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Posted 3/19/2009 6:16 PM (GMT 0)
PLEASE help me asap!

I have late stage lyme and can't work the computer well to get to the normal resources I use!

My dad just got bit by a tick and I don't know where the information I had is to tell him what to do.

He removed it with a HOT FORK (Bad I know but he didn't come to me!) and the head is still in his body.

He is at his doctor's office right now.

What should he do? How should he get the head out? I want him to take the tick home in a plastic bad and then WE can decide what to do with it.

What anti's should he be put on and for how long? I don't want him to get what I have. It has DESTROYED my life and I rather die.

Please help! I need your advice!!

(I think doxy for 6 weeks, but how many milligrams/day?)
Posted 3/19/2009 6:44 PM (GMT 0)
Don't panic. His doctor will remove the head and then you can send it out to be analyzed. If it were me I would take a couple of weeks of doxy to be safe. Other people on here can give you a better idea of how much. But there are also herbs he could use to boost his immune system if he can't get the abx. Andrographis, cat's claw, garlic etc. If he chooses herbs and then develops a rash or begins to feel sick within a month, I would then insist on 2 months of doxy at 300-600 mg. As doxy doesn't kill all the co-infections I would take the herbs anyway.
Posted 3/19/2009 8:07 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much for answering nefferdun.

My dad went to the GP and they gave him 3 weeks of 100mg's. Basically, he can "use it how he wants" type thing. Per Burrascano's guidelines, 400-600 mg's are recommended. I'm wondering how much I should tell him to take? Any opinions or thoughts? Maybe 500 mg's, 300 day/200 evening? or vise versa? I just want to help him so badly.

I also read that doxy does NOT treat co-infections, and as well all know, they can be just as bad if not worse than the lyme itself.

Also at the doctor, they didn't even remove the head that was STILL IN HIS BODY!!! Seems no one know or wants to know how to treat effectively.
I advised him to go back to the doctor and have them remove the head....its under his arm on his torso, and he can only use 1 hand. I'd do it for him, but we are 4 hrs away from each other right now.

I appreciate any advice and input.....thank you so much!!!!!!!

Health and happiness to all.
Posted 3/19/2009 8:14 PM (GMT 0)
nefferdun gives a good advice I think; I was told: doxy 400 mg (if person weights a lot even a higher dose) for at least 1 month - much better two months; INSIST on this is the best you can do. support immune system too, make sure you detox!
good luck !!! dorit
Posted 3/19/2009 8:37 PM (GMT 0)
oh naturebabe- you wrote while I was translating my thoughts into english .... oh man those docs - its a nightmare...I think the dose it way too low !!! some docs behave as if they personally would have to go and press those pills .... I will definitely never get used to such behaviour.

I can only tell you how dealing with tick bites is here at the hospital round the corner; they remove it for you / get out the "rest" (head) so that there will not be an additional infection; give adults average weight doxy 400 mg with recommendation to take it for one month (big improvement here !!!) and tell them that there are already recommendations to do it for two months (even bigger improvement to admit it may need longer than one month to get them all!!). I would try to get the doxy somehow.

I live in an epidemic area which obviously an increasing rate of infections (they put up tickwarning signs in the forests.)

Keep us informed! I keep my fingers crossed for you bouth! dorit
Posted 3/19/2009 9:02 PM (GMT 0)
I agree wtih you dorit! It's like it is a HASSLE for them to prescribe the medication. It would probably be easier to score illegal drugs......LOL I don't know, but you know how it is.

He was bit last year by a tick, and knowing how my life is destroyed and almost killed me 2 times so far, HE STILL doesn't take it seriously when it happens to himself. HE BURNED THE darn THING WITH A FORK so it can spit out the toxins into his bloodstream quicker! Im' so mad I could spit nails!!!!!!. If I didn't strong-arm him last time and take him to my primary doc and get him 4 weeks of doxy he would have probably gotten very ill. He had gone to his regular GP primary after being bit, and his doctor outright REFUSED to give him any rx for doxy, because he "probably didn't have it and didn't have a bulls eye". But he had flu symptoms. That is when I kidnapped my dad and forced him to shut up and go to my doc. I wasn't taking NO for an answer! He knows how it has destroyed my whole life. I just don't get it.

My dad is 6'0" and weighs 220, so I'm thinking of recommending he start taking either 500 or 600 mg's. Apparently I have to be his doctor and strong arm him once again for his own good. I want to hit him over the head with a frying pan in frustration.

Please stay out of those forests by the way!!

At east your hospital there takes the head out! My goodness, the doc my dad went to today just sent him home with the tick head still in him. I called him to check up and he said they left it there and put antibiotic ointment on it. ***!!!!! OMG I'm so mad. I demanded he go back to them and have them remove the head with sanitized tweezers and that HE keep it and bring it home. I want him to see my LLMD and take the tick with us. I made him call my LLMD and make an apt for Monday when I go for my apt. I can't believe how ignorant and hard headed he is being, seeing as though he's been helping me as I'm completely disabled from chronic dis late stage lyme. I've lost my whole entire life.

