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Finding a doctor
Hello, I am so glad I found this site. I found a deer tick on my on Monday evening and had been in the long grass and brush on our land over the weekend. I found the tick and got rid of it, not thinking much about it. As the week has gone on I have been feeling dizzy and nauseous with headaches, buzzing in my legs. Now I have itchy feelings that come and go on my skin, like a crawly feeling, and I have the chills and feel like I have the flu. I already have an autoimmune condition so my system is already easily sensitive. After reading some of your posts (thank you for sharing!) I feel like I need to get a good doctor who will do the right tests and is knowledgeable. I live in West Central Wisconsin close to the Minnesota border and the Twin Cities. Can anyone offer a suggestion for a good doctor? Thank you!!!
Nellie
Nellie
Thank you to everyone! I really appreciate your insight and knowledge. I'm sorry that you had to come by it through first hand experience. I'll keep everyone posted.
Warmly,
Nellie
Warmly,
Nellie
You said:
"2 -- No need to read 'Cure Unknown' before going ahead. It's interesting, but won't change what your doc will do one way or the other."
True dat. I had said something like that---
"That won't get you to a doctor any faster-----but it will give you a 'leg-up' on the background of what arena you've just entered."
Oh, and welcome back, Jackie. People have missed you.
"2 -- No need to read 'Cure Unknown' before going ahead. It's interesting, but won't change what your doc will do one way or the other."
True dat. I had said something like that---
"That won't get you to a doctor any faster-----but it will give you a 'leg-up' on the background of what arena you've just entered."
Oh, and welcome back, Jackie. People have missed you.
Since I got my symptoms that fast its something my Lyme brain didn't think of, the co-infections could have been the cause rather than just the Lyme. Thanks for pointing that out. I often time forget and my bite was over 20 years ago.
Two things --
1 -- Ricobord is right in what she says above.
2 -- No need to read 'Cure Unknown' before going ahead. It's interesting, but won't change what your doc will do one way or the other.
Getting the doxy is the important thing right now.
Best wishes to you --
1 -- Ricobord is right in what she says above.
2 -- No need to read 'Cure Unknown' before going ahead. It's interesting, but won't change what your doc will do one way or the other.
Getting the doxy is the important thing right now.
Best wishes to you --
Since you just got bit on Monday, Lyme antibody tests would be useless for you. The antibodies don't show up for about 2-4 weeks. With the tick bite and your symptoms, your regular doctor should be willing to prescribe the standard 3 weeks of Doxycyline for you right away. If not, you need another one. Unfortunately, there are some doctors who insist on waiting a few weeks until a positive test shows up, but when there is a rash OR symptoms consistent with Lyme, then treatment should start right away.
If your doctor is amenable to Doxy right away, ask for a month. ILADS docs say a month is the minimum. A safer approach is 6 weeks of Doxy. Three weeks has as estimated failure rate of 10-30%. Unfortunately, only Lyme literate doctors know this. The IDSA and CDC still insist that 3 weeks always cures it.
I encourage you to get into your regular doc ASAP to ask for the 4 weeks of Doxy. If you don't get that, then, find a Lyme literate doctor who will give you a longer course.
ILADS is a great source. So is a local or state Lyme support group. They often know who takes insurance and is willing to diagnose without the rash.
Don't let any doc try to test you right now. The results will almost surely be negative, and uninformed doctors will use this as an excuse not to treat you or to tell you to stop taking meds. This is wrong, even according to the IDSA and CDC.
I got laryngitis, fever, chills, and terrible malaise only 3 days after my bite. But then I also have 2 coinfections, which can make a person sicker at the beginning. Since your symptoms are starting pretty quickly, you could also have gotten something in addition to Lyme from the bite. A good solid course of Doxy right now should prevent those other infections from taking hold.
If your doctor is amenable to Doxy right away, ask for a month. ILADS docs say a month is the minimum. A safer approach is 6 weeks of Doxy. Three weeks has as estimated failure rate of 10-30%. Unfortunately, only Lyme literate doctors know this. The IDSA and CDC still insist that 3 weeks always cures it.
I encourage you to get into your regular doc ASAP to ask for the 4 weeks of Doxy. If you don't get that, then, find a Lyme literate doctor who will give you a longer course.
ILADS is a great source. So is a local or state Lyme support group. They often know who takes insurance and is willing to diagnose without the rash.
Don't let any doc try to test you right now. The results will almost surely be negative, and uninformed doctors will use this as an excuse not to treat you or to tell you to stop taking meds. This is wrong, even according to the IDSA and CDC.
I got laryngitis, fever, chills, and terrible malaise only 3 days after my bite. But then I also have 2 coinfections, which can make a person sicker at the beginning. Since your symptoms are starting pretty quickly, you could also have gotten something in addition to Lyme from the bite. A good solid course of Doxy right now should prevent those other infections from taking hold.
Hi, yes symptoms can show up fast. If you ever have that happen again ( hope not), save the tick and it can be examined.
