gigimac
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I was walking in a high grass area about 6:30 p.m. . It is now 10:05 and I felt a bump and it was a small tick.
I removed it with tweezers at the base of its head close to my skin. It removed very easily I couldn't even really feel any pain. I did not bleed from removing it I have the tick in a ziplock bag.
I am really really really freaking out. Please tell me anything I can do right now to lessen my chances. I would take doxy tonight but i am out. Should i take clindamycin right now?
I have alcohol on the bite. Any other topical i should use?
Posts: 1534 | From Greensboro NC | Registered: Aug 2011
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Bartenderbonnie
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If I were you, I would go to E.R. with tick and see if they will start you on 28 day doxy.
Take tick back home with you. In the morning, call your local county health department and ask if they conduct free tick testing.
If not, go to bayarealyme.org. They are offering free tick testing. Their website has a form to fill out and print and Mail along with your tick. Priority results for ticks that have fed. 5-10 days. Backlog of 21 days for results for ticks collected that have not fed.
Good luck. Keep us posted.
Posts: 2977 | From Florida | Registered: Nov 2016
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gigimac
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I will send it to bay area lyme tomorrow. Igenex testing is far too expensive.
my llmd will rx doxy as soon as I can get in touch so er may be premature? as I anticipate to get in touch tomorrow and took clinda tonight.
I do have doxy but it is expired several months so probably not safe.
Posts: 1534 | From Greensboro NC | Registered: Aug 2011
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gigimac
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there was no blood when I pulled the tick off. just a tiny flake of skin. I don't think it could have been attached long. I had to have picked it up when out In the long grass about 3 and 1/2 hrs before removing it.
I hope that makes a difference.
Posts: 1534 | From Greensboro NC | Registered: Aug 2011
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TF
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In future, don't walk in high grass unless your life depends on it.
If you can get doxy tomorrow, then that should be good enough.
It doesn't need to be attached long to transmit lyme. If it bit you, that is enough. (The germs in its saliva got into you.) You don't need to see blood either. And, the tick anesthetizes you so you will not feel pain. That is how it succeeds in biting you and then sucking your blood.
Don't rely on the tick test as it is not 100% accurate.
If you have a reaction to the doxy (a very mild herx), then you need full lyme treatment.
Stay out of the sun while on the doxy, especially hands.
These are the things that people need to avoid doing to avoid getting ticks:
no walking in the woods no walking in tall grass no walking or lying in leaves no sitting on stone walls no sitting on logs no leaning against trees
If your yard has ticks (like mine--we back to a woods), then:
remove all bird feeders check yourself each time you walk in your yard treat your yard for ticks a number of times per year stop gardening spray yourself with DEET any time you have to work in the yard
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Bartenderbonnie
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Yeah, money is always an issue with this damn disease. Thanks CDC for NOTHING !
I was bit last night by who knows what and unfortunately have no carcass as proof. I feel your anxiety.
Probably you got it off it time before any infection spread but why take a chance. E.R. will break the bank for me so I would medicate myself, maybe iodine or silver until you touch base with doc. And a Xanax always helps in these circumstances.
P.S. Do you have 1 or 2 puncture marks where tick bit you ? I have 2 and don't know what that means. Thanks
Posts: 2977 | From Florida | Registered: Nov 2016
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gigi .. You can't totally rely on tick testing. So .. get some doxy and hope for the best.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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Rumigirl
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gigmac, was/is the tick rounded, not flat? That is when it is partially or completely engorged from feeding on you. But regardless, yes, treat!!
And, no, as TF said, NO walking in tall grass! Plus all the other no, no's she listed.
I used to be Miss Naturegirl. No longer since diagnosis. Plus, I've had more ticks on me since then (2009). Now I am super-duper careful. I'm scared of them this year since they are supposed to be so bad this year.
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gigimac
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I took clindamycin last night and just got doxy filled today.
I actually had to call my dermatologist and claim my acne was flaring to get the doxy. my llmd is not available.
what dose and how long do I take the doxy?
Posts: 1534 | From Greensboro NC | Registered: Aug 2011
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gigimac
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the tick was very flat and quite small. I think it is perhaps a male lonestar.
I was visiting a friend yesterday and their lawn is atrocious. They have been very unsupportive about lyme etc. so I feel this was a sign that they are as bad for me as I have suspected. Goodbye to them!!
