Time: 3am on Sat Oct 24, 2009 Place: Williamstown, MA (NW corner of MA, the Berkshires Hills).
I have been up here for 30 hours. Of that maybe 2 hours was spent outside with long pants, socks, shoes. I was only walking around the house. Not hiking or doing lawn work.
As I was getting into bed, I happened to run my fingers over the back of my thigh. I felt a little piece of something that got stuck to me. But it didn't come off. Yeah, guess what.
THEN I noticed a 2nd tick attached to my hip as I was checking out the first one! 2 FREAKIN' ticks at once!
I got them both off with an O'Tom tick twister. They came off easily and still have their mouth parts. I have them in a small ziploc bag and they're both running around it trying to get out.
The bite on the top back of my thigh is slightly painful, like a fly bite.
This is only the second time I've seen a deer tick on me. This is why I believe I have been bitten multiple times. I don't check every night when I'm up here, I could EASILY missed them! And then I only started checking a couple of years ago.
They are so damn tiny. How could someone find one if they were a hairy person? I'm surprised anyone actually catches one in the act.
It will be interesting to see if I get a rash in either bite spot. The other time I found the tick I did not get the rash.
My LLMD told me that I'm basically immune to new infection while I'm under treatment. But I wonder about what I don't have: Bart, Erlichia, Mycoplasm, etc.
I don't think I'll send them in for testing yet, it's expensive. But I'll keep them around in case I get some new symptoms. I would get them tested then.
[ 10-24-2009, 12:56 PM: Message edited by: JamesNYC ]
Posted by JamesNYC (Member # 15793) on :
Anyone need a tick to convince a Dr that you have lyme? Posted by Starfall1969 (Member # 17353) on :
Lol, yeah. Somehow I think my doc would be too dense to diagnose it even then...
Posted by Pinelady (Member # 18524) on :
Hey that looks like an adult deer tick. Only nymphs transmit disease and since it has not hung on for over 48 hrs. you should be safe. Just kidding. I have to spray down just to get to the garage. I think they smell me, and grow wings to get to me. High chloride levels?
Posted by Ocean (Member # 3496) on :
Oh no James!!! I'm so sorry!!! Goodness, that's crazy to only have been out for 2 hours AND you were protecting yourself...
Pinelady, LOL!! At first I was like, "What? No no no!!" Then I read you were kidding...whew!!!
But you are right in that the 'so called experts' believe that junk!
Ocean
Posted by JamesNYC (Member # 15793) on :
Pinelady,
...and not all ticks carry lyme. Hah.
I'll have to say that I was impressed that I had 2. I wonder if they work in tag teams?
Posted by joalo (Member # 12752) on :
It's amazing that something so tiny can make us soooo sick. Ugh!
Posted by massman (Member # 18116) on :
Waiy ! I have heard that ticks are NOT ALLOWED in some towns in the Berkshires. Especially Williamstown and Stockbridge !
Sorry to see yor pic and the hitchhiker.
Posted by JamesNYC (Member # 15793) on :
Hah! Yeah Massman, the taxes should keep out all but the most elite of insects!
2??? I got jumped by 2!!! Do I get extra points for that?
What should I name the ticks? Anyone got any ideas?
How about Gary and Allan?
Posted by Dekrator48 (Member # 18239) on :
James,
So sorry that you were bitten.
They are sooooo ugly!
I wish we could do something to kill all the ticks in the world.
Hope you don't have any new symptoms.
Take care.
Posted by disturbedme (Member # 12346) on :
Yuck, I'm so sorry.
I'm confused... were you at camp or at someone's house visiting or something? Just wondering since you were at MA and you live in NYC.
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
james, dog gone it! 2 more tick bites! good pohto. what a bummer, but glad you got them out easily. Posted by JamesNYC (Member # 15793) on :
Disturbed,
My family has always had a cabin in the woods in MA. It's about 3 hours north of NYC. I come up here weekly. This is where I get all my bites. I'm heading back to the nice, safe concrete of The City tonight.
Dek,
Yeah, thanks. I'm pretty confident that I will be okay. I think the multi abx should protect me.
Betty,
Thanks for the hug! That Tick Twister really worked well. Especially since I could barely SEE it because of where it was. If I was using anything else, like forceps, I wouldn't have been able to get to it.
Posted by JamesNYC (Member # 15793) on :
How long before the rash is supposed to show up?
