OT: Lyme disease warning.

[fairgambit]

With the milder winter, my wife was doing some yard work last week. Sunday we found a deer tick (which can transmit Lyme disease) attached to the back of her leg. Our yard, in suburban Pittsburgh, is not heavily wooded, and she was not working in dense vegetation. She went to the doctor today and they said they have had several cases this week alone. I've spent considerable time reading about Lyme and, if not treated, it can cause you a lot of grief. This year, the tick population in the Northeast is predicted to be off the charts. The best defense is avoidance. If you frequent tick areas, check yourself, your family, and your pets, every time you are in harms way. We routinely do that and still missed one. This is serious stuff. Be careful.

 

[BVSt.Paul]

Excellent advice. We have a lake cabin in Western Wisconsin and frequent tick checks are a must.

With the milder winter, my wife was doing some yard work last week. Sunday we found a deer tick (which can transmit Lyme disease) attached to the back of her leg. Our yard, in suburban Pittsburgh, is not heavily wooded, and she was not working in dense vegetation. She went to the doctor today and they said they have had several cases this week alone. I've spent considerable time reading about Lyme and, if not treated, it can cause you a lot of grief. This year, the tick population in the Northeast is predicted to be off the charts. The best defense is avoidance. If you frequent tick areas, check yourself, your family, and your pets, every time you are in harms way. We routinely do that and still missed one. This is serious stuff. Be careful.

 

[Nit777]

Excellent advice. We have a lake cabin in Western Wisconsin and frequent tick checks are a must.

I have 2 close friends with Lyme disease.

One is an environmental scientist who is always in the woods doing wetland analysis. The other spent a lot of time in South America. Both in early 50s.

Their lack of energy and general feeling lousy has gone on for about 10 years for each of them.

Docs and medicine have helped some but they can't figure out how to totally get rid of it.

 

[fairgambit]

I have 2 close friends with Lyme disease.

One is an environmental scientist who is always in the woods doing wetland analysis. The other spent a lot of time in South America. Both in early 50s.

Their lack of energy and general feeling lousy has gone on for about 10 years for each of them.

Docs and medicine have helped some but they can't figure out how to totally get rid of it.

It can be a very debilitating disease, and a lot of people don't know they have it. Everyone in tick areas (Pennsylvania leads the nation in cases) should read about symptoms and get to a doctor if you think you may have been bitten.

 

[BobPSU92]

Thanks for the reminder, fair. Wishing your wife the best.

Be safe, folks.

 

[demlion]

Just a note of interest re ticks. Possums eat them by the bushel. You might get freaked out by the creepy looking possum, but he's a champ at sucking down ticks.

Also resistant to rabies.

 

[fairgambit]

Thanks for the reminder, fair. Wishing your wife the best.

Be safe, folks.

Thanks Bob. We got to the doctor quickly, and being bitten does not mean you will get the disease, but if you do, even with treatment, some people still have problems as Nit777 pointed out. Avoidance is the key.

 

[T J]

With the milder winter, my wife was doing some yard work last week. Sunday we found a deer tick (which can transmit Lyme disease) attached to the back of her leg. Our yard, in suburban Pittsburgh, is not heavily wooded, and she was not working in dense vegetation. She went to the doctor today and they said they have had several cases this week alone. I've spent considerable time reading about Lyme and, if not treated, it can cause you a lot of grief. This year, the tick population in the Northeast is predicted to be off the charts. The best defense is avoidance. If you frequent tick areas, check yourself, your family, and your pets, every time you are in harms way. We routinely do that and still missed one. This is serious stuff. Be careful.

Good luck with your wife fair

Important to get doctor assistance as soon as possible. Advice can vary, but some say that it is better to start the antibiotic treatment immediately, before the lab tests come back. Getting an early start at combating the disease may be helpful for some folks.

