Dh got the typical lyme bulls eye a month ago. It ended up covering half of his back going across and about 4 inches tall. He went to doc and was put on anti for one month. During that month he was achey, tired, bad headaches - all of which he still gets, especially in cold or rainy weather. He called the doc today because last week she said she'd put him on two more weeks of meds. Today she said no he doesn't need it and that it can take up to 3 months more to feel better. Then she said his test was negative for lyme. So now we're really confused. What should we do? What else could it be? What if he needs more meds? So frustrating and I feel so bad for him. He's being such a trooper. He won't complain, still plays sports with the kids, but I can tell he's in pain.
Hi Leeby, Welcome! Sorry your hubby is feeling poorly.
For starters take pictures of this rash. That will come in real handy in finding treatment. Does he remember being bit? You need to show this to a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor.
One months antibiotics is not going to help him. There are different life stages to a lyme bacteria. So just "one" antibiotic and at a dose lower than 300 mg is not going to help. It might kill off one stage of life but it most likely will come back.
Look at the top of this board under Clinic's and Doctors and see if there is a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor that he can get to. Not all doctors understand Lyme and majority of them will not even deal with it. As you just found out.
To tell him that he will get better within 3 months and no treatment besides the month of anitbiotics he is on, is just not True. The truth is "if" he goes untreated it will be harder to get it under control.
Did this doctor do a Western Blot on him or the Elisa? He needs to have a Western Blot done. That hopefully will pull up some bands. The Elsia test is just a waste of time. And Lyme testing is not accurate. So it would be better for you hubby to find a doctor that will treat him right away. They say that treatment is called for up to 2 or 3 months "after" symptoms go away.
Also do you know that lyme is a cousin to syphillis? It can be passed on to partners. And ticks are not the only critter passing this bacteria anymore. Lyme is epedimic. It is the fast growing infectious disease there is, some say even above AIDS.
You might want to post a new thread asking others if there is a LLMD in your area/state.
If that doesn't work then let your fingers do the walking and find a Lyme Support Group in your area. Alot of times there are contacts you can get ahold of and request a doctor.
This is nothing to ignore. Your husbands health is very important. I would not go back to the same doctor that gave you the one month of anitbiotics. She doesn't sound like she knows what she is talking about.
I wish you luck. You have any other questions don't hesitate to post.
