posted
Yesterday I was bit by a tick. I haven't even seen a tick since the Summer of 2006 when I was bit. Yesterday we went to a friend's house and they had lots of trees, grass, a big field by their house, bushes- tick central.
We were cautious and lathered ourselves with OFF. We also were careful not to let our son go near the trees or bushes.
When we left their house I immediately did a tick check in the car. All of a sudden I saw one crawling down my son's leg. I freaked out. Luckily my mother-in-law was there and calmly got it off of his leg. Thankfully it wasn't attached... but who knows if it was at one point.
We pulled over and did a thorough check of our son. He didn't have anything else on him. We sprayed him with more OFF.
Our home was 2 1/2 hours away so we continued on our trip. We checked ourselves quickly and didn't see anything on us. But then as we were driving I happened to look in the mirror and saw a tick crawling on my chest. I freaked! I guess I''m not very good in these situations because I froze. My husband was trying to pull over as fast as he could. I couldn't get up the nerve to get the tick. By the time he pulled over it was crawling down my shirt.
I kid you not right there pulled over on the highway I took off my shirt and bra. He still couldn't find it. I turned around and he noticed a tick attached to my lower back. It looked to him like it had just attached because it wasn't buried in and was still wiggling around- yuck!!!!!
So we go rid of that tick. My husband crushed it and threw it ou the window. We would of kept it but I had nothing to put it in.
The rest of the way home was miserable. I was so terrified there were more ticks. We got home and threw our clothes in the dryer. Then we all checked eachother for ticks. We didn't find any.
I'm still so freaked out. I'm on antibiotics right now and thankfully my son is too. I'm just so terrified that some other infection was added to our bodies. I don't think I can handle that!
I guess all I can do is sit and wait. It just makes me mad because I felt like we did things to prevent bites and yet it happened. I'm kicking myself because I shouldn't of stayed there once I noticed what kind of setting their house was in.. and that we were going to be outside.
I hope and pray that nothing bit my son or my husband or my mother-in-law. And that the tick that bit me didn't have any diseases.
I just feel so disgusted and mad. Over the last 3 years since I was bit I had gotten more comfortable about being outside. I had stopped letting ticks rule my life. Now I feel like I'm back at square 1. We enrolled my son in soccer today and all I could think about is that he's going to be running in grass and a tick could get on him.
Any advice about the tick bite!? Should I do anything else. I'm on 3,000 mg. of amoxicillin right now.
Oh and btw this happened in New Mexico. Not that it matters because we all know that ticks are everywhere.
Posts: 248 | From Tejas | Registered: Jun 2007
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Melanie Reber
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 3707
posted
If this were me? And oh my gosh, my heart was racing just reading about this...
I would get on Doxy for a time. Doxy covers a wider range of possible TBDs.
Some people say we live in an unrealistic fear... but you know what? I say we live with an educated understanding and practical history based on reality.
BTW, can you disclose where in NM you were?
Posts: 7052 | From Colorado | Registered: Mar 2003
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nenet
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 13174
posted
It's possible the tick could have had pathogens that would not be covered by antibiotics, like RMSF and Babesia, among others.
Your husband and son could also have gotten RMSF as it is transmissable through skin, just by touching or coming into contact with an infected tick.
Hopefully your husband knows never to touch a tick with bare hands. There are new twisting-style tick removers, and also the old standby tick-removers, where you don't have to come into contact, and they are good at removing the mouth parts (very important to remove, and very often missed with regular extraction).
I would keep a careful eye on any symptoms that could develop if any of you were infected. Honestly, it would make sense to all be evaluated as soon as possible for RMSF, and other co-infections, depending on how soon they can be tested/evaluated for.
I have been reading a lot of stories about people who were slathered in OFF or DEET and still getting tick bites. You might want to look into some of the natural repellants that are more effective than DEET.
Our favorite is called Lewey's Eco-Blends, and is non-toxic, and safe for kids. There are lots of different brands you can buy though that work better than DEET and are much better for you.
I'm so sorry this happened. I can't even imagine what I would have done if that happened to me. Best of luck to you, and will keep my fingers crossed that it was a completely clean tick.
What kind of tick was it? Can you describe what it looked like - size, color, markings (if any), etc.?
I had no idea that just touching a tick could transmit a disease. I will definitely remember that!
I am going to order some tick tweezers and keep them in my purse along with a zip-lock baggie. I dont' want to be caught in this position again. Hopefully I never will be!
Thank you for suggesting some sprays. I didn't really like the idea of putting deet on my son anyway. And I am very disppointed that it didn't seem to bother the tick. I had sprayed some on my chest- right where the tick was crawling.
The ticks that we saw were smallish. Not so tiny you couldn't see though. They were a reddish color.
