Tick-borne encephalitis & Lyme Disease

[Jon P]

Over the years I have had two dogs with Lyme disease, lost a 18 month old patterdale bitch And few years later a GWP bitch got it, this survived but affected bag legs and eye sight.

 

[Essexsussex]

I know the symptoms for early detection of lymes (or at least of infection). Is that the same for the others?
My kids get covered in them every year when we go to stay at my mums in Inverness-shire. Really frightens me all this.

 

[sikamalc]

I know the symptoms for early detection of lymes (or at least of infection). Is that the same for the others?
My kids get covered in them every year when we go to stay at my mums in Inverness-shire. Really frightens me all this.

Lyme can manifest itself in many ways in the body. Most people look for an infected bite, with what is called a bullseye rash around the bite area, which usually indicates an infected bite. However this is not always the case, so you should not take it for granted that you have not got it.
Symptoms are usually aching in the joints, headache, feeling feverish, similar to a bad cold or flu coming on. But again everyone is different, and so is Lyme. It can if left unchecked attack the nervous system, joints, plus other vital organs, and if left can cause irreparable damage, and in some cases death.

I well remember whilst I was recovering from my bout of Lyme, that whilst at the CLA game fair at Belvoir Castle I visited the BDS tent. There was a lady in a wheelchair, who had mis diagnosed for sometime, and was in a wheelchair and blind in one eye, through contracting Lyme.

If I were you I would ensure that whilst in the Inverness area you make sure the children are wearing long trousers and use a repellant. Check for ticks all the time, the smaller ticks are the real problem to find at times. Not all ticks carry Lyme, but we do now have a new tick born disease in the UK, which looks really nasty.
I am in the Inverness area regularly every year, and if in doubt go straight to the GP up there. Most times they dont even test for it, and put you straight on antibiotics.

But I caught my Lyme in West Sussex, and its all along the south coast, especially the New Forest.

 

[Stalker62]

Lyme can manifest itself in many ways in the body. Most people look for an infected bite, with what is called a bullseye rash around the bite area, which usually indicates an infected bite. However this is not always the case, so you should not take it for granted that you have not got it.

 

[Essexsussex]

Lyme can manifest itself in many ways in the body. Most people look for an infected bite, with what is called a bullseye rash around the bite area, which usually indicates an infected bite. However this is not always the case, so you should not take it for granted that you have not got it.
Symptoms are usually aching in the joints, headache, feeling feverish, similar to a bad cold or flu coming on. But again everyone is different, and so is Lyme. It can if left unchecked attack the nervous system, joints, plus other vital organs, and if left can cause irreparable damage, and in some cases death.

I well remember whilst I was recovering from my bout of Lyme, that whilst at the CLA game fair at Belvoir Castle I visited the BDS tent. There was a lady in a wheelchair, who had mis diagnosed for sometime, and was in a wheelchair and blind in one eye, through contracting Lyme.

If I were you I would ensure that whilst in the Inverness area you make sure the children are wearing long trousers and use a repellant. Check for ticks all the time, the smaller ticks are the real problem to find at times. Not all ticks carry Lyme, but we do now have a new tick born disease in the UK, which looks really nasty.
I am in the Inverness area regularly every year, and if in doubt go straight to the GP up there. Most times they dont even test for it, and put you straight on antibiotics.

But I caught my Lyme in West Sussex, and its all along the south coast, especially the New Forest.

Thanks malc

We are in W Sussex as well. So double jeopardy! Tick check is every night on holiday but it never feels a good enough solution. Thank you for all the detail of symptoms.

 

[T.eddie]

Thanks malc

We are in W Sussex as well. So double jeopardy! Tick check is every night on holiday but it never feels a good enough solution. Thank you for all the detail of symptoms.

I would suggest if you are worried, speak to your doctor about the blood test as at least you know for sure / can take the appropriate action if needed

 

[sikamalc]

Its mostly the Roe that seem to carry a heavy tick burden at times in West Sussex. I may be talking (b.llocks) but I would say that Lyme is no where as bad in West Sussex as it is in many parts of Scotland. I know whilst we were culling on Assynt many years back, that just about everyone in Lochinver had or knew someone with Lyme. The tick burden up there was horrific.
The New Forest is also a Lyme area, I know of one child that ended up in a London hospital with it, whilst camping in the New Forest. However they were very young, about 2 or 3 years old.
I wouldnt over worry about it as not all ticks carry the disease, its just bad luck if you get an infected one latching onto you.