So you've heard that they are now even recommending 2 months instead of those stupid 2-4 wk recommendations after being bit? I think that's a great idea. I wouldn't wish this agony on my worst enemy. To think that many doc's are just saying, "oh you don't need any treatment-just see how you feel and if you come down with something or have a rash (only 40% do hello!) then we might give you anti's". It BOILS my blood!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 3/19/2009 10:15 PM (GMT 0)
Oh gosh So sorry. Your father is lucky to have you and I hope he listens to you and gets to the right doctor who will treat him CORRECTLY>>!!!

There is no way for him or someone around him to get that head out? He should go back and get it out.
By now though by him burning it and the head staying in there for as long has it already has the stuff that would go in his blood stream is probably already in his blood stream sadly...

That really sucks... He should have taken the tick off correctly to start with>! This would and should be a reminder to all about this subject and how important it is to know what to do and how to do it.
Posted 3/20/2009 12:03 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks KeepHope. I agree with you-he should get the head out! I told him to go back to his doctor (GP) today and ask them to take the head out. He agreed to go back, the the DOCTOR refused to take the head out!!! He said my dad burned the head so bad into his own skin, he practically fused the two together. Great.

So before I even knew that, I tell my dad to go to the health store, get garlic, samento (cat's claw), and probiotics to take 3 hrs before or after the antibiotics. At least he listened to me with that. I hope he remembers to take it.

So I didn't hear back from him, so I call....it's 7pm by this point and he tells me he's out tree shopping. I ask, "well, did he take the head out? Do you have it with you so we can test it?". Then he tells me the doc wouldn't take it out. And he's just going about his day with this tickhead still inside of him. I'm so mad and upset I want to cry.....I guess me almost dying 2 times and being disabled and having my whole life taken away and being in unbearable pain isn't enough proof for him to take care of himself properly? I'm so upset.

So by now I'm sure he's squeezed every last bit of toxin from this tick into his own bloodstream, especially leaving the rest of it there for the entire day.
I get the feeling that he's burned it into his own skin so badly, that he probably won't be able to get it out without digging into his own skin and doing a "mini-self-surgical" procedure. The dr said he would have to make an appointment to come back and get it "cut out" or whatever b/c they couldn't do anything about it today.

What do I do? Do I tell him to go home and try to get it out with tweezers? Or tell him to just keep it in his skin until we see Dr. C on Monday? Thanks so much for your help!!!
Posted 3/20/2009 1:06 AM (GMT 0)
I'll say the dose is low. My 30 lb. dog just got off one month of 100 mg. doxy 2x day prescribed by the vet! Tell him to Get a higher dose this can be treatable if caught in the beginning.
Posted 3/20/2009 1:40 AM (GMT 0)
I agree....I told him to take 500-600 mg's (per Burrascano's guidelines), then we'll see my LLMD on Monday.

HELP NEEDED THOUGH-The tick head is still stuck in his body and he can't get it out. The doc said he'd have to make an appointment but that's WAITING with this thing in him!!! Since he burned it into his flesh so well, my dad is considering getting an exacto knife and cutting it out himself!

I'm afraid he will get infected! But is it more important to get the head out? I could use some advice. Should we wait to see if a Doctor can take him tomorrow (by then it will be 2 days in his body!) or even Monday, by then it will be 5 days in his body. Oh please help. I am so upset! Thank you!
Posted 3/20/2009 1:46 AM (GMT 0)
naturebabe -did he already get those doxys? I would try to make sure he takes not less than 400mg till you see your LLMD;
when I was reading your posts, I had all literally in front of my eyes - I think I can contribute with similar experts in my huge family. Try to calm down, you need a clear head now for you both.

Should your dad really had burned the tick`s head to a scorching rest then I could immagine that its infectious spittle load might have been kind of boiled away by all this and the whole "burn it out" procedure he did might then at least have been of some use....If he were really drastic in this, I can imagine this could have happend. Sounds as if he would not get it/ the rest out by using tweezers - more like it should cut out by a willing doc, maybe your llmd can do it. He could use the abx cream to make sure that he gets no infection, maybe this is better than more experiments by himself.

I am so sad to hear of your chronic lyme problems and how deeply this all has affected your life. It`s such a horrible disease.
Keep us posted!! You are in my thoughts, dorit.
Posted 3/20/2009 2:04 AM (GMT 0)

minerals said...
I'll say the dose is low. My 30 lb. dog just got off one month of 100 mg. doxy 2x day prescribed by the vet! Tell him to Get a higher dose this can be treatable if caught in the beginning.

Minerals-silly question, how do you get that blue writing of your history to appear at the bottom of your post? I want to do that for mine, but I can't figure it out with my lyme brain. Thank you!
Posted 3/20/2009 2:15 AM (GMT 0)
Dorit-you are right. No less than 400mg's absolutely. My dad is a big guy-6'0", 220 (maybe more now). I personally think he should start out with 600, then go to 500....of course I"m no doc, just been in this quagmire for a long time.

