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Pain In Left Armpit And Left Leg Under The Buttock. Taking Antibiotics For Lyme Disease. Suggest The Treatment?

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Posted on Thu, 31 Oct 2013
Question: I have pain in my left armpit and left leg under the buttock. also in both my elbows when I chew tobacco. the pain moves around. also I just found out I have lyme disease and started taking antibiotics for that. the pain goes to those different areas on different days. this has been happening awhile.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Manjeth Kumar G (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
Continue antibiotics. Arthritis pain shifting.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome to XXXXXXX

Thanks for your query.
I have gone through your query and understand your concern.

The symptoms what you are experiencing now is arthritis pain in left shoulder, left hip and both elbow joints.

In lyme disease, pain in arthritis shifts from one joint to other joint. It is very common in people with lyme disease who are not taken any antibiotics in earlier stage.

It seems not have any relation with chewing of tobacco.

Please continue antibiotics. It will be usually for 2 to 4 weeks.
If not helpful please consult your treating doctor regarding Intravenous antibiotics.
It is common to have persistent fatigue and malaise for few months even after treatment in Lyme disease.
Most of patients with lyme disease experience full recovery. So you need not worry about the sequelae of the disease.

You may get infection again if you do not take proper preventive measures.
1. Wear long sleeves and tightly woven clothing.
2. Wear your shirt tucked into your pants, and your pants tucked into your socks or boots.
3. Walk in the center of trails through the woods to avoid picking up ticks from overhanging grass and brush.
4. Keep grass trimmed as short as possible.
5. Apply tick repellents with DEET to your clothing, shoes and socks before going out. Another tick repellent called permethrin.
5. Check yourself, your family, and your pets routinely for ticks, especially after a trip outdoors.
6. Shower and shampoo your hair if you think you may have been exposed to ticks.
7. Check your clothes for ticks and wash them immediately in order to remove any ticks.

Hope this helps.
Please reply for further queries.
Wishing you good health.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Manjeth Kumar G (3 hours later)
doctor I agree with your assessment but feel the tobacco is enhancing the pain. I forgot to tell you my left armpit has been swelling up. most of the time it coincides with tobacco use. when I get up in the morning ifeel pretty good. I think the tobacco is aggravating the situation. I am afraid what if I am mis-diagnosing myself and these are stroke warning signs and not an aggravation of the lyme disease. also the pain in my leg is in the buttock muscle not any joint. thanks
doctor
Answered by Dr. Manjeth Kumar G (9 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Peripheral arterial disease. Consider Doppler scan

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

I suspect the pain and swelling may be due to peripheral arterial disease.

It is most common in Smokers and tobacco chewers.

My advise is do Doppler scan of both upper limbs and lower limbs.
Upper extremity peripheral arterial disease may affect the large arteries that course through the armpit into the upper arm, along with smaller arteries in the shoulder, arm, elbow, forearm and hand.
One of the most common causes of peripheral arterial disease is atherosclerosis or the hardening and blockage of arteries.
The same problem may be seen in the small arteries supplying the lower limb especially in the arteries in buttock muscles.

Please do Doppler scan of both limbs and review with a vascular surgeon and neurologist.

Hope this helps.
Please reply for further queries.
Wishing you good health.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Yogesh D
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Manjeth Kumar G (15 hours later)
ok thank you doctor I will take the info you suppied to my pcp. thank you I guess this closes my questions on this issue. have a good day. I am already cutting back my tobacco use and switching to nicotine gum.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Manjeth Kumar G (6 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Yes consult with PCP regarding this issue.

Detailed Answer:
Hello.

Yes, Please consult your Primary care Physician regarding the possibility of Peripheral vascular disease.

I appreciate your life style change of leaving the habit of tobacco chew.

Hope this helps.
Please reply for further queries.
Wishing you good health.
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Shanthi.E
doctor
Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Manjeth Kumar G

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2010

Answered : 1120 Questions

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Pain In Left Armpit And Left Leg Under The Buttock. Taking Antibiotics For Lyme Disease. Suggest The Treatment?

Brief Answer:
Continue antibiotics. Arthritis pain shifting.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Welcome to XXXXXXX

Thanks for your query.
I have gone through your query and understand your concern.

The symptoms what you are experiencing now is arthritis pain in left shoulder, left hip and both elbow joints.

In lyme disease, pain in arthritis shifts from one joint to other joint. It is very common in people with lyme disease who are not taken any antibiotics in earlier stage.

It seems not have any relation with chewing of tobacco.

Please continue antibiotics. It will be usually for 2 to 4 weeks.
If not helpful please consult your treating doctor regarding Intravenous antibiotics.
It is common to have persistent fatigue and malaise for few months even after treatment in Lyme disease.
Most of patients with lyme disease experience full recovery. So you need not worry about the sequelae of the disease.

You may get infection again if you do not take proper preventive measures.
1. Wear long sleeves and tightly woven clothing.
2. Wear your shirt tucked into your pants, and your pants tucked into your socks or boots.
3. Walk in the center of trails through the woods to avoid picking up ticks from overhanging grass and brush.
4. Keep grass trimmed as short as possible.
5. Apply tick repellents with DEET to your clothing, shoes and socks before going out. Another tick repellent called permethrin.
5. Check yourself, your family, and your pets routinely for ticks, especially after a trip outdoors.
6. Shower and shampoo your hair if you think you may have been exposed to ticks.
7. Check your clothes for ticks and wash them immediately in order to remove any ticks.

Hope this helps.
Please reply for further queries.
Wishing you good health.