posted
My dad started having health issues in his 40s.
has 1/2 a diaphram that does not work,
trouble breathing, not well in his 50s,
always had trouble with his weight, neuropathy, CIDP like Guilliane Beret (sorry about the spelling),
and other wierd symptoms, had a bite that looked like the Lyme ring in his 60s,
now mysteriously has trouble breathing, appears to have broken ribs without knowing how,
and other issues. He just went through testing of 17 different systems and they docs find very little.
They still think it is CIDP. I think it was Lyme all along.
Trying to get him to get tested. He is now 76 and very weary.
My sister showed me a bite on her arm this summer that looked like the Lyme bullseye.
I commented about Lyme and she dismissed my remark.
What I am getting at is....do you suppose some families have a perdisposition to Lyme?
My sister has had terrible back and shoulder pain that landed her in the ER,
has a poor immune system, and other issues. Is this genetic.
I fear for my 2 sons and daughter.
Worse yet, for my grandson that is already celiac and lactose intolerant and has been since he was 1.
I wonder if there is a genetic aspect that goes hand in hand with this.
All of us came down with illness at different times.
Can't be that we were all exposed at the same time.
My dad was in his late 40s, me at 51, sister at 53, and grandson at 1.
I use to think we were robust people, not anymore.
AND...my mom has had 3 different cancers. She is also as constipated as I am and does a laxative every night to go, has for years.
Is this crazy or what?
Posts: 620 | From Ks | Registered: Oct 2011
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glm1111
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
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posted
If your in a Lyme endemic area, then everyone in that area has a good chance of being bitten and infected with Lyme disease. Also the transference from the mother to child is also a possible route of exposure. Could be a genetic predisposition, but IMO, you have to be infected first.
Gael
-------------------- PARASITES/WORMS ARE NOW RECOGNIZED AS THE NUMBER 1 CO-INFECTION IN LYME DISEASE BY ILADS* Posts: 6418 | From philadelphia pa | Registered: Jul 2008
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Judie
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posted
Lyme is not genetic. It's an infection.
It can be passed from mothers to their infants though if the mother is infected already. I asked my doc and was told it either passes through breast milk and/or in utero (this is still being researched).
Here's info about Lyme that talks about whole families getting infected in part of it:
"She is also as constipated as I am and does a laxative every night to go, has for years. "
I don't know if this is because of diet or if it's genetic. If you see a nutritionist or ND, he/she could probably sort it out.
I would start making changes in diet like eating soft foods like steamed vegetables and avoid items like cheese which cause constipation to see if it makes a difference.
Also, gentle exercise can help get stuff to move.
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
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posted
I lived on steamed veggies and some type of protien for 18 months.
Didn't make a bit of difference.
You are right, I am infected either by my mom or we were all infected at the same time.
I just think about these kind of things and try to put it together.
Sad thing is, my mind does not work right and it all gets garbled.
Thank you Lyme!!!!!
Posts: 620 | From Ks | Registered: Oct 2011
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Kudzuslipper
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posted
Lyme is an infection. But I do believe genetics can make you more suceptible to catching it... Or not being able to fight it o. Your own before it becomes a problem. My family has a history of autoimmune disorders.
Posts: 1728 | From USA | Registered: May 2011
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TF
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posted
What I learned from the most famous pediatric lyme doctor in the world is that some people produce pheromones that smell like perfume to ticks.
These people are tick "magnets." A tick will run a mile to get on such a person.
Most people's pheromones don't attract ticks. But, some people's do.
I am a tick magnet and also a mosquito magnet.
People with these pheromones are much more likely to get lyme, per Dr. J, the pediatric lyme specialist.
He says that he can cure kids of lyme, but they WILL get it again because of their pheromones. Kids will roll and jump in leaves, sit on logs, climb trees, lean against trees, go in the woods, etc. And, the kids with the wonderful smelling pheromones are going to get bitten and get lyme over and over again.
So, if there are many people in your family who attract ticks and mosquitos, then it is the pheromones that are being inherited that is causing your family to get more tick bites than the average family.
When you know you are a tick and mosquito magnet, you have to adjust your life to this reality. That means that you have to avoid places where ticks are--much more than the average person. You are going to get bitten before others. You are going to get bitten more often than others. You are going to have a higher chance of getting lyme compared to others.
So, after discussions with my lyme doctor, no more picking berries along the road for me, no more walking in the tall grass along the road for me, no more going into woods (unless my life depended on it), and I have practically stopped planting outdoor plants, taking care of my flower beds, trimming shrubs, etc.
If I do any outdoor activity, I come in the house and do a full body inspection with the help of my husband. I take this very seriously.
Two weeks after finishing my lyme treatment, I found an attached tick on my stomach. I freaked out.
