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Next Steps and Is this normal??

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Lyme Disease
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Posted 7/21/2015 8:18 PM (GMT 0)
In June I was bit by a tick I believe on a Friday night, discovered it Saturday morning, developed a rash on Sunday and saw an LLMD and started the antibiotics on Monday afternoon - so within 72 hours of bite.
I have now been on flagyl and doxycycline for almost 6 weeks. I have a follow up appt. with my LLMD next week. I have felt lousy a lot of the time while on antibiotics, although a bit better the last week to week and a half.
I was given the lyme screen 2 days after the bite and it came back negative, which the LLMD said would likely happen since it was so early.

Here are my questions:
1. At my appt. next week should I ask to be tested for lyme and co-infections? I would like to confirm if the antibiotics took care of any infection. And if so, is it still too early for anything to show up on a test since I'll just be finishing the 6 weeks of antibiotics early next week?

2. I have triamcinolone 0.5% cream that I was putting on the bite. It shrank the rash and bite pretty quickly. What is weird is a few weeks after the bite it got itchy and maybe a little red/swollen again, so I started putting the cream on it again for a couple of days and it started looking and feeling better again. I have put the cream on periodically since then. A couple of days ago I noticed that it was almost gone - could barely see it, then today it started itching again and looks more red and raised (although still pretty small). Is this normal for it to be almost gone and then flare a bit again? Should I be concerned? Never had anything like this!

3. Anything else I should ask or discuss at my follow up appt next week?

Thanks so much!
Posted 7/22/2015 1:36 AM (GMT 0)
Is there anyone here who has experienced the tick bite almost being gone and then getting itchy and a bit swollen/red again? I'm a little concerned...
Posted 7/22/2015 2:07 AM (GMT 0)
I've seen some posts where people had a similar experience. You're lucky you got treatments so early.
Posted 7/22/2015 2:50 AM (GMT 0)
The lyme and co infections tests are expensive, and pretty unreliable, but if you can afford them I still think they are good to do. I doubt anything will show up, it's possible that your system didn't even get much of a chance to create antibodies since you started hitting the pathogen with abx very quickly. But if it can help with peace of mind I'd say ask for the tests, although a negative on the test doesn't necessarily mean one is in the clear.

Awesome you caught this thing so early! It sounds like that is some solid treatment and hopefully takes care of everything. You've caught this sucker so early that you are operating from a position of strength and should be able to clamp down on any infections.

Good luck with everything!

Post Edited (sebreg) : 7/21/2015 8:54:30 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 7/22/2015 4:45 AM (GMT 0)
Yeah, you're soooo lucky to have caught this early! Most of us are chronic because of misdx or no diagnosis.......

I'd make sure my doc was on board with treating beyond elimination of symptoms.....like past 2 months...maybe 3 just to be safe....
Posted 7/22/2015 12:18 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you so much for your responses. I have been really scared because there is so much information out there it's overwhelming and I want to make sure I'm on top of things and doing what is best for my body.

Sebreg - what you said are exactly my concerns about testing....the cost and I'm wanting peace of mind and feel nervous about just waiting and seeing, but from everything I've read the tests are so unreliable, I don't really know that it can give me what I'm wanting. I'll definitely talk to the doctor about it and I guess make a decision after that.

Candleinthewind, when you say treating beyond elimination of symptoms, do you mean further antibiotic treatment? Or is there something else I should ask for/try?
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