posted
I am from California, and would like to know if anyone else is from here, especially the bay area. I told my family I think I have Lyme and they said....thats not something you can get here. I am from the bay area. Id like to know what area you are in, if you tested positive, and if you remember the rash/bite...cuz i really dont. THANKS!
Posts: 56 | From bayarea | Registered: Nov 2006
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Also, click on this url to see all the support groups in your state. If there was no lyme, there would be no lyme support groups. Don't know if all of these are still active, but some will be.
trails
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1620
posted
yes--I live in the CA right now. didnt aquire lyme here, but know MANY MANY who have.
California Lyme Disease Association (CALDA) has a great website with lots of info and also there is a link there to the great yahoo group for Lyme sufferers in CA. have you been?
I have some brochures and tick cards I could send to you as "proof" that lyme exists here and is endimic in some areas---particularly the santa cruz mountains, marin county, the redwoods, yosemite, chico, etc.
Private message me for more detailed info.
there are even some support groups that meet in the bay area--you might be able to make some life long friends!
Posts: 1950 | From New Mexico | Registered: Sep 2001
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Jill E.
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9121
posted
I was bitten four years ago in San Diego, standing on cement in a residential area feeding a cat.
My father was bitten in San Diego this summer.
Both of us got rashes, have positive Western Blots. I also have multiple co-infections (other tick-borne diseases).
If you go to the CaliforniaLyme group on yahoo, there is a map on the home page showing the California counties that are high-risk for Lyme. Most are.
Northern California has Lyme risks equivalent to many areas back east.
CALDA is a very helpful group. There is an excellent publication from them called Lyme Times.
I also have brochures regarding California Lyme that I took with me to the doctors' to try to convince them my dad's rash was Lyme. They wouldn't believe us despite my having been bitten here and him having classic rashes and symptoms. So you are not alone in getting a reaction of disbelief.
Most of the Lyme doctors in California are in northern California so you are lucky in that regard.
Jill
-------------------- If laughter is the best medicine, why hasn't stand-up comedy cured me? Posts: 1773 | From San Diego | Registered: Apr 2006
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Hello from San Francisco -- I'll send you a pm with my phone number if you want to call and chat.
We have many support groups. They're listed under Support Groups on the left of your screen.
Oh yes, we have Lyme in California. There is a state brochure with a map of CA counties showing the almost-total state exposure.
Very helpful to have this brochure to hand to the doctor as soon as they try to make a statement like that. I think they generally have one in their hand from me within 10 seconds.
I always come prepared now with brochures and infomation. We are in a process of educating the doctors.
In the meantime, read as much as you can here about the disease. The more you understand, the better equipped you'll be to deal with it and medical care.
About me -- I was bit in 1981 in Big Sur on my foot -- went to a clinic a week later -- they said it was a tick and removed it. Didn't tell me anything about tickborne diseases.
I had NO -- that's ZERO -- symptoms at the time. Everyone does not get a bull's eye rash right away or symptoms.
My symptoms started two months later with sore shoulder muscles, followed by a very stiff neck and then full-blown muscle pain that was called fibromyalgia, and no one knew what that was. I never connected any of my symptoms to a tick bite.
I was only informed this year online by a nurse in Virginia, almost 25 years later, that my many symptoms were Lyme disease, and then I tested positive for it.
[ 16. November 2006, 09:05 PM: Message edited by: Robin123 ]
Posts: 13171 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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SForsgren
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7686
posted
I am in CA as well and was infected here. San Jose. My site is www.BetterHealthGuy.com if you want to read more about my story. Feel free to contact me via the site as well with any questions.
-------------------- Be well, Scott Posts: 4617 | From San Jose, CA | Registered: Jul 2005
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posted
I am in Calif. I may have been bitten in Tahoe but not sure. I had no bullseye rash etc. Take care Joyce
Posts: 905 | From Santa Cruz,Calif | Registered: Aug 2005
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I am in California -- also in the Bay Area. I don't ever remember a tick bite, never had a rash, my two sisters and brother are all infected and they never remember a bite. We suspect congenital Lyme which means that my mom likely contracted it in Canada, where they also don't have Lyme
Alison
P.S. Hi Trails!
--------------------
The obscure we see eventually. The completely obvious, it seems, takes longer. --- Edward R. Murrow Posts: 923 | From California | Registered: Aug 2005
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posted
Hi. I live in New York now, but got sick with Lyme and co-infections while living in the Bay area of San Francisco. There are ticks and Lyme in the Bay area for sure. I lived in the hills of El Cerrito and Montclair. Very woody, deers roam, etc.
Posts: 55 | From Mamaroneck, New york | Registered: Apr 2006
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posted
I'm in the bay area too. My husband and I both grew up around here and we both have it. Definitely have gotten the "oh, but it's not on the west coast" thing from people.
Now we just laugh.
Posts: 30 | From CA | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
My daughter was bitten, and had engourged tick embedded for 3 days, in Ventura County California.