 

[Essexsussex]

Its mostly the Roe that seem to carry a heavy tick burden at times in West Sussex. I may be talking (b.llocks) but I would say that Lyme is no where as bad in West Sussex as it is in many parts of Scotland. I know whilst we were culling on Assynt many years back, that just about everyone in Lochinver had or knew someone with Lyme. The tick burden up there was horrific.
The New Forest is also a Lyme area, I know of one child that ended up in a London hospital with it, whilst camping in the New Forest. However they were very young, about 2 or 3 years old.
I wouldnt over worry about it as not all ticks carry the disease, its just bad luck if you get an infected one latching onto you.

I rarely if ever shoot roe
I’ve not noticed many ticks at all on fallow down here, but then I don’t shoot as many as others

 

[sikamalc]

I rarely if ever shoot roe
I’ve not noticed many ticks at all on fallow down here, but then I don’t shoot as many as others

Yes the Fallow rarely have a tick on them where I am.

 

[opticron1]

It's a shame that we haven't developed a vaccine to prevent the worst effects of Lyme disease and avoid the need to go down the Doxycycline/Amoxycillin route. Considering we've been dishing out Tick borne Encephalitis injections for travel/business in the high risk areas for years, it always amazed me that we hadn't got an effective vaccine for what is a relatively common and serious ailment.
I am aware of a few research programmes both here and in Europe that are searching for more effective treatments and more effective preventative vaccines, but it seems to be taking forever.
As stated above.....keep on with the Deet/Permethrin/Rovince clothing and frequent tick checks.....horrible nasty things, give me midges any day!

 

[NoIDeer]

Had a tick latch on to my hand a couple of weeks ago from a CWD.When I looked closely at other chinese they were crawling with them, tiny very dark ticks running around not latched on. Glad the season is over.

 

[Sellars]

All grim stuff. I had a bulls eye rash and was prescribed pills, and was a bit surprised that the usually friendly woman in the pharmacy virtually threw the pills at me with a dirty look. On studying the box and doing a bit of research later I found that the pills were primarily for a whole range of STI's and insect borne infections were well down the list.

 

[Adam Riding]

Very very recent update - thanks to this thread I've done some more research and have now been prescribed antibiotics over the phone for my tick bite a few weeks ago.

Although I do not have a rash I have sore ribs, almost like whiplash, but have not had any stress or accident to justify them, and my lower back has also been aching with fatigue etc.

I just thought I'd slept funny while coming down with a cold or something (which it may well be) but turns out this is prime Lyme symptoms which have only worsened and the Dr didn't think twice about getting me dopped up.

To take it to its extreme (and add a few buckets of dramatic effect), but that news story and this thread may have saved my life...

Cheers all!

 

[Adam Riding]

Very very recent update - thanks to this thread I've done some more research and have now been prescribed antibiotics over the phone for my tick bite a few weeks ago.

Although I do not have a rash I have sore ribs, almost like whiplash, but have not had any stress or accident to justify them, and my lower back has also been aching with fatigue etc.

I just thought I'd slept funny while coming down with a cold or something (which it may well be) but turns out this is prime Lyme symptoms which have only worsened and the Dr didn't think twice about getting me dopped up.

To take it to its extreme (and add a few buckets of dramatic effect), but that news story and this thread may have saved my life...

Cheers all!

Just to stress here - no rash doesn't mean no Lyme.

Look after yourselves and JEEZE I'm putting a lot of repellent on next time!!

 

[pob]

I had suspected Lyme and, not surprisingly, my GP hadn't seen it before. (He googled it.)

