Is a 200mg single dose of doxycycline enough? Need advice!

Hi there, I am new here and I'm hoping I can get some advice from this community.

Yesterday afternoon I found a tiny (smaller than a poppy seed) tick on my thigh. I removed it and, clearly not thinking and in a state of freak out, flushed it down the toilet. It left a tiny red bump. I had been camping over the weekend, so the tick was on me for AT LEAST 24 hours, most likely longer.

I called my doctor, explained the situation, and she prescribed me the 200 mg single dose of doxycycline. She told me not to worry, chances of lyme disease were low, and that I should be fine once I take the doxy. I took the 200 dose last night, about five hours after removing the tick. Outside of the tick bite, I have no symptoms.

Now, after doing more research, I'm worried that this is not enough. Many studies I have come across say that the single dose is not effective in preventing lyme disease, and that you need to be put on a multiple day regimen of antibiotics.

I'm not sure what to do. Should I wait and see if I develop any symptoms, such as the bulls-eye rash, flu-like symptoms, etc, and then move forward with a longer 30+ antibiotic program? Or should I be overcautious and find a doctor that will give me this, despite not having any symptoms so far other than the tick bite?

If I don't develop any symptoms, does this mean I'm in the clear? I know that many lyme disease tests can take months to show positive.

I currently have a cold, but my husband had a bad cold last week so I suspect I picked it up from him. I don't think it is a result of the tick as my symptoms seem very cold-like and not flu-like. I have no fever and currently no rash, just a tiny red bump.

Any advice/thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you!

was this a PCP? They do not know enough about treating Lyme - from all of the articles I've read, all of the pharmacists I've spoken to, and even people who have had a bulls eye rash with no symptoms, the current protocol is doxy 100mg twice a day for 4 weeks.

think of it this way, taking doxycycline for longer than necessary will not harm you - it may give you a little bit of oral thrush or yeast infection, but that's easy to deal with. if you don't take it for long enough and then start developing lyme - the lyme will harm you.

Hi Serena,
Welcome to our community! I'm so sorry that you have a need to be here!

Actually, 100 mgs twice a day will only keep the bacteria from replicating, not kill it off. Although it's still being debated on whether or not to treat someone in your situation, the current recommended dose for those that chose to treat is 400 - 600 mgs for 4 - 6 weeks.

I was ill for a very, very long time with these infections, so I always say treatment is worth it, but it's actually a personal choice. Personally, I wouldn't want to risk living with the infection for a longer period and having to use the higher dose of Doxy for an even longer time - so I encourage people to treat for that full 4 - 6 weeks. It's really a short amount of time compared to what most of us here are going through with chronic infections because we didn't get the antibiotics in time.

Hi Serena,

I'm glad you did your research. To answer your question and what others have said *if the tick was carrying lyme disease 200 mgs is not enough to eradicate an infection. For me, 10 days of 200 mgs of doxy was not enough to eradicate infection and I became very ill from that one silly tick bite.

The great news is that you have been proactive about finding more accurate answers. If I were in your position I would try to find an herbalist, ND or LLMD. I do not think it is necessarily worth spending x amount of dollars to get testing for lyme since, if you did have it - it would still be considered early.

Many take samento and banderol as opposed to doxy and have had good luck with that- then you also don't have some of the side effects that come with traditional antibiotics. If you aren't experiencing any symptoms I would say 4-6 weeks should be plenty as a precaution but others may have a different opinion on that. If you need help finding a doctor - start a new thread.

~beth

very good to hear!!

tickbite666 - I would not necessarily take anything in addition to doxy that early on - and I am not convinced taking so many antibiotics/antivirals at one time would be more beneficial than harmful. I am actually going to address this in a thread I plan to write about my LLMD visit today!

couldn't there be a chance you got bitten a second time within that 3 yr time frame? I apologize in advance if I asked this already, I asked someone on the forum, just can't remember who!

Serena it was the same scenario with me. I went to the dr. the day I found the tick after I flushed it and was given 1 day of doxy. This was in the fall of 2011. I collapsed in August of 2013 and had to stop working this past January. Good for you that you had the brain to search all this out and got the help you needed!

tickbite - Oh I am not taking it to negatively, I totally understand! I am so sorry you are struggling with this. I am on doxy alone as an antibiotic, but my LLMD is starting me off slow, and she has had much success with this treatment plan - I just started cyst busters, but only the herb kind, plus other herbs and nutritionals. when I have time tonight, I will post that thread!!

Emailed ya😁

Thanks Girlie and Purrsiankitty. Appreciate the info

I can try.

To date I have taken the doxy for 3 weeks. I’m going to up the dose and try and get more antibiotics

A few questions -
1. Do I need a “cyst buster” supplement or rx?
2. The only symptom i have right now is losing my hair. So how do I gauge how long to take the antibiotics ?