This is topic Oh no. . . New tick bite in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.


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Posted by Bartenderbonnie (Member # 49177) on :
 
Unbelievable !

Feeling better, more energy lately SO I was weeding my garden bed. I came into the house, washed my hands, grabbed a piece of fried chicken and checked my e-mails and lymenet.

Went to take shower. Took off my clothes and thought I had crust from chicken on my stomach. I tried to pick it off but it was stuck. Grabbed my glasses and sure enough, nasty, low-life, life-sucking, good-for-nothing tick attached to my stomach.

SHEER TERROR !!!

Got it off with tweezers and put it on sink. It was moving to get away. Scared it would fall down drain. No ziplock bag in bathroom. Grabbed adhesive lint brush and pressed down to secure it.

It's in ziplock bag now. I ll be at post office tomorrow to send for testing.

I treated my backyard with granulated bug and tick repellant. Guess it didn't work. My animals are also treated from vet's tick products. Makes me worry.

I did not feel it on me. I did not feel it bite me. Thank God I took a shower. Should have sooner, for sure. But I was hungry.

I put iodine on bite. Doesn't look like it was on me long. Small red puncture bite. I m on antibiotics. Do you think that will protect me from getting sicker ? Is there anything topical I can apply to bite besides iodine ? Garlic ? Hydrogen peroxide ?

I am done with outdoors.
 
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
 
My lyme doc told me that I was protected while treating. Makes sense to me. You are currently treating lyme and a few coinfections. So, nothing should come of it.

Why test the tick since you are already getting treated.

Sounds like you are going to modify your lifestyle. That's what my doc told me to do, and after a few episodes like what you had, I modified.

I will never forget finding an attached tick on my stomach 2 weeks after finishing lyme treatment! 11 p.m. Panic ensued.

I had my husband yank it off. The head stayed in my stomach. I had to get it cut out. Went to the gyn 2 days later and asked him to do it since nobody else would and I was leaving for vacation.

He couldn't pull it out (they have barbed mouthparts) so had to scoop out all the flesh with the mouthparts. Looked like a cigarette burn when he was finished. It was in-office minor surgery.

So, now I do what my doc recommended and I don't garden anymore. I found a tick on me every time I did. So, no more weeding, no more annuals, etc.

You are supposed to put peroxide on the bite and that is it. You have so much antibiotics coursing through your veins and in every cell of your body, those germs are going to get nowhere but dead!
 
Posted by Bartenderbonnie (Member # 49177) on :
 
Thank you TF.

I ve calmed down.

I m in a different place (mentally) than the first time I got bit.

Now I have knowledge, family and friends support, a good LLMD, and antibiotics.

Even with taking precautions, I see no remedy. The tick population has exploded ! ! !
 
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
 
OH NO! I know how that feels BB. Sorry to hear it! I don't know of a thing that you can do that you aren't doing now. I feel you are good to go at this point. And just saying...

If a dumb tick had to bite someone, maybe it was best it was you because YOU know what to do. So many other people have no clue!

TF said.. "Why test the tick since you are already getting treated."

First, the tests are free for the time being. HUGE savings and great opportunity.

Second, the people conducting the free tick testing need to know what ticks are where and what diseases they carry for their study. By sending in your ticks you are helping with an important aspect of this particular study, as well as improving our general knowledge on the subject.

Third, it would be nice to know what is in BB's back yard so the next time she is bitten (let's hope not) or someone visiting her is bitten, she will have an understanding of what MIGHT be there and will have written documentation to wave in the face of any ducks that doubt her.

Here is more information on the free tick testing and the study that started last year.

https://sites.google.com/site/marylandlyme/ticks/free-tick-testing
 
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
 
Hey, I was typing when you posted. Glad you've sort of come to your happy place already. Good for you!

Also want to mention there is NO reason (except for ticks) that you shouldn't enjoy the outdoors. You can hire someone to spray your property (professionals) and/or do it yourself. I've found it is very effective.

