Tick bite - do I have Lymes Disease?

[Starryskiesinthesky]

Got bitten in Scottish highlands about a week ago. Not sure if o need to go to the doctors or not. Any thoughts? Thanks

You may have a bad allergic reaction, or it may be the beginning of Lyme -- either way the big rash isn't normal for a tick bite so you do need to speak to a GP.

Definitely see a doctor soon and get a prescription for antibiotics. Sorry.

100% YES! Don’t mess about with that!

Agree, get that seen if the bite is a week old.

I’d go to doctor, you are having a nasty reaction of some sort. If no doctor available, a pharmacist might be able to help.

That looks like a bullseye rash to me. Urgent GP appt in the morning.

I’d bet my house on Lymes disease, I’ve seen it a few times and that’s exactly the rash it results in, you need to be seen, the effects of untreated Lymes disease can be serious.

You need to get that seen. It might be just a bad reaction but please get it checked.

Am vet not doc but if I saw a dog with that, it'd be on doxycycline toot sweet.

Did you actually know you were bitten by a tick or could it have been something else?

www.nhs.uk/conditions/lyme-disease/

And definitely don't dick about waiting to see if you feel ill or not. I know somebody who has lupus which was triggered by Lyme disease. It is nasty shit.

Ooooof that must be so sore! Definitely one for a doctor to look at.

Looks very like a bullseye to me.

Straight to GP for the correct antibiotics and do NOT let them fob you off!

I’ve had direct experience and would say you need antibiotics ASAP. As well as GP with Lyme disease action if necessary who are excellent For advice .
You will be fine as the most important thing is you can get it seen to and it hasn’t been too long. Not everyone gets a rash and it can easily be missed

Thanks everyone. Will make an appointment tomorrow. It was definitely a tick - I’ve had a few bites and never reacted like this before. Got it fully out with tweezers but it had obviously had enough time to suck some blood. I hate them!

Another voice for urgent GP appointment and request they consider prescribing antibiotics. Better safe than sorry.

I had a bite that did that. Gp said fine but I was about to start expensive nhs-funded fertility treatment and said I really really needed him to be very sure, was he? He phoned a colleague at the hospital to check and put me straight on antibiotics, I think for 2 weeks. Get checked.

I was all ready to post that you will be fine and stop worrying about something unlikely. However that doesn't look good. Certainly needs to see a doc. Out of interest, how long was the tick in the skin and how did you remove it and was it central to the skin inflammation?

For future reference please never use tweezers! You want to lift them out ideally with a tick remover with as little damage to the tick as possible or they can regurgitate. I have several tick card and specialist tweezers that slide under and lift !

yes.
When you start antibiotics you might have a period of time when your temperature goes up and you feel really shit. That's quite common, but should be reported.

Yes definitely no tweezers!! We use the green o'tom tick removers. You slide it under and twist and they come out easily and safely. Good luck with that though, let us know how you get on!

At most it can have been in about 24 hours as I feel pretty sure I would have noticed it when I had a shower. I removed it with tweezers - I know I should have used proper tick removers but I had forgotten ours and my partner is very experienced at getting them out!

I know! I love the proper tick removal things but didn’t have them and just wanted it out ASAP! I must have had a bad feeling about this one!

Agree with never using tweezers (sorry op no help for you) was it still alive when you removed it.

I understand the out asap very well