Lyme Disease

Vannoyboy

Eight Pointer
Be sure and check for ticks after you come home from the woods. I got Lyme Disease from one yesterday while mowing around hunting cabin.
 

Thomas270

Ten Pointer
I’ve been in the woods the past few days with work. Got home yesterday and just felt out of sorts. I told myself somewhere there is a tick, but I couldn’t find it. I found it this evening on the back side of my head, about 3 inches up from my neck. And I’ve been soaking everything in permethrin and off.
 

Vannoyboy

Eight Pointer
If you get a black legged deer tick bit into you and a target shaped whelp around it about the size of a tennis ball you can wait 3 or 4 days if you want to but I didn't. You actually cannot get an accurate blood test (ELISA) until after 24 hours and maybe up to 10 days or more but most knowledgeable doctors can (and will) go ahead and get you started on antibiotics when they see the distinct markings. Sorry you missed my point. Point is: If you go out and get a tick you can catch a disease. I am not a doctor but however I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express one time.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
got your point,,,,everyone worries on diseases and snakes,,,and yes, some doctors will do early treatment to "beat the disease"

Generally if you remove a tick quickly (within 24 hours) you can greatly reduce your chances of getting Lyme disease. It takes some time for the Lyme disease-causing bacteria to move from the tick to you. The longer the tick is attached, the greater the risk of acquiring disease from it. (thanks CDC)
 

hunter

Eight Pointer
Contributor
I usually try to layer my hunting clothes and treat them with permithrin which really knocks the ticks out. I have come in from the woods and found dead ones hanging on my clothes. What this usually means is that I get tick bites when wearing normal clothes and from something as simple as walking across the yard. Hard to avoid those. Just check frequently I guess.
 

Soilman

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Permithrin is your friend. Buy concentrate and mix your own. I often mix a 2 liter drink bottle full to keep a smaller spray bottle supplied. I'm about to re-spray my turkey hunting cloths this morning. Been using it all spring and haven't found a tick on me yet.

I think a 19/1 ratio is recommended. Easy way to mix a small batch is to buy the concentrate with the squeeze application that measures ounces at the top. Then get a 20 oz. drink bottle. Measure out 1 oz. of permithrin and pour in the drink bottle. Then fill the drink bottle with tap water and shake.
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
Never had Lyme but have Rocky Mountain Spotted fever a couple of times and it ain’t no joke. Found one tick seized under one of my toes for my first bout of it, then found another one seized on my lower back for round 2. Doxycycline cleared it up pretty quick both times.


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KrisB

Ten Pointer
I'm on antibiotics now for a tick that latched onto my back on my first ever turkey hunt on Thursday, April 25. I sprayed everything with permethrin, except the shirt I wore under my Army surplus jacket because I ran out of permethrin spraying everything else and didn't have time to get more.

Tried to get it off myself with tweezers, but couldn't reach it. Finally went to a clinic on Sunday, April 29. I know, don't wait that long. A PA took it off and put me on doxycyclone. She said they were probably being overzealous with the antibiotics, but I'd rather have that than risk getting Lyme disease even more than I already did waiting.

But my favorite part of that experience was when they asked me what I'd been doing that I'd been around ticks. "Camping?"

"No. Hunting."

Turned out the nurse and her husband are deer hunters. :D
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
If you get another one you can't reach put alcohol on a cotton swab or dawn dish washing soap and an use something to wipe over it. Usually it will release in a matter of minutes.
 

Homebrewale

Old Mossy Horns
If you get a black legged deer tick bit into you and a target shaped whelp around it about the size of a tennis ball you can wait 3 or 4 days if you want to but I didn't. You actually cannot get an accurate blood test (ELISA) until after 24 hours and maybe up to 10 days or more but most knowledgeable doctors can (and will) go ahead and get you started on antibiotics when they see the distinct markings. Sorry you missed my point. Point is: If you go out and get a tick you can catch a disease. I am not a doctor but however I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express one time.