Kinda of scan thru the recommendations here when you get some time.

https://sites.google.com/site/marylandlyme/hunters-corner

Hoping your love of the outdoors won't be further harmed in any way. I just can't see you inside 24/7. It would be a real shame if that happened.

Hang in there!

[group hug]
 
Posted by Rumigirl (Member # 15091) on :
 
Are you on treatment for Babs & Bart, as well as Bb?? I ask, because I got bitten again once when I was first in treatment, after I finally started to feel a little better. It had been attached a while, too, I think.

Anyway, I made an emergency call to my LLMD's, as it was a Memorial Day weekend. I started on doxy as I wasn't on that, so it would cover Ehrlichia/Anaplasma.

But, in spite of that, I went downhill. Then, my LLMD & I figured out: I wasn't on anything for Babesia, which I already had, but apparently got re-exposed to.

So, depending on what you're on, that's something to be aware of.

And, yes, sadly, I wouldn't garden. Awful, I know. TC, do you garden, or would you?

Given how bad they are this year, I don't know what I'm going to do about leaving the city at all. I CANNOT afford another bite! I'm NOT on treatment (should be, but am fighting breast cancer). I am fighting for my life as it is. (Sorry, didn't mean to high-jack your post).
 
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
 
Good thought Rumigirl. She is being treated for lyme and bart but not for babs.

Bonnie, you may want to call your doc and see if she wants to call in a babs prescription for you.

When I was off treatment and got a new bulls eye, my lyme doc treated me for lyme, babs, and bart for 2 weeks and then a total of 30 days for the lyme.

When I had just a very, very mild herx, that told him that I got "the real thing." Since I didn't go on to get anymore symptoms, I was finished with treatment at the end of the 30 days.

So, the doc may want to give you 2 weeks of Bactrim DS or something like it just to cover you for everything.

Regarding treating the yard, we treat our yard about 4 times per year with a tick killer. Still, we get ticks, just not as many of them. The deer walk through our yard every night, and ticks are going to drop off of them.

My next door neighbor pays the professionals to treat his yard. Still, he keeps getting lyme.

Both I and my husband have gotten ticks crawling on us while sitting on our back deck. It is elevated at least 5 feet. Doesn't matter.

And, I can get ticks on me if I stand on my paved driveway for 20 minutes.

Some of us are tick magnets. (I am one.) The ticks run after me because they love the smell of my pheromones. So, I can get a tick doing nothing. Hubby can climb in the bushes, cut down trees, etc and not get a tick. But, he does get 3-4 every summer.

Fortunately, he has a continual prescription for doxy, so he just takes it as a precaution each time we find a tick.

Everybody is different and the amount of ticks in the yard also varies. I mourned the things I had to give up. But, after a few years, I don't even think of it anymore.

I really love not having to worry about ticks, I'll tell you that! Peace of mind is worth a lot.
 
Posted by Tincup (Member # 5829) on :
 
Rumi said... "TC, do you garden, or would you?"

No garden, no eat.

[Big Grin]

I am comfortable outside (finally) and know I could get bitten again, but I am not freaked like in the old/early days because I know what to do if it were to happen.

I won't let the ticks win! It is that simple.
 
Posted by mrsfarmer (Member # 50042) on :
 
Tincup,

I am so glad you posted this about enjoying the outdoors. We shouldn't feel like we are imprisoned by this disease and are forced to stay behind windows and doors.

However, I do understand circumstances like Rumi where other health concerns might interfere.

We are farmers, no way around it. If we don't do it, no food and people will have to go back to their own gardens to provide for themselves (which means exposure to ticks for all).

My LLMD reminds me we are in a "high-risk" profession when it comes to lyme disease at every appointment.

Granted, we could pick another profession, but I have seen what gets put on food, even by our surrounding organic neighbors and it is scary. I won't feed my children that.

Sadly people die from car accidents, but we don't hesitate to jump in the car and run errands or drive to go on vacation.