 

[nits74]

With the milder winter, my wife was doing some yard work last week. Sunday we found a deer tick (which can transmit Lyme disease) attached to the back of her leg. Our yard, in suburban Pittsburgh, is not heavily wooded, and she was not working in dense vegetation. She went to the doctor today and they said they have had several cases this week alone. I've spent considerable time reading about Lyme and, if not treated, it can cause you a lot of grief. This year, the tick population in the Northeast is predicted to be off the charts. The best defense is avoidance. If you frequent tick areas, check yourself, your family, and your pets, every time you are in harms way. We routinely do that and still missed one. This is serious stuff. Be careful.

I've been tested for it twice, both negative. Very serious disease and know a couple of people who have it. The earlier it's caught the more effective the antibiotics are. Dogs can also get it. I know, as my dog had it. One tip I've heard from a vet is if you are going to be outside, spray a solution of Listerine and water over exposed areas of your body. Supposed to be effective in keeping the ticks off of you. Also, as long as the tick has been removed within 12-24 hours you're not likely to contract the disease.

 

[UncleRoyBiggins]

Great advice everybody. At first I thought this was another BOT thread.

 

[artsandletters]

I've been tested for it twice, both negative. Very serious disease and know a couple of people who have it. The earlier it's caught the more effective the antibiotics are. Dogs can also get it. I know, as my dog had it. One tip I've heard from a vet is if you are going to be outside, spray a solution of Listerine and water over exposed areas of your body. Supposed to be effective in keeping the ticks off of you. Also, as long as the tick has been removed with 12-24 hours you're not likely to contract the disease.

I've also heard that lavender oil works.

 

[bkmtnittany1]

With the milder winter, my wife was doing some yard work last week. Sunday we found a deer tick (which can transmit Lyme disease) attached to the back of her leg. Our yard, in suburban Pittsburgh, is not heavily wooded, and she was not working in dense vegetation. She went to the doctor today and they said they have had several cases this week alone. I've spent considerable time reading about Lyme and, if not treated, it can cause you a lot of grief. This year, the tick population in the Northeast is predicted to be off the charts. The best defense is avoidance. If you frequent tick areas, check yourself, your family, and your pets, every time you are in harms way. We routinely do that and still missed one. This is serious stuff. Be careful.

Go purchase some Permetherin...it works...take it from a hunter who spends tons of time in the woods....you can't get it on your skin but it kills ticks on contact if you spray your clothes with it...

 

[fkkkjm]

There is also many in the medical community who subscribe to a chronic Lyme disease. A type of Lyme that is treatable but never curable. 30 days of doxycycline is a must as soon as you are aware of being bitten

 

[palehorse]

I've also heard that lavender oil works.

Tea tree oil is supposed to have similar benefits.

 

[fairgambit]

There are a lot of proactive things you can do, like making your yard less tick friendly. Ticks love leaf litter, for example, so safely get rid of it. There is a lot of information on line. Do your homework. Check your kids if they've been in tick areas. I've seen kids in shorts and sandals moving around in heavy brush, or woods, oblivious to the risks.

 

[Relayer]

I was a Lyme Disease victim 14 years ago and symptoms appeared in March. Did not see any ticks on me in the months prior, and never noticed a bullseye rash at anytime. One day my knee joint started swelling up and several days later my knee looked like a volleyball. Couldn't bend it at all. Not really that painful, just very difficult to move around.

Was put on amoxicillin for a month and it worked. I then saw a disease specialist shortly after and was given a clean bill of health. No issues since, I feel very fortunate.

 

[fairgambit]

Pennsylvania had more than 12,000 lyme cases last year, and many go unreported because people don't know they have the disease. This year, with the warm winter, is expected to be much worse. Educate yourself and you can enjoy your outdoor activities without fear.

 

[Rip_E_2_Joe_PA]

Do not wear yellow or light tan clothing when working outside and .... btw.... ticks like grasses... any kind.... think meadow lands.

Good Luck out there.... everyone.

