I think it depends on a few factors... Like what infections they got, what ABX they were treated with, the health of their immune system, and Exactly how soon they were treated after the bite.
Some are saying now they need to be treated as early as 3 days after the tick bite! Some still say 1 month.
I have read lots of stories of people who began treatment in the first month and were good, but then 2-3 years later it hit them and they had to do a longer term more thorough treatment. This probably happens more often then we think as doctors don't really follow up 2-3 years down the road and people forget about
that tick bite that happened 2-3 years ago.
Dr.H says if you initiate treatment immediately after the tickbite the cure rate is 70-80%... So he actually puts the number down a bit.
The host of lyme ninja radio treated within the first week of his tickbite got strong flu like symptoms and a bulls-eye... And he was treated with cefuroxime (ceftin), for 10 days. And he's good now after many years.
I think in terms of hitting lyme, Borrelia that is, cefuroxime or a cephalosporin like omnicef is the best way to go after that initial infection. But in terms of hitting all the infections that may occur, doxycycline is the best way to go.
Dr.H, has a 2 month plan for treating initial infections with or without a bullseye, it's like this(if I can remember correctly as I read it many many months ago)
1st month - doxycycline + Plaquenil
2nd month - plaquenil + omnicef + 4 days per week on Azithromycin + 3 days on a week of tinidazole (on the days not taking the azithromycin).
That apparently works really well for initial infections and patients I think are good after that. He also stresses that if symptoms other than the bullseye become present, then the patient goes on to chronic disease and this plan will not work.
Doxy alone actually could cause relapse as it's shown now that many lyme SPIROCHETES go into the cyst form.
Post Edited (LymePickle) : 6/21/2015 10:56:43 AM (GMT-6)