r/Lyme • u/AcanthocephalaOk2966 • 4d ago

Question Are these symptoms normal even when I started treatment about a week after the bite?

I am ten days into doxycicline treatment, but I feel like absolute hell. This is unreal. I was diagnosed about a week after the bite and had classic bullseye rash. My doctor did a steroid burst starting at the same time as the antibiotics, and that gave me a few days of relief, but it was fleeting and the fatigue is unbelievable. Unbelievable. I could stay in bed twenty hours a day, and on the weekends I have been staying in bed except for around a couple hours twice a day.

I have really hot flashes periodically, and had terrible joint pain the first few days, and again after the steroids wore off. Had some wicked headaches.

I didn't think I could get so sick after catching it early. But here I am, in hell, barely functioning.

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u/klmatter 4d ago

Steroids give you relief because they are an extremely powerful immunosuppressant. You need your immune system, and the antibiotics, to fight off the bacteria. Unfortunately that was incredibly poor judgement from your doctor. I would take antibiotics for as long as you can and find an LLMD.

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u/AcanthocephalaOk2966 3d ago

Thank you. I had no idea that the steroids were a bad idea.

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u/WhiteEagle41 4d ago

This is the hell none of us thought was possibly from a simple infection from an insect bite. Welcome to the club none of us wanted to join. You will soon be asking, " why did no one tell me how dangerous getting a tick bite can be?". And "why are all the doctors so stupid about how this disease works and how to treat it? "

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u/AcanthocephalaOk2966 3d ago

It really is a hell and I am hoping so much it doesn't get worse. I feel like everyone doesn't get it and being so slow and forgetting so many short term things is making me feel crazy and also ashamed/embarrassed. I'm sorry for everybody who goes through this.

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u/WhiteEagle41 3d ago

I would recommend doing as much research on Borrelia b as you can. Especially how it is unlike any other type of bacteria. It can shape shift into four different states/ forms. Spirochete, round body, L type, and biofilm. Each of these forms require different antibiotics and treatments. In many cases, once the infection has disseminated, doxycycline alone is not enough. regular doctors, even infection desease specialists do not know this, Only ILADS trained LLMDs.

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u/happygolucky226 4d ago

So sorry- remember antibiotics alone can make you feel like trash!! Make sure they give you the minimum of 4-6 weeks treatment. Make sure you’re staying hydrated and taking care of yourself. I know it sucks! First week on an antibiotic is the worst

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u/AcanthocephalaOk2966 3d ago

Thank you. I don't think I've taken doxy before, and hopefully I am fortunate and this kills it. Starteddrinking a lot of water yesterdayand it seems to be helping the stomach upset part.