 

[hereforthebeer]

I've been tested for it twice, both negative. Very serious disease and know a couple of people who have it. The earlier it's caught the more effective the antibiotics are. Dogs can also get it. I know, as my dog had it. One tip I've heard from a vet is if you are going to be outside, spray a solution of Listerine and water over exposed areas of your body. Supposed to be effective in keeping the ticks off of you. Also, as long as the tick has been removed with 12-24 hours you're not likely to contract the disease.

This a thousand times. The wife does neuro. This is the current best practice and most accepted/current information.

Take the tick in with you after removing so they can test it and be pushy about antibiotics. Some older docs aren't up on the protocols.

 

[nits74]

There is also many in the medical community who subscribe to a chronic Lyme disease. A type of Lyme that is treatable but never curable. 30 days of doxycycline is a must as soon as you are aware of being bitten

I've had that as a precaution. Doxy is a rough ride, but it beats Lyme

 

[The Spin Meister]

Wear long pants and tuck them into you socks. Spray clothes with repellent.

Untreated lyme can be debilitating and long term affects may not show up for many years. Some reports link it to dementia/Alzeimer's disease. Some reports that if you have a long term infection, you should take antibiotics for six months or more which can be dangerous in and of itself.

Lyme is nasty and we don't know enough about it yet.

 

[nitlion93]

This a thousand times. The wife does neuro. This is the current best practice and most accepted/current information.

Take the tick in with you after removing so they can test it and be pushy about antibiotics. Some older docs aren't up on the protocols.[/QUOTE

After getting two tick bites and starting to get symptoms of Lymes Disease, I went to the doctor. I left the office with an antibiotic prescription well before even getting the lab work back. I received a call from the doctor the next day who said that I had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Apparently this is also a tick born condition that presents many of the same symptoms (lethargy, headache, joint pain, etc...) and some others. However, I never got any rash, the bullseyes, or "fever". I was alarmed after doing some research on it but the antibiotics were the same and did the trick since I felt fine soon after. The immediate intake of antibiotics and my health status must have kept the severe issues from presenting.

 

[artsandletters]

There are a lot of proactive things you can do, like making your yard less tick friendly. Ticks love leaf litter, for example, so safely get rid of it. There is a lot of information on line. Do your homework. Check your kids if they've been in tick areas. I've seen kids in shorts and sandals moving around in heavy brush, or woods, oblivious to the risks.

And if you hit your golf ball into high grass, and you're wearing shorts, leave it there. Chances are you won't find it, and if you do find it you'll probably hit a shitty shot landing in more high grass. Keep in mind there are 18 holes.

 

[fairgambit]

And if you hit your golf ball into high grass, and you're wearing shorts, leave it there. Chances are you won't find it, and if you do find it you'll probably hit a shitty shot landing in more high grass. Keep in mind there are 18 holes.

Good point.

 

[Phil's Rug]

It's a big concern, I spend most of my free time on the weekends helping my Uncle and his brother on their family's farm. I've pulled more than my fair share of dog and deer ticks off myself over the years and have been lucky but I check myself all the time. Their youngest brother was diagnosed with it couple years ago. My brother was diagnosed with it about 4 years ago and they lost one of their dogs to it two years ago because they didn't catch it in time.

 

[Phil's Rug]

https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/diseases/index.html

Different kinds of ticks carry different diseases

 

[PSU_Nut]

Good luck with your wife fair

Important to get doctor assistance as soon as possible. Advice can vary, but some say that it is better to start the antibiotic treatment immediately, before the lab tests come back. Getting an early start at combating the disease may be helpful for some folks.

You're right . I had it several years ago and took antibiotics for 20 days. Initially I felt extremely fatigued and ached everywhere. After two days treatment ,I started feeling better and even went on a 15 day Baltic Cruise. Don 't believe all the horror stories about Lyme disease. People who have difficulty are those where the disease goes undetected. I spend 5 months per year outdoors hunting and am frequently exposed to ticks. I spray my hunting clothes prior to each season with Sawyers Permitherone repellant . It works!

