Lyme Disease - Word of Warning

Last week I was diagnosed with Lyme disease. I was lucky because my doc was familiar with the symptoms and recognised it immediately, so we caught it within a couple of weeks of the first sign.

Fortunately, if like me, you diagnose it quickly, a 14 day course of antibiotics solves the problem for good. However, some people go undiagnosed for ages, years even, and then it can cause problems and be much harder to treat.

My symptoms were a red mark, looked like a mosquito bite to begin with. No sign of a tick, or a bite at all. Gradually it got bigger and bigger - then ended up about 6 inches diameter, with concentric circles, looking rather like a target.

I also had a fever (very mild) in the night about four or five days after I first noticed the mark. Other than that, nothing at all - felt fine. Even felt silly mentioning it to the doc.

Apparently, the red mark goes away on its own without treatment. However, that doesnt mean the Lyme disease is gone. If left untreated, that's really when the trouble starts because you then have a year of two of other illnesses, headaches etc with no obvious signs of Lyme. Then its much harder to diagnose.

So, if you get a red mark, which grows a bit, go to the docs and mention Lyme disease to him/her. Its a simple blood test and then anti biotics - no problem. Its very common down here in Hampshire, and apparently incidence of it recently has dramatically increased.

Just wanted to warn people again - I know its on all of our radars, but doesn't hurt to be reminded - to be honest, my attitude was "it will never happen to me" - well, it obviously has!

Cheers

WS
 
Yes, Lyme disease is nasty. I know as my mother was diagnosed recently and most of my family got it.

I wanted to say that you were lucky as you do not necessarily need to get a red mark. You might have no symptoms at the beginning and it is more difficult to diagnose later.

Take care!

Greg
 
Glad to hear you caught it in time...as you say, so many go undiagnosed.

It's amazing, even today people I try to warn laugh at the idea.
 
Hope you get the all clear.

I've been suffering with lymme for about 13yrs now.

I'm normally a fit and healthy 37yr old stalker who can walk for miles, but even today after a few hours walking in woodland[no hills] I was flat out at about 5.30 and just woke up 10mins ago, I never know when it'll hit.

I get very severe head aches , at least 2 a month[I've been for scans etc.]

When the head aches head it is impossible to drive as my site is also blurred.

I plead with you all please take care with ticks and try and educate as many people as possible about ticks and tick bourne diseases

On a lighter note, my wife made the dinner as I was sound asleep :evil:
 
Bambislayer i hope dinner was worth waking up to :)
sorry :oops:

Lymes is nasty and lets not forget that fact ,as you can see from some of the members on here can tell you a whole lot more about the symptons than i can , as they are dealing with it at all stages
i did post this a while back and hoped it might of become a sticky as this is important to all
http://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4900
take great care and keep checking for ticks as they are quite hard to spot at first and that it a vital time to spot and remove them
This is a tick on a Human calf muscle in early stage
P1060544.jpg


now being squashed by a green tick puller, small little blighter
P1060551.jpg




for the rest of you that has contracted , hope things get better for you all
and it has been caught in-time
ATB
 
Admin. I`m behind Stone on this one.
The warnings on ticks and lymes disease should be made a sticky.
All those in favour, give Stone some backing.
basil.
 
Lyme

Guys, I have been pretty paranoid about Lyme for years now & I still get bitten by ticks up to 6 simes a week I would say down here in the New Forest they are very riffe at the moment-they seem worse on one property I look after & even though the tick density is roughly the same on a like for like deer from another area-the ticks just seem more active & aggressive from this property which I find strange.

I find the worst ones of the lot are the tiny little buggers that go under my watch strap & sit there all day feeding as I never find them until the evening & by that time they have done their work.

Regards Lee
 
I don't want to tempt fate here (touch wood), I stalk a lot in the the borders and despite having fair deer numbers and lots of bracken and heather I have never been bitten, nor have I seen one on a deer - although I only shoot 3 or so a year, nor have I seen any on my clothes and I do look for them and carry tick removers with me.

We dont have any livestock and not many rabbits on our bit - does that keep the numbers of ticks down? It's also at 300m+ sea level - does that make a difference?
 
Well done Winchester,

I too had a very similar situation last year.
Luckily had recently completed DSC1 so it was fresh in my mind.
Shot a pricket which was covered in ticks.
That next morning in the shower noticed a perfect red ring in the bend of my arm, no sign of the tick.
Had a feverish nights sleep and felt very lethargic the following day so off to the Doc.
He put me straight on Anti-biotics and touch wood i am ok now.

I hate going to the Doc and avoid it at all costs BUT if you even suspect anything like the described above, just go and have it checked out.

"If there is any doubt, there is no doubt at all"

Miles
 
I never realosed they were that small, the only ones I haves seen are the larger ones that crawl about on the deer ..keds?
 
Thanks WS that was interesting reading. Sorry to hear of your recent dealings with Lyme's but pleased you are on the mend.

S
 
Lyme disease Vaccine!!??

Did you know that there is a Vaccine available in the USA to combat Lymes? It sounds a bit dodgy though with some potentially bad side effects. Did you also know that dogs and cats can be infected too! :eek:
See here:
http://www.thepetcenter.com/gen/lyme.html
Does that mean that deer can get it too? Maybe Morena could answer that one for us?
 
i have jist this minute finished emailing my local wlldlife trust reserve manager some info about the bada site and going to urge him to publise it and put it on a link from his site. stalkers and shooters are fairly fortunate that there is a good bit of awareness and info of lymes disease although this is because we are hihgly exposed and unfortanatly a few already have it
i would urge you all to have alook at the bada site as already mentioned www.bada-uk.org it will only take a few minutes.

Also was jist reading my gct scotland magazine, they are currently doing trails on grouse with acarcide leg bands. they seemingly strap these leg bands on to the hen grouse before they lay and it seems to keep the number of ticks down on their young and the brood survival seems to be up (brood survival rate 49% treated to 18% untreated). it says early days and to soon to make final conclusions.
 
Hi Monkey Spanker,
The vaccine was withdrawn a few years ago as the manufacturers could not come up with evidence to support their claims. That was for people.
My interest in Lyme disease came about years ago due to a greyhound showing variable form and intermittent lameness. Then a lab, in both cases blood diagnosis was done in the States. I believe cats can get it and there have been rare cases in horses in he UK.
A interesting one about deer. There is conflicting evidence with deer, some papers say can carry the bacteria ( competent host ) and others say incompetent host. There is a paper on Sika where they claim that ticks are becoming infected from other infected ticks feeding in the same area of the skin and then skin biopsies taken elsewhere are coming up positive. Unfortunately no blood samples were tested.
My notice has been drawn ( by a site member ) to someone in this country has started working on Lyme in deer . I tracked them down and sent an email but no response as yet
http://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2876&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

http://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?p=46106#46106



morena
 
Thanks Morena,
You truly are a mine of useful information!
I've no doubt 'badgers' will get the blame sooner or later as it always seems to be their fault when other animals fall ill. :rolleyes:
Keep up the good work! :D
 
Lyme

My GSP must already have it-thats why he is as mad as the Hills I think!

On a serious note though we do have daily probs with them at the moment working in the deer larder-although in the field we do try to be as protected as poss with Jungle Formula, gortex gaiters & good clothing pretty mych all the time although they will still find a way through.

On a personal note I find having a Brazilian helps as you can see them better!-(wife seem to like it too)!!!!!

Regs Lee
 
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