I'm still reeling from the fact that I had 2 on me. Wow. If it wasn't raining, I'd go out and try for a Triple!
Posted by JamesNYC (Member # 15793) on :
If I gave the ticks some Omnicef, do you think it would cure them of lyme?
Posted by tick battler (Member # 21113) on :
James, sorry you were bit again. I do wonder about getting new infections that you don't already have...
Have you thought about spraying with permethrin the areas you frequent? I know it would be a pain, but it might prevent additional tick bites or at least minimize them. Just a thought.
tickbattler
Posted by JamesNYC (Member # 15793) on :
TickBattler,
Thanks. However I don't want to spray. There are plenty of harmless insects and other critters that I don't want to kill. Plus the amount I'd have to spray would be an environmental hazard.
I have considered Tick Tubes though.
It's interesting that this doesn't happen to me in the summer when I'm in shorts. But in the fall when I have long pants on.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Yuck .. I'm so sorry!
You're right .. you worry about what ELSE they gave you!
and YES, you get extra points for nailing TWO of them at once!! (get that? YOU nailed THEM! .. do you feel better now?)
I vote for Tom and Jerry.
Posted by JR (Member # 16898) on :
quote:Originally posted by JamesNYC: If I gave the ticks some Omnicef, do you think it would cure them of lyme?
Sure- then you can let them go when you head back to the cabin.
Posted by JR (Member # 16898) on :
"I don't think I'll send them in for testing yet, it's expensive."
Well, put a moist cotton ball in the bag with them to keep them alive while you're deciding.
And my LLMD told me the same thing when I got bit again- I was already in treatment- so it wasn't much of a threat.
Posted by JamesNYC (Member # 15793) on :
JR,
Hah.Thanks.
Actually Igenex said told me last time that it didn't matter whether they were alive or not. Or even if they were mushed in an envelope.
But I'll check with them again. Maybe I should freeze them.
They're still kicking around, but one, Gary (as in Gary Wormser) isn't looking to good. He looks fatigued, and cognitively impaired. Maybe I gave HIIM lyme and Babs!
Allan (as in Allan Steere) seems to have plenty of energy.
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
Maybe you gave the tick Lyme and Babs? hahaha very funny!
Well....I usually think of a freezer as something that halts the growth of bacteria. Freezers will even kill some pathogens. So maybe you would want the ticks in the fridge instead.
Not sure though. This is not real advice, just kind of thinking out loud.
Posted by LymedOut (Member # 22351) on :
James,
I'm sorry you got bit...not once, but TWICE! You are taking it well though. You sure made me giggle.
Gary and Allen, lol.
Posted by Shosty (Member # 12232) on :
It can be smushed. There is a lab at the UMass Agricultural Dept. that tests, maybe it's on your way...
Posted by Topaz (Member # 20216) on :
Haha at the name Gary! I love it.
I picked one up over the summer and it was soooo small I'm surprised I even saw it. I just felt a tiny itch on my ankle, reached down to scratch it and look at whatever it was, and there it was...tiny like a grain of sand.
I think they find the long pants easier to cling onto...then they slowly crawl and work their way up to wherever they decide to set up house. *shudder*
Posted by Gert (Member # 13584) on :
UGGGGHHH!
Posted by JamesNYC (Member # 15793) on :
UPDATE:
Sadly, Gary (Wormser) the tick has passed away. I followed IDSA-for-ticks lyme guidelines and treated him with abx for 30 minutes. He said he still had symptoms and wanted more abx. I explained that he just had "Post-lyme-syndrome". Maybe he also caught babesia too when he bit me.
Allen (Steere) the tick (in the photo) is still okay and seems to have responded well to treatment. However, he still complains of pain and cognitive impairment. I told him he had FM and depression. I gave him advil and prozac.
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
james
i enjoyed your above humorous story; glad you can see a funny part and cute names....
you made us laugh; now we'll try to give back to you also. Posted by txgirl09 (Member # 21612) on :
Ha! You did make us laugh.
Sorry you got bit twice!
Posted by kareamber (Member # 20110) on :
LOL!! Laughter is the best medicine! Sorry you got bit again TWICE!! They are SOO sneaky!
Posted by Pinelady (Member # 18524) on :
LOL If you see him having jerks or his knees swell up you know its working. I am glad you did not get out the saw for removal. The guy that uses the line"Say Hello To My Little Friend uses a big one.