I couldn't imagine running to the doctor hours after finding a tick latched to my skin.
 

ddavenport

Six Pointer
Contributor
Never had Lyme but have Rocky Mountain Spotted fever a couple of times and it ain’t no joke. Found one tick seized under one of my toes for my first bout of it, then found another one seized on my lower back for round 2. Doxycycline cleared it up pretty quick both times.


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I thought you could only get RMSF once? I had it last year and thought I was in the clear.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I thought you could only get RMSF once? I had it last year and thought I was in the clear.
According to Johns Hopkins you can't, but what do they know?

Can Rocky Mountain spotted fever be prevented?

Once you’ve had RMSF, you can’t get it again. To help prevent RMSF, follow these guidelines.
 

Homebrewale

Old Mossy Horns
If you get a black legged deer tick bit into you and a target shaped whelp around it about the size of a tennis ball you can wait 3 or 4 days if you want to but I didn't. You actually cannot get an accurate blood test (ELISA) until after 24 hours and maybe up to 10 days or more but most knowledgeable doctors can (and will) go ahead and get you started on antibiotics when they see the distinct markings. Sorry you missed my point. Point is: If you go out and get a tick you can catch a disease. I am not a doctor but however I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express one time.

I hope your stay at the Holiday Inn Express was nice.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health...disease-3-factors-determine-risk-of-infection

"Where you live determines how many blacklegged ticks are carrying Lyme. A recent study found that in the Northeast and Upper Midwest, up to 50 percent of blacklegged ticks are infected. But in the South and West, infection rates are usually less than 10 percent."

'Alison Hinckley, a CDC epidemiologist specializing in Lyme disease, said several studies show that a tick "needs to be attached for 48 to 72 hours to even be able to transmit the infection to a person."'
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
According to Johns Hopkins you can't, but what do they know?

Can Rocky Mountain spotted fever be prevented?

Once you’ve had RMSF, you can’t get it again. To help prevent RMSF, follow these guidelines.
Glad to hear that's the case. I sure don't want it again. And my case was mild compared to some.
 

nccatfisher

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Glad to hear that's the case. I sure don't want it again. And my case was mild compared to some.
I had a dog deathly ill several years ago. My regular vet was out of town and I took it to another and he had her for several days. She racked up a sizeable bill and was going downhill fast, they recommended I take her to an emergency clinic in a larger city which I did. She was there 3 more days racking up a VERY large bill. I went to check on her and at this point she went from a 55# dog to a 30#. She was almost dead. They really had no clue what was wrong with her.

I jerked her away from there as my regular vet was back and took her there. He looked her over and did some blood tests and told me then he had a suspicion what was wrong but wouldn't know to he got labs back but would treat accordingly. He got the labs back in three days and to then she was showing signs of improvement. She had RMSF, to then I had no clue a dog could get it. I spent almost 3k in vet bills with the other two places and less than $400. with him. That was a lifelong lesson in more ways than one. It took her months to fully recover.
 

Inshore duck

Eight Pointer
Lyme is rare in NC, typically Vermont/NH, upstate NY. . RMSF is common here in eastern NC. The tick needs to be attached for 36-48 hours in most cases and it typically takes minimal 3 days to become symptomatic. Most pts do not have the classic erythema migrans (bullseye rash) and in 8 years of practice in emergency medicine Ive only seen it 3-4 times. Ive had over 5 cases this week of RMSF. We are second in cases in US, Oklahoma was #1. You must understand that testing for Lyme and RMSF is very insensitive (positive is not always positive and negative is certainly not always negative). Most are treated clinically regardless of lab studies.
 

Vannoyboy

Eight Pointer
I couldn't imagine running to the doctor hours after finding a tick latched to my skin.

You probably don't have anything to worry about . Not very many ticks in the camo section at Walmart.
 

Inshore duck

Eight Pointer
You probably don't have anything to worry about . Not very many ticks in the camo section at Walmart.
[/QUOTE]

Whom is this directed towards?
 

FITZH2O

Old Mossy Horns
I couldn't imagine running to the doctor hours after finding a tick latched to my skin.

You probably don't have anything to worry about . Not very many ticks in the camo section at Walmart.

