Tick bite help!

I’ve combed through the first five pages and couldn't find this thread, so if it already exists, please merge this one.
Anyway, about two weeks ago while I was out on a hike, I got bitten by something. Honestly, I didn't think much of it at the time because mosquitoes and bugs absolutely target me—it's like my blood is an all-you-can-eat buffet for them, so they usually leave everyone else alone and just go for 😁. But a few days after that specific bite, things took a turn. It started swelling up, hardening, and developed this distinct red ring around it. I was wearing long socks at the time, so I thought I was protected.
My first instinct was to try some hydrocortisone cream to bring down the inflammation. I also ruled out fungus right away; I have a history of dealing with fungal issues from my cats, though they're perfectly healthy now... plus, even Canesten didn't touch it.
I eventually went to see my doctor. She saw I had a fever, looked at the bite, and immediately confirmed what it was. Both my husband and I were bitten this week, and she showed me an identical mark on his leg.
The swelling in my leg is pretty significant.

But now I'm spiraling: what if she misdiagnosed me? I'm worried I'm being put on antibiotics for no reason, especially since they always absolutely wreck my system.

The issue is that she's extremely quick to prescribe antibiotics. Now I'm stuck taking them for three to four weeks. We did one blood test, and we'll be doing another one soon, but does anyone here have any experience with this? Thanks.

I had the exact same thing happen on my leg. I noticed a red ring forming around the bite site, though mine didn't show up until about two or three days later. My doctor ended up referring me to an infectious disease specialist, who eventually diagnosed me with Lyme disease caused by a tick bite.
They ran some blood work and took a tissue sample from the inflamed area, then put me on a course of antibiotics. I had to go back for follow-up blood tests after two months to make sure everything was clearing up. My specialist mentioned that I was lucky I caught it early; since there are three stages to this disease, if you don't get treated properly and in time,
the consequences can be much more serious. Fortunately, it’s all cleared up now and I haven't had any lasting issues.

I’ve heard the exact same thing from my doctors; everything you described aligns perfectly with what I've been told.😢 My liver enzyme levels aren't exactly where they should be right now, so I was actually debating whether or not to go through with the antibiotics. Ultimately, I decided to take them. My physician weighed the risks of treatment versus the risks of doing nothing, and she made it clear that in my specific situation, ignoring the infection is far too dangerous. She also scheduled me for follow-up bloodwork and another round of testing to monitor my progress.
In my case, they’re still just suspicious of Lyme disease, whereas you’ve already received a definitive diagnosis. What kind of symptoms are you dealing with?
Thanks!

I don't think the doctor went overboard with the antibiotics, honestly. Lyme can leave you with some seriously nasty long-term consequences—we're talking organ damage and stuff. Do yourselves a favor and actually look into it; you'll see what I mean.

Personally? I wouldn't mess around with this. I’d just take the antibiotics.

You've got a point there. Honestly, it completely trashed my gut health and I ended up struggling with some liver issues because of it, but I’m planning to pick up an antibiotic during my break.

So, when a tick bites you, it just stays stuck right there in your skin, right? I don't really get how you can even tell if one was on you in the first place if you didn't notice it happening. Like, how do you actually know it was a tick and not something else?

frozenorca63 said:If a tick bites you, it stays stuck in your skin. Or does it? I don't get it—if you didn't have this thing crawling on you, how are you even supposed to know what bit you? How can you tell it was a tick?

It’s pretty obvious from the look of the bite itself, plus the way your body reacts. Most other bug bites just don't trigger that kind of response.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease

frozenorca63 said:If a tick bites you, it stays embedded in your skin. Or does it? I don't get how you can even tell something bit you if the creature isn't still attached to your body. How do you actually know it was a tick?

They don't always stay stuck in your skin. Sometimes they just fall off on their own. You usually only end up with the head left behind if you try to yank them out too fast. And for the record, I know it was a tick because I went to see my doctor—she’s been practicing for 30 years and knows these things inside and out. It's not like I just sat there and gave myself a diagnosis. 😁

Here is what mine looked like:
http://www.diseasesymptoms.info/wp-c...e_rash_375.jpg
🙄

Angela Kelly said:You can usually tell by that classic bite pattern and how the body reacts, which is totally different from your average bug bite.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyme_disease

I’d say all five possibilities are on the table, though I honestly don't think a tick can actually pass anything along unless it really digs in and stays attached. It takes them a good few hours—sometimes even up to ten—to actually transmit anything. From what I gathered about the OP, she didn't actually find a tick stuck to her, just the bite itself, so it could have been a spider or something else entirely. A tick usually hangs on for a while; if it just brushes you and falls off, it hasn't had the chance to do any damage.
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lyme-disease/symptoms-causes/mcd-20356721

Look, her photo shows a textbook bullseye rash—that's exactly what this bite is supposed to look like.

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl...-8&sa=N&tab=wi

Angela Kelly said:Looking at her photo, that looks like a textbook bullseye rash, which is pretty much the classic look for this kind of bite.

