Lyme disease?
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Discussion

Chicken Chaser

Original Poster:

9,051 posts

253 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
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Few months ago, I think I may have been bitten by something, I don't recall the actual bite but I had a mark on the inside of my thigh following being out in the outdoors. I'm out a lot so thought nothing of it. This produced a bulls eye mark around the site but I thought it might have just been a touch of Eczema and thought it would go. It did fade away with only a very slight mark present. The bulls eye went and it was just a bit of dry skin.

Having been walking again this week, I've noticed that this mark has returned in the same place. Now curious, I googled it and found Lyme disease! Haven't been to the doc yet as I've just got back home but it sounds like a trip is necessary?

Bill

58,572 posts

284 months

Thursday 17th September 2015
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Unless you had a tick there for 24 hours then Lyme disease is unlikely. More likely it is chaffage related, foliculitis or similar.

Snow Mole

175 posts

261 months

Friday 18th September 2015
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Hi
I contracted Lyme disease whilst working in Switzerland. Went up into the mountains on a beautiful sunny day - sat in the grass and then got a bite on my lower leg. Removed the tick and thought nothing about it.

A week later back at home felt like I had flu, aching joints, headaches etc so went to the docs and showed her the bite. She recognized it as the typical bulls-eye mark and sent me through to Newcastle General Hospital where I spent 3 weeks on the isolation ward.

Many heavy doses on antibiotic later said I could go home but the symptoms reemerged 2 months later so back into Hospital.
I would recommend being checked out if it does not improve, as Lyme disease is becoming more common here in the UK.

I still get the occasional symptoms now and have learnt that it never really goes away.

Just my experience

Richard

Chicken Chaser

Original Poster:

9,051 posts

253 months

Friday 18th September 2015
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Snow mole, that sounds like a serious case. Can I ask how long the bullseye mark remained?

Snow Mole

175 posts

261 months

Saturday 19th September 2015
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The bullseye lasted for months but it didn't help that they took a biopsy from the centre!

number2

5,222 posts

216 months

Monday 21st September 2015
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My father contracted Lyme disease and unfortunately it it wasn't diagnosed for many months after the symptoms made themselves known: he had excruciating back pain, he was always tired (but couldn't sleep due to the back pain), was having trouble walking as he lost some motability in one of his feet, and was losing feeling and motability in the fingers of one of his hands.

He saw a few different doctors and specialists (back, neurologists etc) and eventually it was a chance conversation with a nurse during a visit that pointed in the direction of Lyme disease which was then later diagnosed. It was months before a diagnosis was made, after many NHS, as well as private specialist visits.

My father remembers being bitten while on holiday (rural Italy) leaving a bullseye type mark and believes this now to be where he contracted it, although of course he thought nothing of it at the time as no symptoms presented themselves.

He took a long course of antibiotics and has now improved dramatically although due to nerve damage still hasn't got full motability of his hand or foot but they are functional.

There were a few reports in the media of Lyme disease earlier this year which has likely raised awareness of it among the public and GPs. It's something that's straightforward to diagnose in hindsight (like a lot of things!) but when confronted with the symptoms, especially in Greater London, not a diagnosis that may spring to mind.

It's worth getting yourself checked out, if in doubt, as the symptoms can be quite debilitating (and increasingly worse) the longer it's left untreated.

TwistingMyMelon

6,506 posts

234 months