Help! Lymes?

[herbsgirl]

I am 9 weeks 1 day pregnant. I had a tick bite 2+ days ago. Dont know how long tick was attatched. There was a reaction, red around it but it was small and is disappearing so think it is a tick bite reaction but not sure. The tick was larger (not engorged) and brown.

I went to the Nurse Practitioner doctor the next day. They would not give me antibiotics. There is only 2 antibiotics they can give to pregnant women with Lymes. Amoxicillen, which I am allergic to.  And Ceftin.  Ceftin is related to Amoxicillen she said, so they didnt want to give it to me unless they had to because I could have a reaction to that too.  So she said Im supposed to watch for symtoms and come in if I have symptoms and they would give me antibiotics.

So the tiny reaction is disappering, but on day #2 woke up with my upper back shoulders hurting and feeling like I had lifted heavy weights the day before even though I had not. Now Its day #3 the back pain is still there, and almost into my arms and a bit into my neck. But that is basicly the only symptom I have.  No fever, headache ect...

And I have had upper back pain before. So do you think its just a fluke that I happened to wake up with sore muscles at the same time after tick bite?

I dont know what to do. She consulted with a OB doc in Lacrosse, Plus another MD in the same office. All 3 agreed I guess.  So if I go to urgent care, are they going to scoff at me, should I wait another day or two to see if the back pain goes away?

But Lymes is really bad for the baby especially in 1st trimster

[Triniity]

what about a blood test for antibodies? i would go to urgent care, nothing is to tiny a risk for a little fetus!

[leafylady]

hmmmm, you might want to check with an infectious disease specialist or someone that deals with both Lyme's and ehrlichiosis, another tick born disease that is common in that area. (You mean La Crosse, WI?) Sometimes you get a doc who deals with it all the time and is very knowledgeable. Other times, they brush it off. You could insist that they double check with an infectious disease doc, not just a regular OB or MD.

[leafylady]

Knowing Gundersen Lutheran, from when I lived there, I wouldn't trust the urgent care or ER docs to diagnose properly for tick-borne diseases. Some will know a lot, especially in the rural offices, but others won't have much experience with it if they deal mainly with the urban dwellers.

[herbsgirl]

Yeah, I meant Lacrosse WI. I went ahead and called the nurse line. They recomended I go in. THe pain went into my neck, and almost into my head, and I thought possibly I was feeling generally sick.

They gave me Ceftin for 2 weeks.

Has anyone took antibiotics in 1st trimester?
 

[Krystal1220]

Do you know anywhere near you where you can get the tick tested for Lyme or other tick-borne diseases next time? We recently moved to an area with a large tick population, and the two ticks I've picked off my son we have had tested for peace of mind. We're in CA, so the incidence of Lyme is much lower than in other parts of the country, but it happens and I am terrified about it. I hope you feel better soon.

[leafylady]

I'm glad you were able to get the treatment. I sure miss that nurse line since we moved!

[leafylady]

My late husband was immune suppressed and got a tick borne disease (ehrlichiosis) which was misdiagnosed in the Gundersen ER until an infectious disease specialist stepped in. Because of his immune suppression it caused sepsis and then serious long term health effects- so now I'm super vigilant about it, even though none of the current household members are immune suppressed.