hsbaby Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Ds had a tick about 2 weeks ago on his lower head/upper neck that I removed. About a week after he was complaining that his back and neck were sore. That's gone, but now the lymph node in his neck is swollen and sore to the touch:(. That is his only symptom....no fever, rash, lethargy, etc. Should I take him to Urgent Care (where it takes a few hours) or wait for his appt. tomorrow afternoon? It's starting to worry me:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenC3 Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Do you know what kind of tick it was? I found one today after gardening and it was a female dog tick which doesn't carry lyme. Still gross though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsbaby Posted May 7, 2012 Author Share Posted May 7, 2012 I'm pretty sure it was a lone star tick. A very small one. A few days after that, he had a big one under his arm though:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jenn- Posted May 7, 2012 Share Posted May 7, 2012 Although the Lone star tick isn't known to carry lyme, it does carry STARI which looks and behaves a lot like lyme without the long term effects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 They have also found a species of borrelia, Borrelia lonestari, in some Lone Star ticks. Either way, Lyme and STARI are treated the same way, with at least a 30-day course of antibiotics. OP, make SURE that the doc takes you seriously and gives you at least 30 days of meds; 6 weeks is even better. When my DS contracted Lyme disease, we never saw a tick and there was no rash. His very first symptom was a swollen lymph node in his neck. That was almost 2 years ago, and no one connected it to Lyme disease at the time. He was finally diagnosed last month — and now he is dealing with all the symptoms of advanced Lyme: arthritis, insomnia, exhaustion, panic attacks, heart problems, and cognitive issues. This is NOT something to mess around with, you want to make sure that the doc knows what he's doing and gives you enough meds. :grouphug: Jackie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 OP, make SURE that the doc takes you seriously and gives you at least 30 days of meds; 6 weeks is even better. When my DS contracted Lyme disease, we never saw a tick and there was no rash. His very first symptom was a swollen lymph node in his neck. That was almost 2 years ago, and no one connected it to Lyme disease at the time. He was finally diagnosed last month — and now he is dealing with all the symptoms of advanced Lyme: arthritis, insomnia, exhaustion, panic attacks, heart problems, and cognitive issues. This is NOT something to mess around with, you want to make sure that the doc knows what he's doing and gives you enough meds. Jackie Yes - try make sure the doc gives your kiddo at least 30 days (6 weeks being better) of a sufficient dose of abx for his weight, to cover the entire life cycle of the spirochete. Plus, have your doc check for co-infections of Lyme. Rarely does one contract Lyme only, there are many other infections as well - some treatable with the same abx that treat Lyme, some need different meds. With swollen lymph nodes as the primary symptom, my immediate thought is bartonella or a bartonella-like organism (BLO)... You might read Dr Burrascano's Guidelines for more info on that - they can be downloaded from the ILADS site. The trouble with bartonella (you want to be checked for at least bartonella henselae and bartonella quintana) is that it *does* require different treatment from Lyme. Can you tell I've had bartonella? And a kiddo with it, to boot. Not fun. Like Jackie's kiddo, my Lyme and co-infections went undiagnosed for years, and that complicates and prolongs treatment. Keep us posted! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nertsmommy Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 I just wanted to add that we were told by DD doctor that you can get Lymes and never have the rash. The doctor said she had it and never had the rash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsbaby Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 Hmmmm.....now I wonder if I should go back in. I took him to urgent care and they think it's an ear infection. He's had many, with 3 sets of tubes, but nothing like this. They didn't test for anything since he had no rash. Maybe I should go back tomorrow and ask for tests?!?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybear Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 I doubt if someone at urgent care would really know what to do with Lyme or other tick related diseases. I think if you have an appt. tomorrow that should be okay, but like the others said, make sure the doctor takes it seriously and knows how to treat it. Not all antibiotics are created equal when it comes to Lyme. