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Posted 10/2/2012 3:11 AM (GMT 0)
Hi guys,

I developed a rash on July 5 and went in to an urgent care center-they prescribed prednisone taper as well as 2 weeks of doxycycline hyclate @ 200 mg a day. I went to check up with my regular doctor after finishing this and he prescribed me 3 more weeks of the doxycycline hyclate. 3 or 4 weeks after stopping treatment I went back in to test for the active antibodies and tested positive. I haven't felt extreme symptoms but have noticed some neck/joint pain as well as some fatigue. My doctor has prescribed another antibiotic(though, I'm not sure which one-his secretary mentioned that he had called it in to my pharm.)
I'm just wondering if anyone could give me any recommendations for what my next steps should be. Is there a good LLMD in the Greater Philadelphia Area that you might recommend? If it wasn't resolved with the doxycycline does that mean another antibiotic won't do the trick?

Thanks for any information you can provide.

Matt
Posted 10/2/2012 4:12 AM (GMT 0)
Hello Matt, when you first get this disease, you should be on abx's for 2 months. The bug is on a 6 week cycle, so 2 months of meds just to be sure. At this point, you might have to be on them for several months now, or at least a few.
Find an LLMD asap and get back on abx's right away. They'll probably put you back on doxy, but that's up to the Dr.
Good luck, Dan
Posted 10/2/2012 10:54 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for the help, Dan. So my doc prescribed another month of Doxycycline. I'm having a difficult time understanding a few things, though. He said that there are 14 antibodies that can be detected in your body and if you test positive for 3 of 3 particular antibodies then it is a confirmed case of Lyme Disease. Evidently I have tested positive for 2 of the 3 and he mentioned that he would like to put me on the doxy for another month just to be sure..though he mentioned that in PA-there is no strain of Lyme that is resistant to the doxycycline and that it should wipe it out. If you or anyone is able to shed some light on this I would be very appreciative. I've heard that the Lyme antibodies are always found in your system-so how does one know when to stop taking antibiotics? Is that completely symptom-based?

Thanks,

Matt
Posted 10/3/2012 1:22 AM (GMT 0)
I don't know for sure about the three antibodies, but you really need to schedule a LLMD right away because the llmd should be booked up for months, hopefully not. You could always cancel the appointment if necessary, although I believe that you shouldn't. One way or another, I would not feel comfotable with only a months worth of abx. Even if he is a great doctor, the Lyme world is totally different than what GP think it is.
Can someone help me out here, especially about the 3 antibodies. I don't want to see Matt get sick from Lyme anywhere in the future. I still think that Matt should be on abx for at least a few months, and I obviously believe a good Lyme Dr would agree
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