Since you found the ILADS website, email them and ask them for an LLMD near you. A Lyme literate doctor can have any type of specialty but has taken the time to research and learn about Lyme disease. You can also google LLMD central WI and see what you get.
I should mention that Lyme disease more often then not, comes along with co-infections. I have 2. An LLMD using IgeneX labs rather then your standard lab can test for these co-infections. They make things more complicated so as cave said above the sooner you see an LLMD the better. They can tell you if you have Lyme or not.
Let us know if you have any other questions.
Since you found the ILADS website, email them and ask them for an LLMD near you. A Lyme literate doctor can have any type of specialty but has taken the time to research and learn about Lyme disease. You can also google LLMD central WI and see what you get.
I should mention that Lyme disease more often then not, comes along with co-infections. I have 2. An LLMD using IgeneX labs rather then your standard lab can test for these co-infections. They make things more complicated so as cave said above the sooner you see an LLMD the better. They can tell you if you have Lyme or not.
Let us know if you have any other questions.
" Is it possible to be Lyme and have symptoms show up this fast? "
In a word---- Yes!
The symptoms could also be delayed for months or years. :(
Throw away any textbook you might have on diseases because Lyme can (and does) defy any textbook solution.
If you like to read---- I strongly suggest that you get a copy of Cure Unknown by Pam Weintraub. She is a science journalist with many awards who had written the absolutely best book about Lyme, the disease, and all the machinations, political and bacterial, that accompany Lyme disease.
On Pam's web site a review by Caitlin Rothermel, MA, MPHc, American Medical Writers Association:
"CURE UNKNOWN is the most exciting book of the year. It sets a new bar for the patient tell-all; it is laid out with superb intellectual rigor, does not spare on technical details, but is also ...a potboiler and page-turner..."
That won't get you to a doctor any faster-----but it will give you a 'leg-up' on the background of what arena you've just entered.
Sir William Osler said over 100 years ago:
"He who knows syphilis knows medicine”
Now it can be replaced by "He who knows Lyme disease knows medicine."
In a word---- Yes!
The symptoms could also be delayed for months or years. :(
Throw away any textbook you might have on diseases because Lyme can (and does) defy any textbook solution.
If you like to read---- I strongly suggest that you get a copy of Cure Unknown by Pam Weintraub. She is a science journalist with many awards who had written the absolutely best book about Lyme, the disease, and all the machinations, political and bacterial, that accompany Lyme disease.
On Pam's web site a review by Caitlin Rothermel, MA, MPHc, American Medical Writers Association:
"CURE UNKNOWN is the most exciting book of the year. It sets a new bar for the patient tell-all; it is laid out with superb intellectual rigor, does not spare on technical details, but is also ...a potboiler and page-turner..."
That won't get you to a doctor any faster-----but it will give you a 'leg-up' on the background of what arena you've just entered.
Sir William Osler said over 100 years ago:
"He who knows syphilis knows medicine”
Now it can be replaced by "He who knows Lyme disease knows medicine."
Thank you for the quick response. I just found the ILADS site. I will google for doctors too. Is it possible to be Lyme and have symptoms show up this fast? I know you are not a doctor and appreciate your wisdom and experience as an activist. Thank you.
There may be a member or two who can PM you with the name of a doctor in that area.
But barring that please go to one of the sites run by doctors who treat Lyme disease.
You will have to google for them since posting links is sometimes not allowed here.
So, google ILADA or google Lyme Disease Association.
Both of them have a 'find a doctor' link you can click on, then follow directions.
Be aware though that not ALL doctors that belong to ILADS are doctors that treat by evidence based standards. If you are in doubt about a doctor please PM me and I'll try to help you. (I've been a Lyme activist, advocate and web site owner for years upon years)
If you can get started on treatment ASAP--- like RIGHT AWAY you have a good chance of defeating Lyme, assuming that's what you have.
Also be aware that what lab does the lab work makes a huge difference. Igenex in CA is considered the best but a person can get a negative and still have the disease.
I didn't say this was going to be easy (grin) but it is certainly doable and esp. if you can start antibiotics right away.
(disclaimer---- if you DO actually have Lyme.)
But barring that please go to one of the sites run by doctors who treat Lyme disease.
You will have to google for them since posting links is sometimes not allowed here.
So, google ILADA or google Lyme Disease Association.
Both of them have a 'find a doctor' link you can click on, then follow directions.
Be aware though that not ALL doctors that belong to ILADS are doctors that treat by evidence based standards. If you are in doubt about a doctor please PM me and I'll try to help you. (I've been a Lyme activist, advocate and web site owner for years upon years)
If you can get started on treatment ASAP--- like RIGHT AWAY you have a good chance of defeating Lyme, assuming that's what you have.
Also be aware that what lab does the lab work makes a huge difference. Igenex in CA is considered the best but a person can get a negative and still have the disease.
I didn't say this was going to be easy (grin) but it is certainly doable and esp. if you can start antibiotics right away.
(disclaimer---- if you DO actually have Lyme.)
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