How long before symptoms become more permanent?

[jerseyjunkie]

Briefly, here is the situation: I was bitten by a tick last August (7 mos. ago). I got the bullseye, and had severe symptoms. I've had Lyme before, and knew what was going on immediately. My doctor prescribed antibiotics, and I went on them immediately.

My worst symptoms (massive headache, chills) disapppeared within four days. Ignorant, and assuming that absence of symptoms meant that the problem had been cured, I stopped taking the antibiotics after about a week.

Four months later, I started to get tingling sensations in my feet. A month after that, I started to get arthritis in knees. When the arthritis also attacked my elbows, a lightbulb went on, and I knew that I still had Lyme. Went back to the doc, and he prescribed Doxy again, and told me to to stop taking until they were all gone this time! (blood test confirmed diagnosis).

Here's the question: I know that generally doctors think that if antibiotics are started soon (within 2 weeks?) of the tick bite, a full recovery is possible. So what about if the antibiotic regimen is started (again) six, seven months after the initial cause?? Have I permanently screwed myself up? Reading this board is a bit depressing! Is there a chance I will be cured with this round of Doxy?

Any help would be much appreciated! My name, JerseyJunkie, refers to the fact that I am both a tennis and windsurfing junkie, neither of which I can do with arthritis!

[Bill S]

I wasn't diagnosed for 3 months, and not treated effectively (ie, more than the usual 3 weeks Doxycycline) for 2 more years (Nov '06). After 8 months combination antibiotic therapy, we think I'm cured.

What dose Doxycycline are you on, and are you on some other abx to kill the cyst form (if you aren't, Lyme will come back out of hiding and reinfect you)?

[kdmari]

I can't answer your question, but it's been 12 years since I received the bite and the rash and had the start of my symptoms, and I was just diagnosed with Lyme Disease this month. The doctor I'm seeing seems to be confident that the antibiotics will help me even at this late stage of the game. I guess I'll find out soon enough. Anyway, best of luck!

[jerseyjunkie]

What dose Doxycycline are you on, and are you on some other abx to kill the cyst form (if you aren't, Lyme will come back out of hiding and reinfect you)?[/QUOTE]

Bill, what is cyst form? Should I be asking my MD about this? I am not on another antibiotic... Are there differences of opinion? Why would my MD not have me taking the right things?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, M

[Bill S]

Bill, what is cyst form? Should I be asking my MD about this? I am not on another antibiotic... Are there differences of opinion? Why would my MD not have me taking the right things?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks, M

When you take antibiotics, the Lyme spirochete burrows into your tissues, creates tissue inflammation around itself, and turns into a cyst. It can remain in this form for quite some time, hiding from not only from your immune system, but most antibiotics. It can stay there for a long period until conditions improve, and it then comes out again. Thus using only one antibiotic, whether it be oral, or IV, just about guarantees a relapse when you stop the antibiotics. Some people seem okay for a time, but it creeps back into full force again.

You ought to get educated about Lymes; read Dr Burrascano's treatment guidelines; it's very informative (though he is a little light on treatment for the cyst form)... available here:

http://ilads.org/guidelines.html

As for antibiotics to take, usually Flagyl or Tinidazole (a second generation Flagyl with far fewer side effects) does the trick if taken at the same time as the primary antibiotic (of which there are several good choices; my doc used Cefzil and Tinidazole primarily).

Do you have a Lyme Literate doc treating you, or a general doc?

You really need to be treated by someone who is experienced with Lyme's; most general docs don't have the expertise or time to deal with the varied symptoms and figure out what is going on...

You can try a referral here for a good doc:

http://www.**********************.org/Doctor_Referrals.html