Post bite rash/Lyme disease?

[Namelessnancy]

I'd really appreciate any advice from anyone in the know.... DD (25) had a bad insect bite about 4 weeks ago. No idea what had bitten her but it became really swollen and took a while to go down.

Today she got out of the bath and had a large bullseye type lesion exactly round the position of the bite. Probably about 15cm diameter. Before getting in the hot bath it was not visible. I took her to the pharmacy to get it looked at and they suspected Lyme disease and told her to go to a and e (there are no walk in clinics here we are very rural) to have it seen.

She's had a long wait (no complaints at all people are coming in in a much worse state than her) and in the meantime the rash/bullseye lesion has faded. I'm not sure if that means it's not actually likely Lyme? Also whilst I know it's important to get it treated promptly is it right to stay in a and e or better to try to get her registered as a temporary patient and seen at our gp tomorrow? Thanks in advance.

Not a dr but bitten by everything….bullseye rash is always associated with Lyme disease. Earliest intervention is best. I’d personally stay in a & e as drs visit etc may take more time than expected.
I know I worried last bites I had (4 weeks ago) they were just horse fly and didn’t warrant a & e but leg swelled up and id followed surgery advice to wait a few days, a & e and warned it could have turned into cellulitis when I went .
Good luck.

My husband had just had this. He did a phone appointment with the doctor and we emailed them a photo of the rash, they agreed it looked like Lyme rash and gave him a prescription for antibiotics.
Call the doctors. So much nicer than a &e

Thanks very much for the advice, I appreciate it. She's actually just been seen (hurrah, just as we were wondering if she should leave!) and is now waiting for her antibiotics.

We’ve been there, bullseye rash is enough to diagnose Lyme or was when we had it - might be too late but it helped us no end that we had taken a photo. Also any questions Lyme disease Action are a fantastic resource . Our GP gave us the wrong antibiotic and at far too low a dose and they were a great help to us. It’s crucial to treat it hard (eg double strength amoxicillin ) as the borrelia bacteria doubles fast and early treatment such a help.

It’s really encouraging you saw a rash as only a third or so of people get it and it’s much harder to realise without ! And I’m sure your DD will be more than fine as a result which is excellent but do double check treatment as our London gp had the wrong guidelines And hadn’t experience of it but this was a few years ago

Thank you. That's really helpful. Ironically we live in a high risk area and DD does not (where she got bitten). I'm hopeful that that means our local medics and pharmacists will be on the ball but will definitely double check dosage.

You can refer them to the nice guidelines for treatment of Lyme if necessary. Normally a 21 day course of 200mg doxycycline
www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng95/chapter/Recommendations#management

She's been given 100mg Doxycycline twice daily for 21 days. Thanks again everyone.