Tick-borne encephalitis & Lyme Disease

[Adam Riding]

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

Sorry to hear your storey pal, best of luck. Could you register with another Doctor or even if you're really worried go to a non emergency walk in clinic and say you're really short of breath with Lymes (that'll make em listen!)?

 

[Sikajay]

Definitely will be changing doctors that’s for sure I don’t think any good for helping you but I’ve got some antibiotics ready for a 28 day ,

 

[Outstanding in my field]

One of my samples for Mayo Hardings PHE study came back borderline positive for TBE in Wiltshire! Hotspots were New Forest and Thetford (probably brought over my migratory birds carrying ticks from Europe). Sadly, COVID seems to have brought a halt to Mayo’s research and I’ve heard nothing further for a long time about her findings. More worrying for me however is the increasing spread of the “Vegan’s Revenge” or Alpha-Gal Syndrome:

Alpha-gal Allergy/Syndrome

I recently saw a post up on UK Deer Stalking forum of another tick-borne infection with dramatic consequences. Like Lyme Disease, it appears that it has taken some time for this new disease to be recognised and classified. Whilst this sounds potentially like an April Fool's joke and...

www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk

Study is here: https://www.researchgate.net/profil...demiology-by-country-an-overview.pdf#page=358


Rest of her output is here: Maya Holding

 

[TundB]

I’ve been shooting for years and I have always found them crawling on me but I had never had them attached me until last year when I found 5 of them on my body after a long day of stalk in South England.

I managed to remove 3 of them but crashed 2 ticks and some head parts of them were left in the skin. Anyway I called my GP next but couldn’t get through the super-smart receptionist hence decided to go to A&E where I was given one course of antibiotics but they didn’t prescribed rest of 2 courses based on I didn’t show any symptoms. I pushed GP for antibiotics but no luck.

I didn’t want to take the chance and leave it untreated if was contracted so I had to get rest of two courses. Luckily there many family members who are medical doctors in different parts of the World and I have managed to sort out rest of the courses abroad.

After some weeks, my GP implemented an online system which is called ‘Patchs’ where you can send doctors direct message. I sent a message about my experience with tick bite, antibiotics and my disapointment with GP and a doctor gave me a call immediately after and offered a lyme and blood test which came up negative.

Now I learned my lesson. I have got tick removal tools. All my stalking clothes are permethrin treated and I always wear undergarment so no exposed skin apart from face and hands which I use IR3535 spray. And most importantly I have spare antibiotics which I will use if I get tick bite again without losing any time regardless of having any symptom or not.

 

[sauer]

I travel fair bit with work and asked doctors last year about TBE vaccine but just looked at like I had two heads….
Need to look into it again …..
What Peritherin spray are you guys using ?

Paul

 

[TundB]

I travel fair bit with work and asked doctors last year about TBE vaccine but just looked at like I had two heads….
Need to look into it again …..
What Peritherin spray are you guys using ?

Paul

This works for me, expensive though.

 

[wytonpjs]

I travel fair bit with work and asked doctors last year about TBE vaccine but just looked at like I had two heads….
Need to look into it again …..
What Peritherin spray are you guys using ?

Paul

Ask a pharmacy doing overseas travel jabs - TBE is on their lists! You might have to invent an impernding Boar trip to Croatia but peace of mind is worth it

 

[opticron1]

I travel fair bit with work and asked doctors last year about TBE vaccine but just looked at like I had two heads….
Need to look into it again …..
What Peritherin spray are you guys using ?

Paul

Tend to use Jungle Formula or Lifesystems Expedition 100, always carry O'Tom tick twister around - even on "normal" days out (ie not stalking) in the hills.
If you have problems getting TBE inoculations, try the Tayside Travel Health Service (on NHS Tayside's web site) although they are trying to move everything away to community pharmacies in the near future. However there's always the risk that our version of TBE is a different version to the type found in hot and sweaty places in this world.

 

[opticron1]

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

Sorry to hear about the palaver with the antibiotics Jay..... some GP's are a bit slow on the uptake about Lyme disease. Hope you recovery is quick as Malc will be relying on you more until his knee is in full working order!
I did think there was a lot of ticks on the Sika we had up at Rogart in October - many more than I usually see down here, but as ever , all it takes is one of the little blighters to be missed post stalk....

 

[wytonpjs]

However there's always the risk that our version of TBE is a different version to the type found in hot and sweaty places in this world.

Agreed but at present, there's a European variant and a Far East one - the one found in the UK so far has been the EU one so provided you are UK/EU based, an effective jab is available now (from travel pharmacies).