He needs to take 5-6 pills a day (equaling 500-600 mg's) and from what his gp doc prescribed today (100mg!), doesn't cover enough even until we get to MY LLMD. I went through some "unfinished" recent meds and discovered that there is a few days left of Doxy in the fridge. Luckily they were kept so that should also help. I'm determined to get him help and not take no for an answer! Like I said, I wouldn't wish this disease, especially this late-stage disseminated chronic lyme (neuro, the whole 9 yards) on my worst of enemies.

Thank you for your kind words. I do need to calm down. The IRONY is that before lyme and 3 co-inf's invaded and festered for many years, I was a "cool head in a crisis". Always the one with sound advice, kept my cool, reacted rationally and smart.....this lyme has got me jumping out of my own skin with anxiety and panic attacks to begin with, so this is really rough b/c I don't have my "normal body" dealing with it. You know how it is, when you love and care about someone so much you would die for them.....last thing you want to do is see them sick or suffer, or go through late lyme hell.

I like your take on him burning the living crappola out of the whole thing. I'm HOPING that is what happened. He put the fork into the flame on the stove (I wasn't there obviously!) and scorched it into himself. I'm hoping what you said could possibly be the case, is. Thanks for the different outlook and input! You rock!!

He just went to the emergency medical clinic at 9:30. I'm hoping and praying that they will take a scalpel and cut out the monstrosity that he did to himself. I must say, that being so ill and almosty dying a few times certainly has made me a more spiritual person!! I pray so much it's wild.

You are very kind-thank you for your advice!!
Posted 3/20/2009 2:52 AM (GMT 0)
Update-

Just to keep you concerned people in the loop. Dad just got back from the Emergency Medical clinic at 10:30pm. They took the head of the tick out, in many pieces. Don't now if it's salvageable for any testing? (Igenex, etc). I don't know if they need the whole tick, or parts of the tick. This sucker has been tortured to bits.

I'm really glad the tick head is out, but it's been at least a day or two of it being attached, aggravated by a heat prod....so we'll see. Quite an ordeal.

You know the scary thing?? I did an intensive google search on what to do to remove a tick. There is a LOT of misinformation out there. It's quite scary. It's downplayed so much, so much bad advice that could be devastating to people, and most of the incorrect information is within the first 5 pages of the google search so many people are going to remove it the wrong way and ignore it and just think it will "go away". It's so sad and scary. For all of us. Thanks to our IDSA and "informed" superior professionals "on the take", uh, I mean, "in the know".
Posted 3/20/2009 2:41 PM (GMT 0)
Naturebabe, The blue writing or other colors can be found at the top of the profile editing page. Go to joining healingwell and click edit your profile and there are icons at the top for the colors.
Posted 3/21/2009 1:34 AM (GMT 0)

Hi naturebabe.  I am sorry about your dad's tick bite.  Please let him know the only proper way to remove the tick is with tweezers.  Improper removal increases the risk of infection.  

It is good you know that the tick can be tested.  I suggest calling IgeneX at 800-832-3200 and see if they can test the part of the tick you have.  There may be enough to test its DNA.

From what I understand, the recommended dose of Doxy for Lyme is 300-600 mg daily with 400 mg often given.  I believe the recommended minimum treatment time for an infection caught within two weeks of the bite is six weeks of the proper dose antibiotic.

I hope the tick was not infected, but it is good that you know what to do.

 

Posted 3/21/2009 9:09 PM (GMT 0)

ticker said...
Hi naturebabe. I am sorry about your dad's tick bite. Please let him know the only proper way to remove the tick is with tweezers. Improper removal increases the risk of infection.

It is good you know that the tick can be tested. I suggest calling IgeneX at 800-832-3200 and see if they can test the part of the tick you have. There may be enough to test its DNA.

From what I understand, the recommended dose of Doxy for Lyme is 300-600 mg daily with 400 mg often given. I believe the recommended minimum treatment time for an infection caught within two weeks of the bite is six weeks of the proper dose antibiotic.

I hope the tick was not infected, but it is good that you know what to do.

Thanks Ticker! I told him to take 600 mg's. I don't want him messing around. LOL. I also told him to take cat's claw (samento), but he's afraid it will interract with the abx? Can he take samento a few hours away from the abx, or will it react? (also, how many drops do you think he should take/how many times a day would you think, etc for a NEW infection?).

Yes, he has some remnants of the tick which we will take to Dr. C in NY on Monday. I never have the time to ask the questions I need to (like 10 q's or so) during the apointment....I feel aggravated like not enough time with all the CASH out of pocket I'm paying. I'm so aggravated at the whole system at times. Doc's are overloaded, we're overloaded, etc.

Thank you so much for your input I really appreciate it!
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