Posted by Rumigirl (Member # 15091) on :
James,
Well over this past Memorial Day weekend, I got TWO ticks on me, too!! We visited friends in NJ for 24 hours only. That night, I insisted on doing a tick check, and found one on my scalp attached (it was late at night, so it had been there a long time).
The next day, as soon as I came in from outside, I found one on my throat!! He wasn't attached, as I got him right away. And I had lots of DEET on---didn't help.
I was already on rocephin, and started oral doxy that weekend. And in spite of the meds, I went downhill really badly---to even worse than I had been before tx.
I and my LLMD figured out that it was Babesia, as the meds didn't cover that, and my symptoms screamed Babesia. So I started meds for that, and slowly improved.
And then in August, in spite of everything I was on, I got a new onset of Bell's Palsy!!! Not badly, but definitely there!! What a slippery slope.
So a word to the wise about any co-infections that you are not targeting currently. If you start getting worse, evaluate it ASAP. And get permethrin and treat your clothes ahead of time before going out in the country. These buggers will be around long after us.
Posted by ticked-offinNc (Member # 15420) on :
You are so funny James!
Thank you
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by JamesNYC: UPDATE:
Sadly, Gary (Wormser) the tick has passed away. I followed IDSA-for-ticks lyme guidelines and treated him with abx for 30 minutes. He said he still had symptoms and wanted more abx. I explained that he just had "Post-lyme-syndrome". Maybe he also caught babesia too when he bit me.
Allen (Steere) the tick (in the photo) is still okay and seems to have responded well to treatment. However, he still complains of pain and cognitive impairment. I told him he had FM and depression. I gave him advil and prozac.
HEY!! You'd make a GREAT ID duck! You're GOOD!
Thanks for the laughs!
As for testing .. don't count on it to be correct! Can be a waste of money.
Posted by WildCondor (Member # 434) on :
quote:Originally posted by JamesNYC: UPDATE:
Sadly, Gary (Wormser) the tick has passed away. I followed IDSA-for-ticks lyme guidelines and treated him with abx for 30 minutes. He said he still had symptoms and wanted more abx. I explained that he just had "Post-lyme-syndrome". Maybe he also caught babesia too when he bit me.
Allen (Steere) the tick (in the photo) is still okay and seems to have responded well to treatment. However, he still complains of pain and cognitive impairment. I told him he had FM and depression. I gave him advil and prozac.
ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!
I think the dead ticks must have had post-lyme syndrome indeed. As for their deaths, they must have been purely psychosomatic in origin. Autopsy being performed? I would like to know what the autopsy shows on Gary for sure. Make sure the medical examiner knows about the collagen lip injections and botox on his face. It may be a possible cause.
Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
A-ha, ha, ha! That's just EXcellent, James! You've really got the whole IDSA 'party line' duck-walk down pat.
Thanks for a great laugh this SNOWY morning!
Posted by feelfit (Member # 12770) on :
James! IDSA is hoping for miracle they think that Gary can be resurected with a short course of CPR and cognitive behavioral therapy.
Hope that you watch for any changes in yourself.
Posted by Amanda (Member # 14107) on :
Did you find a bulleye rash on Gary or Allen? Even if their tests did come back positive, unless they have a bulls eye, clearly it is just another false positive.
Also, you will have to inform Allen insurance will not cover treatment. So he better pony up some serious cash.
I'm sure Gary simply died from "Somatization Disorder".
Just send Allen to a Psychiatrist, and he will be fine.
Seriously though James, I think if those ticks did have lyme, I understood from Dr. Volkmans work that antibiotics get rid of the rash quickly. Your on a lot of stuff, and I wonder if that would prevent a rash from forming...
Posted by steve1906 (Member # 16206) on :
Hey James, Just stop coming to back to MA and you'll be Lyme free!!!
Roy
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by WildCondor: I would like to know what the autopsy shows on Gary for sure. Make sure the medical examiner knows about the collagen lip injections and botox on his face. It may be a possible cause.
Now I'm ROTFLMAO!!!!
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Good ones, Amanda and feelfit!! Posted by Lauralyme (Member # 15021) on :
James where do you buy a tick twister?
