Okay, well, it’s not actually a ring. It’s more like a rash all over my entire body. I have developed a lovely rash from head to toe. It is exactly the same as the rash I got immediately after my initial tick bite in 2004. It is also accompanied by the same symptoms as when I initially got bit: constant post-nasal drip; sinus pressure, fatigue, increase in joint-stiffness and pain, overall flu-like feeling. I feel like I am 22 again! Don’t I look it?
So, you may be like me and are asking, WTF?! What is the deal with this rash? I would love to talk to somebody who got infected with Lyme Disease in Northern Italy (where I was infected) and ask them about their symptoms and their treatment experiences. Since there are tons of strains of the Lyme bacteria, it may be that the handsome Italian version behaves a bit differently than what we have here in the US of A. So, if you know anyone in Italy who has gotten Lyme there (and went initially untreated), please send them to my blog or email. lilneeds@gmail.com
Anyways, I have a few theories about WHY this rash is happening:
1) I started a new treatment cycle on Monday that involves the addition of Oregano Oil to destroy biofilm and expose bacteria (more on that amazing herb later) and added the intense antibiotic, Clindamycin. Perhaps I am finally destroying enough biofilm that the little buggers are actually exposed to my immune system and antibiotics and this rash and accompanying symptoms are a herxheimer reaction, which would be a GOOD thing.
2) The rash and associated symptoms are caused by thriving infection (Lyme or various co-infections). That would be, obviously, a bad thing.
3) I am having an allergic reaction to Clindamycin. Also, bad thing.
4) The combination of the treatment I did with Dr. Smith as well as upping my antibiotics has finally really packed a huge punch to the bugs and it’s a herx. Good thing.
5) I have some sort of crazy other virus or infection unrelated to Lyme. Bad thing.
Basically, you can drive yourself crazy trying to figure out exactly what the heck is going on sometimes when you have Late-Stage Lyme Disease. I’m sure all of my fellow Lymies know what I mean. It is generally a futile effort. So, last night I decided to spend minimal time trying to actually figure this damn thing out and just laugh about it. (Well, and of course, I emailed and called my doctor).
My friend Nikki started texted me song lyrics with the word rash replacing the actual words. It was super corny, but I like corny jokes, so I laughed a lot. Laughter is an important part of recovery. My two favorites:
“Like a rash (Virgin). Scratched for the very first time!”
“I like red rash and I cannot lie, you other brothers can’t deny, when a girl walks in with an itty bitty waist and a red rash in yo face…”
I know, I am lucky to have such a good friend. Feel free to create your own rash jokes in the comments below. Hang in there, Lymies! Laugh about it when you can. 🙂 Much love, Lyndsey
Poor you, I had a slight rash on my neck that was similar to that – it comes and goes and I put it down to sensitive skin. Hope you are OK x
Thanks Dawn. I went off of Clindamycin yesterday to see if it help. The rash is accompanied by feeling sick, too, so I don’t think it’s just sensitive skin. Who’s to say. This Lyme thing is no fun sometimes, that’s for sure!
I wish I could offer you some advice or any suggestions. I hope the rash subsides and you get some relief soon.
I have chronic lyme and I would previously get rashes on different parts of my body due to too heavy of detox. Severe rashes too that were accompanied by the inability to get a breath. (i’m guessing I finally know firsthand what an asthma attack is like). Different supplements would cause rashes in different areas too, like out of control, wake-me-up at midnight large hives and itching in between my fingers and I would feverishly scratch myself raw, fall asleep, then be woken up at 3am with incredible itching between my toes, and I just couldn’t scratch enough, and I really wanted to go to the emergency room to stop the scratching I felt so out of control. Hives and rash in my ears, lips, eyebrows. I have since detoxed my slowly, and retried the exact same supplements that caused one of the rashes and I am perfectly fine with the supplement now. But you had the same rash as when you were infected, so it sounds quite different than mine. Even though your last picture looks almost exactly like a picture I have of one of my rashes. And I didn’t get lyme in Italy, so I hope you can find answers:))))) Terrible, terrible disease.
Hi Lori-
I think you were right and the rash was associated with too much die-off and not enough detox. I stopped use of Clindamycin and the rash went away after 5 days and hasn’t returned. Hooray! My rash was never terribly itchy, just burned a little. Sounds like yours were awful! Yikes! Glad that is over for you now.
