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Posted 6/21/2017 12:21 PM (GMT 0)
Hello all, I am new here and have a lot of questions. I am recently diagnosed with fibromyalgia but a few friends mentioned Lyme disease to me.
In 1991 in Cambridge , England I was bitten by a tick, I had the entire back of my lower leg covered in the tell tale bullseye rash. This rash took two months to clear up and for at least a month went red raw and weepy. My GP gave me antiseptic cream and slowly it went, I got on with my life.
The life I returned to has been very difficult in the last 20 years, bouts of depression, anxiety, numbness on face briefly and pretty much every symptom that fits fibromyalgia, I also suffer from endometriosis and had adenymyosis , cysts and fibroids which resulted in a total hysterectomy. I grew a lump over my thyroid which was treated with iodine and for last twenty years have suffered on and off with crippling fatigue.
I did a blood test today for Lyme but reading all the information I'm guessing it will be unlikely to show up anything.
If you have the bullseye rash does this mean you definitely contracted Lyme disease ?
This has gone on for far too long and at times I feel like it's just me...too often results return negative and I'm left feeling like fraud which worsens my stress levels and therefore symptoms.
Thank you for reading
Posted 6/21/2017 1:42 PM (GMT 0)
I think the rash after a noted tick byte is 100% lyme (and co. possibly). I had it and still they made me wait a month for ELISA test. Doctor saw the rash and did not even look at the test results - Lyme.
Posted 6/21/2017 1:44 PM (GMT 0)
Leonaw66 - Welcome to the forum. You have definitely came to the right place for advice and support. I'm sure there will be a moderator along shortly to give you lots of information. There is a "New to Lyme" thread at the very top of all the threads that is full of great information.

I am new to Lyme as well, but I'm pretty sure I remember reading on here, if you have that bull's eye rash, you have Lyme, and Fibromyalgia is frequently misdiagnosed when it's actually Lyme. I for one believe Fibro was made up just to diagnose an illness doctors can't figure out.
Posted 6/21/2017 2:49 PM (GMT 0)
I asked the same question a while back about whether a bulls eye rash indicated Lyme exposure. And the answer is yes -- there is nothing else that would cause a bulls eye rash. If you had a bulls eye rash and history of symptoms, then you definitely have Lyme.

I'm so sorry for your suffering. Do not feel like a fraud.
Posted 6/21/2017 2:55 PM (GMT 0)
A bull's eye rash is Lyme. Lyme was first discovered in Lyme, Connecticut, and that is how it got its name. The only thing close to looking like a bull's eye rash is ringworm.

Ringworm is usually scaly or crusty, raised rings.

A Lyme disease bull's eye rash is not usually painful or itchy. The rash is level with the skin and is not scaly or crusty.
Posted 6/21/2017 3:12 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much for those answers. Regardless of the result I can now look at Lyme being the reason for the years of problems .
Posted 6/21/2017 3:17 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Leonaw!
Welcome to our community! I'm so glad you found us.

If ​you haven't ​yet​, it would be helpful for you to start with reading through the thread at the top of the forum titled,"New to Lyme?...Start here!!", as​​ it is packed ​​full of ​​important information​​, symptom lists, helpful links and pdf's, how to detox when one has these infections, information on probiotics and much more.​​ ​​​​And, here's another good place to find helpful detoxing rout​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ines​​:​​​​​​ ​​​http://www.tiredoflyme.com/detox-methods.html​​
​
Depending on where you are located, we may be of help in finding an ILADS trained LLMD for you - just let us know!

And keep asking questions!!!
​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
Posted 6/21/2017 5:59 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Leona - welcome!

The bulls-eye rash is a symptom of lyme disease...so - yes you have LD.

You should seek out a LLMD for treatment.
Posted 6/21/2017 6:08 PM (GMT 0)
are you still in England?

The American strain of "lyme" is slightly different from the European one, I believe. Igenex is the best lab to test in the US, I'd check with them with respect to the European bite.
Posted 6/21/2017 6:27 PM (GMT 0)
Caramba, yes I'm still in London, I believe the best labs to test for Lyme are in Germany ?
Posted 6/21/2017 6:54 PM (GMT 0)
oh, let's see if someone chime's in. I'm not familiar with them.
Posted 6/21/2017 7:52 PM (GMT 0)
In Europe - many use Armin Lab for testing:

/www.arminlabs.com/en
Posted 6/21/2017 8:10 PM (GMT 0)
I think EliSpot at Arminlabs is the best test available in Europe but everything also depends on how you want to go on with that, if you want to get proper treatment with LLMD I guess the best would be to first see LLMD and he will tell you what tests he uses. Otherwise you may end with doc who will tell you that Elispot doesn't mean much to him and he wants other tests to be done.
Posted 6/21/2017 8:22 PM (GMT 0)
Hi, I wouldn't go much on testing... If you read more , you'll see that an EM rash is almost surely indicating the presence of the Borrelia bacteria.

Suppose your test comes negative, you know you had contact with the Borrelia bacteria and have been having symptoms for so long, all symptoms you describe may be lyme, well, what else do you need as a proof?

the hardest part is to find the right treatment: good doctors or practitioners.

that is where I would go after, if I were you.

Many people come negative in tests, but have all symptoms of lyme. I had been positive in the past, then became negative after (WEsterblot), but had had an EM rash in 2005 and then fell ill after that.

Negative exams mean little. Even positive exams may not mean much, as some people are positive but have no symptoms. In the area I live, in Switzerland, there was a research done with farmers: most are positive (Westernblot positive) but the great majority never had any lyme symptom, they still live long lives, working hard in the fields!

Try to find proper help. Lyme is still a clinical diagnosed disease, not a lab diagnosed disease. A positive exam is not warrant of good treatment, but a good Lyme-specialist will provide you a good treatment!!

Post Edited (Jinna) : 6/21/2017 2:26:29 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/25/2017 4:08 AM (GMT 0)

Leonaw66 said...
Caramba, yes I'm still in London, I believe the best labs to test for Lyme are in Germany ?

Dear Leonaw, I've been living in Tokyo for the past 10 months or so but am desperate to go home to London due to increasingly worsening Lyme-related symptoms. (I have an appointment with an infectious diseases doctor on Tuesday and as soon as I get the all-clear to fly I'll be on the next flight home.)

I'm not sure how to private message you but have you been able to find an LLMD in London at all?

Thank you in advance and all I wish you all the best in your recovery.
Posted 6/25/2017 5:45 AM (GMT 0)
Welcome .fibro is short for pain sydrome and is a bs diagnosis...sounds like you have late stage chronic lyme .bartonella loves to make cysts btw
Posted 6/25/2017 5:06 PM (GMT 0)

TokyoPVCs said...
I'm not sure how to private message you but have you been able to find an LLMD in London at all?

Thank you in advance and all I wish you all the best in your recovery.

To privately talk with each other, you will have to share email addresses - and at least one of you will have to enable your email through your profile on here as we don't allow email addresses to be posted (they attract spam big time!)

To enable your email, go to 'My profile' --> edit profile - then scroll down a bit until you see "show my email" (click yes), then scroll a bit further until you see the place to enter your email address - then scroll to the bottom of the page and click the 'submit' button to save the information.

When this is done, you will be able to see the little envelop under your screen name light up in blue, like mine is.
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