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl...-8&sa=N&tab=wi

I’m honestly not sure. I’ve asked around everywhere, and everyone tells me that a tick stays stuck to you—it doesn't just fall off on its own. I mean, sure, it might drop off after two or three days once it’s had its fill, but wouldn't you notice it by then? To be honest, my little guy once got a red bite that turned really hard, but it was just a mosquito. It didn't look like that weird red circle with a pale ring around it; it was just this solid, red, firm swelling. We ended up using some Hydrocortisone cream on it, and the redness eventually faded away, leaving nothing but a tiny brown spot behind.

frogy, I find that particular section rather unsettling as well, though if my memory serves me correctly—and I recall seeing this specifically on one of those vaccine promotional posters—it stated that a significant percentage of people develop Lyme disease without ever actually remembering a tick bite!

frozenorca63 said:Honestly, I’m stumped. I’ve asked everyone I know, and the consensus seems to be that a tick isn't just going to drop off on its own—it stays attached. Well, unless it’s gorged itself for a couple of days, then maybe. But surely you'd notice it after two or three days, right? My little one had this red bite that turned quite hard, though it was actually from a mosquito. It didn't look like that classic "bullseye" rash where there's a pale ring around a red center; it was just a solid, firm, red swelling. We applied some Bactroban, and the redness eventually faded, leaving nothing but a tiny brown spot.

I spent two weeks slathering all sorts of creams on my own bite, and honestly, it only made things worse. I even ended up running a fever. Personally, I feel like I have a much higher chance of running into a spider than a tick out here. 🤷
Now I'm just completely confused.
I have a really hard time tolerating antibiotics, so I haven't taken them in ages.

nimbletinker10 said:I tried slathering everything on for two weeks straight and honestly, things just went south, plus I ended up running a fever. At this point, I feel like I'm more likely to run into a spider than an actual tick 🤷
Now I'm just totally confused.
My stomach can't handle antibiotics at all, so I haven't touched them in ages.

Honestly, I’ve become pretty skeptical about doctors lately since it feels like they just reach for the prescription pad for everything. I mean, I’m a doctor myself, and I see how it goes—redness? Antibiotics. Fever? Antibiotics. A little cough? Boom, antibiotics. I’m not trying to bash your physician or anything, because prevention is always better than cure, but based on my own bad experiences, it feels like they prescribe them for every little thing. I really hope you start feeling better soon.

To be completely honest, I’m just as reckless when it comes to antibiotics as anyone else.🤷
I don't even know where I stand anymore. Part of me is terrified of skipping them and ending up with some nasty, serious infection, but then again, whenever I actually take them, my vaginal flora goes into total meltdown.

Betty Bennett10 said:frozenorca63, I thought that part felt a little off too, but I distinctly remember seeing on one of those vaccine info posters that a huge chunk of people end up with Lyme disease without even realizing they ever got bitten by a tick in the first place!

Honestly, Mary, I’m not so sure. Every medical site I’ve looked at says you really have to pull the tick out yourself, since they don't start pumping that toxin into you until they've been attached for a few hours. I haven't seen any info suggesting they just drop off on their own—unless they've gorged themselves enough to swell up like a little balloon after a couple of days, but then you'd definitely notice them.

nimbletinker10 said:To be totally real, I’m also pretty trigger-happy when it comes to antibiotics.🤷
I’m honestly just stuck in this loop where I’m terrified of skipping them and ending up with something nasty, but then once I actually start taking them, my whole system just goes haywire down there.

Maybe it's worth grabbing a second opinion just so you can finally breathe easy?

Lyme disease is way more dangerous than just one round of antibiotics.

I honestly don't get how people can be so casual about a possible Lyme diagnosis, especially when the bite mark looks exactly like what we're talking about. This isn't some harmless thing; it can mess with your heart and your brain if you don't deal with it IMMEDIATELY.

It hits your joints, your bones... basically everything living.

I personally wouldn't dream of putting off antibiotics.

I honestly don't even know. If they need to draw more blood and then have me come back in just a few days... I have no clue if my insurance is even going to cover all this. Everything is hitting me at once, right when I can barely keep my head straight.
And if it turns out to be a spider? For heaven's sake, what kind of spiders am I living with? 😲I'm right in the middle of downtown, in an apartment where everything is practically sterile.

Angela Kelly said:New Haven disease is way more dangerous than just taking a single course of antibiotics.

I honestly don't get how people can be so casual about a potential case of New Haven, especially when the bite mark looks exactly like what we’re describing. This isn't some harmless thing; if you don't treat it IMMEDIATELY, it can mess with your heart and your brain.

It hits your joints, your bones—it attacks everything living.

Personally, I wouldn't dream of delaying my antibiotics.

I have to stay on them for three weeks. In the meantime, we'll keep monitoring my bloodwork. Like I mentioned before, my liver hasn't been great, so I try to avoid medication whenever possible, but I realize the risk here is just too high to ignore.

The one thing my doctor failed to mention—and she really should have, considering it's summer—is that this antibiotic causes extreme photosensitivity. Now, I'm basically a magnet for sunburns.