 

[fairgambit]

https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/diseases/index.html

Different kinds of ticks carry different diseases

That's a good point. Lyme is not the only concern. Ticks are nasty, and are so small, especially in the nymph stage, that they are hard to spot.

 

[JBDLion]

Pulled a deer tick off one of my Boston Terrier's lower belly tonight (another Pittsburgh suburb). It was an extremely new bite and came out easily. I think it happened just from her going out to pee in the fenced in back yard.

I highly recommend the Tick Twister. I had to get one out with tweezers a few months back and it was not fun. The Tick Twister convinced the tick to pull itself out before I barely turned it at all. You twist and don't pull.

 

[RedBankerEngr]

Tick and flea meds for dogs every month!!!

 

[fairgambit]

You're right . I had it several years ago and took antibiotics for 20 days. Initially I felt extremely fatigued and ached everywhere. After two days treatment ,I started feeling better and even went on a 15 day Baltic Cruise. Don 't believe all the horror stories about Lyme disease. People who have difficulty are those where the disease goes undetected. I spend 5 months per year outdoors hunting and am frequently exposed to ticks. I spray my hunting clothes prior to each season with Sawyers Permitherone repellant . It works!

I agree that detection and treatment will work for most people. Some folks, unfortunately are misdiagnosed, diagnosed in advanced stages of the disease, or just respond poorly to treatment. The best way to avoid problems is to keep ticks off you and, failing that, promptly remove those that want you for dinner.

 

[bwifan]

With the milder winter, my wife was doing some yard work last week. Sunday we found a deer tick (which can transmit Lyme disease) attached to the back of her leg. Our yard, in suburban Pittsburgh, is not heavily wooded, and she was not working in dense vegetation. She went to the doctor today and they said they have had several cases this week alone. I've spent considerable time reading about Lyme and, if not treated, it can cause you a lot of grief. This year, the tick population in the Northeast is predicted to be off the charts. The best defense is avoidance. If you frequent tick areas, check yourself, your family, and your pets, every time you are in harms way. We routinely do that and still missed one. This is serious stuff. Be careful.

With a child who has chronic Lyme I cannot tell you the daily battle my daughter goes through each day. She is my hero. Never complains and I would watch her limp around the house in winter due to the cold and arthritis. Watching your kid go from a top athlete on the cross country and track and field to barely enough energy to get out of bed daily is crushing. The emotional and financial strain this has put on us is incredible. So many others are worse off. Have met Olympic athletes who in the prime of their careers were in wheel chairs less than a year later. My daughter has slowly started bouncing back a little. Problem besides the lack of energy and arthritis in a teenager was she always was cloudy thinking and started to have memory loss. It's a personal thing for my wife and me. Many don't understand the disease and think you take antibiotics and you're cured. For some that works, for many others it could not be further from the truth. My daughter was tested for almost 2 years with blood work and always came back negative. Finally my wife staying up all night crying at the computer doing research ignoring ALL the doctors and specialists who told my daughter nothing was wrong with her and it was all in her head found the European blot test which is so much more accurate than the U.S. tests. It's basically now the fastest growing disease in the U.S. and from what we can gather the CDC isn't ready to call Lyme chronic yet as the costs for insurance companies will be huge to treat Lyme. The scary part is so many have the disease and do not know it. Yes it can be transmitted sexually as well. My neighbor has Lyme in a bad way and now his wife has it as well. Doctors have told them he most likely transmitted Lyme to her. Just think of all the high school and college kids passing Lyme around. I would not wish this horrible disease on my worst enemy. Seeing what is does to people and having many in the medical community ignore it or says it's in your head or well the CDC doesn't recognize it so we can't do anything until they do.... The one positive is there are LLMD's now out there but few and far between. There are some natural remedies that help as well. But none of it is covered by insurance. Many are crippled by this disease and thankfully there are many forums and internet places to share information and help plus organize to get congress to ignore the lobbyists and do something. Very frustrating to say the least...

