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Tick bite -to treat or not to treat

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 9/7/2012 9:31 PM (GMT 0)
I went to the dermatologist today to check out a funky looking bite on my abdomen. It's dark red in the center, then red about the size of a quarter, then a white ring around that. The doctor thought it was an arachnoid bite, possibly a tick and wanted to treat with Doxycyclne 2x/day for 21 days in case it's a sign of Lyme Disease. I don't want to take 3 weeks of antibiotics if I don't have to. I thought the chances that it would cause a flare of my CD are greater than my actually having Lyme Disease. Instead, she gave me a Rx for bactroban (strong topical antibiotic ointment) and Domboro soaks and drew a titer for Lyme Disease. If I get symptoms, then I would start the antibiotic. I'll get a titer redrawn in 4 weeks. I've read awful things about Lyme Disease and certainly don't want that, but treating unnecessarily with antibiotics is never good for a Crohnie. Has anyone here ever been bit by a tick (gross) and treated for Lyme Disease? I'm not aware of being bitten by a tick (never saw the little bugger) but did go for a walk in a wooded area in northern Michigan. ~SB
Posted 9/9/2012 1:47 AM (GMT 0)
I would take the antibiotic. My neighborhood had untreated Lyme (she didn't ever really get symptoms and the Lyme went dormant) she got pregnant and that triggered the Lyme. The babies were born with Lyme but were treated. Unfortunately for Melissa she had the disease for too long so the doctors were unable to treat her. She was so sick after the babies were born that she couldn't even hold them for almost a year.
Posted 9/9/2012 4:02 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Ski Bum,
Did the doc tell you how reliable the titer for Lyme Disease is? If it is reliable, then it makes sense to me for you to wait to get the results before subjecting yourself to antibiotics that can send you into a Crohn's flare. However, if the blood work isn't highly accurate, then you sure don't want Lyme disease, and then you probably should consider treatment. I live in Northern MI and I don't think Lyme disease is very common here. Good luck with your decision
Posted 9/9/2012 4:10 AM (GMT 0)
Here's a couple of articles that may help:

http://record-eagle.com/features/x336263872/Lyme-disease-education-vigilance-important

http://labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/lyme/tab/test
Posted 9/9/2012 8:07 PM (GMT 0)
If it were me....I would definitely get it treated....there's some pretty awful things involved with having lymes disease and I wouldn't take the risk myself...I think I'd almost rather have CD than lyme disease, let alone both....good luck!

Just wanted to add that antibiotics are often used to aid with IBD since we tend to have bacterial overgrowth as IBDers...If you're not already taking a good probiotic daily (to aid with your CD) then I strongly urge you to look into that...most of us that take a probiotic daily, double up on our probiotics when we need to go on antibiotics (key is to take your probiotics at least 2 hours after you're done taking your antis for the day).

Posted 9/9/2012 11:55 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much for your responses. It's so nice to have a place we can come to for advice from people we have come to trust - our fellow Crohnies here at HW. I haven't had much luck lately, so I decided I'd better take it safe and just take the abx. Pb4, I was going to start a new thread and ask you when to take the probiotics when on antibiotics, but you already answered that. Thanks! When you say double up on them - would you take 2 at one time, or space them out during the day? I already take a probiotic, based on your recommendation quite awhile ago - Primadophilus Reuteri. Gumby44 - thanks for the cites. I don't know how reliable the specific test is that was drawn, but in looking thru the Lyme Disease forum, it doesn't look like any test is that reliable, especially early on. Pettitart - that's a really sad story about your neighbor. That pretty much sealed the deal on my decision to take the antibiotics! I'm looking forward to a nice cold winter in Michigan - less bugs!
Posted 9/10/2012 1:39 AM (GMT 0)
I would take 2 at one time ski bum...glad the primadophilus reuteri is working out for you ski bum...take 2/day together while on antibiotics and for a couple of days after you're done taking them.

Feel better!
Posted 9/10/2012 7:57 PM (GMT 0)
Better safe than sorry Ski Bum. Crohns sucks and so does Lyme but I couldn't imagine dealing with both of them.

I know for me some antibiotics will put me in a flare but I'm fine on others. Hopefully what the doc gave you won't bother your guts.
Posted 9/10/2012 8:57 PM (GMT 0)
I had a tick bite years ago before my UC diagnosis. If I had UC at the time I still would have taken the antibiotics. Lyme is not something to mess with. I'm on an antibiotic now and it hasn't caused my UC to flare. In fact, I was on one last year too and didn't flare while on it. I swear by the probiotics. I take 3 times what I normally would take and I make sure its at least two hours after the antibiotic. Hope you don't flare!
Posted 9/11/2012 12:25 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the Probiotic advice pb4. I took the Dicloxycilin for one day (yesterday), woke up at 4:30 am with the big D, and was ready to give up on the abx. I l/m for my GI to call me back, to ask him if this abx is "OK," and in the meantime, I'll try it again, this time with 2 Probiotics.

Sherbear46, when you were bit by a tick, did you take antibiotics just in case the tick was infected with lyme disease and to prevent an infection, or were you diagnosed with lyme disease? OK, off I go to take the dreaded antibiotic again. Thanks for your help!
Posted 9/11/2012 3:02 AM (GMT 0)
Yes.....Please treat it!!

I have Chronic Lyme disease and you don't want to have to deal with this. It may be a possible cause of Crohn's.

Prophylactic Doxycycline for Lyme is 300-400mg daily for 28 days.
Posted 9/11/2012 2:55 PM (GMT 0)
I took the antibiotic as a precaution. I'd had the bite mark for quite a while and it always itched and I didn't even know what it was.
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