Blarg! Tick Bite!

[Der Cute]

go to a 2nd doc. I mean 3rd. The 2 you've had so far, aren't doing much for you. Request a swab/lab sample. Suggest bacterial infection, ask to test for everything possible. And say, look. I've been told that this heals. It's NOT HEALING GOD DAMMIT YOU BONEHEAD. Ahem. Stand up for it don't let it get away. If it's an infection, it can spread, and do some serious damage.

I had cellulitis. I had a bump on my thumb, and it throbbed. It got all swollen up and was PURPLE. I hoped it would go away, but it didn't. Got a hold of my doc after 2 days of that crap and he said, yep, infected. Drained it, and antibiotics NAO. Cleared right up. But strangely enough, on my left ankle - same thing. Swollen, throbby, discolored...same damn thing. It spread. It didn't take much. It DID NOT WANT TO GO AWAY. I still have a scar on my ankle. It took a while for the swelling to go down. Yours hasn't. It's a bit more permanent in you. Go fixy. Now.

[Seshat]

I'm glad you're going to the dermatologist.

Keep us informed?

[AmbrosiaWriter]

I will definitely keep you guys in on what's happening with the bite. I decided to post the picture if anyone wants to see, but not put it actually IN the post. So if people don't like gross stuff just don't click the link!

Zee Bite!

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Double Post for Update:

I made my dermatologist appoint, and how it came about was a little funny. It didn't piss me off or anything, just thought I should add to the story.

Called in, waited about 20 minutes on the line because everyone was busy making appointments for other people. That's okay, I'm at work so I just tucked the phone against my shoulder and went back to calculating quotes.

Get the receptionist:

Me: Hi I'd like to make an appointment.
Her: Okay! Let's see, the earliest I have is for August 29th.
Me: Erp! Well, um, I was hoping to get in earlier because I have this tick-bite that hasn't healed in 4 or 5 months. Other doctors have told me it's not infected, and no lyme disease, just not healing.
Her: Oh, well I don't see any other--- wait, how long have you had it?
Me: About four to five months.
Her: Uhm, *does the little, soft "choo-choo-choo" noise that people do when they are thinking and searching for something at the same time* Oh~! Well I do have an appointment tomorrow at 3:15 if you're available.
Me: Oh that's perfect.
Her: Okay great! *Proceeds to go through information gathering.*


Now, all I can think is that one of two things happened:

A) She just honestly didn't see that earlier appointment open.

B) They purposefully leave appointment slots open in case something serious pops up that needs to be squeezed in sooner.

Either way, got an appointment for tomorrow!

[Der Cute]

Double Post for Update:

B) They purposefully leave appointment slots open in case something serious pops up that needs to be squeezed in sooner.

Either way, got an appointment for tomorrow!

Hahah. Wear shorts. Easy to remove, put on.

[kpzra]

At my doctors office they had emergency slots but they also wold look at what type of appointment they were to see about squeezing someone it. For my checkup when I was preggo they know I was a quick in and out because I'd call if I was having issues to let my doctor know and they'd enter a note. They did half hour blocks but I only took ~10 minutes for the routine ones.

Glad you can get in, there is definitely something going on. It looks like some of the spider bites I saw in Georgia.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Update!

The dermatologist (who is AWESOME) said she thought it was probably a fungal infection. It's not something that the other two doctors would've checked for. She did a skin scraping (which hurt, and she was worried that it hurt that badly) and saw little strings but didn't want to say she confirmed it, it wasn't enough.

So she did a biopsy and now I just gotta wait for the test results! Got another hole in my leg now

She was really nice and easy to talk to, between chit-chat and professional "This is what I think is going on." I kind of felt bad because every time I would suck in sharply or go "ow" she'd apologize a lot and I wondered if she had a lot of patients who would flip out of he if they felt even a prick.

Yes, a needle going into a very tender area to administer a numbing agent does sting, very badly, but it's to help me. Either that or even though it hurts really bad I just have a high tolerance to withstanding it.

It stings right now, I have a pressure bandage on it, and the numbing agent just wore off, but nothing I can't handle.

[BeeMused]

Ha! So you are holy now! (Sorry couldn't resist...)

Once you know what causes it, you can treat it! I keep my fingers crossed. Great that you've a dermatologist who knows her stuff and is nice too.

[dalesys]

Ha! So you are holy now! ...

And if the diagnosis is correct, a fun-gal too.

[Not Lillith]

yay! good.

Sounds like your Doctor also has a well trained staff to do the phone triage.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

I haven't got the phone call about my results just yet. It should be coming sometime this week (she said probably closer to the end.) Just thought I'd add in a note that the bite has developed an irritation in the surrounding skin - not a bulls eye rash though. It was there when I went to the dermatologist. Apparently it's somehow spread to the top of my foot.

I hope those test results come back fast!

[kpzra]

Call and let them know it's gotten worse.

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Call and let them know it's gotten worse.

It hasn't, it was spread to the foot (isolated irritation on my left knee, isolated irritation on my right foot) when I went to see her on Friday. So she's seen it. Just thought I'd mention it because I'd forgot and people seem really interested in the updates, haha.

I just mentioned it because it's REALLY hard to not pick at it. You know like a peeling sunburn? On my knee I can ignore it because there are stitches in the area, but the foot is open and it's soooooo hard to not pick at it.

[kpzra]

Ah, gotcha.

[Sapphire Silk]

B) They purposefully leave appointment slots open in case something serious pops up that needs to be squeezed in sooner.

Bingo! We have a winner! A lot of docs do this for this very reason, and since they are often running behind, it keeps things from getting too backed up if they don't actually have any emergencies.

I looked at the pic; very nasty and also very hard to know what you're looking at--which is why people go to dermatologists.

I'm very interested to hear what the ultimate finding is.