A few years after being cured of lyme, I was bitten again just because I pulled a few long weeds and laid them on my arm for about 1 minute. I got a bulls eye and had to be treated for lyme and cos for a month.
I spray myself with DEET if I do anything in the yard. I can stand on my paved driveway for 20 minutes looking at my yard and go in the house and find 2 ticks on my leg. I sat on my deck for 10 minutes this spring and felt a tick crawling on me.
So, it may be that this is the type of thing that is running in your family. Think about it. Do you guys get bitten by mosquitoes unmercifully when nobody else is complaining about it? I do.
These are the signs that you have the pheromones that attract ticks. So, if your child is such a person, you have to really, really watch and inspect them. They are much more prone to getting lyme disease than is a normal person.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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Judie
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"Do you guys get bitten by mosquitoes unmercifully when nobody else is complaining about it? I do."
Oh dear! Is there anyway to repel ticks by altering your pheromones by doing things like changing your diet?
I can't tolerate DEET or any repellents. I'm allergic (I already cover my arms and legs and still got a bullseye at a well-covered place).
Mosquitoes love me. I went to a party at a park once. I had over 100 bites on my legs when I left and I was wearing thick socks! It shocked everyone how much I got bitten.
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
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dbpei
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posted
I wonder about some of us having certain predispositions to becoming infected also. I don't know how you can explain some having survived multiple tick bites without becoming sick.
I had this discussion with my daughter recently. She is in grad school and talks with her peers about my illness - some are med students who have had multiple tick bites and are not sick!
I used to get bitten and did not think much of it (what a dummy I was!). I never had bulls eye rash and tended to stay healthy with only minimal symptoms (achy knees/hips - and occasional hot flashes and mood swings that I thought were menopause).
Then something happened that changed the way my body was handling things - and I lost my hearing, then developed neuro symptoms. All downhill after that.
What I don't understand is why my body was able to coexist with this bacteria for years and then things changed. This is driving my sister nuts because she is afraid the same thing is going to happen to her.
She has had many tick bites but always took prophylactic ABX immediately. She is plagued by sinus infections and has many of the symptoms that we all get with growing older (achy joints and not being able to do what we used to do without more fatigue...). I pray she does not have lyme and co.
I also worry about my grown children and husband. But they are leading normal, healthy lives now. Once you have a diagnosis of chronic lyme, your life can and will be changed forever.
Posts: 2386 | From New England | Registered: Aug 2011
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TF
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posted
Judie, I don't know of any way to alter your pheromones.
You would think that if there was a way, the good Dr. J. would tell the parents of these children how to do it.
My now famous lyme doctor says to use Avon Skin So Soft to repel ticks when you are outside. Can you use that?
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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Marz
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Is it possible that mosquitoes don't like you, but ticks do?
I've had two tick bites twenty years apart.
Mosquitoes pay no attention to me. Are they the same pheromones?
I've thought the difference was sugar. I've observed that people who eat a lot of sugar get bitten by mosquitoes and thought it's the reason I don't. I really don't like anything sweet.
Posts: 1297 | From USA | Registered: Dec 2002
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TF
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Member # 14183
posted
Marz, I don't know. But, the question is, do you attract ticks? Do you find them on you more often than other people? I do. I find ticks on me 100 times more often than my husband finds ticks on him. It is very noticeable.
If you only know of 2 times, 20 years apart, that you had a tick on you, you do not attract ticks.
Also, I don't eat sugar, never liked it, but mosquitoes have loved me my entire life.
It is possible for a person who does not attract ticks to get lyme disease, of course. But, the doctor I heard speak was saying that the children that get lyme will get it over and over again because they attract ticks. That was shocking to me to hear. First time I had heard of such a thing. But, it certainly makes sense of my situation.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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Judie
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"My now famous lyme doctor says to use Avon Skin So Soft to repel ticks when you are outside. Can you use that? "
Gosh, I wish I could. I can't use any scented products because of respiratory problems.
There's only one lotion on the planet I've found that doesn't irritate my skin and nose (and I've tried TONS).
" I've observed that people who eat a lot of sugar get bitten by mosquitoes and thought it's the reason I don't. "
I'm sugar free and still get bitten.
I even tried taking zinc (which I heard repels them) and it didn't work.
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
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posted
The Avon Skin So Soft insect repellant is not scented. At least, I can't smell any scent.
It has a slight smell of an insect repellant.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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Judie
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"The Avon Skin So Soft insect repellant is not scented. At least, I can't smell any scent.
It has a slight smell of an insect repellant"
Thanks for the feedback. It sounds wonderful because I read that it keeps ticks away.
Unfortunately I just looked at the ingredients and I'm allergic to it.
I really can't put much on my skin because of allergies.
Posts: 2839 | From California | Registered: Jul 2012
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