What precautions do you take to avoid ticks?

[Fishpond]

It should be doxycycline although alternatives available if this can't be used

See link below

Recommendations | Lyme disease | Guidance | NICE

www.nice.org.uk

BR Richard

 

[bogtrotter]

I have a question for those of you who say permethrin is risky. Why is it the main ingredient in many head lice creams and lotions for children and the ingredient used in Scabies creams. If it were unsafe it wouldn't be freely available, surely?

Permethrin is probably safe at low and infrequent doses , but what is a safe dose? My real concern with it is the long term effects probably ok for a recreational stalker who is using it infrequently but for someone like myself who would
be wearing it day in day out I'm not so sure.
As to it being safe its big business it has so many uses none of whom want to find fault , I don't know how old you are
but I am old enough to remember DDT a similar scenario where it was in wide spread use and said to be safe.
Tess by the US military proved it to be so, it was great as an insecticide went a long way in the fight against malaria
even used as a household fly spray ,all round good stuff.

There were those that spoke up against it but their concerns were brushed aside.
Do you see a similar pattern emerging here!
Took over thirty years of use before the powers that be accepted that DDT was not all that was wonderful and was eventually banned in 1962.
I am not saying permethrin is not safe at low doses, it is certainly not safe at high levels that has been proven
What I would like to see are independent tests ( all the tests to date appear to be by those with a vested interest) on the
long term effects and safe dosages.
There are plenty independent scientists who have raised concerns over its use but thats not the same as proper clinical
tests.
Now you say you are concerned by the possible effects of Lyme and choose to use Permethrin and that is your right.
I have had Lyme twice and now suffer from a heart condition more than likely caused by Lyme I choose not to use
Permethrin due to a lack of scientific knowledge of the long term effects, that is my right.

All I want is for people to realise that there may be a long term risk involved in its use , they can then decide for themselves.

 

[levigsp]

Permethrin is probably safe at low and infrequent doses , but what is a safe dose? My real concern with it is the long term effects probably ok for a recreational stalker who is using it infrequently but for someone like myself who would
be wearing it day in day out I'm not so sure.
As to it being safe its big business it has so many uses none of whom want to find fault , I don't know how old you are
but I am old enough to remember DDT a similar scenario where it was in wide spread use and said to be safe.
Tess by the US military proved it to be so, it was great as an insecticide went a long way in the fight against malaria
even used as a household fly spray ,all round good stuff.

There were those that spoke up against it but their concerns were brushed aside.
Do you see a similar pattern emerging here!
Took over thirty years of use before the powers that be accepted that DDT was not all that was wonderful and was eventually banned in 1962.
I am not saying permethrin is not safe at low doses, it is certainly not safe at high levels that has been proven
What I would like to see are independent tests ( all the tests to date appear to be by those with a vested interest) on the
long term effects and safe dosages.
There are plenty independent scientists who have raised concerns over its use but thats not the same as proper clinical
tests.
Now you say you are concerned by the possible effects of Lyme and choose to use Permethrin and that is your right.
I have had Lyme twice and now suffer from a heart condition more than likely caused by Lyme I choose not to use
Permethrin due to a lack of scientific knowledge of the long term effects, that is my right.

All I want is for people to realise that there may be a long term risk involved in its use , they can then decide for themselves.

I to remember ddt and its nasty effects on all sorts, but we have moved on a long way since then. We now replace hearts for example and joints etc and testing of chemicals has come a long way.
Like you say we all need to make our choices and base them on what we believe.

 

[froggyie]

Get expedition100+ from lifesystems will take care of all insects

 

[Orvil]

Marmite
Don't laugh 'coz I'm not taking the pee. I eat loads of it and have never (touch wood) ever had a tick. Keds crawling all over the place but never a tick.
Somebody told me that there's something in Marmite that has ticks going in the other direction. I also go stalking with a mate who they find delicious so I'm doubly protected!

 

[bogtrotter]

Marmite
Don't laugh 'coz I'm not taking the pee. I eat loads of it and have never (touch wood) ever had a tick. Keds crawling all over the place but never a tick.
Somebody told me that there's something in Marmite that has ticks going in the other direction. I also go stalking with a mate who they find delicious so I'm doubly protected!

Never tried it but you may be on to something , marmite is a yeast extract and taking yeast supposedly wards of
midges so might just work on ticks.

 

[Freeforester]

Marmite is certainly effective for many folk against midges, and decidedly more tasty than the alternatives like diesel, DEET, and such like, 'marmite' syndrome or not; I'm not a fan of the stuff myself, but would make 'the sacrifice' if we had a special, West-coast type of midge problem area here, thankfully not the case.

 

[VSS]

I think I'd rather have ticks than Marmite!

(We're a Bovril household. Marmite is for vegetarians )

 

[awmc]

There seem to be a lot more Ticks this year