Tested positive for LYMES now what?????????

[Bullfrog 1]

I had a routine blood test and it came back positive. I have NO symptoms and had the same test 6 months ago that came back negative. My Doc said they would do further tests of the blood to see how long I have had it and if and how to treat it. Any thoughts? Thanks.  BILL

[maxwell]

Take the antibiotics soon as possible.

Bill

[GingivitisKahn]

If it were me, I'd spend some time researching the heck out of it so that you are up to speed when you talk to the doc.

[ishiwannabe]

The treatment is antibiotics...I would play it safe, even though the test is notorious for being false positive and such.

[Cherokee Scout]

I have had it. I apparantly had had it for 4 years before I had any symptoms. All problems came about 4 years later.
First sign of problem was feeling as if I had spider webs on my face (nerves). Then some problems with vision.
I had no signs of disease after treatment for several years, I thought all was good.
It is now about 15 years later. During past 2 yezrs I again sometimes feel spider webs on my left side of my face (none really there). My left hand now sometimes shakes.
Dr says it is from the disease.  It is getting worse as times goes on.
I hope it works out better for you.

[Jeremy]

By the time the antibody titre is high enough to test positive for the disease in that test the initial infection has often already been cleared up by your body (not always).

Lyme disease is best treated long before... were you real sick at any point in the last year?

The lingering, and often serious, effects of Lyme disease are more prevalent when the bacterial infection isn't treated immediately.  The cause of the long term symptoms isn't completley understood, but there's some pretty convincing evidence that it's autoimmune in nature - your body is attacking itself.

When your immune system is severely challenged, like it is with the bacteria that causes Lyme Disease, it can screw things up royally.

[Bullfrog 1]

Jeremy, I have NOT been sick this year or the last couple. One thing to mention is I had the Lymerex shots when they were out about 12 years ago. I have heard this can test you positive also. Not sure though.   BILL

[pdk25]

All I can tell you is that there are risks to any treatment, but the risks of untreated lyme disease far outweight the risks of a simple course of antibiotics.  If it were me, I would take a course of Doxycycline (the drug of choice for lyme disease).

[jon]

Bullfrog,

Take the antibiotics. I'm approaching my 4th year in treatment. I had it for 8-9 years before it built up enough numbers to attack me in the spring of 2005. Missed 3 hunting seasons already. I thought I'd be able to hunt this fall but I went off a cliff down hill about 3 weeks ago. I'm back on the IV antibiotics. I'm so weak I don't think I could make up the hills. My vision is so blurry that I can't hit the barn from the inside:) I have several other issues too, but I don't want to disrupt your thread. Anyway, take the antibiotics. It's cheap insurance.

Jon

[ThePushArchery]

I was just diagnosed with Lymes about 15 days ago. I had all the symptoms under the sun. From Bells Palzy (paralyzed main facial nerve) all the way to cronic, and I mean cronic, soreness. I couldn't even begin to try and draw my bow.

I went to the doctor and he said Bells Palzy in the summer along with cronic soreness = lymes, and sure enough I tested positive.

two days after I started taking the anti-biotics I was out shoting my bow, and have shot everyday since. I feel no symptoms 15 days later, and still have 15 days left to go with treatment.

They say I've had it for about 3 months now. I guess I am one of the lucky ones that took to treatment with flying colors. Goodluck with your lymes, I hope it turns out the same as it did for me.

[Tom L]

Take the med. I have had it twice I caught it early both times. It's easy to treat if you get it early. The second time it took 2 rounds of meds to get rid of it because I let it go longer. I thought after I had it once I could not get it again. I was wrong. Take the meds you will be fine.

[bihunter]

Lyme disease is nothing to fool with. Trouble is some medical personel don't have enough experience with it. Some peaple have been mis-diagnosed when symtons start appearing. Some doctor's think thay only have to give the normal dose of anti-biotics that would be sufficiant for other infections or virouses. Usually it takes either stronger doses or you have to take them for longer periods. Some people, if they have had it for a long period have to have I.V. theropy. Don't fool around!!

[Jeremy]

Bull, did they do the followup test or just the initial one?  The first test does give false positives... the second is much more specific and rarely gives false positives.

Like others have said, Lyme disease is nothing to fool around with!  If caught and treated early the chances of long term problems goes down dramatically.  I know more people out here who have had it than people who haven't; no one close to me has the lingering symptoms, but doctors out here are pretty quick to put you on meds at the first signs... they only do the tests now if they think you may have missed the initial infection.  That initial test is worthless in the early stages of the infection.

[Bullfrog 1]

Jeremy, thanks. My Doc admited that he know VerY LITTLE about it. He has me seeing an Infectiuous MD. next week. I am going to insist on being retested first off the bat. Is it possible to have had this for yrars with NO or little symptoms? That is either the case or it is a new thing for me and has just started. I still really don't have any marked symptoms to speak of.   BILL

[Talondale]

If you take the antibiotics be careful to read all the side affects.  Some have a warning about possible tendon rupture.  Was just talking to a co-worker yesterday that was on the antibiotics for lyme disease and he misstepped in his yard and blew his quad.  Had to have surgery and rehab for months.  Just be careful.

[BOFF]

Originally posted by Jeremy:
Bull, did they do the followup test or just the initial one?  The first test does give false positives... the second is much more specific and rarely gives false positives.

Like others have said, Lyme disease is nothing to fool around with!  If caught and treated early the chances of long term problems goes down dramatically.  I know more people out here who have had it than people who haven't; no one close to me has the lingering symptoms, but doctors out here are pretty quick to put you on meds at the first signs... they only do the tests now if they think you may have missed the initial infection.  That initial test is worthless in the early stages of the infection.

x2

[tippit]

I see Lyme Dz weekly in dogs here in the North East.  My daughter who is an equine vet sees the same in horses.  Now we have the added fun of Ehrlichia and Anaplasmosis being transmitted by ticks around here...both can infect people too    If your MD doesn't know much about Lyme Dz than he/she is probably not treating very agressively.  Waiting is the curse of Lyme Dz.  Seeing an infectious dz specialist is a smart move...Doc