 

[fairgambit]

With a child who has chronic Lyme I cannot tell you the daily battle my daughter goes through each day. She is my hero. Never complains and I would watch her limp around the house in winter due to the cold and arthritis. Watching your kid go from a top athlete on the cross country and track and field to barely enough energy to get out of bed daily is crushing. The emotional and financial strain this has put on us is incredible. So many others are worse off. Have met Olympic athletes who in the prime of their careers were in wheel chairs less than a year later. My daughter has slowly started bouncing back a little. Problem besides the lack of energy and arthritis in a teenager was she always was cloudy thinking and started to have memory loss. It's a personal thing for my wife and me. Many don't understand the disease and think you take antibiotics and you're cured. For some that works, for many others it could not be further from the truth. My daughter was tested for almost 2 years with blood work and always came back negative. Finally my wife staying up all night crying at the computer doing research ignoring ALL the doctors and specialists who told my daughter nothing was wrong with her and it was all in her head found the European blot test which is so much more accurate than the U.S. tests. It's basically now the fastest growing disease in the U.S. and from what we can gather the CDC isn't ready to call Lyme chronic yet as the costs for insurance companies will be huge to treat Lyme. The scary part is so many have the disease and do not know it. Yes it can be transmitted sexually as well. My neighbor has Lyme in a bad way and now his wife has it as well. Doctors have told them he most likely transmitted Lyme to her. Just think of all the high school and college kids passing Lyme around. I would not wish this horrible disease on my worst enemy. Seeing what is does to people and having many in the medical community ignore it or says it's in your head or well the CDC doesn't recognize it so we can't do anything until they do.... The one positive is there are LLMD's now out there but few and far between. There are some natural remedies that help as well. But none of it is covered by insurance. Many are crippled by this disease and thankfully there are many forums and internet places to share information and help plus organize to get congress to ignore the lobbyists and do something. Very frustrating to say the least...

Wow, what a powerful post. My thoughts and prayers are with your daughter and your family. I hope many will read your words and realize how serious this problem is. All the best.

 

[hlstone]

With a child who has chronic Lyme I cannot tell you the daily battle my daughter goes through each day. She is my hero. Never complains and I would watch her limp around the house in winter due to the cold and arthritis. Watching your kid go from a top athlete on the cross country and track and field to barely enough energy to get out of bed daily is crushing. The emotional and financial strain this has put on us is incredible. So many others are worse off. Have met Olympic athletes who in the prime of their careers were in wheel chairs less than a year later. My daughter has slowly started bouncing back a little. Problem besides the lack of energy and arthritis in a teenager was she always was cloudy thinking and started to have memory loss. It's a personal thing for my wife and me. Many don't understand the disease and think you take antibiotics and you're cured. For some that works, for many others it could not be further from the truth. My daughter was tested for almost 2 years with blood work and always came back negative. Finally my wife staying up all night crying at the computer doing research ignoring ALL the doctors and specialists who told my daughter nothing was wrong with her and it was all in her head found the European blot test which is so much more accurate than the U.S. tests. It's basically now the fastest growing disease in the U.S. and from what we can gather the CDC isn't ready to call Lyme chronic yet as the costs for insurance companies will be huge to treat Lyme. The scary part is so many have the disease and do not know it. Yes it can be transmitted sexually as well. My neighbor has Lyme in a bad way and now his wife has it as well. Doctors have told them he most likely transmitted Lyme to her. Just think of all the high school and college kids passing Lyme around. I would not wish this horrible disease on my worst enemy. Seeing what is does to people and having many in the medical community ignore it or says it's in your head or well the CDC doesn't recognize it so we can't do anything until they do.... The one positive is there are LLMD's now out there but few and far between. There are some natural remedies that help as well. But none of it is covered by insurance. Many are crippled by this disease and thankfully there are many forums and internet places to share information and help plus organize to get congress to ignore the lobbyists and do something. Very frustrating to say the least...

