Dr Frank or Nurse Rhianna - advice please! Limes disease concern?

A week last saturday I got bitten by a tick. The tick was removed within an hour or so of the bite (I also immediately went to a NHS drop in centre to check it was fully removed). No rash has has developed. A few days later, I started to get aches and pains and swollen glands and became a bit paranoid I had Limes disease. My aches and pains turned into a cold and my glands have gone down completely.





However, I did visit the doctor before my cold ';came out'; and was prescribed Doxycyline for 14 days. After taking the second tablet, I had extreme nausea and was violently sick last night. I still feel nauseous.





My question is this, should I continue taking antibiotics - I really can't face feeling so ill on them. As my concerns over aches and pains turned out to be a cold - what is likelihood I have Limes?





What would you tell your patient?Dr Frank or Nurse Rhianna - advice please! Limes disease concern?
Hi, the risk of developing Lymes disease from a tick is about 1% so the chances are very rare indeed, but I do understand your concerns. It's most likely that you have picked up a common cold and your symptoms have just coincided with with the tick bite, however although rare, falling ill after a tick bite, means lymes disease is a possibility. There isn't really a reliable test to confirm lymes disease, most useful tests are antibody detection tests.





As I am sure you are aware, the first sign of infection is a circular rash. This rash actually appears 2-30 days after infection. The rash has a sort of central red spot surrounded by clear skin that is ringed by the expanding rash. That said, many people with Lymes disease do not develop a rash.





Other symptoms are swollen lymph nodes, headache, muscle/joint pains and general flu-like symptoms. Your Doctor has likely given you the antibiotic just to be on the safe side and to set your mind at rest. Doxycycline commonly causes GI upset and if you have been sick after taking any antibiotic then really you need to contact your GP, let him know the situation and discontinue use.





He may or may not decide to give you another. Lymes disease is rare in the UK. It's more common in the US. It's best you contact your GP, he may decide to give you another anitbitoitic as the problem with lymes disease is if left untreated it can cause complications (although in most cases the immune system will fight the infection before it progresses anyway.) The infection may still be present and go on to cause problems even if symptoms have gone.





If Doxy dosen't suit you then amoxicillin, azithromycin, cefuroxime, and clarithromycin have similar favourable results in treating Lyme disease patients.





(If you leave this question open, I'll mention into to Dr Frank in case I have missed anything)





Best Wishes.Dr Frank or Nurse Rhianna - advice please! Limes disease concern?
You could get the disease when you are bitten with an infected pet .just continue your antibiotics and go back to your doctor after you finish it.
consult doctor he may change the antibiotic