Even the state health board still doesn't believe that we have black-legged ticks here in Ventura.
It is our understanding from our LLMD that Ojai California is one of the hot-beds for ticks in the western U.S.
Posts: 681 | From California | Registered: Oct 2005
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Jill E.
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9121
posted
quote:.
It is our understanding from our LLMD that Ojai California is one of the hot-beds for ticks in the western U.S. [/QB]
Oh, my gosh, I have a client in Ojai - I used to go there all the time but now can't travel due to Lyme (I was bitten in San Diego).
I will have to warn my clients.
Jill
-------------------- If laughter is the best medicine, why hasn't stand-up comedy cured me? Posts: 1773 | From San Diego | Registered: Apr 2006
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Not only did my daughter contract LD from a tick bite while camping in the Ojai Valley, but one of her best friends has also been diagnosed with Lyme. He lives in Ojai and went camping with all of daughter's friends in the same campground.
You might want to warn your client that the Rose Valley camping area is where both young people were bitten by infected ticks.
My daughter's IGenex test results met all of the CDC requirements. By Calif state law the results were forwarded to the Ventura County Board of Health. I spoke directly with the representative from that agency.
I explained to her where my daugther was camping when she was bitten. The Board of Health representative stated that I must be mistaken, Lyme is not endemic of Ventura County.
If you look at the map on the CALDA website you'll notice that Ventura County is one of the few counties where Lyme has not been reported.
I personally know of as many as five cases of Lyme that have come from tick bites from the upper Ojai Valley, each has tested positive via the IGenex criteria and the CDC criteria. They all go to the same LLMD.
You figure it out, I can't.
Posts: 681 | From California | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
I live in Sonoma County and everyone here knows someone with lyme. It is an epidemic here. It's really really frustrating that people think there is no lyme in California. If that's true than why do all the parks here have signs saying beware of ticks they carry lyme disease.
Posts: 293 | From healdsburg, ca , sonoma | Registered: Feb 2005
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tabbytamer
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3159
posted
I live in San Diego. Born here, lived here all my life. Don't travel. Also bitten here in 1988. Diagnosed 2002.
posted
I live in the Central Valley of CA now but was originally infected in Sonoma county. I believe I got reinfected here as well (had an atypical rash this time which the doctor thought was ringworm.)
My Western Blot from IGeneX was CDC postive. I also have Ehrlichia (postive test) and Babesia (diagnosed clinically).
I have probably had Lyme for at least 30 years but was just diagnosed in 2004 due to doctor ignorance. I had every symptom on the list and then some. Was just treated symptomatically every few weeks when I went to the doctor.
Posts: 105 | From CA | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
From Another Cali Grrl w lyme (Bay also)...many positive W Blots via Igenix and Stonybrook, Including CDC positives. Many positive Igx and MDL positive Barts. One positive MDL babs.
The East Bay Regional Park district with beautiful parklands stretching from Sunol to Pinole all have posted signs about lyme ticks. No question you can get it here!!
Pomegranite
Posts: 309 | From CA | Registered: Nov 2002
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Michelle M
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7200
posted
Hi Lymesucks!
I'm about 4 hours to the north of you. In the mountains above Redding.
Otherwise known as the real northern California!
I had a witnessed nymphal tick bite and an EM rash - slightly larger than a quarter but not very dramatic. I live in deep forest.
My 14 year old daughter also has lyme. She had several tick bites, a couple were embedded ticks pulled from her hair. No rash seen but who can say with the scalp?
We are both CDC positive for lyme. She is (thank God) negative for all coinfections. I am positive for babesia WA-1.
Don't forget to test for babesia WA1 since you're a Californian.
Hey, there's my WA-1 buddies Surg and Tabby right now!!
Hope you'll find a good LLMD and your family will get up to speed. It's hard for others to understand the disease. There's a learning curve even among those who WANT to understand!
Michelle
Posts: 3193 | From Northern California | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
Im in the Santa Cruz Mountains and got it here in my basckyard, I live on 2 1/2 acres. Others here in Bonny Doon and other parts of santa cruz county have it also.
Posts: 222 | From Santa Cruz Mountains, CA USA | Registered: Nov 2004
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breathwork
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 567
posted
I'm from the South Bay, Los Altos....I and two of my kids have lyme. My dog has had lyme. We were all bitten in Los Altos...a suburb, no deer, wall to wall houses, with yards, and the usual small mammals that carry the ticks and the bugs.
I have lyme and babesia WA1, my son has lyme and bartonella, my daughter has lyme, ehrlichia, and babesia microti...
You bet your boots it's in the Bay Area!!!