Wow that was powerful and scary to me. I live in the woods and my kid is a talented athlete. Thank you for what you wrote.

 

[PSU_Nut]

With a child who has chronic Lyme I cannot tell you the daily battle my daughter goes through each day. She is my hero. Never complains and I would watch her limp around the house in winter due to the cold and arthritis. Watching your kid go from a top athlete on the cross country and track and field to barely enough energy to get out of bed daily is crushing. The emotional and financial strain this has put on us is incredible. So many others are worse off. Have met Olympic athletes who in the prime of their careers were in wheel chairs less than a year later. My daughter has slowly started bouncing back a little. Problem besides the lack of energy and arthritis in a teenager was she always was cloudy thinking and started to have memory loss. It's a personal thing for my wife and me. Many don't understand the disease and think you take antibiotics and you're cured. For some that works, for many others it could not be further from the truth. My daughter was tested for almost 2 years with blood work and always came back negative. Finally my wife staying up all night crying at the computer doing research ignoring ALL the doctors and specialists who told my daughter nothing was wrong with her and it was all in her head found the European blot test which is so much more accurate than the U.S. tests. It's basically now the fastest growing disease in the U.S. and from what we can gather the CDC isn't ready to call Lyme chronic yet as the costs for insurance companies will be huge to treat Lyme. The scary part is so many have the disease and do not know it. Yes it can be transmitted sexually as well. My neighbor has Lyme in a bad way and now his wife has it as well. Doctors have told them he most likely transmitted Lyme to her. Just think of all the high school and college kids passing Lyme around. I would not wish this horrible disease on my worst enemy. Seeing what is does to people and having many in the medical community ignore it or says it's in your head or well the CDC doesn't recognize it so we can't do anything until they do.... The one positive is there are LLMD's now out there but few and far between. There are some natural remedies that help as well. But none of it is covered by insurance. Many are crippled by this disease and thankfully there are many forums and internet places to share information and help plus organize to get congress to ignore the lobbyists and do something. Very frustrating to say the least...

My heart goes out to your family. This is a good example of what wrong with this country medical system. You have private for profit insurance companies. Your daughter is an acceptable casualty in order to improve the bottom line. However insurance companies will not cover the more accurate test because it more expensive. The false negatives are fine to save a few bucks. It only going to get worse. What scary is we have politicians pushing for house bill 1215 which will limit tort on medical lawsuits meaning those in the medical field will not be help accountable for egregious misconduct. On top of that with 250k ceilining for profit medical providers might be willing to cut corners on care because there limited risk.

 

[bwifan]

Wow, what a powerful post. My thoughts and prayers are with your daughter and your family. I hope many will read your words and realize how serious this problem is. All the best.

There is so much more that I find myself at times seething with anger at the medical community. I have had business meetings with CMO's of insurance companies. They will admit to me quietly off the side that yes Lyme is chronic but until the CDC say's so we can't do anything. Makes me want to put my foot up the ass of the CDC multiple times a day. They are now researching and looking into links between Parkinson's and MS as well. They are seeing if the disease progresses into those or in some develops into those. Good friend of mine both his parents have Parkinson's and had Lyme multiple times in their lives caught early with bull's eye and antibiotics. Scary what Lyme can do to the body. Most don't realize Lyme is a spirochete and you will always have it. Antibiotics make it go dormant in your body but flare ups are common. Most people don't realize it but when sick with flu like symptoms and aches it's can actually be a flare up of Lyme in your body again. Some have to go back on antibiotics to make it dormant again. Sorry for the rant but the anger my family has towards the medical community and insurance company's is strong and real....

