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Is It Possible For Lyme's Disease To Be Dormant For 12 Years?
Question: Is it possible for Lyme's disease to be dormant in a person's system for 12 years and resurface due to stress? I was treated for Lyme's in 2002 with a months supply of antibiotics. I am having the exact symptoms that I had in 2002.
Brief Answer:
Symptoms may occur years after infection.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I had gone through your question and understand your concerns.
Yes, it is possible. Symptoms of Lyme disease may occur months to even years after the bite.
The rule is that earlier you are treated, the better but even early treatment is sometimes unsuccessful.
20-30% of the patients treated with short-term antibiotics continue to have significant symptoms. This is called chronic Lyme disease. It is also unclear why some patients do not fully recover from symptoms after treatment.
However there is a second possible situation that this is another illness or reinfection through a second tick bite.
Symptoms you may feel are: aching joints or muscles, pain or swelling in the large joints, headaches, problems with memory, restless sleep or fatigue.
I would order for base line
(1) a blood test that checks your level of antibodies - this is called ELISA.
(2) if the ELISA test will be positive make the Western Blot test which is used to confirm the ELISA results.
But the diagnosis of chronic stage is more difficult and you may need PCR test which helps detect bacterial DNA in fluid from an infected joint.
Your local doctors will know about this test.
Hope I have answered your question. If you have any further questions I will be happy to help.
Symptoms may occur years after infection.
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
I had gone through your question and understand your concerns.
Yes, it is possible. Symptoms of Lyme disease may occur months to even years after the bite.
The rule is that earlier you are treated, the better but even early treatment is sometimes unsuccessful.
20-30% of the patients treated with short-term antibiotics continue to have significant symptoms. This is called chronic Lyme disease. It is also unclear why some patients do not fully recover from symptoms after treatment.
However there is a second possible situation that this is another illness or reinfection through a second tick bite.
Symptoms you may feel are: aching joints or muscles, pain or swelling in the large joints, headaches, problems with memory, restless sleep or fatigue.
I would order for base line
(1) a blood test that checks your level of antibodies - this is called ELISA.
(2) if the ELISA test will be positive make the Western Blot test which is used to confirm the ELISA results.
But the diagnosis of chronic stage is more difficult and you may need PCR test which helps detect bacterial DNA in fluid from an infected joint.
Your local doctors will know about this test.
Hope I have answered your question. If you have any further questions I will be happy to help.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
Answered by
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