Lyme disease?

[PickUpTheDogAndBone]

Teenage DD got bitten by an (unknown) insect a couple of weeks ago.

Very suddenly, tonight it has gone like this!

If it's like it tomorrow I will of course take her to the pharmacy for advice (or a remote private GP appt as I get them free through work and can access appts quickly).

However in the meantime, does anyone have any experience of tick bites? Does this look like one to you??

Am not the right sort of doctor to say whether it's Lyme or not I think it is but that cream is 100% not the right treatment whatever it is.

To the extent I think you should complain to the surgery, as the nurse clearly had no clue and should have asked not guessed.

The GP didn’t diagnose but send t us straight to the hospital for blood tests which confirmed it. Could you push for this? My son did not have a rash at all but lots of other worrying symptoms. Palsy, vomiting, backache, headaches. Was awful.

I think you need to ring 111 again and ask for an out of hours gp appointment as you weren’t happy with the treatment received by the nurse and you are concerned that you need antibiotics urgently.

Can't you do the remote private GP thing you mentioned in your OP?

Or, ring first thing for GP appt rather than NP or PA appt?

Or drive the 1 hour to the minor injuries tonight.

Yeh she needs doxycycline for at least 21 days, pronto, like yesterday. Better to have the doxy onboard and not need it than have a lifetime to find how the Lymes is going to affect her.
15 years and counting here - only diagnosed when I was living abroad - dismissed repeatedly in the UK.

Just go straight to A&E Luke's disease is no joke. This is serious and you need to take her tonight.

*lymes not like

Normally I can access Babylon GP appts within an hour or two but it's showing next available appt as the 23rd!! So that rules that out, though I'll keep refreshing tonight as a cancellation may appear.

I'll call docs at 8am when they're open and push for an in-person GP appt. If no luck I'll driver her to MIU tomorrow.

Don't worry. I'm on it! I'll report back.

Thanks all

Not like damn predictive txt.

Gp probably wont do anything. Not worth waiting on the off chance you can see one. Just take her to a minor injuries or a&e tonight.

Well it was only a minor injuries dept at the community hospital because that’s all we have. No A&E

Dsis had the rash but not unwell. She went to the GP who didn’t think it was Lymes and sent her off to keep an eye on it. She got half way home and realised she wasn’t happy so went back and asked for a second opinion. She had blood tests done and antibiotics given to shut her up. The blood tests came back showing Lymes. I’d be pushy if I were you.

I was on a trip to the US when I got a bullseye rash, went to the GP and she did a blood test. Iirc there was a specific time frame for it so I had to go back at a later date to have the test done.

Mine wasn't Lyme, probably a spider bite.

OP I'm not being mean here and just want to help but the faffing in my mind is the 'tomorrow' comments. In your shoes I'd be going to A&E yesterday. I wish you well x

Sorry for delay in updating. In the end we went to a pharmacist as wanted some clout to go back to GP with.

Pharmacist took one look and said "yeah that's a tick bite and needs oral antibiotics".

So then spoke to an out of hours GP with what the pharmacist said. She took it very seriously was surprised the nurse practitioner didn't prescribe ABs - I said she hadn't only because of the absence of other symptoms and she said the guidelines state AB should be given even if no other symptoms.

So now on a 21 day course of Doxycycline.

Thanks for everyone's help.

Glad you are on treatment.

I still think this needs a formal complaint so the nurse and practice know guidelines were not followed so she can update herself for next time.

Phew! Glad she got the ABs eventually.

Really glad you kept going with it to get the antibiotics. Disappointing you had to push for something so obvious to even non experts.

@Beanie567 - I can't seem to find that diagram online, I don't suppose you could link it please?

OP your dd may find she has to take the doxy with food. I was ok for a few days taking it without but then it started to upset my stomach, and that is a common side effect.

I think this should be flagged to the GP practice as a misdiagnosis by the practice nurse. To prevent it happening to anyone else. Lyme’s disease is scary

Thanks, yes I've said to her to make sure she takes it with some food, a full glass of water and not to lie down for 30 minutes after taking them (which they state on the packet).

They do look hardcore! They make you sensitive to sunlight too don't they (luckily she tends to spend most of the day in her teenage cave bedroom so unlikely to be an issue.

Yes I will send an email to the practice manager next week to flag it with them.