Thank you again for giving me that info. It's so nice to be able to come here and talk to people that are knowledgable about ticks.
I think next time I will go with my gut and leave when I feel unsafe. It makes me wonder though what happened to the other people that were there. It was my husband's cousins and their friends. We were the only ones that even bothered to put on spray. We offered it to the others but they didn't want it. I guess others don't understand how much a tick can make you sick.
Posts: 248 | From Tejas | Registered: Jun 2007
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
BREAKING NEWS from TICK CENTRAL...
My Encounter with a Human
By Tommy Tick
As the day progressed, you could hear Tommy Tick saying... "I will not panic, I will not panic.".
August 8, 2009- I was out for an afternoon stroll and suddenly got picked up by a stranger, put in an automobile and driven many miles from home.
Kidnapped!
The next thing I knew, I found a human in my mouth.
I'm not sure how she got there or why she tried to shove her entire chest in my face at one point, but it was really a nightmare!
I did do a human check while wandering through my grassy yard, but sometimes you just can't see humans coming toward you. They can be about the same size as a deer and their hide can be as tough as a deer hide too.
Who would have thought after all that I have been through with humans in the past that THIS could have happened again!!!
Had I been more careful, I am sure this wouldn't have happened. That will teach me to hitch a ride on strangers.
I wonder if I should stick the human in a plastic bag and send it to the human disease lab to see if it may have given me some sort of infections?
From what I understand, humans can carry multiple infections.
I haven't seen a human in several years actually, except for the one that tried to put their leg in my mouth back in 2006.
I was lucky during that encounter! I promptly removed their leg just as it was about to be stuck in my tiny jaws!
The nerve of some humans!
I think I will start taking some antibio-TICs to see if I can kill any infections she may have given me before they get into my system.
This really freaked me out! I shiver to think I had another human in my mouth. YULK!!!
I guess that will teach me to be more careful and to always do a human check!
``````````````````````````````````````````
Hey LT...
Sorry you had a tick attack again. NOT fun. I know how you feel... truly I do.
But.. as we all know.. YOU know what to do to stay on top of the situation. It isn't fun.. but it's gotta be done.
And do know.. no matter how careful you are... those ticks are sneaky little suckers. That is why they have been on this earth for so long.
What happened to you happens to the most careful people. Sometimes you just can't prevent it.
Feel better soon.. mentally. Don't let this ruin your fun in the sun... ok?
Just Julie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1119
posted
PRECISELY why I let my encounter with a tick crawling across my stomach after attending a barn dance cause me to do what ALL lyme disease paraphenilia recommend:
AVOID TICK INFESTED AREAS!
I had been on antibiotics for 3 years, and had been OFF everything for 6 months. I was getting more unclenched about going places in the outdoors.
I needed precisely what happened to me (and to you) to happen at that point in time. I was half-heartedly trying to stay out of the great outdoors, but here in Northern CA, in my neighborhood, it was a tall order.
I instantly revised my thinking, and at that point, I became the mama bear.
My son's have lyme, and have been on the same treatment as myself.
It was time to become pro-active, let the "don't let the tick win" comments roll off my back, and keep reading this forum, to see what the temperature of the people (with lyme) moderate my education.
I came up with just 'AVOIDING TICK INFESTED AREAS" that's all I needed. If I felt tempted, I simply came back to lymenet, and frequently came upon posts JUST LIKE YOURS.
It was all I needed to refill my avoidance tank.
My kids are older, and hate that I have not changed my stance on outdoor activities. They hate it, HATE IT HATE IT HATE IT.
But, my current thinking is this: when(if) you move out on your own, work, support yourself, get your own medical insurance, etc, THEN YOU CAN DO WHATEVER THE HELL YOU WANT TO, go hiking, go camping, go thrashing around the forest and tall grass.
Just don't come cryin' home to mama, she's going to be in retirement from this whole lifelong issue.
It's been 9 years of constant, hideously uncomfortable, militant-like patrol for me. And I"m just kinda tired of my kids not "getting it". But, that's what teenagers are for! lol.
I sympathize with you, and I'm very sorry you are facing this. Seeing "I've been bitten AGAIN" type posts usually don't get this reaction from me, but you wrote a pretty detailed report, and I was curious to see what level of hysteria I might find---you need to see this incident as a learning, teachable moment. Not only for yourself, but your whole family.
It will be the indicator of your future treatments, and your son's education as well. I'd pull him out of soccer. Even if you just say it's for this season. Give yourself a breather form the turmoil.
I'd get on doxy, too.
-------------------- Julie Posts: 1027 | From Northern CA | Registered: May 2001
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Just Julie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1119
posted
And Melanie's 3rd sentence really summed it up in it's agonizing glory for me. Really brilliant summarization of the whole deal.
