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Length of time between your bite and symptoms

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Posted 3/22/2014 10:22 PM (GMT 0)
Hello all,

quick question:

What was your time length between your bite and symptom? (For those of you who have a timeline)

Just curious bc some sites say weeks and some say months.

I was in the woods in N. California and crashed about 5 months after. I'm trying to make a timeline and make sense of what happened.

What was your experience? Thanks!
Posted 3/22/2014 11:09 PM (GMT 0)
I got bitten 11/11 and I can trace my first symptoms back to 9/12. I just did not know what was happening then. I was given 1 day of doxy when I was bitten. Don't know how that contributes to the timeline.
Posted 3/22/2014 11:13 PM (GMT 0)
Yes, it contributes! I was thinking there was no way I could have symptoms 5 months later if some sites say it starts within weeks. I was just getting confused and started doubting.... Thank you, you helped more than you know!
Posted 3/23/2014 12:02 AM (GMT 0)
Good! I really all depends. For some people it takes years for symptoms to appear. Hope you can get better quickly!
Posted 3/23/2014 12:19 AM (GMT 0)
well, here's a question for you Lymebabe, you started ABX in 1/14 but you say it has not been working. have you stopped taking them? I thought the treatments take a while to work. Thanks!
Posted 3/23/2014 1:43 AM (GMT 0)
2 years...
Posted 3/23/2014 2:42 AM (GMT 0)
2 years! ok, I thought my months were too long. Now I'm certain that it is Lyme. I thought the space in time was too far apart, but apparently not. Thanks Tbrown.
Posted 3/23/2014 11:09 AM (GMT 0)
I never had a rash or symptoms.. Yet I have lyme....

Anyone in the same boat?

Have no idea where and when I got bitten... but I suspect in Maryland during the summer of 2012... Started getting treatment three weeks ago.
Posted 3/23/2014 12:07 PM (GMT 0)
johnred- how did you even know you had Lyme then if you had no symptoms?? What prompted you to get tested?

Leilex - I was bitten in October 2013, symptoms began in November, only a few weeks later, and then I started treatment at four months - I am now 85% better after being on doxy for 6 weeks.

The symptoms I had in November were not obvious at the time though. Be sure you read over the symptom list - I had horrible anxiety and insomnia first, then flulike symptoms, then cystitis, and
then the muscle and nerve stuff started in January 2014 - which is when the red flag was raised. I started treatment before my bloodwork even came back.
Posted 3/23/2014 12:15 PM (GMT 0)
oh, and I might as well mention that I didn't realize I had a tickbite when I saw the "pimple" bc there was no bulls eye rash to go along with it. Once the horror of myalgia and numbness set in, and I looked back at my calander, I figured it out.
Posted 3/23/2014 12:31 PM (GMT 0)
Chapelle - I had a ton of symptoms.. I just never recalled an actual bite or rash... I had to go through a series of elimination of other health issues.. I did a ton of testing.. Everything was normal while my symptoms got worse... I finally stumbled upon this forum and other places about lyme.. and I was matching up with everything... Basically test a normal western blot.. Had a present p.41 on IGM.. Took it to an llmd.. based on symptoms and that test they started treating me... they also sent my bloodwork off to igenex.. My test came back a week ago and I had 4 bands positive on the IgM side.. and two Bands on the Igg side... So I was pretty positive.. I just never recall.. any rash or bite at all.. Like I don't have a single clue of anything.. Just symptoms.
Posted 3/23/2014 1:52 PM (GMT 0)
I so wish I could remember the first tick bite. I get bit every year.
Posted 3/23/2014 2:07 PM (GMT 0)
Johnred - ok I was confused bc u said u never had a rash or symptoms. Where do u live? Is lyme prevelent in your area? Yes I remember your post about your results. Have you improved since you started treatment?
Posted 3/23/2014 11:33 PM (GMT 0)
That's a tough one.. I know I had a big red bump spring up on the back of my leg last year in July. I think that was my tick bite, but it's hard to say. Didn't have a rash near it or anything.

However, 2 months later in September is when I started coming down with heavy symptoms. Hard to think that could just be a coincidence. It's amazing to think that one summer hike could have f'ed me over so badly, so soon.
Posted 3/23/2014 11:48 PM (GMT 0)
drew - I know, hard to believe how one hike can change your life! How is your progress? Did you start treatment right away?
Posted 3/23/2014 11:58 PM (GMT 0)
It's mind blowing when you think of how much of your life you've lost. I started treatment based on the positive Igenex test in late November. Unfortunately, my first doctor was not as experienced in treating lyme patients and only prescribed low dose doxycycline. I switched to an experienced LLMD late Jan.