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3littles Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 I used to live in an area with lots of lone star ticks. I don't think they can carry lyme, but ITA with the PP who mentioned STAR-I. They can carry Rocky Mountain as well. DS1 got bitten by a tick at some point in about the same spot and the lymph nodes there remained swollen for months. We had our family practice doc check him out and he said it wasn't uncommon. Obviously you will want to follow up with your own doc, but that's what we were told. DS1 didn't have any other symptoms, and it was a lone star tick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommymilkies Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Dd had one on her head about 4 years ago. Her neck swelled up so bad it looked like an apple was under her neck and it was read. Testing two separate times for Lyme showed she was negative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jpoy85 Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 L had a female tick on her head last year and didnt have issues, but it was a big pain in the butt to get get out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 If there's even a slight possibility of Lyme -- and I believe that there is, you should absolutely insist on a minimum of 30 day prescription for Doxycyclene, although as Corraleno already mentioned, 6 weeks would be better. At this point, Lyme may not even show up in his system, so he may test negative for Lyme even if he has it. It wouldn't hurt to have his blood tested now (insist on a Western Blot test,) but you will also need to repeat the test in about a month to be sure the medication is working. My biggest concern is that he is already exhibiting symptoms of Lyme, and you need to get the medication started ASAP, to avoid long term effects. Also, the sooner you treat Lyme, the more likely it is that the medication will work efficiently. I had Lyme for years, so I know how awful it can be (and believe me, my symptoms were nowhere near the worst you can get.) But your ds doesn't have to get really ill with it -- just insist on the medication, and make sure you don't agree to a few weeks' worth of it; it's not enough. I truly hope your ds doesn't have Lyme, but please don't take a chance and assume that it's something else. Too many of us have done that, and lived to seriously regret it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nertsmommy Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 I say have him tested based on what DD doctor told us (I posted earlier). DD was tested because she had swollen lymph nodes, double ear infection (she also had tubes at the time that were coming out), cough, runny nose. DD was fine except for a yeast infection in her ears, but I'm glad I let them do it. I also agree with the others who said to do it twice a while apart. But I'm paranoid about ticks. We have tons where I live in PA. I've already found 5 crawling on the kids this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 http://www.ilads.org/lyme_disease/about_lyme.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Just checking to see if you had any success with the doctor? In our experience Lyme is ignored/denied around here. Dh was sick, sick, sick with Lyme and we had to go to Maryland to find a doctor qualified to treat it. He's been on antibiotics for two years now. I keep minocycline on hand because of our many tick bites. I'm starting a round today after finding four very happy ticks on me. Our lyme doc prefers it over doxy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsbaby Posted May 8, 2012 Author Share Posted May 8, 2012 I'm taking him back at 2. Now there is a puffy line extending from the swollen lymph node right to the site of the bite:(. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 I keep minocycline on hand because of our many tick bites. I'm starting a round today after finding four very happy ticks on me. Our lyme doc prefers it over doxy. Remind me to never move where you live. If I lived there I'd roll in DEET daily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted May 8, 2012 Share Posted May 8, 2012 Remind me to never move where you live. If I lived there I'd roll in DEET daily. I don't worry about it. We treat the cats and dogs and I just pull them off when I find them on me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ProphetFool Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 So I had a tick bite on my back...about 1/2 of the way up and near my ribs. I went in right away after a lymph node under my arm got enlarged. The doctor put me on an antibiotic (Dyoxi) as a precaution to Lymes. It's now been almost a month and the site of the bite still itches. I have a slightly raised puffy line leading from it also and several lymphnodes are swollen under my arm and ribcage. The itching has gone down a lot, but is still slightly present. I made sure that the whole tick was out when I removed it, could this still be a reaction to the bite? and if so should I go back in to get more antibiotics and check for some other tick bourn illness or infection? Is it normal to have swollen lymph nodes for a while after the antibiotic runs out? I got on an antibiotic less than a week after the bite...I'm just confused as to why it's going on so long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hsbaby Posted August 23, 2012 Author Share Posted August 23, 2012 If it makes you all feel any better, he was fine. No Lyme's, just a reaction to the bite. The lymph node stayed swollen for 2 weeks, but it finally resolved itself on it's own. Since then, we have been using lots of bug spray with Deet and haven't had any problems (and our yard has a LOT of ticks). Our doctor also told us to do a tick check right after we come in. Apparently they have to be attached for more than a few hours to spread disease (well, that's what we were told anyway!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Lone star ticks carry a bunch of their own diseases. Take him to the doctor. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NotSoObvious Posted August 23, 2012 Share Posted August 23, 2012 Glad to hear he is ok! My dd had a swollen neck lymph node and the doctor said it could have been from anything- a bite, illness, even a cut. It's always hard to tell when to put them on preventative antibiotics. Tough call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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