Starting doxycylcine

Hi Sean,

Welcome to the forum! While every person's response to Lyme infection is different, 24 days is still considered early to get treatment.

Now, not every tick carries Lyme disease, as you probably know. I see from your other post that you are concerned about neck stiffness as a symptom so it is just as well that you are addressing this.

After you have finished your doxy you will need to keep a weather eye out for symptoms. Complete symptom lists can be found in the "New to Lyme?". Thread at the top of the forum.

In the meantime, remember to take a good probiotic while you are on the doxy and do everything you can to boost your immune system.

Thanks Cat111, Traveler and achievinggrace.

about 24 days ago I was at a cottage and felt this sharp bite on my chest and instinctively swiped at it and what fell on my finger was a little round black bug that looked like a lady bug without spots but much smaller. I didn't think any thing of it at the time and should have kept the bug but because it hurt like a regular bite and swiped right of I didn't think it was a tick. So after this bug bite, a day later I felt tired and slightly fluey for a week but I have that sometimes anyway. Then I was fine. Then a about 10 days later I had been quite active and push a bit exercising I suddenly felt really tired and my thighs ached, like a chronic fatigue/fibermyelgia thing and usually working out makes me feel better even when I am tired but it made it worse each time and this has gone on for a week. In the past I do suffer on and off from bad depression and anxiety and tiredness at times but then feel great and have a full working athletic life. Again in the past I have had this chronic tired thing for a couple of weeks but then it disappears and it has been awhile since it was like this. Then last night the bone right below the back of the neck was stiff and I tried to work out the kink and today it hurts to the touch plus i am still tired and my thighs are ache. That freaked me out as I read about lyme. The fact that the bug hurt when it bit me and brushed off so easily seemed not like a tic but I am scared and that was 24 days ago.

One other point about 5 plus years ago when I suffered really badly with the depression and anxiety and exhaustion at times I was tested for lyme and I had an indeterminate and then a positive from Igenex. I had no memory of every being bitten by a tic. So I did 3 months rocephin IV and after 3 months the LLMD who is quite well known said that based on not having any results from the antibiotics and that my symptoms had no arthritis and seemed strictly mental health that he didn't think lyme was the issue at that time. I since recovered from that and have months that are fine and then bad depression and anxiety for a week or 2 on and off. Sorry for the long drawn out story but I feel not sure about whether lyme is the factor now and whether what bit me 3 weeks ago could be lyme. If you could give me your thoughts I would really appreciate it. Also about the neck thing as well thanks so much!!!!!
Sean