No more walking in long grass, for sure!!
tick is being sent to be tested while I take doxy, fingers crossed.
Posts: 1534 | From Greensboro NC | Registered: Aug 2011
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TF
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Take 200 mg twice per day.
If you herx (such as getting tired easily and having to lay down) on day 2-4 at all, then you have lyme and need to get to a lyme doctor for good treatment.
Otherwise, if you don't have any reaction to the doxy at all--not one single odd thing that could be a herx symptom--then it is up to you how long you want to take it. With my husband, if he gets a tick bite and he gets a red rash (which he always does--size of a dime), then we keep him on the doxy until the rash is totally gone.
He has never herxed with any of his tick bites and they all get very red as big as a dime. This is his skin's reaction to the bite. So, just last week, we stopped the doxy after 10 days when the redness was all gone and no symptoms had appeared.
I hope you remember that you must stay out of the sun while on doxy, especially your hands. You don't need a chemical burn on your hands. Wear light cotton gloves if you are driving for any length of time because the sun coming through the windshield can cause the burn.
Remember that with doxy you must take it in the middle of a full meal to prevent stomach upset. So, eat half the meal, take the pills, and then eat the other half.
Take probiotics 2 hours after the doxy.
Follow the package insert about not eating certain things with the doxy--can't remember what they are but I think dairy, minerals? not sure.
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Rumigirl
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It was surely a nymph tick, so they are really small.
A Lone Star tick can carry a bunch of things besides Lyme, ie, STARI, I think RMSF (if I remember right), and God knows what else. So be on the watch for other symptoms.
Lesson learned about the tall grass & people who don't support you re Lyme.
It never ceases to amaze me how almost everyone who hasn't been sick with TBD's (to their knowledge) almost to a person do NOT want to know about it!! Until it's too late. Even many who are surely sick with it don't want to know why or what to do about it.
The doxy sun reactions last for quite a while after you stop taking it, too---I forget, 10 days? 2 weeks?
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gigimac
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TF I have had lyme for 6 yrs. Herxing is a given. I just want to make sure no new infections arise!! Perhaps the post title made me sound like a newbie?
I had been slowly treating with natural supps etc. so abx are hard on me. the natural supps have helped and without extreme herx like abx.
When I came down with lyme I did not have a rash or very recent bite. this time I want to protect myself as much as humanly possible.
Thanks for all the tips everyone!
Posts: 1534 | From Greensboro NC | Registered: Aug 2011
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Brussels
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I only rub Olbas oil on the spot, sometimes put a slice of garlic on the bite.
Olbas seems to kill locally better than anything else (I wonder what can survive Olbas....). It's a mixture of peppermint oil and other essential oils.
Send the tick to a lab, it could make you feel better... if you saved the tick.
I usually knew very fast if the tick was contaminated, as I fell ill so fast (when chronic lyme was active). What I used to do in the past, was to run rife frequencies (in my own device using microcurrent).
Now I'm less worried, as I think my immune system somehow can deal with new tick bites. But I still rub Olbas, for a couple of days, until I can see almost no more 'bump' from the bite...
I would never start doxy just like that. Never. I would follow more Buhner type of advice, take his herbs just in case. He's got suggestions for new tick bites (like astragalus, eleutherococcus, if my memory is good).
Posts: 6199 | From Brussels | Registered: Oct 2007
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gigimac
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yeah, the doxy is making my heart race. I don't know what else to do. I had sworn off abx but I don't want a new problem.
doxy has me feeling so much worse!! have silver and rife, still haven't actually used the rife though
Posts: 1534 | From Greensboro NC | Registered: Aug 2011
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quote:Originally posted by TF: These are the things that people need to avoid doing to avoid getting ticks:
no walking in the woods no walking in tall grass no walking or lying in leaves no sitting on stone walls no sitting on logs no leaning against trees
Unfortunately, for many of us, abiding by the above list would mean I get airlifted in and out of my home. Yes, that might be ideal, but it comes off as almost tongue-in-cheek to some of us.
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gigimac
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wow, this sucks. my heart is racing constantly since first dose of doxy. I haven't had heart sx in a while now.
It was so freeing when that sx left. I couldn't shop for fear of heart beating out of chest. couldn't do anything physical or participate in anything that was even slightly anxiety inducing, which is a lot for me.
I know doxy is go to for tick bite but would something else work??? clinda would be better than this.
unless this is from the new bite but my heart started racing like 30 min to an hr after doxy was taken...
