WASHINGTON (AP) - Senator Chuck Schumer is receiving treatment to prevent lyme disease after being bitten by a tick during a recent tour of dams in upstate New York.
Schumer apparently was bitten during a May 7th dam tour in the Hudson Valley. He and other lawmakers have called for improvements to many small dams in the area to prevent flooding.
He later found a tick, and spotted a telltale "bulls-eye" mark on his leg that is an early sign of infection.
Schumer is now undergoing a 21-day treatment with antibiotics. He said he hasn't noticed any symptoms besides the initial bulls-eye mark, and is being treated "to prevent it from developing into the disease."
Lyme disease is transmitted by the deer tick. Symptoms include lethargy, joint pain, fever, limping and loss of appetite. Even after treatment, symptoms can recur.
-------------------- nan Posts: 2135 | From Tick Country | Registered: Oct 2000
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Vanilla
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posted
If he was a member of Congress that might explain why they just bowed to the Pretzeldent and approved billions more for a war that was declared over years ago.
I think Bin Laden might be hiding under my kitchen sink - I better go look. Gosh I hope they find him fast and put an end to all this madness ; - )
Well now that this Senator might have Lyme it is time they made the rest of the Senate, Congress and everyone in the grand ole White House wear Frontline. Perhaps it was not a Hudson Valley tick that got him but a fellow politician with rabies and lyme.
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savebabe
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Senator Schumer has been very active in the lyme community and supports the prevention and proper detection of lyme disease.
I wish him a quick recovery and hopefully he will continue to educated others on lyme in NY.
Posts: 1603 | From ny | Registered: Aug 2006
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charlie
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a politician is a politician is a politician....
Posts: 2804 | From Texas | Registered: Oct 2000
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quote:Originally posted by nan: Schumer is now undergoing a 21-day treatment with antibiotics.
Good luck with that "cure!"
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96239 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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lymeladyinNY
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Well, if Chuck is unfortunate enough to get symptoms after 21 days of treatment, like I did, then I hope he uses his position to advocate for us all as much as he can, and loudly.
Of course, he will have access to the best care from the get-go so he'll probably be okay.
-------------------- I want to be free Posts: 1170 | From Endicott, NY | Registered: Sep 2006
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Boomerang
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Well, isn't that special?
I'm so glad the Senator from NY gets treatment that many "normal folks" can't ........
Has anyone checked to see if the tick is ok?
Posts: 33 | From Oregon | Registered: Sep 2005
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Vanilla
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Sad news the tick's funeral was yesterday but well attended.
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Geneal
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Yeah, but he probably gets 21 days of IV therapy.
Not just orals.....
Did he test CDC positive?
If not, two weeks of doxy at 200mg is all he needs (tongue in cheek).
Hugs,
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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Vermont_Lymie
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He is a decent Senator, and I hope he recovers completely.
I am glad to hear that he is getting more than the 10 days of low-dose oral abx that I got with a tick bite and bulls-eye rash.
And if his symtpoms continue after 21 days of treatment, we will hopefully gain a powerful friend with the type of direct experience that so many of us share. (Not that I would wish chronic lyme for anyone!)
OK, perhaps I am being too optimistic -- could it be possible that a powerful politician would be honest about this disease and support treatment for it??
There is less babesia co-infections away from the coastal areas, and if he did not have a fever, it sounds like he may not have been exposed to at least that one.....
[ 25. May 2007, 09:44 AM: Message edited by: Vermont_Lymie ]
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Truthfinder
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You know, if old Chuck would get off his Gun Control bandwagon and start working on Criminal Control, he is actually a Senator with a decent head on his shoulders. I've heard his views on many things that I mostly agree with. Very good to know that he supports the RIGHT Lyme information.
He appears on the O'Reilly Factor on a fairly regular basis..... it sure would be nice (for us) if he had a successful long-term antibiotic Lyme story to tell one of these days.......
Sadly, though, if Senator Schumer is symptomatic after 21 days and gets further treatment...... will we ever hear about that part?
Tracy
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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posted
Three governors of both parties have had lyme, the last one without a positive test or an apparent bullseye rash. They all got treatment at an early stage and no one asked a lot of questions about whether the IDSA guidelines were being followed. One of those governors, Pataki in NY, proceeded to veto a bill that lyme activists had worked on for five years. He did this after it had passed both houses, vetoed at the last minute of the last day of the session so that the legislature would not have time to override it.
So, the lesson is that we have a two tier healthcare system, one for them and one for us. Another lesson is that this is not a partisan issue, although the party of Pataki seems more likely to be best buddies with industry (like the insurance industry).