So far, 90% of my symptoms are gone. My worst ones, the muscle/tendon pain in my legs and forearm pains have yet to letup in the slightest unfortunately :(

Even though I think we caught it somewhat early, I'm pretty sure I'll be a regular here for a long time.
Posted 3/24/2014 8:10 AM (GMT 0)
I had a talk with my dad just not that long ago. He remembered (I thought they never noticed) that I had a rash on my right leg when I was about 11 or 12. It resembled ringworm, but was much more 'smooth' and more defined on the edges. He saw a picture of a bull's eye rash and said it was that.

I started getting sick around 15,5 - 16 yo, when my immunity was down because of another disease.

I don't know if this particular bite caused the infections, cause I'm like a super magnet to everything that stings, especially mosquitos and fleas. I don't go into town when it's hot in summer without putting deet on my legs, I get stung from fleas each time without it.

 

Posted 3/24/2014 10:37 AM (GMT 0)
Drew - if 90% of your symptoms are gone, why would you be so sure you won't beat this? Was there a lapse in your treatment, or did you just go from a low dose to a higher dose of doxy? What are you being treated with now?
Posted 3/24/2014 12:39 PM (GMT 0)
Drew, it's awesome that you are at 90%! seriously. I'd like to be at 40 or 50. I have to agree though. I cannot believe how one trip for me has taken the last 6 yrs of my life. It makes me mad as hell. I am headed to my first LLMD appointment in a few. Anxious.... Marie, it's amazing your parents remembered your rash! Your stories sound like mine. Not the bite and sick within a week.
Posted 3/25/2014 1:35 PM (GMT 0)
I also took the one time dose when I first found the tick and rash. I would say about 2 months later I came down with anxiety, heart pain and palpitations and muscle twitching. At around 3 months, I came down with flu like achiness for a few days followed with migrating joint pain. Week after that the tingling in legs began. That's when I went to see Dr. I'm at my 2 year anniversary this week of finding the tick/rash and still sick and fighting.

Looks like there a lot of variations in when the symptoms set in... Probably due to individual immunity strength, the strength of the bacteria and if there's coinfection involvement. Interesting to see how long some people go without symptoms.

I keep worrying about my daughter because we have found a few ticks on her. None of them were imbedded and I think we found them quickly, but she has had an enlarged lymph node this whole school year and it doesn't seem normal. I asked a Dr. about it and she said she's probably just breathing through her mouth, which she is not. I think I'll take her to an ENT specialist to see what they think. But it's in the back of my mind, what if that's the way the Lyme is coming through with her?....
Posted 3/25/2014 1:38 PM (GMT 0)
Inspiredbythree do what I did and get her tested. I was questioning my kids and my instinct was right. Don't wait time is too precious
Posted 3/25/2014 7:47 PM (GMT 0)
You're right... I'll get her tested. Not that I'm that confident in test results, but at least it's something. Plus, the accuracy seems better in kids. Thanks Chapelle!
Posted 3/25/2014 7:47 PM (GMT 0)
You're right... I'll get her tested. Not that I'm that confident in test results, but at least it's something. Plus, the accuracy seems better in kids. Thanks Chapelle!
Posted 3/27/2014 3:23 AM (GMT 0)
Chappelle, My meds were switched entirely when I started seeing my new LLMD. I'm now on Rifampin and Biaxin.

I agree, 90% is great - but the remaining 10% of my symptoms are the most debiliating and have been constant throughout this nasty disease. I don't know, being in pain every day for the last 6 months has really worn down on me. It feels like it's permanent at this point. But this diagnosis is all I've got, so I'm gonna keep on!
Posted 3/27/2014 5:16 PM (GMT 0)
I got bit in Woods of New Jersey. MY SYMPTOMS APPEARED AFTER about 4 days I would say. I was bit on lower leg and soon developed the small bullseye. What made me go to ER, is that every day i LOST some muscle strength in my legs it traveled upward from my feet to almost my waist. My grandma made me go to ER, they said I had Lyme. I took antibiotics for about 3 weeks, and was cured. I now had bad food poisoning (twice in 1 yr) and have reactive arthritis. The tick bit was like a darn VENOM that infected my blood is how i would describe it. I had various ticks on me, but only was bit by one, the tick was off me by time i got to er (about 10 days after being bit) I think their were some other issues I had, like mental fog and muscle spasms/but weakness in muscles was main THING
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