Question 1

how long should i take antibiotics for lyme disease?

Accepted Answer

7-10 days: I usually recommend a full 10 day course.

Question 2

does a positive elisa but a negative western blot mean you have lyme disease? some of my doctors say no and others say maybe. not sure if i should take antibiotics or not! (i have flu like systemic symptoms for years) thanks?

Accepted Answer

: Probably you do not have Lyme. The ELISA test often gives false positive results, which is why additional testing (such as Western blot) is needed to confirm the result. However, it's a complex issue, and test interpretation depends a lot on duration of Lyme, clinical manifestations, etc. Your symptoms fit with lots of chronic conditions other than Lyme. See an infectious diseases specialist.

Question 3

if you take antibiotics only to treat disease a (acne) and get antibiotic resistance, does this also create antibiotic resistance to treat disease b (unrelated bacterial disease such as pneumonia, lyme disease, etc.)?

Accepted Answer

Words matter: People don't develop antibiotic resistance, certain strains of germs can mutate &amp; thus become resistant. The other germs in the environment are chance invaders to your system and are either killed off or not depending on their own genetics, not something to do with you before they came around. When possible we try to select abx based on their ability to kill the expected germ type.

Question 4

if you are infected with syphilis or lyme disease would regular antibiotic treatment work?

Accepted Answer

Some antibiotics: I don't  know what you mean by "regular antibiotic treatment." there are specific antibiotics used for each disease.

Question 5

i'm just wondering, if you are infected with syphilis and lyme disease would regular antibiotic treatment work?

Accepted Answer

Maybe: It's not cleare what "regular antibiotic treatment" means. Both diseases are infectious in nature and will each respond to antibiuotic therapy. The medicvations used are commonplace antibiotics but the proper ones need to be selected based on the disease.

Question 6

i was diagnosed with lyme disease in june of 2012. i had an antibiotic treatment and now i've noticed arthritic symptoms. can i still have the disease?

Accepted Answer

Lyme disease: It is possible that you are still infected or have been reinfected. Certainly, post=lyme joint-pain is not unknown. Even after the infection is controlled, there are sometimes sequallae that remain. You may need to see an infectious disease specialist, who is the expert in detecting and then treating some of the more difficult maladies.

Question 7

if you take antibiotics very early in a syphilis infection cuz the doctor thinks its something else, and incompletely treats it, and you test for it years later, can the trep tests be false negative? (like what happens with lymes tests)?

Accepted Answer

: No test is infallible. Each has a false neg and false positive rate. Your judgement of your doc denotes distrust. Switch to one you trust

Question 8

how long on antibiotics for lyme will you start feeling better?

Accepted Answer

3-4 days: In the treatment of primary lyme disease, one should be improving within 3-4 days after beginning antibiotics.

Question 9

i am prescribed several antibiotics at once to help control lyme disease. i feel completely stoned! i don't drink or smoke or take anything else. help?

Accepted Answer

Call doc!: Call your doctor who prescribed the meds.  He can tell you whether your symptoms are due to the meds or something else. He may also be able to adjust or change the meds so they are better tolerated.  If your "stoned" feeling worsens, or can't reach a doc, get checked out at an UC or ER.  You can get other problems not related to the Lyme disease or treatment and an in person exam is necessary.

Question 10

how can i know if i have lyme's disease? how long does it take for antibiotics to work?

Accepted Answer

Lyme: Elisa test to determine if you're infected, if +, a Western Blot to confirm. I don't think Lyme endemic in Chile.

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Doctor answers about:

How long do you take antibiotics for lyme before feeling better

A member asked:

How long should i take antibiotics for lyme disease?

A member asked:

Does a positive elisa but a negative western blot mean you have lyme disease? some of my doctors say no and others say maybe. not sure if i should take antibiotics or not! (i have flu like systemic symptoms for years) thanks?

A member asked:

If you take antibiotics only to treat disease a (acne) and get antibiotic resistance, does this also create antibiotic resistance to treat disease b (unrelated bacterial disease such as pneumonia, lyme disease, etc.)?

A member asked:

If you are infected with syphilis or lyme disease would regular antibiotic treatment work?

A member asked:

I'm just wondering, if you are infected with syphilis and lyme disease would regular antibiotic treatment work?

A member asked:

I was diagnosed with lyme disease in june of 2012. i had an antibiotic treatment and now i've noticed arthritic symptoms. can i still have the disease?

A member asked:

If you take antibiotics very early in a syphilis infection cuz the doctor thinks its something else, and incompletely treats it, and you test for it years later, can the trep tests be false negative? (like what happens with lymes tests)?

A member asked:

How long on antibiotics for lyme will you start feeling better?

A member asked:

I am prescribed several antibiotics at once to help control lyme disease. i feel completely stoned! i don't drink or smoke or take anything else. help?

A member asked:

How can i know if i have lyme's disease? how long does it take for antibiotics to work?

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