Testing question AND many more!

[Guest guest]

I am a 45 year old woman. I have " normal " age issues with weight, tired,

fatigue, vision, some hand and feet numbness and tingling (occasionally) and

have ignored all.

I just had a horse diagnosed with HIGH titers for Lyme.

Last week I was put on antibiotics for rosecea and am having flu like symptoms

as a result from the pills. (dizziness, tired, fatigue, vision)

I am wondering if I have lymes.

I am going to the doctor tomorrow for the test. This group of doctors really

don't believe in lymes unless there is a rash or bull's-eye. I have had many

ticks but no " known " rash.

I may not have lymes although I am outside a lot and go into areas known for

lymes.

Where is the BEST place to send my blood for testing?? What if it is negative?

Is there a chance that I still have it? Will the taking of antibiotics

(minocycline 100MG twice a day) affect the test? If positive, it would mean

that I have a likelihood of having had the lymes disease for quite a while.

What would the care protocol be? I don't have much faith in these doctors but

want to be tested tomorrow.

Can anyone help answer my question? I want my testing to have a fair shake with

the right labs.

Also, will this amount of antibiotic be enough to treat lymes if the test is

negative? I have a full year prescription.

I am taking this list on digest thus may not answer right away.

Thanks in advance,

Kari

Minnesota

Come see our Sporthorses at

www.Friesiansporthorses.com

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www.AKCbordercollies.com

[Guest guest]

Kari,

The symptom flare after starting antibiotics sounds like a Hersheimer reaction,

meaning the exacerbation of symptoms from the release of toxins and subsequent

inflammation as the spirochetes die off. My horse has had Lyme twice - the

second time he actually had to have IV before he got a month of oral Doxy - that

treatment worked and he has had the same low titer for a few years since. Seems

like many of my horse friends are infected...I believe I got my Lyme from a

nymph deer tick I found attached after spending the day at a horse show. That

tick was on for a maximum of 8 hours and i had no subsequent rash or flu-like

symptoms. A few months later I got symptoms that I thought were some combo of

allergies, aging and my low thyroid. Mainly fatigue, insomnia, achy knees,

nausea, often felt like I was coming down with a flu then it would go away,

couple days of sharply decreased hearing, sudden need for reading glasses for

just a couple days.. Then just over a year after the bite I got arthritis pain

moving around finger and wrist joints, coming and going and started to notice

memory loss and difficulty remembering words/topics in conversations. Sole pain

one AM convinced me to go get tested for Lyme. Although my Western Blots have

been CDC negative, I have been under treatment for over 4 months and two

different LLMDs have assured me that all of my symptoms, even the more bizarre

ones, can be from Lyme. The initial Herx I got with the Doxy was so bad I

couldn't even drive for three weeks.

Anyway most drs don't know what they need to to diagnose and treat Lyme. I had

to wait a couple months for an LLMD appointment and found Burrascano's

Guidelines to be extemely helpful as a reference. Search for his 2005

Guidelines document, check the ILADS site i think it's posted there. It will

answer many of your questions...

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