Topic: I know we just talked about this but.....venting.
momintexas
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 23391
posted
I took our dogs to the vet this morning to get their shots.
We talked about flea/tick prevention bc I have to be careful what I use on our older dog.
The vet asked me if I was concerned about ticks and I said well, I've never seen any on the dogs but my son and I both have Lyme.
She looked at me and said "ohhhhhhhhh" and made a frown face.
(we had the other vet at our last visit).
I was quiet waiting for ridicule and she asked me how long we've been treating.
I told her and she said, "I believe it, Lyme is so so hard to get rid of once it sets in, I really feel for you guys".
As nice as it was to talk to someone that understands it, I was also feeling even more bitter that a local Dr for my pets totally gets it, but we have to travel hours and hours to get ourselves treated.
This is just SO WRONG! Posts: 1408 | From Tx | Registered: Nov 2009
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posted
Funny that we wait for that first reaction to be "ridicule." And when it is not, I don't know about you, but I am always so relieved even GRATEFUL that someone understands.
I think we should all just start going to the vet.
-------------------- Best Wishes,
Hope
"Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies."
~~The Shawshank Redemption~~ Posts: 234 | From Minnesota | Registered: Dec 2010
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posted
Then you have to wonder if she was humoring you.
Posts: 743 | From New York | Registered: Apr 2009
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momintexas
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posted
No, she was not humoring me. She understood and went on to tell me stories of other people she knows that have it too.
HopesAlive - YES!! I know exactly what you mean about being "grateful" that someone understands.
Posts: 1408 | From Tx | Registered: Nov 2009
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randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
it ws my baby's vet that looked at me one day and said "how long have you had lyme?" and then was before i got diagnosed. years in fact.
he told me all about it and everything. i wish he could have treated humans cause he's the best doc i've ever seen.
and no, he wasn't playing around either.
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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sutherngrl
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Our dogs vet is also very understanding of LD. She found out I had LD and was so upset because she also knew of an ex vet that had it and was very very ill and had been treating for years.
I guess its easy to be understanding about it when you know you don't have to be the one treating it. That is what my thought was on it. If she had to treat it, would she act a different way???
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
I told a friend of mine that I hadn't seen in a few years that I had lyme, and she said she wasn't surprised as she thought I had it years ago when I was jumping from doctor to doctor. She said she didn't think it polite to play amateur diagnosis.
She has such impeccable manners that I just felt like punching her. I restrained myself though.
-------------------- ------------ It took 20 years to find out I'm not crazy. New bite in 2010 pushed my body over the edge. Positive for lyme, babs, bart, and myco. I am not a doctor and happily offer only my own opinions. Posts: 357 | From The Beach | Registered: Feb 2011
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posted
[QUOTE]Originally posted by sutherngrl: [QB] Our dogs vet is also very understanding of LD. She found out I had LD and was so upset because she also knew of an ex vet that had it and was very very ill and had been treating for years.
I have always found vets to be aware, thank goodness. None of them have ever told me that they got Lyme, but, thinking about it, you'd think it would be an occupational hazard for them. I wonder if that enters into their pretty good awareness of the problem.
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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merrygirl
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posted
It is an occupational hazaed. I am a former vet tech. I got really sick. they dont teach you about personally getting lyme its very serious.
Posts: 3905 | From USA | Registered: May 2007
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posted
Merrygirl, so you got sick on the job? If so, sorry to hear that.
So maybe vets are ok about knowing since there's no insurance for pets, people just pay, so they might as well know what's going on?
Still, it raises the question - do you think some vets know it's an occupational hazard and are taking precautions when they handle animals?
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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merrygirl
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I do believe I got sick from working closely with animals. I never saw a bite or rash or a tick on me. But we restrain animals close to our bodies. The ticks can easily crawl off onto us. If you walk into most animal hospitals, every exam room (and every room) will most likely have a container full of ticks in alcohol that have been found on pets.
We would pull them off all day.
There is insurance for animals and its actually pretty decent. The thing is that ins co's do not tell vets how they can treat. Thats the main difference.
I was a manageer, director of training etc etc, and I am certain that not many vets or techs have a clue how dangerous the job is.
I have trained hundreds of people, never once did I ever teach anyone (nor did anyone teach me) about human lyme and our risk. Most of that kind of training was preventing bites, rabies, and lepto. I do remember warnings about pets with hemobart but never ever lyme. So no i dont think vets take precautions.
staff would routinely remove ticks with no gloves. I was prob the only one who didnt!
I have ocd, and I was prob the most careful tech you ever met. I wore gloves to do everything. I mean my coworkers would make fun of me because I was so careful.
I think back now and I remember how unsafe everyone was and its scary. But on the other hand a lot of good it did me right? I am the only tech or employee I know that ever got seriously ill and became disabled. I got lyme and acute toxo and suspected Leptospirosis go figure.
Being a tech was the one thing I was really really good at- it was what I was born to do. Even if I ever get better, I will never go back due to PTSD and the risk of getting another germ.
I really dont know what else I would be able to do to be honest. but I am a looong way from being able to work again \
Posts: 3905 | From USA | Registered: May 2007
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posted
Then you know what's amazing? Why more vets and vet techs aren't sick! It's an occupational hazard! Doesn't make sense.
Well, I can think of something you could possibly do some day - alert those in your field about what's going on and how to take precautions!
Posts: 13116 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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merrygirl
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Yeah I thought about that. But I am not a human medical professional, I dont think they would let me.
There were 2 other people at my work that had lyme and one other that I suspected and a girl with ms. They didnt listen to my advice, so the hell with them!
I learned that forcing myself and info on people doesnt help, just annoys me!
I guess I have become jaded over the last years. I am actually not much of a people person
Posts: 3905 | From USA | Registered: May 2007
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merrygirl
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Actually there was another tech that contacted me not long ago, but she too doesnt listen.
Posts: 3905 | From USA | Registered: May 2007
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merrygirl
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one other thing... if I could have proved my lyme came from work i would have sued the crap out of the company. It is negligent that they did not warn or teach people about this stuff. I am not a sue happy person, but they could have helped with my medical care at least if I could have proven it.
Posts: 3905 | From USA | Registered: May 2007
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