Posts: 1534 | From Greensboro NC | Registered: Aug 2011
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-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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gigimac
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bartender bonnie, sorry I never responded. My bite is one hole with redness like a mosquito bite.
And u r right a Xanax would help. I know I get sicker when I am stressed and this is so stressful to me.
my doc recommends 30 days doxy. I will try but not sure I can endure feeling like this or what heart sx will be like.
Posts: 1534 | From Greensboro NC | Registered: Aug 2011
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posted
You might want to add Astragulas 3000mg per day for 30 dys after a bite. Burhner recommends 1000mg per day for prevention if live in endemic area.
Don't worry about a 2 month expiration on Doxy. Pharmacys are required to put a 1 yr expiration date on all Rx from date of fulfillment. The bulk packs that the pharmacy stocks may have a five year expiration date on them and the military stocks ABX for over ten years.
It's a myth that doxy turns toxic soon after its expiration date.
Posts: 119 | From ground zero | Registered: Mar 2014
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Brussels
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Originally posted by TF:
These are the things that people need to avoid doing to avoid getting ticks:
no walking in the woods no walking in tall grass no walking or lying in leaves no sitting on stone walls no sitting on logs no leaning against trees -------------------------------------
I used to be afraid of ticks, years ago.
But today, many mosquitos carry Bb too, right?
And you may bump into a sex partner who is contaminated very easily (unless long married, not cheating , and both never got or will get contaminated.
Many too many people have Bb, active or dormant.
But then, you have to avoid many surgeries, all bad accidents too, because if you ONCE need blood transfusion, that will very probably contain Bb, as no one is screened for Bb.
Even if screened, Borrelia cysts survive up to 600 degrees Centigrate (6 times more hot than BOILING WATER!!).
According to dr. K, these cysts survive hydrochloric acid!!!
So even if the blood banks could screen active Bb and kill it, what can be done to eliminate cysts? Give cyst busters then antibiotics to all blood samples?
Guess what?
That advice to avoid ticks, avoid nature, fresh air, high grass, low grass (they are also in low grass, like in my garden)...
....even on stones, pavements, even INSIDE THE HOUSE (as people can carry ticks in, the ticks that hitchhike on clothes, boots etc)... is almost absurd, at least if you live in the countryside FULL OF TICKS like where I live.
Then you got to avoid all pets that go in and out, too.
Well, the list gets impossible to be applied, in my opinion.
Have you thought about bed bugs? When you go in a hotel? Visit a friend? Distant family?
The ONLY WAY OUT is to reinforce the immune system.
It isn't worth to live a life without strolls in nature, pure air, without sex, without kids (as how are you going to make kids if you are afraid of getting infection from a partner, or to pass infection to the baby?), without going out and not letting anything in (not a single mosquito, nor pets...)...
And how can you avoid a bad accident forever?
And never go to a hotel? Never take friends at home? No family members either? No visit anywhere because you don't want to sleep on a contaminated bed??!
Nope. Avoid ticks as much as you can, but that counts on only ONE SMALL part of how you can get Bb again.
Lyme may even be airborne now. In a doctor's office treating Lyme, all employees often test positive for Lyme.
Most people don't get sick with this type of exposure.
Fleas, spiders, lice, and mosquitoes may all be sources of various infections.
80% of mosquitoes in endemic areas may have Borrelia.
Spiders may carry Bartonella and Babesia.
Lice carry Bartonella.
------------
We evolved with insects, and avoiding them all (like bed bugs) is impossible (unless you sleep on a NEW MATTRESS every day!!!).
It is possible to be protected from re-infection, as long as you treat your immune system well.
treat the body, not the infection, and one day get out of that inferno cycle of reinfections, relapses. It is possible!!
Posts: 6199 | From Brussels | Registered: Oct 2007
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Bartenderbonnie
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It looks like my bite might be spider, feel alittle better.
People just don't realize how absolutely terrifying and scary our symptoms get from a stupid little tick bite.
When my heart starts racing, I take 1 baby aspirin. It helps me.
Hang in there gigimac. Hoping for good news on tick carcass.
Posts: 2977 | From Florida | Registered: Nov 2016
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posted
Just another opinion here. I couldn't tolerate doxy or mino. That class is OUT for me.
Hoping for good news from you soon!