Posted by WildCondor (Member # 434) on :
quote:Originally posted by Lymetoo:
quote:Originally posted by WildCondor: I would like to know what the autopsy shows on Gary for sure. Make sure the medical examiner knows about the collagen lip injections and botox on his face. It may be a possible cause.
Now I'm ROTFLMAO!!!!
LOL you finally saw that one TuTu!!! Muhahaha!!
Posted by daphnesmom (Member # 22267) on :
Dayumm.. that pic gave me the heebee geebees. I hate those friggin bugs.
Sorry you got bitten again, James. Ack!!....
I was thinking that maybe we all should be living in the wonderful world of concrete. So much for this "lovin' nature" stuff. I've had my fill.
Posted by JamesNYC (Member # 15793) on :
Update:
Unfortunately Allen Steere the tick has succumbed to post-lyme-syndrome and CFS and depression and has passed away.
However the bite welts from him and Gary Wormser the tick have lived on on my hip and upper thigh.
The one on my thigh really hurt deep, like into the muscle. As if I had a IM shot. Very weird.
Neither bite has produced a rash. So I guess that proves they did not carry lyme--NOT!
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
Be careful, James - not all IDSA ticks cause rashes - by the way, you could let the IDSA know the ticks didn't make it according to their suggested guidelines, so the guidelines do indeed need to be rewritten, 'cause they can't even keep their namesakes alive -
Posted by JamesNYC (Member # 15793) on :
Update after 6 weeeks!
Well,
My little friends left me with a present:
I now have freakin' BARTONELLA!
Over the last few weeks I've developed all the classic symptoms, including a rash. These sx are very distinctive from my lyme and babs sx.
My experience with the onset of the new vs old sx, and my exact timeline for when I was infected, and the start of treatment (levaquin), may give some useful info for others here.
I'll post more about when I get a chance, kinda busy these days.
James
[ 12-06-2009, 04:17 PM: Message edited by: JamesNYC ]
Posted by kadee (Member # 21199) on :
quote: I now have freakin' BARTONELLA!
OH NO!!!!
The same happened to me this year, after having Lyme now since 22 years.
But maybe you will defeat them quickly, since you discovered it early. Wish you the best.
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
FU###N TICKS Posted by Pinelady (Member # 18524) on :
I hate to hear that. I was watching a show today on the buffalo herders in MT. herding them back
into the national park so they could kill 1000 of them as they have the last few years. Supposedly
because Mt. ranchers do not want the buffalo spreading BARTONELLA. The group that was there
said it was killing for profit because MT. could not export beef contaminated with Bart. But it
was not the buffalo that was the main vector, it was the ELK. And they are not herding the elk out
of MT. LOL I had no idea, but they said the herd in question is the only pure herd out of only a
few, maybe 15 they found roaming in the forest that keep the whole population from
extinction. I wonder if they have some kind of natural immunity?
Posted by richedie (Member # 14689) on :
James, was there high grass???? Bushes? Did you have on any spray? Whenever I am going to be anywhere I could get a tick, I spray loads of Herbal Armor AND OFF on me and my clothes.
I was told eating garlic can help keep them at bay. I eat raw garlic like apples. Posted by Truthfinder (Member # 8512) on :
Oh, James - very sorry to hear this. Well, hopefully catching it early will pay off.
I have to say that I get really frustrated that more people don't try using the `after-the-tick-bite homeopathic prevention' protocol I've posted about.
No, not because I want to promote one system of medicine over another, but because I want us all to find things that WORK, along with things that don't work. And it will take participation to figure any of that out.
James, you would have been a perfect candidate for trying the preventative protocol, because you can identify the new symptoms so clearly. Also, since you are already being treated with conventional meds, it might have been helpful to learn if those meds interfered at all with protection from the homeopathic remedies. I have no data on that so it will have to come from observing real-life experiences.
Well, in any case, maybe it's something you'll consider doing next year.....
All the best,
Posted by lymewarrior03 (Member # 3891) on :
Mercy,James, can't believe you left the pavement. I haven't had that kind of courage in years. Must've been nice out there tho.
Posted by JamesNYC (Member # 15793) on :
Richie,
Actually, all I did was walk on a leave covered path from the car to the house a few times. And then on another path to an adjacent house.
Ticks love leaf litter.
I did not get any ticks on me this past weekend, I think the 3" of snow slows 'em down!
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I'm heading back to the nice, safe concrete of The City tonight.![[lol]](graemlins/lol.gif)
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