Hahahaha you funny, if most on here went to the dr every time we pulled a tick out of our skin, they’d charge us rent ???
 

bryguy

Old Mossy Horns
Lyme is rare in NC, typically Vermont/NH, upstate NY. . RMSF is common here in eastern NC. The tick needs to be attached for 36-48 hours in most cases and it typically takes minimal 3 days to become symptomatic. Most pts do not have the classic erythema migrans (bullseye rash) and in 8 years of practice in emergency medicine Ive only seen it 3-4 times. Ive had over 5 cases this week of RMSF. We are second in cases in US, Oklahoma was #1. You must understand that testing for Lyme and RMSF is very insensitive (positive is not always positive and negative is certainly not always negative). Most are treated clinically regardless of lab studies.

I have had the rash both times I had a tick seized on me. My dr didn’t do the blood test for the very reason you mentioned, and also because he told me he would treat me the same no matter what the test said.


As to the RMSF and only getting it once, that is good to know. I had something tick borne twice, cause I had flu like symptoms and a bullseye rash both times I found the tick seized. In fact the reason I found both ticks was because the area where they were seized on were itchy and had the bullseye once I looked at them. The one under my toe was itching like crazy and I had a ring that crossed the top of my foot about midway up. The one on my low back was itchy as well and when I checked in the mirror I had a big ole red ring around the area where the tick was. In both instances I felt like I had been run over by a truck. Achy joints and overall body aches.


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LIZZRD

Eight Pointer
My daughter had a tough time with a probable lone star tick a few years back.
She can not eat any red meat or pork now !
Deep woods off for me....
 

aya28ga

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I've Permethrin treated all my clothes and one of those really tiny buggers still managed to penetrate through a sock and attach to my ankle yesterday before he died!
 

ddavenport

Six Pointer
Contributor
My daughter had a tough time with a probable lone star tick a few years back.
She can not eat any red meat or pork now !
Deep woods off for me....
I have that also. I can eat anything except for red meat. Started in my early 20's (about 25 years ago) and still can't eat red meat. I had no idea what it was until a few years ago when someone discovered the mammalar meat allergy and the alpha-gal syndrome link. I have read that it will get better or even go away, but I don't take the chance.
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
I have had the rash both times I had a tick seized on me. My dr didn’t do the blood test for the very reason you mentioned, and also because he told me he would treat me the same no matter what the test said.


As to the RMSF and only getting it once, that is good to know. I had something tick borne twice, cause I had flu like symptoms and a bullseye rash both times I found the tick seized. In fact the reason I found both ticks was because the area where they were seized on were itchy and had the bullseye once I looked at them. The one under my toe was itching like crazy and I had a ring that crossed the top of my foot about midway up. The one on my low back was itchy as well and when I checked in the mirror I had a big ole red ring around the area where the tick was. In both instances I felt like I had been run over by a truck. Achy joints and overall body aches.


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I figure it's probably like the flu vaccine. Even if you've had the flu shot you can still get a milder form of the flu. I had the series of Lyme vaccine's when it was available and my Lyme titer has never been positive. I've also had all the other vaccines, boosters, ect...that are required as a health care worker and have NEVER had one to test positive. When I started at the VA I was give titers for Hep A, B, C and MMR...all came back as negative and I had to get boosters for each, even though I had proof that I took the Hep shots at my last job. I can't say whether it's negative because my body builds up immunity to these diseases or it's negative because my body rejects the vaccine and never sets antibodies. Every person is different and I think that some of us may be able to be infected with the same or a similar virus if exposed. Never say never, that's why my clothes are re-treated every turkey season, just in case.
 

Homebrewale

Old Mossy Horns
You probably don't have anything to worry about . Not very many ticks in the camo section at Walmart.


Whom is this directed towards?

It was directed towards me. He wants to ignore science which shows that the tick needs to be attached for more than 48 hours for you to have the chance to catch Lyme disease and only about 10% of the ticks carry it. As FITZH20 correctly summed it up, some of us would be charged rent by the doctor if we ran to the doctor every time we found a tick on our body. Instead of possibly learning something, he chose to be snarky.
 
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