We do the best we can around here on the farm to limit ticks. I have ducks, chickens, guinea fowl all running around hopefully working hard to rid us of ticks or keep the populations under control.

Believe me, I feel the panicky feeling swell up inside when I see my boys wrestling in the yard unaware of what could be right in the grass under them. Or when I see them run out in the field eager to meet a new calf.

But I won't keep them inside. Interestingly enough, the only tick that bit me was when I lived in the city 20 years ago. Thus far, never had a tick bite on the farm and God willing may we never.
 
Posted by Brussels (Member # 13480) on :
 
Me too! Cheers to Tincup!

It's gardening time, mosquito time, flee time is anyway the whole year... well....

https://www.amazon.com/Vector-Rodent-Borne-Diseases-Europe-America/dp/0521854474

I just read everything I could from this book.

It's just an epidemiological book, describing tick born diseases, how much animals, such as farm animals are infected, ticks, birds, mice, lice, people.....

Just statistic numbers, but they do SAY a lot in themselves!!


We're just one more species that ticks and biting insects use to transmit pathogens.


the most amazing thing is that most farm animals are mostly seropositive for Bb!!

And not only one Borrelia, but many types of borrelia.

If farm animals are contaminated, in GREAT NUMBERS, well, meat, milk is contaminated.

Why?

Because Borrelia cysts are not killed by cooking or normal pasteurization techniques. They resist more 600 degrees Celsius according to recent studies (or more, I can't remember the number exactly).

Anyway, cooking meat does not kill cysts. Unless you cook it at more than 600 C (6 x hotter than boiling water temperature!!)


So, you got to stop eating meat, any meat, any animal product too!! (???)

[ 05-29-2017, 11:23 AM: Message edited by: Brussels ]
 
Posted by Brussels (Member # 13480) on :
 
Just read the book.

What is nice in that book is that these epidemiological books are not mingled in biased medical discussions, lyme or not lyme, etc.

They simply state what was found in the literature.

Reading the percentages of infected ticks, humans, animals is very enlightening in itself.

And these are older numbers, so now, percentages must have skyrocketted.

---------------------------
So, I'm like Tincup and Mrsfarmer: relax guys, take Buhner's herbs, put peppermint oils on the bite (on a cotton pad to soak it),...

...attach then a garlic slice on the head of the tick that stayed in (if it's still inside, until someone pulls it off), maybe add some freeze garlic pills for a week (widespectrum)...

... I also use high voltage on the local bite, because it calms inflammation (I'm allergic to any insect bite). High voltage (PEMF, violet ray) will stop inflammation rather fast.


I'm like TF: I can get bitten everyday, I just need a 20 minute stroll in nature, it's almost a 100% chance of getting a tick on my clothes, skin or already biting me.


That is why I use a veterinary product that repels ticks. Otherwise, tick bites are a nearly every day experience. The number of bites fall considerably for the last 10 years I've been using it.

The book above explains that people living in the outskirts of urban areas are at MOST risk, because not long ago, that was TICK TERRITORY.

that's exactly where I live.


Tick populations are statistically increasing, clearly, so is lyme disease, so are Borrelia species and subspecies being discovered.

And not only Borrelia, but Bartonella species (quite a lot) too.

In the past, Bartonella was known to infect mostly very IMMUNOCOMPROMISED individuals with AIDS, for example.

Today, they are infecting us, with lyme.


Bartonella seems to be even more widespread than Borrelia.


If you take about 1 hour to study this book above, either you kill yourself or barricade yourself forever, become vegan, ...

... never ever to leave your place again, start fearing birds, squirrels, mice, deer, your dogs and cats, flees, lice, all farm animals ...

.... or you simply accept the fact that ticks and microbes have been here with us the whole time and that ultimately, it's our immune system that can deal with them.

Just continue treating!!
 
Posted by mrsfarmer (Member # 50042) on :
 
Great posts Brussells! I will be looking at that book! Thank you.
 