Oh wow, I’m glad you found an answer though. For now, right? lol! I love your list of theories – it’s so right on! It’s too bad you have to, but I’m glad to know other people wrack their brain with the theory game too. Uggh:)
I currently have this rash. I was just diagnosed with late-stage Lyme disease and am taking antibiotics. The rash is super itchy and covers my entire body! Feeling a little crazy. I’m wondering how long it takes for it to go away. I don’t have great access to my doc and have so many questions. Thanks to your blog, at least I could corroborate that this rash might be due to bacteria die-off.
Oh, I’m sorry you are experiencing the lovely rash. 😦 I switched my antibiotics when this happened and it never happened again. You might want to try switching or at least drastically reducing your current dose. Take an epsom salt and baking soda bath also if you can. Hope you get relief soon!
I was infested with ticks on a beach in Carrabelle, Fl.. There was a deer carcass close to wear I had been sitting. It took me and my family a couple of days to get all the ticks off me. I feared Lyme disease from the beginning. This happened in 2007. About a month later I began getting a very thick itchy rash around my torso with in hours my abdomen was covered. I thought that it could have been a reaction to some pure coco butter I had used at the beach earlier that day. Reason being that I only applied the coco butter there and the front of my legs. I went to the emergency room and received a shot of Prednisone along with oral Prednisone. After completing the first round the rash did dry out but, the rash was so deep I had to get 2 more shots of Predisone before it finally cleared 4 months later. I went to the Dr. and asked for a Lyme test. I was told the test is expensive and my insurance will not cover it. I feel I should definitely rule it out. I could use anyone’s thoughts on if my rash is from the tick bite or the pure coco butter I used???
Well, the truth is, it could have been either, but seems highly suspicious. I have gotten a little bit of a rash from pure cocoa butter on my skin before, but it was very minor and went away quickly when I stopped using cocoa butter. The fact that this rash was so persistent makes me thing it is something more major. Also, the fact that you got bit by that many ticks in a place known to have Lyme Disease. It seems like a strong possibility that you contracted something from those ticks. It may not be Lyme Disease necessarily, but it could be some other persistent infection associated with tick bites (there are LOTS). If you can’t find help from doctors, there are many strong herbal antibiotics that you could consider that you can purchase online, like oregano oil, grapeseed oil, eat raw garlic, etc. I am no expert and definitely not a doctor, but I think you have reason to be suspicious.
I believe it is from a tick bite, I have the same reaction from a tick bite I got over a month ago!
Yikes! I hope you are able to get treatment. I have been off of treatment for a couple of months now and am doing well. No more awful rashes or anything! 🙂
I was diagnosed with Lyme a few years ago. I have found that when my immune system is copermised or under a lot of stress I have a rash that itches on my back and under my chest. This rash first appeared with Lyme. When I itch.. It will start to burn and spread. I’m concerned and frustrated with it. When I mention to Docs. about it being part or left over from Lyme they seemed to find another cause. So, should I detox?
Sorry to hear you are struggling with the rash also. Yes. I would highly recommend detoxing and following a low inflammation diet such as the Amy Myers Protocol (http://www.amymyersmd.com/autoimmunesolutionbook/). I have not had a rash in over a year now. Best of luck to you!!
Hello this was so randomn to come across this. I was suffering exactly the same symptoms some months ago, I went to A&E and they couldn’t understand what was going on, they said it was a reaction to a gmo food while my body is used to fresh meats. :O shocking right! Lol I need to send you the pictures of my rash, it covered be head to toe and at times still flares up, my foot was swollen to the size of like a 24stone woman hence I weight only 9! It was crazy! Still now I get this burning feeling that I can’t explain. Am I correct to per curve from your post, basically it’s like your body gettin rid of toxins? Contact me please crownedholidays1@gmail.com
Hi Julia- I still don’t really know why the rash happened. I haven’t gotten it again, but my feet do still flare on occasion. I still don’t know what causes my feet to flare. It seems pretty random. It has been diagnosed as vasculitis caused by bartonella.
I’m going through this right now. I have the rash head to toe. I’m only taking doxy. Did the antibiotics clear the rash up? Did you find out the root cause?
Hi Jessica-
Unfortunately, I never did find the root cause. I have no idea if it was the antibiotics that caused it or not. I ended up switching antibiotics and it got better, so I’m assuming it was a reaction to that drug.
I have late stage Lyme disease too. Gin and tonic gave me a huge herx. Rash severe and similar to yours. Same places. Exactly the same as your arm.
I’m in the States though. Pennsylvania.
Does your Lyme react to alcohol?
Alcohol used to irritate me a lot, yes. I didn’t drink any alcohol for 4 years while I was in treatment. Now that I have been out of treatment for years and am healthy (mostly), I can tolerate tequila. But not wine, beer, or cider.