what is on my leg?

Question:

I recently noticed a red/dark purple rash behind my knee. I went to the doctor and he said I got bit by a tick and have lyme disease. However, i think that the rash looks worse the what lyme disease is supposed to look like. I went to another doctor, my dermatologist, and she said it looked worse than lyme disease. She thinks it may be a spider bite, similar to a brown recluse bite. The problem is, I live in upstate NY, far away from the range that brown recluse spiders inhabit. Could this be a spider bite? The rash itself is an oval shape, with dark purple in the center, and a few small blisters, and a red ring around that. I'm really freaking out, someone help.

Answers:
Lyme and spider bites sometimes look identical. Did you get a blood test for Lyme?? Go to the Yahoo Lyme groups and ask for advice and they can explain testing.

Meanwhile do you have any sudden health problems like fatigue, joint pain, fever, etc? Lyme usually hits within a week. Knee pain is the biggie.

My experience is tick bites are redder than spider bites.

Check out these websites for several different looking Lyme rashes:

http://www.lyme.org/gallery/rashes.html

http://www.lymenet.org/picture4.shtml

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

BTW- unlike what another poster said Brown Recluse bites do not always get necrotic. Was bitten twice and though skin, well actually entire foot, turned black for 24 hrs, no tissue died. Have family member that has been bitten by spiders several times and again did not get necrotic.

Regardless of whichever you might have take the antibiotics if dr offers them. Usually both bites require antibiotics. If given a choice ask for Doxycycline; many drs give Amoxicillin for Lyme but it really doesn't work as well. If you do have Lyme you don't want to let it go untreated. I suffered 16 yrs with weird symptoms starting after a tick bite before I found out I had Lyme. Lyme is a nasty disease!

Other Answers:
Wow, you got two opinions from professionals and yet you would rather trust youqa.coms for a diagnosis. That is scary.

It sounds like a spider bite or an infection.

You won't get any useful information here. Continue working with medical professionals.

Well, I think you just need to soak in the tub for a while with some soap. Just relax, no freaking out, then after that we'll just calm down. And all your feelings will just go away. I'm not really sure what you should do, but a warm bath does sound nice doesn't it?

It could be a spider bite. I live in New York and have been bitten by spiders and the wound can look seriously nasty. Mine have almost looked black and stayed with me for weeks. Salt water helped alot!

hmmmm. that doesnt sound good. look back to when u noticed it first. can u remember feeling pain in that area? then it could be a spider bite or a bite of some kind. maybe do a little research in ur liberary or on the web. idk, sorry if this doesnt help.

I have been bit by many spiders and it sounds like you got bit by a brown recluse. They can travel in luggage and property when people move and by now can be anywhere.

Whatever it is I think you need to continue medical care weather it be in the doctors office or even the hospital. It can be anything and the sooner you diagnose it the sooner you can treat it. The longer you let it be the worse it will get and your treatment will be longer & more difficult.

It doesn't sound good, I think I would be freaking out too. Maybe try the emergency room or another doctor. Regardless whatever bit you, you are having an allergic reaction and should probably have some kind of medication for it. Good luck.

Could be a Deer Tick bite... does it look anything like these?
http://www.rnw.nl/health/assets/images/blackspot.jpg
http://www.edcp.org/vet_med/images/tick_bite2.jpg
I'd say heck with it and get a third opinion and go from there.

for the spider, there is a very well chance that it could happen and yes spiders could live anywhere, thye just wont be adapt to the surrounding..here is what the spider bite may look like, does it look anything like yours?

http://lancaster.unl.edu/enviro/Images/Insects/recluse_bite.JPG

and if its worse than lyme disease i would go to the er...

I had Lyme's disease last year. Although I survived, it was the worst I have ever felt. If you have Lyme's, get help quickly! It nothing to play with. It's deadly if let go too long!
The purple ring is an indication for Lyme's.
B T W, I live in central Indiana which is further south than you are, so you may not be as safe as you believe.
Take care and get help quickly, ok?

i thing is an insect bite

Rashes occuring as a result in Lyme Disease vary in severity. If you had been bitten by a brown recluse spider, the skin would become necrotic (die) and the necrosis would spread. Lyme Disease is serious, but can be treated with an antibiotic, usually a tetracycline (deoxycycline, usually). However, more aggressive treatment may be warnted if you continue without treatment. From the symptoms that you described, it sounds like Lyme Disease. To say for sure, I would have to see it.

Sounds like a recluse bite to me. Those things are over all the US regardless what info you read on the internet.

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what is on my leg?

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