posted
I wonder often why some people differ so much in their symptoms. I tend to think it's got to do with the strain... I have Lyme and bartonella (and mycoplasma), and 85% of my symptoms are neurological. Another 10% is cardiac, and the remaining is random.
I have friends who have gotten tick bites on their legs and things and suffered years of arthritis--I only had arthritis for a few months. My main problems are always neurological, with horrendous headaches being probably my number one complaint related to these infectons... While other people I know, do not have headaches at all!
I was reading another article about the recent Lyme death, and the man said he sustained three tick bites, always on his head, and he developed an ALS-like illness. It made me think... That's where my tick bite was. On my scalp. My illness is very MS-like. Other friends of mine have gotten bit on the legs and do not get headaches, despite having all the infections I have and more. They had terrible arthritis, instead.
Could it matter WHERE the tick bites you, as far as what type of illness you're going to develop? Do leg bites turn into RA, while head/scalp bites turn into more neurological disease?
Food for thought!
little olive
Posts: 512 | From USA | Registered: Sep 2010
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onbam
Unregistered
posted
no. genetics, strain, environment, co-infections, underlying medical issues, and treatment are what matter.
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penguingirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 28688
posted
Or.. what happens if you got a blood transfusion and got lyme that way? then there is no "bite."
I have no idea when/where I got bit. I have both joint pain and neurological symptoms and headaches.
How does one get bit on the scalp, I am curious because how can we prevent that then - do you spray tick repellent on your head? I have black hair so I would have a tough chance of finding it on my hair so I just want to know..
-------------------- Posts: 1204 | From USA | Registered: Oct 2010
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posted
I tend to agree for the most part, onbam, but it does make me wonder.
That's very interesting, tosho, I'd never read that, but I wonder what made him say that or if I could find that somewhere
I was bending down in the woods, so it probably latched onto there from a twig or low-hanging branch...or perhaps the little guy just wandered up there. However it happened, he was there three days before I found him, having dark hair, myself!
Posts: 512 | From USA | Registered: Sep 2010
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posted
I never saw a tick, but I think I traced it to a rash on both knees. My symptoms are almost all arthritic. I also probably have a genetic/family tendency toward joint problems though.
Posts: 707 | From Colorado | Registered: Jul 2010
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posted
My family history has a LOT of arthritis in it, as well, which is part of my curiousity. How did I possibly dodge that bullet, especially with a trigger like Lyme? Posts: 512 | From USA | Registered: Sep 2010
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Lauralyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15021
posted
Does the rash develop at the same site as the tick bite?
-------------------- Fall down seven times, get up eight ~Japanese proverb Posts: 1146 | From west coast | Registered: Mar 2008
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METALLlC BLUE
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6628
posted
Yes it matters. The area in which the infection first enters the body is the first area that becomes infected, including surrounding tissues, and organs, muscles etc. If the tick bite is right on the spine or near any access point to the CNS, you can bet you'll see CNS symptoms sooner than would be expected if the bite were on ones toe.
I'm only talking about Borrelia B. B31 Strain. Other strains have different affinities for different tissues. Some prefer neurons and other nerve cells while others prefer collagen rich tissue cells, such as in joints, the heart, etc.
-------------------- I am not a physician, so do your own research to confirm any ideas given and then speak with a health care provider you trust.
posted
was bitten on back of both legs..each leg with a definitive bulls eye rash 1 rash had 3 bites the other 4 (Both rashes appeared at the same time w/bites)
From the day the rashes appeared till almost 2 yrs later still under treatment. I have NEVer had any symptoms of arthritis, swelling or any issues with joints/muscle pains in the legs.
Thought that was weird myself?? Only joint pain is in my Right elbow.
Posts: 501 | From Hudson Ticky Valley, NY | Registered: Aug 2009
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posted
I pulled 2 ticks from my scalp the day after I spent all day
gardening...I was working under an arborvitae hedge some of the
time and figure the little buggers must have crawled onto me from
there...fatigue has always been the # 1 symptom for me , followed
by the neurological issues ( all of them )...then cardio symptoms...
the least of my symptoms are the arthritic ones...I had them but
they came and went and only rarely were disabling...the weird
thing is...where I pulled the ticks...still itches many years later...
could this be an ongoing irritation that just takes a long time to
go away or maybe a sign of sthg. else ? Anyone else experience
irritation , years later at the site of a tick bite ?
-------------------- "Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues , but the parent of all others "....Cicero Posts: 254 | From new jersey | Registered: Jul 2009
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posted
I have terrible scalp itch but it's caused by low grade fungal infection of the scalp. Yet another perk of suppressed immune system. Get some Nizoral (avail in the shampoo isle) and see if it helps! Posts: 512 | From USA | Registered: Sep 2010
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METALLlC BLUE
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6628
posted
quote:Originally posted by jenn: was bitten on back of both legs..each leg with a definitive bulls eye rash 1 rash had 3 bites the other 4 (Both rashes appeared at the same time w/bites)
From the day the rashes appeared till almost 2 yrs later still under treatment. I have NEVer had any symptoms of arthritis, swelling or any issues with joints/muscle pains in the legs.
Thought that was weird myself?? Only joint pain is in my Right elbow.
Guess the little guys had an affinity for other tissues. You have strong CNS and neurological symptoms or just that one joint?
It seems there are a few themes with people, which is obviously a difference of strains in my book (though I could be wrong), but people seems to either get really intense neurological problems, including cognitive and psychological issues, while others get widespread pain. Then others still get almost no neurological symptoms but their knees swell up like balloons.
Likely a difference in strains as well as co-infections and other immune system anomaly.
-------------------- I am not a physician, so do your own research to confirm any ideas given and then speak with a health care provider you trust.
Haley
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 22008
posted
I got bitten on my lower leg and my symptoms are severely neurological and cognitive. I don't have much pain or joint issues.
It probably didn't help that I didn't know it was a tick and kept flicking the thing trying to get it off of me. He probably injected me with a gallon of spirochetes.
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