Posts: 798 | From Cincinnati, OH | Registered: Jul 2016
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gigimac
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Brussels, Thank u. What u said helps so much. I will still take precaution still but you are right. I come on here for advice and it is very helpful but sometimes I leave here feeling like I should lay down and die.
I'm not going to say who but last yr someone on here told me how badly someone they knew reacted to something I was going through.
I worried about it soo much for months and months until I literally made myself sick.
Anxiety had racked my whole being from this, . I couldn't eat anymore, crying all the time, until one day my body just snapped and I had the worst case of ebv. I thought I was going to die. I wanted to die at times.
I never want to go back there and part of that is letting go a little and never letting anxiety get that bad cause we can't control everything.
We all take this seriously of course but for those with anxiety it can be a bit much, the stories that are shared here.
I hope no one takes this as an insult. I just happen to have high anxiety.
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gigimac
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I don't mean people sharing their personal stories of what is happening to them but the I know someone who knows someone stories. it is not helpful.
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Brussels
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gigi, I didn't mean to cause problems in your thread, but I find that excessive fear of ticks almost bordering madness.
That ALONE won't prevent lyme in many cases.
I'm so sorry you've been through too much stress.
I guess we were all, and infections, toxins, electrosmog do not contribute to lower anxiety!
I'm reading a catalogue of treatments, mostly 'foundation' treatments for chronic diseases, and many drs swear that by LOWERING the sympathetic activity, patients have hormones regulated, sleep better, and can fight infections better.
They have less inflammation, less allergic reactions, can absorb food and nutrients better, produce their hormones correctly etc.
ONLY by regulating that ANS balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic.
I am trying some of their products that do that.
As they are only water and salt, there is basically no danger.
I never wanted to try real Lithium, real Oxytocin, real melatonin, just because I usually react badly to anything, including good minerals.
So now, that these are only imprints in water, I'm trying some of them, slowly, for the first time.
There are a few remedies that are very known (Vital Force Technology), one is called Stress Relief.
It seems that any treatment you do, if you add those type of treatments to relieve stress, your body simply starts reacting better in all ways, because relaxation is the 'normal' way the body should be ideally.
I like to earthen myself, just because of that feeling of relaxation.
I hate electrosmog, because it raises my anxiety. Same as herxes, toxins, heavy metals, infections...
so adding Stress Relief will make some people fight some infections better, or lab rats even become smarter!
Dr. K. used to measure the health condition of a patient by 'how many yin mudras the patient had', which meant: the more yin, the more calm, relaxed, the more the ANS would be working and the better the patient felt.
So, the more healthy the person!
So you're right to flee from useless added stress.
Tick bites are NOT to be taken lightly, but life is ALSO not to be taken lightly.
Otherwise, what's the purpose of living, if you have to shut yourself down from life?
That is just my opinion. And I cannot be shut from insects, nature, fresh air, bed bugs, going out, having pets, strolling around, cycling, jogging...
if you'd like a share on the amazing products I'm experimenting with, I can tell you which. I don't know if you can buy these products directly in the US, but I'm having some very relaxing experiences.
I'm changing once more the way I treat myself, now adding loads of those 'relaxing' products...
I hope you find positive and good company around! Posts: 6199 | From Brussels | Registered: Oct 2007
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Brussels
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I just pulled one tick yesterday, and it was on my back, so I couldn't take the head off!
It was late, everyone already in bed, so I couldn't ask anyone to pull it and TWIST it before (so that the head comes out).
Well, now I got a bite with a head, the tick was rather big (I usually get only nymphs).
I tested it energetically, and it tested negative for Bb and coinfections.
It's my bite number 2 this year 2017.
Now it's full tick season. Tick season is usually stronger in March, but this year, the pattern changed a bit (due to cold weather in April, I think).
I put Olbas oil in a cotton pad and slept with it taped on my bite.
When the tick was still biting me, I got a red wound, due to allergy to tick bites. The fantastic thing with Olbas, I find, is that after a few hours on the skin, it somehow does something to the cells of my skin, and all the itchiness, and redness from inflammation disappears. I can barely see the bite.
If I rub no Olbas, the tick bite will be red and swollen for WEEKS!
So you're not alone!
Today I took again a Borrelia nosode, on a special dilution so that I avoid being bitten by ticks containing Borrelia.
Only the 'cleaner' ones bite me, it seems. Either that, or my immune system is doing a great job for so many years (which I don't totally believe, as I still fight candida on and off).