 

[bwifan]

I should note as well not all deer ticks carry Lyme, but obviously if you find a deer tick on you get tested. Whether you get the bulls eye or not as not everyone gets the bulls eye. They are small and not easy to find on a body. You may have to fight to get tested but do, also monitor if you have aches/pains/ and so many other effects that you can read about on line.

 

[tgar]

With a child who has chronic Lyme I cannot tell you the daily battle my daughter goes through each day. She is my hero. Never complains and I would watch her limp around the house in winter due to the cold and arthritis. Watching your kid go from a top athlete on the cross country and track and field to barely enough energy to get out of bed daily is crushing. The emotional and financial strain this has put on us is incredible. So many others are worse off. Have met Olympic athletes who in the prime of their careers were in wheel chairs less than a year later. My daughter has slowly started bouncing back a little. Problem besides the lack of energy and arthritis in a teenager was she always was cloudy thinking and started to have memory loss. It's a personal thing for my wife and me. Many don't understand the disease and think you take antibiotics and you're cured. For some that works, for many others it could not be further from the truth. My daughter was tested for almost 2 years with blood work and always came back negative. Finally my wife staying up all night crying at the computer doing research ignoring ALL the doctors and specialists who told my daughter nothing was wrong with her and it was all in her head found the European blot test which is so much more accurate than the U.S. tests. It's basically now the fastest growing disease in the U.S. and from what we can gather the CDC isn't ready to call Lyme chronic yet as the costs for insurance companies will be huge to treat Lyme. The scary part is so many have the disease and do not know it. Yes it can be transmitted sexually as well. My neighbor has Lyme in a bad way and now his wife has it as well. Doctors have told them he most likely transmitted Lyme to her. Just think of all the high school and college kids passing Lyme around. I would not wish this horrible disease on my worst enemy. Seeing what is does to people and having many in the medical community ignore it or says it's in your head or well the CDC doesn't recognize it so we can't do anything until they do.... The one positive is there are LLMD's now out there but few and far between. There are some natural remedies that help as well. But none of it is covered by insurance. Many are crippled by this disease and thankfully there are many forums and internet places to share information and help plus organize to get congress to ignore the lobbyists and do something. Very frustrating to say the least...

You have my sympathies and I hope one day your Struggle ends and your daughter is cured.

Me and my brother have each had it, wicked horrible, yes, I would not wish this on anyone. Take care and all the best again to your family.

 

[fairgambit]

There is so much more that I find myself at times seething with anger at the medical community. I have had business meetings with CMO's of insurance companies. They will admit to me quietly off the side that yes Lyme is chronic but until the CDC say's so we can't do anything. Makes me want to put my foot up the ass of the CDC multiple times a day. They are now researching and looking into links between Parkinson's and MS as well. They are seeing if the disease progresses into those or in some develops into those. Good friend of mine both his parents have Parkinson's and had Lyme multiple times in their lives caught early with bull's eye and antibiotics. Scary what Lyme can do to the body. Most don't realize Lyme is a spirochete and you will always have it. Antibiotics make it go dormant in your body but flare ups are common. Most people don't realize it but when sick with flu like symptoms and aches it's can actually be a flare up of Lyme in your body again. Some have to go back on antibiotics to make it dormant again. Sorry for the rant but the anger my family has towards the medical community and insurance company's is strong and real....

Personal stories like yours have much more impact than all the news articles and statistics about the disease. Thank you and again, all the best to your daughter.

 

[tgar]

I should note as well not all deer ticks carry Lyme, but obviously if you find a deer tick on you get tested. Whether you get the bulls eye or not as not everyone gets the bulls eye. They are small and not easy to find on a body. You may have to fight to get tested but do, also monitor if you have aches/pains/ and so many other effects that you can read about on line.

I had aches, chills, pain, a leg that wouldn't stop shaking, 103 plus degree fever, all of it. And when it comes on you also can't sleep. Horrible. I have a friend who thought she was losing her mind and those around her thought the same.

My point is the symptoms are very broad and not the same from person to person.