Tick tock, tick tock
from the rock not the clock.

My own experience with lyme was 5 years ago. I found the tiniest "." sized tick behind my knee, removed it intact and took to Orange Cty Health Department. After a quick look under the microscope, they sent it to Albany, and me to First Care for a preventative dose of Doxy. Two days later a phone call to me with the confirmation. Female dear tick and by it's size it was figured it had been on me only 15 hours and it tested positive for Lyme. Now to wait for a symptom. Sure enough, no bull's eye, but about two weeks later, a one day bout of flu symptoms then scary enough, tunnel vision. Back to doctor for a complete cycle of meds. A few relapses over the next three years, exhaustion etc. I've been told that once you get Lyme, you will always test positive, so the tests don't mean much after that first hit. Precautions, diligence, and fingers crossed.

Wrote about this here

I'm fine three years later. Had another dose last year. Fever and doxy. No long term probs that I know about. Subsequent dx is harder as Rick said. There is new IgM, indicating a new infection, but the tests are pretty iffy. Mine came back "maybe" last year as a result, so I just kept eating the doxy and felt better. Not a big deal if you tell your doc you spend a lot of time in tick country.

Could you people please stop calling it "Lyme's" Disease?? please???

Alpa Chino: [stares at Lazarus, and then gets angry] What do *you* mean, "you people?"

In my experience it is almost always the tiny, tiny, tiny ones, that are problematic. There are years down here in SJ where you can't go outside without getting ticks on you. And most years there are weeks where I don't expect to go for a trail run without find a few – and that's staying on the trail.

Wander into bushes or high grass and you might find a couple dozen. I've complained of symptoms for years after I was treated - even with IV Ceftriaxone. I got prophylactic treatment many times after that.. These days my (very well known) infectious diseases doc says the tests are accurate and will not prescribe them. Whaterver, after an initial period, they always made me feel much better.

Jeez, OK, Lyme Disease, or better yet, Lyme borreliosis.

are you saying that you still have symptoms but the tests are neg? That really bites. This whole chronic/post/late Lyme thing is a mess. There is obviously something wrong, but repeat studies find no evidence of Borrelia in patients.

Well, no, if you have symptoms, it's Lyme disease.

Not if you're the idsa. Btw, i'm not taking sides on this, just sayin'