Ticks

[kimby37]

Well two days ago i picked up my sons coat off the floor(he loves to not hand it up) and found a tick crawling on my hand. Yesterday i took a walk on the road not in the woods. Later when i was cooking i felt something near my underarm and there i pulled out a tick halfway into my skin. I have never had a tick on me. Two in two days. I called the Dr this morning because the one i pulled out of my skin was a Deer tick. I think i might be a bad tick season, Not sure i want to do any hiking when the warmer weather comes Anyone else have problems with ticks already?

 

[Robert]

About 14 years ago I had a severe case of Lyme disease. I developed viral meningitis secondary to the Lyme infection. I had Bell's Palsy, etc. I was very, very sick. In two months time I was admitted to four different hospitals. Newport Hospital in Rhode Island first. Then transferred to the ICU at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence. Then home to Bridgeport Hospital in CT and then finally over to Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven CT. Spent a total of 32 days in-patient which is a long time for a Lyme patient. 7 lumbar punctures (spinal taps) over an 18month period. (Blood tests were never positive, only spinal titers.) I eventually underwent 24 weeks of IV Cephtriaxone (rocephin) through a pic line. Etc. Overall it took me about two years to really be back to 100%.

Lyme disease can be very serious if not caught early and treated properly. That being said, Lyme disease is no reason to avoid the woods and other outdoor activities. Proper precautions can be taken. There are a variety of repellents which are very effective, some more toxic than others. DEET or permethrin, all the way down to organic stuff. Common sense still goes the farthest in my opinion. Tick checks are great after outings. I keep my hair short. (Easier for a balding man!). I wear long, lightweight pants when deep in the woods. Etc...

Again, Lyme disease can be serious, but don't let fear keep you from doing what you enjoy. My family really enjoys the outdoors in many different capacities. Just use some caution and some common sense and you should be good to go!

 

[Jacqui]

I found three ticks on me the past couple of days, so yes it seems to be starting hard here this year (Nebraska). Nice thing is, it also cooled down a bit, so maybe I can go tick free for the next few days of jungle taming. Meantime, the dogs are all tick free. Of course, the worse part is once you find one, you start feeling them crawling everywhere on you.

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

If you ever pull a deer tick out of yourself or one of your children you can have the tick texted for Lyme. You just have to find a doctor that will send it out. I have done this numerous times in the past when I find one on the kids or myself.

 

[Jacqui]

I admit, I think about the problems with Lyme disease and just quickly go kill the tick. I'd probably go broke with all the ticks we can end up with in a bad year.

 

[CtTortoiseMom]

If you ever pull a deer tick out of yourself or one of your children you can have the tick texted for Lyme. You just have to find a doctor that will send it out. I have done this numerous times in the past when I find one on the kids or myself.

Haha I meant "tested" not "texted" stupid auto correct!!

 

[kimby37]

If you ever pull a deer tick out of yourself or one of your children you can have the tick texted for Lyme. You just have to find a doctor that will send it out. I have done this numerous times in the past when I find one on the kids or myself.

Haha I meant "tested" not "texted" stupid auto correct!!

I knew what you meant though lol. I should have asked about it being tested. I should have thought of that i did have the tick with me at the DRs

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About 14 years ago I had a severe case of Lyme disease. I developed viral meningitis secondary to the Lyme infection. I had Bell's Palsy, etc. I was very, very sick. In two months time I was admitted to four different hospitals. Newport Hospital in Rhode Island first. Then transferred to the ICU at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence. Then home to Bridgeport Hospital in CT and then finally over to Yale New Haven Hospital in New Haven CT. Spent a total of 32 days in-patient which is a long time for a Lyme patient. 7 lumbar punctures (spinal taps) over an 18month period. (Blood tests were never positive, only spinal titers.) I eventually underwent 24 weeks of IV Cephtriaxone (rocephin) through a pic line. Etc. Overall it took me about two years to really be back to 100%.

Lyme disease can be very serious if not caught early and treated properly. That being said, Lyme disease is no reason to avoid the woods and other outdoor activities. Proper precautions can be taken. There are a variety of repellents which are very effective, some more toxic than others. DEET or permethrin, all the way down to organic stuff. Common sense still goes the farthest in my opinion. Tick checks are great after outings. I keep my hair short. (Easier for a balding man!). I wear long, lightweight pants when deep in the woods. Etc...

Again, Lyme disease can be serious, but don't let fear keep you from doing what you enjoy. My family really enjoys the outdoors in many different capacities. Just use some caution and some common sense and you should be good to go!

We usually are very cautious when out. We just took a walk down the street not even in the woods. Sorry to hear about all that happened to you, my cousin told me a similar story today. He has had problems off and on for 21 years. Im just nervous now. Im sure ill be back out for hikes, we love to go out into the woods and see what we can find.

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Went to the doctors, i have to get a preventative prescription and go back in 5 weeks for blood testing better safe than sorry though. Be careful out there i wouldn't even thought there were ticks yet. There was frost on the ground a few days ago.

 

[Kristina]

Never had a tick on me in my life... although I have danced with many, many leeches (

). Now I must go find some wood to knock on...

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

My work dogs and I would get ticks alot when we were tracking criminals in the woods. I would always comb and walsh the canine and have someone check me as soon as we were completed. I have seen bad tick seasons, no fun!

 

[Marty333]

The ones around me are usually dog ticks. I have had only one tiny tick embedded in me. We got a ton on my dogs in the summer. I am always afraid of getting a disease from it but my dad keeps me calm

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

The ones around me are usually dog ticks. I have had only one tiny tick embedded in me. We got a ton on my dogs in the summer. I am always afraid of getting a disease from it but my dad keeps me calm

Marty, it always worried me also!

 

[Balboa]

I can't stand ticks. That's one of the few good things about where I live, no ticks. (At least they're so rare I've never seen one here).

 

[Scooter]

I hardly get the larger ticks on me, but I am a magnet for these tiny ones that are the size of ground pepper. I get around 50 on my legs at a time ugh.