Posts: 8430 | From Not available | Registered: Oct 2000
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Truthfinder
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I think so too, Nan.
Lou, maybe YOU should go on the O'Reilly Factor. To heck with Schumer.....
That's a pretty disgusting story about Pataki vetoing that bill....
Tracy
-------------------- Tracy .... Prayers for the Lyme Community - every day at 6 p.m. Pacific Time and 9 p.m. Eastern Time � just take a few moments to say a prayer wherever you are�. Posts: 2966 | From Colorado | Registered: Dec 2005
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charlie
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I do see something developing here that I've been wishing for all of these years, and I think is healthy....and that is a contempt for governance in general....
Charlie
Posts: 2804 | From Texas | Registered: Oct 2000
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CaliforniaLyme
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You know, he may look into Lyme disease MORE now that he has it- and he may even come HERE and read this site!!!!!!!! And as a fellow Lyme patient I wish him, as I wish anyone who gets it, the very best wishes for a return to better health!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-------------------- 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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Aniek
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It has already been said that Sen. Schumer has been a friend of the Lyme community. That is probably why he is getting 21 days of treatment. He probably knew enough to ask for it.
With early treatment, it's knowledge that's missing usually. I went to the best doctors in NY and they did nothing. They refused to consider Lyme. My family had those connections in the NY medical community. Look where it got me.
Remember, "the best doctors money can buy" in a traditional sense would only give 1-2 weeks.
I am happy he is getting 3 weeks and hope that is all he needs.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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Monica
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I wish I could clone Senator Schumer and put him in Congress from NJ. He is a friend of the Lyme community. He is one of the few in congress who actually does anything.
He definitely has Lyme -- not "preventing" it at this point.
Wish him all the very best.
Posts: 1757 | From Somerset County, NJ | Registered: Oct 2000
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TerryK
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We are not privy to the details but if he is not being treated for co-infections (and he probably is not unless he is seeing an LLMD and we know he isn't based on 3 weeks of treatment) then he very well may end up in the same boat as the rest of us.:-(
I doubt anyone could get though but it seems like it might be a good idea to let him know?
Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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valymemom
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My son began abx the day he removed his tick & did so for 5/6 weeks. Then within 5 weeks he had mono-like symptoms with low grade fevers......dropped ten pounds.
Babesiosis and bartonella were also discovered clinically. Of course he did not get further treatment for 5 months.
I hope the senator has a good physician.
Posts: 1240 | From Centreville,VA | Registered: Mar 2005
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There is less babesia co-infections away from the coastal areas, and if he did not have a fever, it sounds like he may not have been exposed to at least that one..... [/QB]
Never heard this piece of info-but very glad to -Thanks for sharing! Posts: 249 | From finger lakes, ny | Registered: Jul 2006
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lymednva
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quote: Originally posted by Vermont_Lymie:
There is less babesia co-infections away from the coastal areas, and if he did not have a fever, it sounds like he may not have been exposed to at least that one.....
The last time I checked, Oklahoma was about as far from a coastal area as you can get in this country. I got Lymed there and herx on treatment for coinfections, so...I'm not buying that one!
-------------------- Lymednva Posts: 2407 | From over the river and through the woods | Registered: Apr 2006
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Vermont_Lymie
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quote:Originally posted by lymednva:
quote: Originally posted by Vermont_Lymie:
There is less babesia co-infections away from the coastal areas, and if he did not have a fever, it sounds like he may not have been exposed to at least that one.....
The last time I checked, Oklahoma was about as far from a coastal area as you can get in this country. I got Lymed there and herx on treatment for coinfections, so...I'm not buying that one!
Hi lymednva,
Fortunately, I am not selling! Let me clarify:
Yes, babesia's range is spreading. In the northeast, it is most concentrated along the coast I have read in articles on it.
But that is just a matter of degree -- while endemic on coastal islands in the northeast, you can find it far inland too in the northeast. Note that I said "less babesia" away from the coast -- not none.
There were recent news articles on the spread of babesia inland from coastal locations in the northeast. My knowledge of babesia is partial, and only in this region. There are lots of different bugs out there in other places!
My exposures to babesia came from coastal areas and came with very high fevers after exposure; so I am guessing that perhaps Senator Schumer has avoided that co-infection if he did not have a fever.
He should definitely see an llmd, and someone suggested that lymenetters try to get that suggestion to his office -- that is a great idea.
[ 25. May 2007, 05:56 PM: Message edited by: Vermont_Lymie ]
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savebabe
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Just heard on the news that Sen Shumer is going to reintroduce a lyme disease bill that was killed last year. He is a good man, and I hope he continues to fight for us.
Posts: 1603 | From ny | Registered: Aug 2006
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