-------------------- Julie Posts: 1027 | From Northern CA | Registered: May 2001
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WildCondor
Unregistered
posted
Careful with Doxy, its one of those drugs that goes bad quickly if not taken soon after filling the prescription.
Glad you are on Amoxicillin, but a fresh supply of 400 mg/day of Doxy would be better because it covers you for Ehrlichia etc.
Keep an eye out for co-infections. If you saved the tick you could have send it to IgeneX for tick testing, remember that next time.
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posted
Aww Tincup you made me laugh. Thank you for the reassuring post. I needed that.
I've been thinking a lot about what happened that night. I think we went too long without reapplying the spray. Also I am going to get a different brand than OFF. I don't have much faith in that stuff anymore.
Julie thank you for your advice too. I am trying to look at this as a learning experience, like you said.
Ever since this happened I've been having a really hard time. I've been crying and just feeling bad for putting myself and my son in that situation. I do need to move on and get over it though. It happened.. that can't be changed. I will definitely learn from it and take extra precautions!
Wildcondor- I know... I wanted to save them but I didn't have anything to keep them in. From now on I will be carrying tweezers and a zip-lock bag in my purse.
Posts: 248 | From Tejas | Registered: Jun 2007
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Dawn in VA
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9693
posted
Lauren, you're right about OFF. I agree that it doesn't do squat. Get permethrin (brand name: permenone) and apply it to your clothing and let dry (so wear pants when outside for sure). It's the only thing I know that kills ticks on contact.
-------------------- (The ole disclaimer: I'm not a doctor.) Posts: 1349 | From VA | Registered: Jul 2006
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Dawn...
HA!
You must know Lauren better than the rest of us do.
You said.. "Get permethrin (brand name: permenone) and apply it to your clothing and let dry (so wear pants when outside for sure)."
I'll admit I kinda know LT from posting here... but I had no clue she usually went outdoors without her pants on!
Guess she has been hanging around TuTu with the droopy drawers too long!
LT..
On a serious note...
I know a lady who was in a bad car accident. Since that time she will not go out of the house because she is in fear of it happening again.
If she must go to a doctor, her parents must take her and she sits in the floor of the vehicle and sobs and cries the entire time.
I can understand her fear... I really can.... but I would also have to say she is losing out on much of her life because of it.
She is letting her fear rule her. No matter what the fear.. that isn't good for her or those around her.
She may someday have another accident, true, but going to such extremes to avoid it is not healthy (mentally or physically).
And if she did have another accident, chances are it couldn't be avoided, hence the word "accident".
Don't get me wrong.. I was VERY upset to even have to step in the grass at one point. I was a mess about it.
But life is what it is... and after years of avoidance of being where I loved being....
I finally came to the conclusion I could let Lyme take away everything I held dear.. not much choice there it already got so much...
BUT.. I didn't have to let the fear of it happening again destroy what life I have left.
I ache in my heart to know many are too afraid to get back on the horse after taking such a bad fall...
But I've been there and made it through... and life is much better for it.
I hope you and others don't waste time living in fear to the point of a lessened quality of life...
Only to find out later if you had faced the fears soner you could have had it much better all that time.
And think about it.
Who better than to be bitten by a tick than those of us with the most experience and knowledge about it.
We are prepared. We know to treat immediately.
We are no longer stupid about TBD's.
We have knowledge, therefore, we have the power to overcome.
We can take precautions, but we can't ever, even if we never went outside again, be sure we won't have a tick bite, mosquito bite or get Lyme again.
I say this because I want ALL of your days to be better than many of mine were.
Just Julie
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1119
posted
Living in fear (of getting bit again) does not equate (to me) with "letting the ticks win".
I still think Melanie said it best in her post above with:
"Some people say we live in an unrealistic fear... but you know what? I say we live with an educated understanding and practical history based on reality."
Education based in reality. Maybe that best sums it up.
I also totally believe that if you know better, and CHOOSE TO DO IT ANYWAY, then you can't bemoan the consequences.
-------------------- Julie Posts: 1027 | From Northern CA | Registered: May 2001
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ping
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6974
posted
quote:Originally posted by LaurenTurner: This happened in Roswell, NM.
UuuuuuuuEeeeeeeeUuuuuu ALIENS!
Lauren,
I'd be very afraid and would jam those doxy down my throat like nobody's bidness. No telling what kind of aliens might have infected you, but I'd run like hell for the medicine cabinet!
ping "We are more than containers for Lyme"
P.S. - Is Tincup right? Do you really go outside without your pants on?
-------------------- ping "We are more than containers for Lyme" Posts: 1302 | From Back in TX again | Registered: Mar 2005
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