On Lyme disease

I didn't share anything about this earlier because I figured there was no point in doing so until we knew something for sure. The short story is... Ari got pretty sick last week, we took her to the doctor, they suspected Lyme disease and sent her for bloodwork, and we got the results today which told us that she does indeed have Lyme disease.

So now that I know for sure that Ari has Lyme disease, I did some research. I figured I would go ahead and share it all here in case you ever find yourself in need of this info.

From the CDC's website, a very brief summary...

Lyme disease is caused by the bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and is transmitted to humans by the bite of infected blacklegged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migrans. If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks; laboratory testing is helpful in the later stages of disease. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics. Steps to prevent Lyme disease include using insect repellent, removing ticks promptly, landscaping, and integrated pest management. The ticks that transmit Lyme disease can occasionally transmit other tick-borne diseases as well.

From WebMD.com...

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted by a tick. . . .

In the early stages of Lyme disease, you may experience flu-like symptoms that can include a stiff neck, chills, fever, swollen lymph nodes, headaches, fatigue, muscle aches, and joint pain. You also may experience a large, expanding skin rash around the area of the tick bite. In more advanced disease, nerve problems and arthritis, especially in the knees, may occur.

Erythema migrans is the telltale rash which occurs in about 70% to 80% of cases and starts as a small red spot that expands over a period of days or weeks, forming a circular, triangular, or oval-shaped rash. Sometimes the rash resembles a bull's-eye because it appears as a red ring surrounding a central clear area. The rash, which can range in size from that of a dime to the entire width of a person's back, appears between three days and a few weeks of a tick bite, usually occurring at the site of a bite. As infection spreads, several rashes can appear at different sites on the body.

Erythema migrans is often accompanied by symptoms such as fever, headache, stiff neck, body aches, and fatigue. These flu-like symptoms may resemble those of common viral infections and usually resolve within days or a few weeks.

In its early stages, Lyme disease can be effectively treated with antibiotics. In general, the sooner such therapy is begun following infection, the quicker and more complete the recovery. Antibiotics, such as doxycycline or amoxicillin taken orally for two to four weeks, can speed the healing of the rash and can usually prevent subsequent symptoms such as arthritis or neurological problems.

That's a pretty spot-on description of what Ari had. She had been fighting off what seemed like a normal cold, so I'm not sure if that was a symptom of the Lyme disease, or something unrelated, but when she broke out with the fever, that's when we knew she was definitely sick. Tony was the one who spotted the rash, which formed around her left ear. All I noticed was a red spot just in front of her ear, which, like I said earlier, made me think maybe she'd bumped her head. But Tony was the one who pulled her hair back and realized it formed a ring around her ear. And she kept complaining about various body parts hurting--probably the joint pain described above.

Lyme disease is only transmitted by ticks, and it's not contagious from person to person. So at least we don't have to worry that she shared it with any of her little friends. As far as how she got it... well, obviously, she got it from a tick. But we have no idea when that happened--our only guess is that it was somewhat recent. But neither of us ever saw a tick on her.

We caught it in the early stages, which is a good thing. She'll be on amoxicillin for 2 more weeks, for a total of 3 weeks. And then I think that's it. The doctor just told us to keep on the lookout for the return of any symptoms, such as the rash, or joint pain/swelling. The general consensus, from what I've read, seems to be that the earlier it's caught, the better, and that a person can make a full recovery. There are some sites, though, that seem to think it's something that's always lurking in the background in a person's body and can recur at any time. So... I guess we'll see.

As far as Ari herself, she is definitely feeling better. Pretty much all her symptoms are gone. She does feel a little warm from time to time, but I'm not sure if that's a low-grade fever, or just me being extra alert to her temperature. But she is most definitely back to her usual sassy little self, which is great.