Just diagnosed with lyme, pic of rash changing, still lyme?

Hi Ine,

Welcome to Healingwell!! Sorry you have not been feeling well. If you have not read already, you should read the {New to Lyme...Start here} sticky post it on top of the main page. There is Lots of valuable information there.

200mg once a day for fourteen days, may not be enough to eradicate the disease. I would suggest you read Dr. Burrascano's guidelines at ilads.org he is a respected (LLMD) Lyme Literate medical doctor.

It is very important to see a doctor that understands Lyme disease, and other co-infections. You can find doctor referrals at ilads.org

For more information, I would also suggest you visit turnthecorner.org

Best wishes to you, hope you feel better soon.

It's hard to say how long the rash will last. Everyone is different, rashes could last from weeks to months. Some people infected with Lyme, or other co-infections never have a rash. One thing you should do is take a picture of the rash, place a coin next to the rash for contrast and depth. You should also be sure to get a copy of your medical records, and results of your blood work. Be your own advocate, listen to your body, and keep a log of your symptoms. Your best chance to beat this disease, it to be treated properly early in the infection. There are LLMD's in UK, and Europe, but they are few and far between. You may need to travel to visit one. The best way to find a LLMD is to request one at www.ilads.org

Hope this helps

HI Ine!
Welcome to the HW Lyme forum!!
I am sorry to hear that you have this dreadful disease as well.

A site to check for info in Europe:

http://www.lymeneteurope.org/info/lyme-borreliosis-in-europe

Can Lyme is another good site for info;
http://www.canlyme.com/

Hope this helps some... =)
~Trav

Thanks for all your replies. I am seeing my doctor back tomorrow and I will bring them some info about this disease since it seems they have no clue.
My rash has kept changing in shape and now it looks like one of those things you trow darts at. Not that itchy anymore. I am also sick again, pain in bones, head, neck, throat and ears. Can that be the lyme or do I have fluish symptoms again? The funny thing is that I have no fever. A couple of weeks ago I had the same, was in bed for a week feeling worse than ever, was cold and hot at the same time, even with cold sweat but had no fever at all. Super weird.
I will make a pic of the rash, and send it, since it is not perfectly round. And I hope my doc listens to me because so far I have only taken 200mg of for 3 weeks and that is it.
Thanks for your help, will let you know how I progress. :-(

Merry Christmas to you also ineisa!!

Good to see you have started with ABX. Your picture is defiantly a bulls eye rash. The symptoms you've explained are classic Lyme symptoms. It is good to hear your doctor is treating you as best he/she knows how. Have you attempted to make an appointment with a LLMD yet? I hope you start seeing improvement soon!! Best wishes to you

Cheezhead

You say you finished your 2 week course of Doxy 200mg. Does this imply you were taking 200mg per day for fourteen days? If so this seems to be a bit on the light side. I hope your GP will extend your treatment until all your symptoms are gone. Do not be surprised if she does not want to treat longer than the fourteen days however. Your best chance of ridding yourself of this disease before it possibly becomes chronic, is to see a doctor who specializes in Lyme disease, not all doctors are properly trained on how to diagnose, and treat Lyme disease. Some doctors will not want to treat you using long term ABX, and will only treat you for the standard fourteen days, if this length of ABX does not eradicate the disease, and no further treatment is given, you could develop chronic Lyme. Keep in mind ticks also carry other diseases, Anaplasmosis, Babesia, Bartonella, Ehrlichiosis, and others, if you are infected with these, and are not tested and treated for these conditions, you could remain sick after being treated for Lyme.

I contracted Lyme disease, and the co-infections Bartonella, and Ehrlichiosis in the spring of 2006. I am an avid hiker, and fisherman. I spent a four day weekend waking through wooded areas, and tall grasses portaging from one lake to another fishing. Throughout the weekend I pulled some where between 20 to 30 ticks from my body. Many of them were the nymph (young) ticks, very hard to see.

I am still fighting to regain my health, I remember when I was pulling the ticks from my body, I thought to myself make sure you remove them all, or you may get Lyme disease. However I figure if I did contract the disease, I always heard you can rid yourself of it with a couple weeks of ABX.....was I ever wrong

Here is part of my story, I have not updated this in a while however. My former LLMD retired this year, I am currently waiting to see a new LLMD after the new year. I still battle this disease daily. Hope this helps.

You may also like to read other patient stories at this site.

http://www.leaparizona.com/my_story_brandon_jacobson.htm

Post Edited (Cheezhead) : 12/25/2009 6:39:14 PM (GMT-7)

Hi Ine,
There are quite a few things you can do to help protect your stomach when on anti-biotics. I don't know what you may already be aware of so here are some basics -

Eat something fairly 'solid' (1/2 a peanut butter sandwich for example) before you take your abx. Drink plenty of fluids, eat plenty of yogurt, or better yet drink Kefir. Don't stay out in the sun for any length of time for some people with certain abx.

Hope this helps to start you out with whatever you & your doc decide to do.

gorbybelle said...
Hi - I am in England - yes there are LLMD's here - 'eurolyme' would be a good site for you to visit.

Hey, can you recommend me a LLMD in the London or South East area? I found one in Cardiff but that is so far from me. How are you? I have been sick in bed again. Bummer!