Charlotte, NC - need good doctor!

[Guest guest]

Hi everyone, I was just referred to this group by a gentleman on

another Lyme board (Thanks Gill!). He said you folks may be able to

help refer me to a doctor in my area that would help me.

I don't know if I have Lymes or not but several weeks weeks ago I

found a tick just inside the hairline behind my ear. Even though I

wash and brush my hair every day, it had managed to hang on for

several days. After removal the bite apparently became infected and

swelled up into a small red lump. I also had headaches, fatigue,

nausea, cough, hot flashes, a sore neck and some red spots on my arms

and legs. I went to the doctor a week after being bitten and my

doctor diagnosed RMSF and gave me 100 mg Doxycycline twice a day for

7 days. I threw up some on my second day of medication but I have

never run a very high temperature.

Monday was my last dose but my neck is still so sore, I feel off

balance, I still have hot flashes, sometimes I'm shaky, I have

trouble sleeping, I still cough occasionally and this morning I found

3 new red lumps. Two were on the inside of my arm and one on the

inside of my foot. I also found about 10 red spots under the skin

near them that are the size of a pen head (I didn't notice these

until just now!). I may be silly but I think these look like blood

leaks. Several days ago the other Lymes Disease forum folks told me

my doctor had not given me enough antibiotics so I had called her an

asked her to continue with my Doxycycline yesterday. Instead, she

referred me to a doctor who specialized in infectious diseases (I

looked him up later and his actual specialty is AIDS not Lymes!).

I went to him yesterday and basically got blown off and no

antibiotics or any medication to cure whatever is causing my

problems. He flexed my knees and elbows, which were ok, and told me

that I didn't have it since they were fine and I never had the

bullseye rash. He ignored me when I pointed out that those don't

away show up. Who knows? The site of my bite was red and swollen.

I couldn't see it and no one looked at it for a week. Could I have

had a small one there? Yeah, I'm reaching but it's possible. Plus,

both told me I " JUST " have meningitis. The second doctor also added

that I have an upper resiratory infection.

Ok, if I have an infection, there has to be a CAUSE, right???!

Instead of treating the CAUSE, I was given Celebrex 100mg once a day

(anti-inflammatory) for the meningitis and Meclizine (motion sickness

pill) for the dizziness. I get ulcers and can not take NSAIDs and

had told this second doctor but he again blew me off and prescribed

it. I bought it and took one pill yesterday. It relieved some of

the pain for a while but later caused my stomach to start hurting.

That's the last I will take of that pill. If I have to take

something harmful to my stomach I will save that for a cure and not

for something to lessen a symptom.

Neither of these doctors have tested me for anything. They both seem

to assume that since I live in Charlotte, NC there is no chance I

could have picked up Lymes Disease. However, I believe I picked up

my tick at a large horse barn in Virginia. There are many boarders

there and they travel all around the US, esp up and down the East

Coast, buying and showing horses. Ticks love horses and the barn is

full of ticks. I seriously doubt all the ticks in that barn

originated in Va. Meningitis is more a symptom of Lymes than RMSF,

right? I was told on the other board that a tick can give you more

than one infection and I'm worried that I may have also contracted

Lymes esp. since I have this meningitis which will not go away.

Are there any doctor in Charlotte or the surrounding states that will

listen to me and actually test me or at least give me something as a

precaution in case I may have actually picked up Lymes? I'll go to

whoever is willing to listen and help. It's easier to treat now as a

precaution than later as an long term illness, right? I'm losing

it. I'm 34 and a pretty active person. I have a job, two horses and

a dog and I also like to get out and hike. I can't do hardly

anything now. I've been basically confined to the house for 2 weeks

now and I'm going nuts! I hate my job but I hate the thought of not

being able to go back much worse. I want my life back! Please let

me know if any of you know of a good doctor I can contact who will

listen to me.

Thanks so much!!! =)

Angie