I sent this to someone recently. It could be worth showing to your GP if you are worried.
Lyme disease: summary of NICE guidance and this for a good graphic on the antibiotic regime Lyme disease: Antibiotic choices

It seems that one can buy antibiotics (Doxycycline and Azithromycin) online, as a treatment for Chlamydia/STIs, but the course offered is far too short. Best let the GP handle it and get the right dosage, if only to reduce the crippling expense. GPs are sometimes reluctant to prescribe antibiotics, but if you are persistent and come across as well informed, there's a better chance (I think)

I'd had a tick on me for a week before I spotted and removed it. Over the next few weeks the bite mark was giving me unusual discomfort and I started to develop flu like symptoms. I suspected Lyme. I had always associated Lyme with newly planted woodland having read a paper in the 90's about its discovery in the US, but I hadn't been near any plantations. I called my stalking mentor to check if Lyme was known in that area of Essex which we stalked and to my surprise he said that he'd had it, most probably from that estate. So I paid a visit to my GP.

My bite mark was never the classic 'target' or 'bullseye' one. My GP offered me a blood test, but noted that the turnaround time for a result was over 4 weeks(IIRC). We decided that it was best to just start a course of antibiotics prophylactically; little to lose in doing that. During the first three days of the course, I developed joint pain, but I finished the course and all symptoms went. It was never medically confirmed, but I think I'd had it.

It seems to me that this is ever increasing in the UK. I buy 'tick-resistant' tops now, wear tall boots and keep a bottle of Permethrin spray in the truck for my trousers and jacket, whether I am out stalking or holidaying on the West Coast. I have decent tick removers in all my first aid kits and bags now too. It's quick and easy to do some risk mitigation, and keep us out there doing what we love.

Stay safe chaps.

 

[Sikajay]

Good afternoon all, so I im the assistant that’s got tagged what’s the precautions ie deet gators et cetera, in Scotland so from day 3 I knew it was not the regular bite reaction , as soon as I was back from Scotland, where I was bitten I seeked medical attention, I received a blood test and antibiotics but this antibiotics was only for insect bite , test results come back negative this was on about week three I later found out Doctors shouldn’t test until about week six as it will come up negative so after a few months I actually did get a bull’s-eye bruise and feeling more tired spoke to the doctor again different one which said that I may be right, but needs to do a test waited another 10 days for the results to be finally diagnosed with limes I was given 21 days antibiotics of doxycycline however, trying to get a follow-up from a doctor is proving more than difficult to get past the receptionist is a joke. Currently got to get another sicknote from the doctor for next week for this week. i’m trying to insist that I need to take more doxycycline than just 21 days because of the amount of time it’s been in my body but I maybe wrong. symptoms of headaches , fatigue, neck pains, muscular pains, so unless the doctors know about lymes it is very difficult to get anywhere fast photo mid-February five months in

 

[Moray Outfitting]

Well after 50+ years on the hill, only now do I get Lymes. They should be giving you 28 days antibiotic now. This is due to the rise and fall of Lymes and 21 days means you are not fully covered. I didn't have the bulls eye rash. It was a small rash on my wrist to begin with. Thought nothing off it. It started to spread up my arm. We were running back and fore to a friend who was dying and my rash seemed insignificant. The person passed away just after new year. By this time the rash was all the way to my elbow. Thought it was about time to go and get some " cream" for a rash. Doc took one look and had me on Antibiotics straight away. They are well clued up here. Lymes is quite common seemingly. They couldn't figure out why I got it up in the Ballindalloch area. It is more common from Grantown up the glen towards Tomintoul they said. Just so happens that I took on a shooting lease of a plantation along that line of ground last year.! The moral is , never say never...J

 

[HonestJohn]

All grim stuff. I had a bulls eye rash and was prescribed pills, and was a bit surprised that the usually friendly woman in the pharmacy virtually threw the pills at me with a dirty look. On studying the box and doing a bit of research later I found that the pills were primarily for a whole range of STI's and insect borne infections were well down the list.

Careful with STI based medicine, can give you reactive arthritis, which is indicated by swollen knees and severe pain/inability to walk

 

[Sikajay]

This is from nice which is what they are going by I’m planning on insisting I get more of a dose as I’ve had it for so long

 

[NullMac]

It is then, perhaps incumbent on Stalkers to arm themselves, with the knowledge of the infections and diseases that they may be prone to, and apprise their GP when they present, should that need arise.

That's a nice theory, but sometimes you can turn up with a written diagnosis from a specialist and the smart arse GP won't even read it.