The only thing I did yesterday in the garden was to hang some clothes to dry (it took me less than 10 minutes in total).
The grass was cut super short!!!
Tall grass, short grass, it doesn't matter: ticks are all around here.
I got bitten on my back (almost under my arm).
Posts: 6199 | From Brussels | Registered: Oct 2007
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gigimac
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Brussels, I am always very intrigued by the different methods you discuss. Like nosodes etc. but it seem s complicated and difficult maybe..
perhaps u could pm me sometime. If u would like.
I'm on a week of doxy so far. its going ok. would rather be taking silver but didn't want to chance it.
If I knew how to energetically test a tick I would have kept it.
I have tried the energy testing where u ask ur self a question and pull your fingers or sway. It does not seem to work at all. can't tell anythings happening.
Posts: 1534 | From Greensboro NC | Registered: Aug 2011
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Brussels
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Gigi... Energy testing doesn't really work 100%.
Dr. K. says it works about 80%. I think he's right, somehow. That's been my own experience.
It works well when the information is very clear:
Example 1: you got a lot of lead, and you place lead nosode or whatever thing with lead and test the muscles, then they come weak easily. It means 'lead' is present (or anything with the same lead frequency!).
But if you got just A BIT of lead, then you place the same lead nosode: you got sometimes weak muscle, sometimes strong...
We don't really know if you got lead or not.
Ex 2: If your body is really missing magnesium, muscles will get weak with it. If your magnesium levels are almost good, your muscles will be sometimes weak, sometimes strong.
That is why the tests miss 20% of the problems. At least, that is how I understand these tests.
BUT, if your regulation is closed, energy tests work 0%, in my experience.
Absolutely nothing comes out right.
And even if your regulation is open, sometimes people have weak muscle tone. The fingers or arms are weak and can't hold anything well.
A bit like early morning, first 5 minutes after you wake up and you try to close your hands (make a strong fist), but you can't. If you see what I mean...
Many people have that weak muscle tone during day time, even strong men and women! Huge guys, but weak muscle tone! I'm so small, skinny, compared to these guys, and they can't even close 2 fingers together well.
Of course, their problem is not lack of muscle power, but some sort of bad-regulation. That's what I mean...
Then they need treatment before doing muscle tests. That is why I prefer to use my own muscle tests on people (so that I don't depend on their strong or weak muscles).
But if their regulations are closed, I get ZERO answers from my own muscle tests (I touch their skin to get these answers). My own tests become COMPLETELY unreliable, unless they get their regulations open.
ART 1 course of dr. K. teaches how to open the regulation of patients. It takes a bit of practice. Tapping the EFT /MFT points will work for the most healthy people.
For us with lyme, we sometimes need antimicrobials, or binders to get opened. Or some psycho treatment, or homeopathic remedies.
The wonderful thing is that, when the regulation is closed, the only thing we can test is: 'does this treatment help to open the regulation?'
So we can still test guys with closed regulation, but only that single question!!!
Posts: 6199 | From Brussels | Registered: Oct 2007
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Bartenderbonnie
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Hi gigimac,
I was wondering if you heard back from bayarealyme about your tick carcass ?
Haven't forgotten about you. . . hoping for good news. Post only if you 're comfortable doing so.
Posts: 2977 | From Florida | Registered: Nov 2016
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gigimac
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Hi Bonnie, no, I called and they are getting loads of ticks coming in so it may still be 2 to 3 weeks yet. I
I have been on doxy going on 3 weeks.
Thank u for asking!!
Brussels, very interesting. I so wish I had a good practitioner nearby
Posts: 1534 | From Greensboro NC | Registered: Aug 2011
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Bartenderbonnie
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Thanks for replying.
I unfortunately find myself in the exact situation you are in.
Let's hope for good news !
Posts: 2977 | From Florida | Registered: Nov 2016
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gigimac
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Hi everyone I got my results.
I am writing to inform you that your tick has been processed by the Nieto lab. We tested your tick for Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi), relapsing fever (Borrelia miyamotoi), babesiosis (Babesia microti), and anaplasmosis (Anaplasma phagocytophilium). Your results are as follows:
Number of ticks received: 1 Lyme: negative Relapsing fever: negative Babesiosis: negative Anaplasmosis: negative
I am relieved at the results.
I do know that the test is not 100% and that it most certainly did not test for everything but it is still a relief.
still on doxy
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