Do I have early signs of Lyme disease? Scared help

I went to big bear mountain to help with a catering job and it was outside but we were far away from the tree but I was by bushes and stuff . And I constantly kept checking my arms for them and I wore long pants and a semi long shirt . I saw one tick and hurry and got away from it I even washed my hands . So at the end of the day I felt naseaus leaving and going home I said no big deal because I did not eat all day. So I went home and checked and took a shower . But the next day which is today I still feel Naseaus and my throat has started to hurt out of nowhere . It was a hoarse voice feeling now it's scratchy coughing feeling . It sores And everytime I move my throat it hurts . And I feel kinda drowsy .also my throat is super dry and tight .But today I rechecked for ticks and I couldn't find anything , but I find it awkward I was feeling well going up to the mountains but when I came down I felt sick .also body feel little achy. I am never ever ever going to another mountain hill , bush , tree ,I'm scared

Post Edited (Gabrielanch) : 8/30/2015 5:12:27 AM (GMT-6)

Okay thanks . so if you catch early its cureable , if it too late then you just deal with it ? It only been a day or two I don't know how it works if it attaches itself . Thank you for helping me stay calm

Hi Gabrielanch,
Welcome to our community!

You have been given good information, but I'd like to suggest that you make an appt with your GP and be checked for something viral. You were just around a bunch of people and could have simply picked up something viral.

Of course, you should continue to watch yourself for symptoms, as one can never be too careful with these infections, but since you don't believe you were bitten, I would suggest that you start by ruling out some of the most obvious things that could have happened first. If it's viral, you should be feeling better in a week or less.

And just so you know - no, if it's late stage, you don't just deal with it. That's impossible, so you work on healing anyway. I've healed from a 40 yr old set of tick-borne infections, and although my life isn't perfect, it's a far cry from where it was headed before I got treatment. For someone with chronic Lyme, it's just a different approach, and then it's a matter of staying on top of you health and protecting it.

I do need to correct something that was said here though - 14 days of abx (antibiotics) isn't enough to take care of a Lyme infection at all. It's a minimum of 28 days of Doxy at 400 - 600 mgs a day according to the best sources that base their information on scientific studies (ILADS- International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society).

Please be sure to let us know if you have any questions though!!!

Did you have more questions now? Please do ask!! There's no need for you to feel alone and afraid!! We can try to help you find answers.

Realize that this still could be a virus, though, okay? Now with that said, now that you have developed chills and muscle and joint pains, those can also be the first signs of this infection.

We don't know much about you so we will start listing things you can do.

If you can't get your regular GP to draw blood for you, see if your local hospital will for a test through Igenex. They are the most reliable lab we have for these tests.
Lyme Tap:www.lymetap.com/
Eligibility Requirements:
www.lymetap.com/lyme-disease-lab_tests

www.igenex.com/

For information on finding a​n ILADS ​(International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society)​ trained​ Lyme Literate Medical Doctor(LLMD) in your area, you will need to enable your email option in your profile in order to receive any recommendations, as we don't allow doctor's names and contact info to be posted on the forum for several reasons. You can enable your email option in your profile, under 'edit profile'. Be sure to click the submit button to actually save your preference.


​You can send me an email by clicking on my screen name or the small blue envelope under my screen name. I may have contact information for some LLMD's in your area as well.​ ​Please include your state and area that you would like to find a LLMD in and I will see how close I can get to your location.​


You can start a new thread titled something like "Looking for LLMD in the (insert the nearest larger city & state) area". Members can email you about the LLMD's that they see in that area if you have your email enabled. We don't allow doctors names to be posted though.


You can also email the Tick-Borne Disease Alliance at​[​​url]​[email protected]​ for LLMD referrals and you can go to ​tbdalliance.org​​ to learn more about these infections.


You can also go to The Lyme Disease Association and search for LLMD's 3 times in a month. You have to register first. Here is the link:www.lymediseaseassociation.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=277&Itemid=74​​



ILADS has their own referral system as well:ilads.org/ilads_media/physician-referral/


​ You will want to find an ILADS trained doctor, as ID Docs (Infectious Disease Doctors) believe Lyme is hard to catch and easy to treat, and don't believe in the reality of chronic Lyme. Go to the ILADS site to read the new (2014) Treatment guidelines to get you started on your healing journey:
http://www.ilads.org/lyme/treatment-guideline.php

Keep asking questions, that's how we learn about these things!

And you should know that many more insects besides ticks spread these infections - so it doesn't matter if you found a tick or not. Please watch for any rashes. If some show up, take pictures of them, you can post them here if you wish, but you will want to be sure to show them to a LLMD to help them determine if you have experienced a Lyme rash.

Start now and keep a detailed record of your symptoms. School is just starting out, so you can get a single subject notebook pretty cheap and keep track that way, or there are some smart phone apps that you can use if you prefer. There's an online journal as well if you are interested.

The rashes that you get regularly.....were you having them before the job on the mountain or did they develop afterwards?

If they developed afterwards, please take pictures of them. It would be a good idea to have something like a soda can near them in the picture - this will help give interested parties an idea of their size.

You definitely want to document these rashes because they might fade.

Do they look anything like the rashes in these pics?

www.cdc.gov/lyme/signs_symptoms/rashes.html

These rashes can pop up anywhere. I would suggest using a coin in the picture to help determine size of the rash.

Good idea. Here are some more pictures that she can use to help confirm if they are a Lyme rash or not"

/picasaweb.google.com/AfterTheBite/LymeTBDRashes


www.lymenet.org/picture4.shtml


hardinmd.lib.uiowa.edu/dermnet/lymedisease.html

Exactly. We just want you to know what to be on the look out for!! Please do let us know how you are doing when you are up to it!

I'm still sick and my cough is not getting any better I went to the doctors he said it a cold . So today I found like this red line black scratch mark if just one and I have no clue where it came from cause I been in bed all day and it kinda hurts my bone on the arm its on. Should I worry . I only noticed it cause it burned. Everytine I move my arm it hurts like I just got a needle shot but this feeling came out of nowhere

Post Edited (Gabrielanch) : 9/3/2015 10:45:57 PM (GMT-6)