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Post-tickbite flu symptoms?

988 views 9 replies 5 participants last post by  karenlovessnow 
#1 ·
Yes, every illness in the world begins with flu symptoms and I'm probably just being paranoid. Two weeks ago, however, I was bitten by a tick - I did manage to remove it when I noticed it, which must have been a minimum of two hours after it latched on (if it latched on at the trailhead as we were leaving, two hours), before it began to feed, evidently (it wasn't enlarged at all - quite flat). No problems, no infection at the wound, everything good. Till yesterday. I got a sore throat and attributed it either to allergies or to swimming too much, but as the day went on I started to get achey. I went out to dinner last night and on the way back to the car was beset by an attack of chills like I've never had before. My sister drives a Caddie with heated seats, thank God, so I was fine till we got home, but walking from the car to the house I was shaking so hard I thought my teeth would rattle out of my head. I had a fever of 100.9, which sounds low except that my normal temp is 96.7, so it's an increase for me. I had a fever and chills, every gland in my throat and neck was swollen, and my head and every muscle and joint ached. "Ache" seems like such a paltry word. My muscles, joints and skin felt like...indescribable pain. I took some aspirin and went to bed, but couldn't sleep until I took a Darvocet (left over from a shoulder injury) and naproxin at 3 am (yes, I know it's a bad idea to take Rx drugs for a new, unprescribed condition, but it was that or perish from watching infomercials). Today, I feel relatively normal. Still have a little headache and my throat is still sore, but...nothing else. I put a call into the Student Health Center but it could be a while before I get a response. Are there any tickbite experts here?
 
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#2 ·
Two weeks fits the incubation period for several diseases transmitted by ticks, so it could be anything from Lyme disease to something completely mundane. You want the advice of an experienced doctor, who will know which pathogens are endemic where you live, not some googlenosis.
 
#4 ·
Lyme disease usually has the ring, but not in every case. Given you know you had a tick bite, I say a trip to the doc is in order. They might not give you anything unless you saved the tick, though. (Something to remember for future instances!) Also, lyme disease is only transmitted by deer ticks (as far as I know), which are tiny as heck. You probably would have not even seen it.... but that doesn't mean it couldn't be something else. always better to get it checked, is my motto.
 
#6 ·
I had lyme disease, minus the rash. I had flu-like symptoms for a few weeks before I went to the doctor. The first test was borderline, I was put on Tetracyline for four weeks. I was retested, still having symptoms and the second test came back as definitively positive. I had a third test at a special lyme clinic and the lyme diagnosis was confirmed. I think it takes a good 4-6 weeks from date of infection before a test will show up as positive. So technically you could wait a bit and see how you feel. If you totally feel better, I would think it's not lyme. I don't think it's something that will go away on it's own, but I'm not an expert. If you still feel sick, you should see your doctor.
 
#7 ·
Ok, I went to the doc, and because of the abscence of rash and nausea or vomiting, we are going the "wait and see" route, though a CBC was taken because one of the possible culprits also results in hemolytic anemia. Karenlovessnow, were they able to resolve the lyme disease completely? Any residual effects?
 
#8 ·
I suffered a number of years with the low grade fever, muscle achiness about 75% of the time. It was pretty awful. Unfortunately, the first doctor I was seeing had a bad attitude and would not continue giving me antibiotic treatment. I had to change doctors three times before I found one who gave me intravenous antibiotic. Unfortunately, I was into my second year of symptoms so I wasn't having much relief. The tests finally started coming out negative, but by that time I still had symptoms, low grade fever (which was not my normal body temp, by the way) and total muscle aches/pains. That was ten years ago. Now I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. No more low grade fever, but I have muscle pain almost constantly. I've been told it could be the result of the lyme disease. I've learned to live with it. My advice to you would be, don't let the doctors shrug you off if you continue to experience fever/pain. Keep looking until you find a doctor who listens to you. If you feel fine, that's a different story. I have a few issues that were always dismissed by doctors as stress related and the fact that I'm a woman. I was told to go home and relax. That went on for years. Turned out I had a heart problem that needed a medical procedure to correct. I was lucky enough to find a doctor when I moved to my current home who diagnosed me correctly. So trust your instinct. I know there are a lot of hypochondriacs out there, but there are also a lot of people with real issues as well.
 
#9 ·
Karen, I am so sorry to hear about your experience. You've lit my fire, though - I won't let this go if it continues. I could not believe the pain I was in last night. I hope it was only some off-the-wall virus, but I'll really be paying attention. Interestingly, today I feel fine. Did yours come and go, or was it pretty constant? You said muscle pain about 75% of the time...
 
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