Bartonella rash?

[spacehoppa]

Hi folks, I've been doing really, really well on the abx combination for Lyme that Dr D has prescribed me, but I've run into a problem.

Yesterday I noticed a lump in my armpit – not something any woman wants to find. So I went to my GP and got him to have a look. I thought it was probably an inflamed lymph node, and he agrees with me, but says we should keep an eye on it.

Well, I've been going to sleep at about 8.30pm the past few nights totally exhausted, and this morning I had a look at it and notice that there's a small lump, a red patch several centimetres away from the lump, and then this afternoon I looked again and now there's something that looks like stretch marks (bartonella rash?) underneath my armpit, well away from the lump.

I also noticed a few days ago bartonella like rash just under each breast, at the base of my ribs, and it's gone again now.

I spent all morning in bed, feeling drained. I see Dr D again on Tuesday so I'll certainly be asking him about it, but has anyone had anything like this before?

Thanks!

[Kim]

Hi Ruth,

Nice to hear overall you are feeling better.  I had a Bart rash appear after starting abx too.  If it happens again you may want to take a picture and show to your doctor. 

Let us know what your doc says about the lymph nodes.  I've been told you can get into trouble with lymph massage because it releases too many toxins too fast.

Take care……kim

 

[spacehoppa]

Hi Kim,

Thanks for that… It's good to know that it is possible to get the rash *after* starting the abx. I'm sure I'm getting more weird symptoms since starting the abx than I did before.

But overall my arthritis is absolutely tonnes better and my energy too. Although this week I've had some kind of winter bug that has given me a terrible sore throat and cough. I suppose the swollen lymph node could be due to a virus, or a combination of virus and the underlying infection.

I swear I'm still in denial about the Lyme diagnosis. Every time I get a typical Lyme symptom I am really shocked!

Happy New Year everyone!

[spacehoppa]

By the way, for anyone who is interested… And I apologise profusely to the rest of you…here is a photo of the bartonella like rash just below my armpit.

Yes, that is my armpit, not anything rude!

(Again, sorry for the rather icky photo, but I took it just in case it was important later.)

[Maz]

Hi Ruth,

If you go to this LDA link – you may have already seen this before? – there are some pics of bartonella rashes to click through.

http://www.lymediseaseassociation.org/PhotoAlbum_RashBart.html

I also occasionally get the one that looks like the guy with the rash on his belly…my belly isn't as hairy as his though! :roll-laugh: My rash doesn't hang around for long since I've been on treatment…it comes and goes within hours and usually after a hot bath or shower.

Peace, Maz

[Roz]

Hi,

I was on Bart treatment for about 2 years.

This might sound odd, but when I walked I felt like the whole bottoms of my feet would feel really bruised. I also had alot of chin pain, in the front of my lower legs.

With some people their liver can be elevated as well, mine was some.

Much Love, Roz

[spacehoppa]

Thanks Maz and Roz,

Isn't it weird how this stuff can appear and disappear? Makes you feel like you're going a bit mad 😛 .

My mum (who has RA and vasculitis) has what looks to me like a classic ACA rash moving up her legs. It is reddish blue, a bit like cellutitis. All her doctors tell her it's nothing, but it keeps on advancing, and only recedes when she is on antibiotics. But they're not interested in hearing that, of course.

Both she and I have bad foot pain, mum especially. Maybe it's related. It's so hard to say.

I'm feeling a lot less tired today, but still have a painful shoulder area where this swollen lymph node is. Could this all have been a massive herx as I restarted the mino after a 2 week break just a few days ago?

We're both going down to Breakspear on Tuesday (assuming I am well enough to drive as it's 3 hours each way). Hopefully we'll both find out more then.

Thanks again!

[Roz]

Dear Ruth,

I agree how the SX can be so different one day from the next. A bit like a roller coaster ride.;)

When I saw the ACA photos my mum came to mind as well. She didn't have R/A but was DX with Rheumatic fever.

Please let us know how your appointment went?

Much Love, Roz

[katieb]

Hi Ruth & everyone,

That really does look like a bartonella rash doesn't it. I got just a small red patch on my tummy 2 weeks after I started mino. It never did spread out like a bulls eye, but just stayed there for a month ! As i was herxing madly also at the time I still think it could have been significant, as there was no other obvious explanation for it.

Hope your visit to Breakspear with your mum goes well – I am going next Tues (12th) so just missing you by a week unfortunately – or I could have given you a lift  ! I haven't risked stopping my mino for the Lyme test as I never did hear back from Breakspear on that. But some people have tested +ve despite being on abx at the time, and some reports suggest the abx may actually increase the chance of a +ve result. So we'll see what Dr D says.

We have heaps of snow again today. Hope roads will be OK by Tuesday !

Really great to hear you are beginning to feel better Ruth !!! :roll-laugh:

Katie 🙂

[spacehoppa]

Hi Katie,

So glad to hear you are going to the Breakspear as well. I bet you do have Lyme, what with your outdoorsy nature. And what a shame we'll miss you by a week. Although, it's snowing heavily here today too, so we might be snowed in at this rate!

I'm glad to say the soreness and achiness in my armpit is subsiding and the fatigue is lifting somewhat. I did rather foolishly drop my steroid dose at the same time as this happened, which I think was bad timing, and so I might increase it back again.

Rich is back at work next week, and currently I'm not getting dressed until lunchtime. It's going to be a shock to be back to normal and dealing with the kids on my own again.

Anyway, enough moaning… I've just been writing a symptom list that compares my symtpoms at the start of treatment with how they are now, and it's hugely encouraging. Almost everything is in the gone or improved column!

I sometimes feel like I've woken a sleeping beast by treating the Lyme so aggressively. It honestly feels I'm locked in mortal combat at times. But it's also brilliant to see symptoms I've had for years are going, such as painful hips and toes, pain in fingertips, arthritis generally, brainfog, poor concentration, fatigue etc.

Hope you enjoy the snow and have a great visit with Dr D next week. He's quite a reserved man, but super sharp and will sort you out I'm sure.

xx

[katieb]

Hi Ruth,

Yes it's a tough old battle – but really encouraging for you to be able to see those symptoms subsiding !

It's a really good idea to keep a record, as when you feel better it's so easy to forget how bad things used to be !

I'm feeling very well compared to the beginning, but seem to have hit that sort of plateau with the soles of my feet, wrists and some fingers, and various other weird symptoms. So I would just like to get the test, if only to rule out the Lyme.

A chappie in our orienteering club got Lyme from a tick bite in Sweden a couple of years ago, and had the rash, plus arthritic symptoms very shortly afterwards. Was treated with high dose abx and seemed to be OK. But saw him in Wales summer of 2007 and he had just one day of utter brain fog – which is not a good thing when you are trying to read a map. He couldn't find his car afterwards either. The next day he was fine again. But a crowd of them have just been out to Oz for the World Masters games, and apparently he had several days of these sort of symptoms, which does not sound good.

If I do have Lyme (and perhaps if not too !) , I will certainly try to raise awareness of its effects (and treatments !) in the orienteering community. Everyone is well aware that it exists, but I don't think they appreciate how long-term it can be.

I know what you mean about the holidays coming to an end ! Don't know how on earth I am going to get my son out of bed for school on Monday morning ! Well yes I do – and it means I'll somehow have to get up myself :doh:

Have a good trip south !

Katie xx 🙂

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