Posts: 1062 | From CA USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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CaliforniaLyme
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 7136
posted
I am in Aptos, home of 17.8% minimum infection rate in adult ticks (that's right- don't believe the hype about CA being 2%!!!)in Santa CRuz County and there is SO MUCH LYME IN CALIFORNIA*)! And luckily, that means we are not alone when we get sick. Check the support group listings for one near you or just keep coming back here!!!!! Best wishes, Sarah
-------------------- There is no wealth but life. -John Ruskin
All truth goes through 3 stages: first it is ridiculed: then it is violently opposed: finally it is accepted as self evident. - Schopenhauer Posts: 5639 | From Aptos CA USA | Registered: Apr 2005
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posted
Forgot to mention that we have a recent tick bite infection report in San Francisco in the Monterey/Plymouth area near Glen Park towards the southern end of the city.
Just goes to show that everyone, no matter where you are, needs to start learning about Lyme disease and coinfections and how to best protect yourself.
By the way, I am so sad to be reading all these entries. Having grown up here, and very happily hiked and camped etc, it just feels so tragic what is happening.
Posts: 13171 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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posted
Thinking it through here -- the state health board is playing down the problem. So are the public health depts.
For instance, I called the public health dept in Monterey Ca after I realized I had gotten Lyme from a tick bite in Big Sur. I asked them how many infection reports they'd received thru the years. I remember being told there were 5 or less reports in each of the early 2000 years.
I told the person that A, people don't realize what's happening, B, they are traveling through, and C, the infections are not being adequately reported.
Do we want to do anything around this issue of the CA state board/public health depts saying we don't have Lyme/cos here? Even if we all just start emailing or calling and making some noise.
Posts: 13171 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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posted
Im so glad I found this site. You are all so wonderful. Thank you for your replies!
Posts: 56 | From bayarea | Registered: Nov 2006
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posted
I was born and raised on the pennisula. I went to college for a semester in reno, nevada-but my symptoms started when I was 12-...10 years ago.
I never got the rash (that I saw)-But I did get horribly sick for two weeks, then started having muscle and join pain-my skin broke out with SEVERE acne over night-and I started tetracyclines about 6 monthes later.
I ended up in physical therapy in 8th grade, my eyes were so sensitive I had to wear sunglasses to school and my skin go so bad that I ended up on accutane.
Stayed on tetracyclines pretty much from the time I was in 8th grade until my senior year of high school.
After a year of NO meds-and still in physical therapy 3x times a week-I left for college in Reno-I broke out into hives-was accidently OD on pretnisone and got shingles-left school-got another HORRBILE case of ance was put immediately on accutane with pretnisone for a 9months and went back to school (in LA this time) the following year-
I got mono, virtigo, muscle and joint pain, light sensitivity, ringing in my ear, and SEVERE stomach pains-
but according to my doctor I was the "healthiest kid she'd ever seen"-
I went back to college (still in LA) and broke out into hives and started vommitting everything I ate. After 6 weeks I left school-
I went through 8 monthes of testing where Kaiser told me I was "A typical college girl with depression and anxiety-over worked-sleep deprived-and CLEARLY BULIMIC-until I realized my problems they couldn't help me"- They denied my out of network second opinion-
I went out of net-work and was diagnoised in ONE visit-I was tested by ignenex and tested positive according to CDC for LD and Erch and Babs and Bart-
SO-my point is Lyme does exisit in Ca-Lyme can take several years to really effect you-and no matter how many doctors tell you ur crazy-if your gut tells you something else BELIEVE IT!
Linds
Posts: 484 | From Burlingame, Ca | Registered: Sep 2005
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posted
So, Linds, the amount of time you went through and all the medical people you saw -- isn't it horrendous that all these medical people were not trained to recognize the symptoms of Lyme and coinfections?
I decided to communicate with every medical office I'd seen in the last 25 years before being diagnosed correctly -- online -- of all places!
The response has run the gamut between being very grateful for my communication, to being disinterested. I feel it'll stick where it sticks, and little by little, people will get educated by all of us.
So you too could consider letting places know, so as to help the next folks who are going to show up on their doorstep...
Also, Kaiser is going to need to be dealt with -- I've heard it repeatedly that they don't recognize Lyme. And they advertise "Thrive" in their public ads. I'd like to see them live up to their message.
Posts: 13171 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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trails
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1620
posted
Look on the CALDA site for the yearly LDAC (Lyme disease advisory committee) meeting in sacramento--where you can come witness the dept of health services and the vector born disease folks duke it out with Dr S and Dr Lane (researcher), CALDA, and patients. the meeting are open to the public.
We need more people to show at the meeting. It will prolly be in february or march. ?? I havent seen when the upcoming meeting is for this year.
I spoke at the last meeting saying that because our society is so mobile we must have ALL doctors trained in AT LEAST basic lyme awareness, no matter their location or endemic stats. I shudder to think about the man who recenlty posted here---went to ER with bullseye rash, and textbook symptoms of lyme and they scratched their heads not knowing what it could be!!! and this was on the EAST COAST!!!
I don't remember a bite or rash like you, but I've only been out of CA once, (to the land down under ), so I probably got it here when my family vacationed for parts of summers in the san bernadino mountians. Otherwise maybe it is congenital, the llmd I saw did think that was a possibility.
Posts: 122 | From San Diego, CA, California, United States | Registered: Mar 2005
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