Posted by Bartenderbonnie (Member # 49177) on :
 
Brussels,

Great link ! Knowledge is power.

This book should be a mandatory read for ALL infectious doctors ! It would save MILLIONS of people from great sufferring !

So how do we get it into the hands of these front line battle doctors is the first elementary question ?

P.S. Sent guilty tick on plane ride. Sar-a-nar-a you filthy pest.
 
Posted by gigimac (Member # 33353) on :
 
Hi Bonnie I got my results. It was negative. Now it was free through Bay area lyme but it doesn't test for a lot of infections.

You can pay for better testing but it is quite expensive
 
Posted by Bartenderbonnie (Member # 49177) on :
 
That's great news !

But it sounds like it is limited in testing everything.

Have you noticed any symptoms ? If not, I would think you were not infected.

You must have been a nervous wreck waiting so long. I am marking each day off on my calendar patiently.

Thanks for update gigimac.
 
Posted by gigimac (Member # 33353) on :
 
No, I think I feel same.

yes, was very nervous to read test results. I will stay on doxy for a while longer though.
 
Posted by Bartenderbonnie (Member # 49177) on :
 
Bedridden
Might throw up
So tired, can't keep my eyes open
Oh, and the pain

Last night chills
Tingling throughout whole body
Fighting that awful feeling of losing conscienceness or losing my mind

Spirit broken
 
Posted by Sammi (Member # 110) on :
 
Every tick has the possibility to transmit multiple infections and multiple strains. Even though tick testing is not 100%, I would do it.

It is good you have treated your yard. Any bird or animal that goes across your yard has the ability to leave a tick behind. Treating your yard may minimize ticks, but it cannot eliminate them.

You should wear a good repellent when outside. Once you come in, throw all the clothes you were wearing in a hot dryer for 15 minutes. This will kill any attached ticks. Do a complete tick check.

I am sorry you are having symptoms. Definitely contact your LLMD. Hang in there.
 
Posted by Bartenderbonnie (Member # 49177) on :
 
Feeling better, still so tired.

New bartonella streak down stomach. Added Japanese knotweed and cats claw. Ordered astragalus.

Made it across the street to mailbox but on my way back, something fell out of tree onto my head. Into the shower with all my clothes on.

All animals now have peppermint oil mixture applied to all 4 feet. Cat did fine with it last year(diluted with vitaminE oil). Myself included when I go outside.

Vagus nerve was the first to over react. My body went into high alert. Then stabbing pains in brain. Sinus mess followed. Mucinex nasal spray provided instant relief.

Able to fight it better mentally and physically this time.
Have to keep treating until immune system is restored.

P.S. Don't need any validation from any test to know tick bite aggravated or activated my infections.
 
Posted by Brussels (Member # 13480) on :
 
OMG Bonnie, sending you the best of luck. Keep treating, really.

I hope your astragalus will arrive fast.

Take binders too!!!
 
Posted by dal123 (Member # 6313) on :
 
Does liquid permethrin work on ticks? Kill ticks on contact, doors, windows, etc. from the deer that roam our yard?
 
Posted by dal123 (Member # 6313) on :
 
Does liquid permethrin work on ticks? Kill ticks on contact, doors, windows, etc. from the deer that roam our yard?
 
Posted by Brussels (Member # 13480) on :
 
I think many people use permethrin on clothes for ticks, so that may work?

I particularly am MUCH more afraid of permethrin than ticks, as it may be damaging your nervous system, immune system and god knows what else, but ... short term, it could deal with invading ticks ?!

Why not putting diluted geranium oil or so? It is more expensive, but at least, it won't damage your own body cells!!
 
Posted by Brussels (Member # 13480) on :
 
Bonnie: you're not alone!

I got a tick bite yesterday, behind my knee!!

I found it in the shower, before bedtime...

I used Olbas (peppermint and other oils) rubbed on my skin, then put a plaster with olbas... but it is pretty red, with a bigger than usual bump.

