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Posted 8/29/2012 3:09 PM (GMT 0)
Hi

I'm a newbie to lyme. Tested positive a few weeks ago Igm p23, p39, p41 and
positive Igg p18, p39, p41, p45, p58, p66, p93.

Was originally diagnosed with suspected MRSA/cellulitis due to appearance of rash. Treatment of Bactrim 3 weeks did nothing as rash changed to more lyme-like and spread to over 30cm. Was put on Doxy and tested for lyme. Switched to 3 weeks of Ceftin after bad reaction to doxy. Nearing the end of the Ceftin and I have some slight symptoms still. Not sure if I should continue Ceftin or give my body a break from all the antibiotics.
Posted 8/29/2012 3:43 PM (GMT 0)
Glad you on getting treatment and can heal! :-)
Posted 8/29/2012 4:50 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Ariel,

You are actually pretty lucky to have a positive Lyme test. You are testing positive for MANY lyme-specific bands. Do you have a LLMD yet?

How long ago were you bitten or did you have symptoms first appear? If it was within a few weeks you want to stay on antibiotics before this turns chronic and causes more serious problems for you.

IMO, and I am not medically trained, I would DEFINITELY continue to stay on antibiotics at least until you are able to get in with a LLMD. Especially if you still have symptoms. Lyme is not something you want to let have a chance to take hold in your body. Usually LLMD's give a combo for each form of Lyme even for new cases. Generally it is zith or biaxin for the cell wall deficient form, doxy, ceftin or amoxicillin for the spirochete and flagyl, tindamax or plaquenil for the cyst. This is continued for about 6 weeks for a new infection. There are also many co-infections that are common to contract with Lyme. Generally regular doctors do not know how to diagnose or treat them so a LLMD is a better choice.

Part of your story is very similar to mine. I also had a rash and was told it was cellulitis at onset even though I had recently had several known tick bites. I went off antibiotics when they ran out. First I had cephalexin and my symptoms returned, then amoxicillin from a different doctor and everything came back after the week ran out. Then I had doxy for a month and things got MUCH worse. I declined very rapidly. I was on the wrong treatment. I started to get organ involvement and a lot of neurological issues and then regular doctors refused to treat Lyme anymore and wanted to send me from doctor to doctor for symptomatic help.

So if this is a new case, definitely find a LLMD before your antibiotics run out. It's completely worth it now to avoid major problems later.
Posted 8/29/2012 6:15 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Summer3

I am not sure how long ago I was bitten. I do recall a tick my husband removed in April I think it was from my leg (not near where the rash developed). We have a few cats and they would bring in the small-hard-to-see- ticks on their fur. Early July I had what appeared to be a pimple like thing under the skin on the back side of my upper thigh (no place near where I had the tick earlier). I kept putting hot compresses on the sore spot thinking it would come to a head or disappear. I started with a low grade fever shortly after and redness around the hard lump under my skin. I went to the doctors one Saturday when I felt like I had the flu and the redness was getting larger and hotter to the touch. The hardness under the skin was getting smaller though. I never had a break in the skin in that area, so I figured it was some sort of infection from what I thought was a pimple under there. The center of the rash also started scaling and peeling like. The doc at that time thought it was cellulitis/MRSA because of how it was presenting and prescribed Bactrim. It continued to get worse and the Bactrim did nothing so I saw a different doctor who was available (had to wait a couple of weeks though as I was waiting for my medical insurance to kick in and couldn't afford to spend any more at the docs). He looked at it and said it looked alot like lyme rash and started me on Doxy and ordered the two step blood test. He said he was confident it would come back positive for lyme and it did. The doxy made me very ill about 6 days in (couldn't stop vomiting) so they switched to Ceftin. (I'm highly allergic to many antibiotics like penic, amox, e-mycns, any cillins, doxy too now I guess but have had no serious effects with the Ceftin!) They feel it is a newer case (not one I have had for years). Do I feel better than I did 4 weeks ago? I sure do. But I have times where I have some knee pain on the leg where the rash was and some elbow pain and jaw pain from time to time (like if I had been blowing up balloons all day) but it's not there everyday when before it was. My PCP did say if symptoms continued she would prescribe another 3 weeks of the Ceftin. I don't know of any LLMD docs in my area that would take my insurance but I would imagine there might be some as I am in Southern NH and I imagine lyme is around here.
Posted 8/29/2012 7:06 PM (GMT 0)
It's possible that your reactions to the antibiotics are actually a herx caused by die off of Lyme bacteria. Generally, those with diseases caused by spirochetes have a temporary worsening of symptoms when Lyme treatment is killing bacteria. It sounds crazy, but it's true for most with Lyme.

If you would like, you can email me. I think I may know a doctor that can help you.
Posted 8/29/2012 7:28 PM (GMT 0)
Ok, going to email you now.

(Most of my reactions to antibiotics were discovered when I was an infant/baby). The only one I had recently was to the doxy.

I would assume then that a herx by dieing lyme bacteria is a good thing.
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