I removed a large tick 3 weeks ago and immediately asked for treatment for my daughter but was told no by my pediatrician. Now that she has a rash around her neck like a chain he is telling me that she has Lyme. Has anyone had exerperience with this? She has been really tired and cranky for the last week or so and I can't get her to even get dressed with out a fight in the mornings. Am I wrong to let her stay home from school for a day or two if she is too tired? How long until the Antibiotic works and how will I know? Does it get worse before it gets better? Help!!
L. Q
My little sister got lyme disease when she was about the same age. I think once she got on the penicillan it didn't take that long for her to feel better. They say that most medicines kick in within the first 24-48 hours. I believe it just gets progressively better. If she isn't showing signs of improvement after 24 hours on her meds I would take her back to the dr, maybe she needs a different prescription. Good luck!!!
HI L.,
My nephews both have had recurring instances with Lyme, and I know with one of them, it's painful for everyone around him. His problem is unfortunately, he doesn't get a rash. However, he gets absolutely miserable, all of his joints start aching and usually for him, because he's been treated with antibiotics often, it's usually a game of finding out which antibiotic his body will respond to. In my family's experience, once they have him on the correct antibiotic, it usually only takes a few days. As far as your question goes, NO, there is no problem with keeping her home for a few days, because if the antibiotic isn't working correctly, it's likely she's achy which alot of kids don't know how to describe or react to. As far as the antibiotc goes, she should be responding to it (and feeling a little better) within a couple days, if not it may be time to call the Dr back, if he/she doesn't have a whole lot of experience with Lyme, you may need to also get another opinion. Hope this helps, please respond if you want any more info!
~Beth
My son got Lyme disease about 7 years ago, it was FREAKY. He was fine, then one day my friend called, my son was over her house playing with her son, and she says "what's wrong with Vinny's face?" and I'm like, "WHY?" she tells me he isn't moving a whole side of his face. So I hop in the car and race over there and talk to him, he can only move ONE side of his face. Half a smile, hard to talk, can't blink his one eye, half his face was PARALYZED. I rush him to our doctor who sends him for bloodwork, and it's Lyme. He put him on antibiotics, within 2 days his face came back to normal 100%, and he's never had a sign of it since then. BUT the doctor had said prior to that, "about half the people who develop bells palsy (what it's called when half your face goes paralyzed) do NOT recover (see Sylvester Stallone, he's got bell's palsy on half his face and it's permanant.) Doc also said many cab drivers get bell's palsy from having a window cracked and constant wind on one side of their face. Vinny got that from the Lyme disease. It effects different people in different ways. Anyway, to answer your question, you caught it early, he didn't have it for a long long time before you noticed, so the antibiotics SHOULD completely cure him. My stepmother on the other hand had it for a long time before detected, and now it's uncurable. She just gets really tired often, that's about it...
I have heard the medication they use is very strong and they do not like to prescribe it just because you have a tick. You can have a blood test done to tell if your child has been exposed to Lyme and if so if it's a current or past infection. They can do what is called a titer to tell you if the infection is new. The medication takes 21 days to complete...so I think they just don't like to hand it out. Hope this helps.
