Bill and Angry Viking,

I am currently being treated for lyme. I was bit by a tick about 3 weeks ago!  It was behind my knee and I estimate it was there for about 48 hours. I noticed it during and after a long run (i.e. 8 miles). My calf in the involved leg felt congested during the run and the back of my knee itched. I removed the tick, froze it and about 12 hours later I had dusky purple splotches all over my trunk (i.e. waistband and ribcage).

I have been prescribed 100 mg doxcycline, 2 times per day for 4 weeks (i.e. 200 mg per day).

You MUST avoid dairy for 4 horus before and after taking the med (the calcium binds the medicine..not on bottle..pharmacist gave me this extra verbal warning). Avoid taking vitamins 2 hours before and after taking the meds (that was on my bottle).

Although alcohol is NOT contraindicated, if you do like to have beer after long runs...i would recommend one doesnt. I found on pubmed that alocholics were NOT able to clear a DIFFERENT bacterial infection when taking doxycline. This suggests maybe liver enzymes have a role in the drug's metabolism and it may adversely affect the antibiotics ability to clear the infection.

What I am a scared of..is: HOW DO WE KNOW THE ANTIBIOTIC WORKED?  I heard the antigens can be in your blood for MONTHS after killing the little buggers off.  And that eliza's aren't going to help because we have already made white blood cells specific to the parasites we just killed.

I dont want to sit around for a year or more, letting some resevoir population grow inside of me unchecked.  I have met a lot of colleagues who ahve geriatric parents that acquired lyme before docs were aware, it went on checked. They have intellectual, neurological, and locomotive issues.  I made my living with my brain, it needs to work. If my brain does work then I will need to rely on brawn for my living (i.e. waitressing) and if I cant walk/write/ carry a tray, I am done for.

Did I already give you my friend's info? She has traveled all over the country to see the top lyme docs and is still battling the disease. HERE is her website. She has contact info listed, if you have any questions for her. She and I both adopted our kids from Kazakhstan.

Thank you!

I see this and will contact her.

I am about to finish this course of antibiotics but i have heard there are people that had their antibiotics FAIL them.

So, I want to be sure I am not in this small but VERY REAL population.

Hi SkinnyScientist- THANK YOU for the post. As you know I too have Lyme. I am taking same antibiotic as you for 3 weeks. I'm also taking a probiotic with it. I did not know about some of the restrictions when taking it so will be aware of them going forward.

I too have a lot of concerns with WHAT COULD HAPPEN after taking antibiotics. Still, due to my surgical history I try to be vigilant about my health. 

Just one other question.  I usually work out at 5-6 times a week. I am worried how the Lyme will affect me in terms of training. How did it affect you if at all?

Yours in WLS,

Billmacc7

Lyme and that damn tick TOTALLY RUINED MY MARATHON training schedule INDIRECTLY.

The doc told me to stay out of the sun while taking the doxycline (it makes one photo sensitive). I told him "I am training for a marathon, NO WAY I can avoid the sun".

He pointed out that I run on a treadmill on the gym.

I thought this was a GREAT IDEA.

However, I failed to account for the fact that I am changing speed EVERY 30 seconds as I am walk/running this marathon. I walked/ran for 15 MILES changign the speed every 30 second.

It totally trashed my IT band. ON a GOOD day, the farthest I can go without stabbing pain, or havnig the knee lock up is 10 MILES.  I need to be able to do 26.6 miles. And this is AFTER 2 weeks of total rest. I have tried massage, chiropractors, vibration therapy, electrostimulation and today a FAITH HEALER. I will try anything at this point...

I may totally have to scrap Marine corp marathon in October due to that stupid rotten tick. I am so glad I froze its ass in the freezer. I hope it ticked a chilly miserable death!  If I could find a new, meaner, better way to kill it again, I would.

So in summary, you CAN keep working out as long as it is indoors. BUT DONT RUN/WALK/RUN on the treadmill. The intervals WILL mess up your knee.

What i have been doing is beating the sun. Running outside witha  head lamp just before dawn, and through dawn but once the sun beams start hitting me, I go in...and wait till dusk/night. It has divided my long run, which is probably a good thign since my knee craps out at 10 miles...

Hey SkinnyScientist....Just Wow, that SUX...all due to that friggin tick! Plus, I did my 1st Marathon in May. I did most training on the road but some on treadmill. You can guess which one I hated to do!

Couple Questions:

1. Is the Marine Corps Marathon your 1st? 
2. How is it running in the dark?
3. Aside from the pains from running how do you feel physically from the Lyme?

Hi!  

Not sure how I missed this, I read threads on this site like my life depends on it!!

I was FINALLY diagnosed with Lyme disease in Feb of 2012, after being bitten in Aug of 2011 along with the classic Bulls eye rash !!! The rash traveled into my scalp from my shoulder and I proceeded to lose my hair!! A dermatologist made the diagnosis my PCP was too stupid to make!! I am an RN and have found out more information than I ever thought anyone would need. There are to conflicting "schools" in Lyme disease, and I am a product of the conflict. In March of this year I stopped antibiotics and Motrin after 5 years of continued  treatment. I knew n-saids weren't allowed for my pending bypass and I was sick of feeling like crap, etc. from Lyme, with NEVER any improvement from the antibx. (At one point IV antibx. and the picc. line almost killed me with a huge clot to my lungs!!.)

In May of 2013 I tried to revise from crappy, slipping band to RNY. Due to damage to esophagus and stomach, it could not be done. The following depression and damage to my brain from Lyme sent me into a tailspin. Multiple brain scans show irreversible damage...  I am now disabled.

Fast forward to today. I feel better than I have in years, at 5+ weeks bypass. I feared the post-op lethargy, but it is not here!! I'm down 30 lbs from July, and my joints feel great!!!

Sorry this is lengthy and late. If you were fearful of RNY and Lyme, I am a success! 

 Thanks for the great post. I am recovering nicely from lyme disease from over the summer.  I took the medication from my doctor and it felt a little facts from it. Also I'm coming up on six years postop and have lost  and maintain a 120 pound loss. One other funny note at one point when I was a kid I lived in Harrisville, small world huh?

Wow!! Congratulations on your weight loss and keeping it off. Glad to hear you've improved from the Lyme.  I live in Pascoag now but grew up in Harrisville, on Central St.