I'll zap the bite with the Violet Ray now!!

It's my 3rd bite this year, which makes me then 100% chance of getting Bb through a tick bite, according to statistics for my region.

The buggers are all around! [shake]
 
Posted by Bartenderbonnie (Member # 49177) on :
 
So sorry to hear Brussels. You are just too good looking and irresistible to ticks. 💘

You know I m only kidding.

Thank God you are 99% smarter than any doctor !

I m against putting chemicals on my body. I don't want anymore stress on my immune system.

One week since new bite and am still extremely tired.

I think many who relapse may have been reinfected by new bite.

Keep us posted.
 
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
 
Sorry to hear this Bonnie. You could try taking artimesinin. It treats babs.

You can buy it at the Vitamin Shoppe.

My lyme doc had me take it 2 times per day on an empty stomach, 3 days in a row each week. It worked great for me.

Also, eat raw garlic twice per day to boost your immune system. Or, take Kyolic instead if you desire.
 
Posted by Bartenderbonnie (Member # 49177) on :
 
Thanks TF.
 
Posted by lpkayak3 (Member # 43569) on :
 
Ladies...why will all our docs only prescribe 1 100 mg doxy and say that's all we need. How can I find a gov here in Nh...or mass or Maine...or even vt who will give me 6 weeks doxy and hopefully nystatin I've had a few bites over the yrs and when docs wouldn't prescribe I would order fish doxy. I can buy Artemesia and Buhner herbs. But I'm recovering from mastectomy and knee replacement and just don't want to risk these infections...plus I'm too old for this. I can't wait months for real LLMD and it will be hard to pay 600 to have them scoop head out and give me doxy
 
Posted by lpkayak3 (Member # 43569) on :
 
Ps mass general took over our local hospital and tells our docs what to do
 
Posted by Brussels (Member # 13480) on :
 
Frozen garlic, at least 2x day.
Slice of garlic on the wound during the night
Peppermint oil 4-5x day on the wound.
Astragalus in great amounts.

I would do Buhner's main herbs
And do something for babesia and bart, the 2 most common coinfections.

Some type of zapper may help, I think
Here I take Ledum C30 and Hypericum C30, in alternate days (it covers most types of infections).

Increase Vit C and A (A is antiviral, according to dr. K)

I can't think of anything else now, for the moment...

So sorry for you guys. I'm on bite 6, and 2 days ago found one still walking on my hands while sitting in the sofa.....

But the numbers are falling down, too hot here in Switzerland (I can see that by my cat, she's my tick barometer).

I found a great tick remover: called O-tom tick twister. It does not smash the tick, it comes full body, even if the head is inside the skin.

O-tom comes in 2 sizes, one for bigger ticks, one for smaller. I already could test 2 times (cat), but not a nymph yet. I don't know yet if it works on nymphs, I mean. I need more time and experience.

Hang on guys. So sorry for Kayak too. What a hell you are living. I would just take the tick off with tweezers, because keeping it longer is bad (stomach full of pathogens). If the head stays, there are less pathogens there (mouth) than in the tummy....

That is my own reasoning, I usually take the tick immeditately off.
 
Posted by whew (Member # 50599) on :
 
tx for reviving this thread

was bit a few weeks ago &
posted a thread: "Tick Bite Help/I've Had Lyme"

[I've had lyme&co 20 yrs., using natural stuff for around a decade.]

I'm on doxy 400mg/day now for 6 weeks,
then I plan to use GSE/grapefruit seed extract (no idea which brand/amount??) HELP--ANYONE, ANYONE?

to kill the CYSTS
(tx, Keebler from "Treatment Question" thread, 2016.)(tx, tizmo)
Then go back on doxy (one wk. each, cycle a few times).

**using wormwood and black walnut to help feel less in a relapse, treat Babs or whatever--hopefully doesn't interact w/ doxy like GSE.
 


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