of my arm...not giving it another thought since I've pulled countless ticks off myself over the years. For the longest time, the site of the tick bite was really red and itchy, but eventually subsided.

Over the last couple years, the bite site will become re-inflamed with increasing freaquency and duration as the months have gone by. About a year ago, I started experiencing scary heart palpatations that the doctor attributed to anxiety (and gave me a prescription of Ativan).

Now, the bite site is re-inflamed, itchy as hell, and my palpatations are back (along with other symptoms).

So, I'm headed back to the doctor, this time with possibly legitimate complaints of a tick-borne illness. Does anybody have any experience with this?

Brian

[yardwork]

1. Definitely go to the doctor.

[sailor65]

2. Go see the doctor - yesterday

[zippy890]

3. oh dear 5 years?

sorry for you, I hope its not Lyme.

good luck

edited: my post wasn't helpful, adding this - we have Lyme ticks like crazy around here, I know many people who have gotten lyme disease and no one has died from it, vast majority are treated successfully.

do you have any arthritis type symptoms? that is common in lyme, but goes away with treatment.

[Warpy]

4. Insist on a Lyme antibody titre

that will rule in or rule out an active infection. Lyme is curable by three weeks to a month of oral antibiotics. If they suspect cardiac involvement, they might suggest a short hospitalization and a course of IV antibiotics to hit it quicker and harder.

The typical Lyme rash almost looks like a bullseye on a target, a raised red ring surrounding a paler area around the red area of the bite, itself. Many people don't get the rash, at all, and others have an atypical rash.

The other possibility is that part of the tick was left in your skin, and you're having a reaction to that flare up from time to time. The palpitations could be completely unrelated.

Lyme can get really ugly if it goes untreated. It's a good thing you're going in.

[Squatch]

5. Thanks for the advice

[nykym]

6. I have had it

5 times. I live in Dutchess County NY, it's fairly common among us up there. It's pretty amazing how a small thing like a tick can cause so much discomfort. I got tiered of arguing with the doctors and winding up paying for all the tests and scripts. So I did some research and found a herbal remedy Teasel root. here's the link to get you started.

http://www.ladybarbara.net/html/using_teasel.html

I bought mine from Jean's Greens Albany NY

http://www.jeansgreens.com /

It worked for me. If your unsure I would advise you go traditional but you might want to do a bit of research before going full mainstream.

Good luck

[Squatch]

7. Thanks for the info.

I've never even heard of that herb.

[Warpy]

10. Lyme is nothing to play with

and if there's an active infection, antibiotics are necessary.

[LeftCoast]

12. You absolutely need to see a doctor if you think you might have lyme disease

Untreated, Lyme disease can travel to the brain where it can cause severe neurological damage. There's a time and a place for herbal remedies, but this is not it.

[faithnotgreed]

15. love your advice nykym

i am a huge fan of alternative medical applications when done correctly of course which is the trick and one very often missed
thank you for sharing your experience - natural alternatives are not the most popular subject on this board so i especially appreciate your sound advice to seek a doctors care of course but offering an alternative as well if applicable

and oh how i miss dutchess co
i grew up there and though i have been away a long time i will always consider it home

ooops
on edit - welcome to du
i hope to see you around more often

[Megahurtz]

8. I Do.

I have a old Tick Bite scar next to my heart area that inflames and itches every so often (which is happening right now) and I get the same symptoms as you. Conventional Docs don't recognize Lyme and it won't show up on most conventional tests, so you're better off trying to treat it yourself by Alternative Health, not by Drugs. That's just my 2 cents anyway. Antibiotics don't "cure" Lyme because there are other Parasitical co-infections that go along with Lyme.

Here's a good site for you to look at:

http://lymephotos.com/

[Jane Austin]

9. There are many more tick-borne diseases than just Lymes.

Dogs get all kinds of symptoms that masquarade as other diseases, but are actually tick-borne.

Ask for a Rickettsia panel.

[CC]

11. First step is the doctor.

If your first test comes back negative ask your doctor to put you on at least 2 weeks of antibiotics and then test again. I forget which antibiotics they are but they as cheap, like $5.00 with out insurance. Since it has been 5 years you need to insist (specially for positive test results) that they do a spinal tap to see if it has gone into you nervous system.
A great resource for info is here http://www.lymediseaseassociation.org/Archives2004.html Unfortunately many doctors are not as informed as they could be about Lyme and can miss it. I know a few people that have had it. My nephew got lucky in that he saw the tick and the rash appeared with in days. His doctor did both the blood test and spinal fluid test. Blood test came back negative the first time but the doctor put him on antibiotics for two weeks anyway and retested, that test came back positive. He then had the spinal tap done and there were no signs of it in his spinal fluid. He was on antibiotics for two months and hasn't tested positive since. It has been about a year and a half now. His doctor plans on testing him yearly. That seems to be standard here for other friends that have picked up Lyme disease.
Another friend they missed it, but this was a few years earlier. They miss diagnosed him and finally decided he had a form of arthritis. By they time he found a doctor that did diagnose him right his hands were crippled. He ended up in the hospital for a few weeks getting very strong antibiotics by IV. After that he spent a couple years on oral antibiotics. He has regained the use of his hands and lost a lot of the stiffness and pain in other joints though still has some effects from the disease. I'm not telling you this to scare but to warn you to fight for proper test and antibiotic courses. Since we are in a high occurrence area a lot of doctors here will put you on the month of antibiotics even if you test negative since the test are notorious for being unreliable.

[YOY]

13. Get it checked

That disease f***ed up an acquaintance of mine's kidneys something fierce!

[Broadslidin]

14. Bottom Line: You No Longer Qualify for medical insurance.

and future employment prospects, nil..... :patriot:

[The Straight Story]

16. Can I stuff you into my Corona?

:rofl:

Seriously though - get it checked ASAP and make sure you update us so we don't sit here worrying about ya :)