Another VISUAL Indicator of Lyme: Has anyone else experienced this?

Has anyone else experienced these? Would I need a different/European Lyme test to determine the specific type of Lyme and correct treatment? Could I need different meds?

These bumps are called "borrelial lymphocytoma". They can be red, purplish, or colorless, and they are harmless. They can appear on the face, earlobes, nipples, scrotum, and labia--they range anywhere from .4 to 1.2 inches in size. They are said to appear in the second phase of Lyme infection.

(You can google them separately by this correct name, I've attached other links to the same visuals at the end of this post. And, *dang* it took me a long time to figure out how to format the links into this post! Whew! )

VIEW IMAGE

These bumps are said to ONLY appear in European cases of Lyme disease. But I was bitten by a tick in Hawai'i at 8 years old, unknowingly had obvious symptoms of Lyme growing up, and then had two of these bumps appear while in college in Washington, DC.

I went to the doctor. She called in all the other docs and medical residents in her building--no doctor had ever seen them before. The bumps were painless, just kind of "there", but they really terrified me. Docs told me to watch them and make another appointment if they changed at all. The bumps went away on their own after a year or so.

All info I can find on the internet says they've never been reported in North America. I can't help but think how my adult life may have been different if those doctors had recognized this when I was 22...I just got the Lyme diagnosis 2 weeks ago, in my mid-30s. (OK, end of whining.)

I guess I'm also about to undertake more research since these bumps indicate I have a different kind of Lyme than the usual North American gets. Anyone with insight into whether there are different European treatments, please feel free to message me!

From Wikipedia: "Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto[9] is the main cause of Lyme disease in North America, whereas Borrelia afzelii and Borrelia garinii cause most European cases."

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cutaneous_lymphoid_hyperplasia

Post Edited (mauihawaii) : 10/29/2014 12:53:37 PM (GMT-6)

Wow, IHL, I also had 2 of these that started out red. One turned deep purple before they disappeared. Mine was in a, ahem, less obvious location. <Insert red face here.>

I called Igenex this afternoon, as my tests aren't finished there yet and I wondered if they could add another test. The lovely phone answerer said that they test for all strains of Lyme, that the test will pick up the bacteria of any one of the 3 main strains that affect humans. However, the tests do not indicate which specific strain a person has.

I also came across a study that says European assay tests are more accurate than US tests. However, this research referred to the ELISA, which I understand to be not so reliable regardless of where it is performed.

I really hope that you get a positive result so you can have clear confirmation! Keep us posted!

That's really strange...I have Chronic Lyme, and my symptoms have REALLY flared up recently, so I've sought the care of a Dr in a neighboring state. I'm currently on 3 antibiotics and a ton of supplements...but about a month ago I noticed a dark red/purple bump growing on my left leg. It's getting bigger by the week. My left eye has also decided to become "lazy"...but only when I try to use both eyes at once (that started around spring). Anyway, I also lived in and visited Maui, Hi. My son lives there right now, in Kihei. Funny coincidence. I was bitten in Ct though...about 18 yrs ago.
Thanks for the intetesting correlation...I wonder what that means. Hope you find help :)

Thanks for the responses, everyone! It feels so much better knowing I'm not the only one with these mystery symptoms.

Daxwell, I'm going to look into that Jersey lab, as I'm learning I really want test results to prove what my co-infecitons might be (knowing these tests may be even more unreliable) as well as whether there are better treatments for European forms of Lyme. (My doc says they are undoubtedly ahead of us in Europe in all things Lyme.)

Mahalo,
Maui