Lyme disease

[normanaj]

Was diagnosed with it today.I haven't felt this horrible in many,many years.

Who else here has had it?

 

[uncle eddie]

I did. About 25 years ago. They were still trying to figure out out to diagnose it and back then. They took a biopsy of the bite area (ouch!) and contacted me about 6 months later to say - yep - I had it. First confirmed case in Boone County, MO.

But they were not sure what to do to treat it in the early 1990's so they treated me with huge doses of antibiotics. My sinuses were never so clear ha-ha. Cleared me up 80% of the way in a week or so and within 4 weeks, all symptoms had passed. My main symptom was aches and pains and very arthritic-like wrists.

FWIW - I had hundreds of tick bites before that, and after that with no issues.

 

[chopsaw]

Never had it myself , but knew a few people that did . I think they have a better understanding of it now than they did , Like Eddie said . Stay positive , take your meds , and let us know whats going on . Hope you feel better soon .

 

[Winterrider]

Sorry to hear that. These days for the most part ,they got a pretty good handle on it. Hope your feeling better soon. Damn ticks, flies and mosquitoes got no reason for living other than to pester us.

 

[smokerjim]

had a some attached ticks in my life but always called the doctor immediately and got antibiotics, I know people that had lyme, if caught early it's easily treated, and that's the problem doctors don't test for it right away and it's usually misdiagnosed until it's full blown, good luck with it and hopefully no long-term problems.

 

[mike243]

Hope it gets cleared up quickly, had RMSF ,took close to 6 months to get it under control,have never come back up to speed imo,

 

[normanaj]

I was put on Doxycycline.The improvement in just 24hrs time has been dramatic.Now its time to get some much needed sleep.

 

[smokerjim]

I was put on Doxycycline.The improvement in just 24hrs time has been dramatic.Now its time to get some much needed sleep.

good news, I wish I could shoot all those little pest like I do with some other unwanted pest around the house.

 

[johnmeyer]

Never had it, but a good friend's wife did. She didn't get sufficient treatment, and not only did it become chronic, but she passed it on to her newborn kid (like AIDS, it can be passed on to offspring). He then suffered for years. Horrible story. However, after almost a decade, they are both OK.

Like others have said, the problem in the past was lack of diagnosis. Sounds like you caught yours early and are getting the proper antibiotics.

I actually got tested for this a few months ago when the doc was trying to eliminate all possible causes for some minor issues I have. (Like everyone else that's posted, I've had my share of ticks.) That's when I found out that they now have a pretty definitive test for it.

 

[smokerjim]

I think there are two different test and I could be wrong but they usually use the western blot test( again could be wrong) but this test is not the most reliable, it can actually come up as a false negative, false positive or something like that, anyway it's the cheaper of the two test so that's what the insurance companies are going to pay for, can't think of the other tests name but that one is almost 100% accurate. but cost more

 

[GaryHibbert]

We don't have all that many ticks around here, so you're the first person I know that got this. Sure hope the meds clear the problem right up.
Gary

 

[zwiller]

Similar to johnmeyer and friend's wife caught it after awhile but got it under control. In addition to doctors, she did her own research and found a healthy lifestyle does wonders for it. She even went so far as to go all all natural and organic and it has significantly helped her. Prayers to you and godspeed!

 

[Fueling Around]

I got it about 6 years ago after going to summer camp with the Boy Scout troop.
Itchy spot on my backside that I couldn't see, but my wife identified the bulls eye.
4 weeks of antibiotics and all clear.

20 years back when i lived in Washington state a friend got Lyme's that went non diagnosed for over 2 years.
Hyperbaric treatment plus massive antibiotics cleared the Lyme's, but it triggered ALS that took him quickly

 

[uncle eddie]

I thought I should add that I am an avid hunter and we have farm and my home is on 4 wooded acres. AND - I work outside on new job-sites...often in the process of getting cleared. So not only am I in tick country for recreational time and home time, but also for work. Simply put, I am always out in tick country and tick bites are quite common. I probably get one or two buried on me, per week, in warmer weather seasons. Seed ticks are the main ones that seem to get buried. I can usually feel the big ones crawling around, most of the time.

No reason to be fearful IMHO. Just monitor the bite area(s). There are some tell-tale signs of "bad" tick bites. Google it.

 

[wbf610]

I do some work with deer from October through March each year, in some of the most prevalent lyme disease areas of the country. I’m exposed to ticks all the time. Put some repellent on, and shower as soon as possible if you know you were in them. Doing that has prevented me from getting lyme, at this point.

 

[normanaj]

No reason to be fearful IMHO. Just monitor the bite area(s). There are some tell-tale signs of "bad" tick bites. Google it.

I humbly disagree,here in the northeast the blacklegged tick (aka deer tick) is so common.If you find one on you and its embedded its already in most cases to late,you will more than likely have contracted lyme,waiting for the tell-tale signs of a "bad" tick bite is just plain foolish and just plain bad advice.After finding an embedded tick I was diagnosed less than three days later.These things are so small you will never find it in your scalp,genital area or back until its to late.

 

[mowin]

I know many that have had Lyme. Few have had it several times.
Here in the North East, it's more than common.
Back in the or 90's, there was a Lyme vaccine which consisted of 3 separate shots 1 month apart. I had those shots. The vaccine was pulled after " lack of interest" but it was actually pulled because of severe arthritic symptoms.
I can only assume that's why I haven't gotten Lyme. But it did a number on my ankle and shoulder joints.

In the Northeast, there's another tic born virus called Powassan. It's found only in the Northeast, and there is no cure or vaccine. 10% of those that contract it, die.

My nephew has been in the hospital for over a week with Powassan. They can only treats the symptoms. He's getting better, but he's been through hell.

 

[Fueling Around]

I do some work with deer from October through March each year, in some of the most prevalent lyme disease areas of the country. I’m exposed to ticks all the time. Put some repellent on, and shower as soon as possible if you know you were in them. Doing that has prevented me from getting lyme, at this point.

You are very lucky, but October to March is not active tick season, either. I have never gotten a tick from deer hunting.

Here in Minnesota, they estimate that 1 of 3 deer ticks transmit the disease.
I live on the western prairie side of the state which has deer but almost no deer ticks.

Boy Scout Camp is 100 miles east in the hot zone and the Troop goes to summer camp in June which is prime tick season.
We spray repellent heavily not only for ticks, but also gnats, black flies, horse flies, and mosquitoes.
We average about 1 person every other year in the Troop.

I showered daily at Scout Camp. Probably why I had a bulls-eye and no tick on my flank. I assume the towel took it off, but not before she shared.

(Everyone is aware that biting flies, ticks and mosquitoes are female? Die blood sucking females!)

...
No reason to be fearful IMHO. Just monitor the bite area(s). There are some tell-tale signs of "bad" tick bites. Google it.

I humbly disagree, ...

Ditto!
Missouri is not a Lyme's hot zone as the northern latitudes.
The bulls-eye around the bite does not always show. Once the flu symptoms hit, you are in for a much longer recovery.

 

[normanaj]

First day back at work,made it 7hrs and was done and I my mean done.All I was doing was brushing final trim-coat...couldn't possibly be any easier for what I do and I was wiped out.

Its a start.

 

[smokerjim]

hang in there you'll get stronger by the day