 

[Sikajay]

Sorry to hear about the palaver with the antibiotics Jay..... some GP's are a bit slow on the uptake about Lyme disease. Hope you recovery is quick as Malc will be relying on you more until his knee is in full working order!
I did think there was a lot of ticks on the Sika we had up at Rogart in October - many more than I usually see down here, but as ever , all it takes is one of the little blighters to be missed post stalk....

I only had two on me this year I think I’ve only had a dozen ever on me I don’t really attach them but like you say it only takes one , has anyone on here had a bad bad reaction to doxycycline it seams to make me so sleepy at the moment and a bit dizzy at times

 

[opticron1]

I only had two on me this year I think I’ve only had a dozen ever on me I don’t really attach them but like you say it only takes one , has anyone on here had a bad bad reaction to doxycycline it seams to make me so sleepy at the moment and a bit dizzy at times

Any reactions I've seen have been the usual gastric upsets and D & V..... however if you've been on a longer course, that may give you some different side effects. The dizziness and sleepiness almost sounds like post bacterial lethargy due to the original infection - I've heard of folk with Lyme disease getting Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, but keep an eye on it and don't be afraid to go back to the Doc's if you're still feeling rubbish.

 

[Adam Riding]

Must

I only had two on me this year I think I’ve only had a dozen ever on me I don’t really attach them but like you say it only takes one , has anyone on here had a bad bad reaction to doxycycline it seams to make me so sleepy at the moment and a bit dizzy at times

I'm spaced out at the moment and on doxycyline but as opticron says much more likely that it's our bodies fighting the infection. My armpit has now swollen with raised glands and hurts like a b**** so my body is for sure in fight mode which knocks you for six with any other illness; can't see Lyme being any different.

Be sure to rest and give your body a break from other less important things.

 

[Confidis]

I had Lyme's for around 3 years before diagnosing myself via information from the mayo clinic. GP was eventually forced with great reluctance to give me a test which was positive. Then too few Doxycycline for not long enough thanks doc . Heart palpitations 220 BPM for 2 hours or more, chemically stopped 7 times .one cardiac arrest, beta blockers now painful arthritis particularly hands elbows and neck , constant flu like symptoms fatigue brain fog . My previous nearly elite level of fitness has been destroyed and I have aged 20 or more years in the last 10 . I have had to go to part time work . It has been life changing and not in a good way . I've never found a tick on me or a bite .
Take it very seriously . I think it will put me in the ground eventually.

 

[Adam Riding]

I had Lyme's for around 3 years before diagnosing myself via information from the mayo clinic. GP was eventually forced with great reluctance to give me a test which was positive. Then too few Doxycycline for not long enough thanks doc . Heart palpitations 220 BPM for 2 hours or more, chemically stopped 7 times .one cardiac arrest, beta blockers now painful arthritis particularly hands elbows and neck , constant flu like symptoms fatigue brain fog . My previous nearly elite level of fitness has been destroyed and I have aged 20 or more years in the last 10 . I have had to go to part time work . It has been life changing and not in a good way . I've never found a tick on me or a bite .
Take it very seriously . I think it will put me in the ground eventually.

Blimey, really, truly sorry to hear that. From other stories I've seen some remarkable improvements to some people who were misdiagnosed or did not find a tick, but they do take time.

I wish you all the best and as speedy recovery as possible.

I'm thinking there actually needs to be some basic education here for children at school. Both primary and secondary. It would only take 15mins max and it's only going to get more common sadly. If there's a Lyme disease charity I'd sling a few ££ for volunteers to do a chat with kids etc.

 

[Confidis]

Blimey, really, truly sorry to hear that. From other stories I've seen some remarkable improvements to some people who were misdiagnosed or did not find a tick, but they do take time.

Thanks very much . Worse things do happen at sea! and I have been very lucky in many other ways .

 

[User00040]

Vaccines against Lyme are available for dogs now, but local vet was reluctant to order in unless I had 5 other dogs lined up for them...

Tempted to ask for a shot myself, can't be any worse than those handed out recently...

 

[wytonpjs]

Oh dear - hope this does not set back the testing.......................

Pfizer and Valneva Issue Update on Phase 3 Clinical Trial Evaluating Lyme Disease Vaccine Candidate VLA15 - Valneva

New York & Saint-Herblain (France), February 17, 2023 – Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and Valneva SE (Nasdaq: VALN; Euronext Paris: VLA) today announce that Pfizer, as the study sponsor, has decided to discontinue a significant percentage of participants in the U.S. who had been enrolled in the...

valneva.com

Any ideas how to volunteer for the trial - I am a tick magnet!

 

[HonestJohn]

I get a lot of tick bites every year, here’s one from today. Usually looks like this and itches for 2 days, then starts to dissipate. If I had antibiotics for every red tick bite, I’d be immune to AB’s for when I really needed it.

 

[HonestJohn]

Here’s one from 2 days ago