Topic: Good Article on Chronic Lyme, and atypical rash (cigarette burn-like)
nenet
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I'm really busy lately with packing and cleaning to move to another state (back home to KY), but I just ran into this article from last month that's pretty well-written (except for the part about Lone Star and Dog ticks not carrying Lyme - not true), so I thought I would share it with you while I'm taking a quick break.
They do a decent service to the concept of late-stage and chronic Lyme, and how it can sometimes cause death if left untreated. Also, they write about how Lyme can infect the central nervous system within days of a tick bite. All in all, a pretty well-researched article, compared to many I've seen. It's also interesting to note another form of Lyme rash.
Tick talk in Abington By Mikaela Slaney Wed Jul 08, 2009, 03:20 PM EDT
"Abington - Helen Brown's daughter was 11 years old when she noticed a tiny bump on her back after swimming while on vacation in 2002.
Her mother had not originally noticed the bump as she was putting on suntan lotion on for her. ``It looked like a cigarette burn,'' Brown said.
Although the mark did not hurt her daughter, a rash formed and continued to increase in size.
The Brown family cut their vacation short for a trip to the doctor.
The doctor said it was not Lyme Disease noting the wound was probably a spider bite.
Three months later, Brown's daughter grabbed Helen's arm, complaining of a stiff leg.
And that was the first symptom of many symptoms to come. Brown's daughter did in fact have Lyme Disease.
``(Our doctor) apologized to us for having blown the diagnosis,''[wow!] Brown said. ``I started reading everything I could about Lyme Disease to help her. I'm not a professor, just an arm chair researcher.''
Lyme Disease is one of the fastest growing infections in the U.S., thanks to changes in the climate over the past 20 years, as well as an increase in the deer population in New England. Currently, 40 to 60 percent of area ticks are infected with the disease.
This year, in Abington, 40 cases of Lyme Disease were reported so far.
``The numbers are still being reported, that's an undercount of a factor of 10,'' Brown said.
And according to Brown's research, since only one in 10 cases of Lyme Disease are reported, the number of contractions in Abington closer to 400.
``It is prevalent because of all the building in Abington, it's pushing the woodlands in our backyards,'' said health board member Christine Hickey. ``I've got deer under my bird feeder, which I've never had before.''
She said if bitten by a tick, you should remove it promptly with tweezers, close to the skin as possible, pulling back steadily. Then swab the site with antiseptic.
Do not squeeze the body of the tick, do not use a match or alcohol, as it could cause the tick to regurgitate disease through the bite.
If there are any symptoms of rash, flu, headache, or joint aches see a doctor immediately. Symptoms include a solid expanding red rash that may be red or raised to the touch, but not itchy. The rash is not necessarily at the site of the tick bite.
Some notice the rash is similar to a bull's-eye with a mark in the middle surrounded by a circle.
Lyme Disease may enter the nervous system within days of a bite, and the victim could experience arthritis, headaches, pain and in extreme cases, death.
Brown's daughter, now 18, contracted a form of chronic Lyme Disease that was not properly diagnoses or cared for when she contracted it at age 11. She has been in college for two months now and after years of struggle, and constantly changing medications, she has shown improvement over the past few months.
She experienced auditory processing problems, and ``brain fog'' which left her confused and disoriented at times.
Contracting Lyme Disease once does not make someone immune to contracting it again.
To avoid being bitten, wear repellant spray, conduct tick searches daily, and tuck pants into socks when traveling in wooded areas. Also, ticks are easier to find on lighter clothing.
Ticks open stop in ears, belly button, the hairline, groin, or anywhere where there is resistance from clothing, such as a bra strap.
``If you found one tick, chances are you'll find another one,'' Brown said.
Ticks are generally found in wooded areas, near the ground. They are active any month, though particularly in the late spring, through early fall.
Most ticks feed on animals, humans are a secondary choice to them. Some tick species- dog ticks and lone star ticks- do not carry Lyme Disease, though they carry similar diseases.
One to two percent of tick larvae are infected with Lyme disease.
Deer ticks are attracted to heat, carbon dioxide, and naturally climb a surface in the opposite direction of gravity.
Washing clothes does not help as ticks are able to survive underwater for many days, and may withstand freezing temperatures. They are however susceptible to extremely hot clothes dryers.
Ticks emit anesthetics at the site of their bite so that the host does not feel it, and the tick releases other chemicals that prevent the clotting of blood in that area.
For more information or assistance, call the Cape Cod Cooperative hotline extension at 508-375-6690."
Thanks for the article which I had not seen b4. Abington is the next town over from me and the same is true here. Five neighbors,that I know of that have Lyme. How did you come accross the article?
Tic
also, when reinfected had similar rash as described (cigarette burn-like)
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nenet
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Member # 13174
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ticked-off, thank you so much for your kind wishes. I really apreciate it. It's been very hectic around here, and I keep wishing I had the time and extra energy to keep up with the forum and everyone while doing all of this extra stuff.
I am amazed at how much I have been able to do, and still not suffer too badly. A couple hours one day where my meningitis got too bad and had to lay down and got overwhelmed for a bit. Then I took my pain med and got a second wind and got back to it.
Any time I feel like I'm suffering too much, I take a break, and wait to see if I'll get a second wind. I NEVER could have done this before. Just packing some clothes and cleaning a little, but for me, that is huge.
I'm looking forward to being back here regularly again, after we get settled.
nenet
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Member # 13174
posted
quote:Originally posted by tic chick: Nenet,
Thanks for the article which I had not seen b4. Abington is the next town over from me and the same is true here. Five neighbors,that I know of that have Lyme. How did you come accross the article?
Tic
also, when reinfected had similar rash as described (cigarette burn-like)
Interesting tic chick. It really sounds like it's a 60% chance or more that people in that area that get a tick bite (or even more than one) will get Lyme and/or another tick-borne infection. Terrible odds.
I found the article via a circuitous route. For a long time now I have been meaning to research a mysterious illness my husband had when he was about 5, and living in eastern KY.
He had about 2 dozen cigarette-burn like rash marks, that didn't itch, on his torso and arms and legs, along with a fever. He can't recall if he had other symptoms, being so young and delirious from the fever as well. So I have been curious all this time if we could find out what it might have been.
The doctor couldn't find anything similar in his giant book of rashes. They gave him an antibiotic on the off chance it was bacterial, since he had a fever (funny how many times doctors will do this just in case, unless Lyme is brought up). His fever and rash went away during antibiotic treatment, so it was never investigated further.
Still haven't found out what it might be, but have seen mentions of it online from other people asking into a similar type rash. His never expanded like the one mentioned in this article. Just stayed about a 1/4 inch wide.
I suppose it is still possible it could have been Lyme, as Lyme sometimes does present with multiple rashes even from just one bite, and Lyme rashes don't always widen, but of course it's hard to say.
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