OK so here's the deal...
As I mentioned in my other post, I got bitten by a tick coming up for 3 weeks ago now. I had no rash but flu symptoms a week after. (including a fever that came and went). I went to my doctor who prescribed me 100mg doxy twice a day for 2 weeks which I soon found out wasn't enough. I ordered more online which arrived today and have now moved up to 200mg twice a day which I plan to stay on for 6 weeks.
I've made an appointment with a lyme specialist this morning - the soonest I can be seen is the 1st of September.
There's a whole other side to this though and its where it starts to get complicated. Basically I suspect I've had lyme for years and this tick reinfected me or gave me something new. I had a weird rash on holiday over 2 years ago which I didn't pay much attention to at the time but since researching lyme, I'm getting really concerned. I've had symptoms in the past two years, mainly neurological. The first big thing was an episode of derealization/dissociation which came out of nowhere and lasted a month, along with muscle twitching, fasiculations, headaches, tingliness. These stopped being an every day occurance when I started to feel mentally normal again and I put it all down to anxiety, but the twiches and fasiculations continued every now and again - the twitches sometimes triggered by certain thoughts - and I got used to the fasiculations. Other than that I've had mood disturbance, unexplained menstrual irregularity and breast pain, tinnitus, sleep disturbance and an episode of really bad bowel problems, all of which have came and went over the years. I've also had a weird heart thing - now and again it seems to kind of shudder in my chest. Its quite alarming. I think it might be an extra beat.
Since I got bitten by the tick this time, the twitches and fasiculations are becoming more frequent (could hardly sleep for them the other night) and I've had bad muscle aches in my limbs. My teeth and sinuses hurt. I think my left leg is a bit number than the right in places but that could be my imagination. Also I've had problems with my jaw clicking when i eat and a clicking sound at the back of my head when I walk in the past.. now I'm clenching my jaw all the time and it hurts. Is it possible that even this small dose of doxy is causing me to herx (if I've had lyme for years)? Or more like being bitten again has worsened my symtpoms almost immediately?
I know that's a lot of information, sorry. Basically I'm just wandering if the specialist will be able to know if I've had Lyme for years or just a few weeks? Also, should I keep taking the doxy until I see him or will that risk it being less effective if I need long term antibiotic treatment?
Post Edited (newtothiss) : 8/10/2009 7:48:25 AM (GMT-6)