tickled1
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14257
posted
I got a tick bite the other day! The first since "the one" in 2001. I happened to be on a drug holiday at the time but started Doxy right away (200 mg. twice daily). Someone please tell me that I'll be fine since I started Doxy right away. I think that's a rather high dosage as well?
How did it happen you ask? My husband and I are about to buy our first home. We were at the house the other day. The back yard is a huge hill w/trees. My husband told me there is a farm at the top of the hill w/horses and I wanted to see. I stood there at the bottom of the hill and stared and contemplated. I scanned the hillside and saw that there was a path with very little brush with just leaves littering the ground.
I decided "I can't live in fear like this forever. I'm going." So I went and when I got undressed at home a couple hours later I found it. At least I think that's when I picked it up. I also walked though some short, mowed grass at a state park a couple days prior but I don't think I picked it up then b/c the tick was not at all engorged.
So that was the test. No more woods for me. Now I'm even going to be scared to be in the yard of my new home. Ugh! Anyone know of any good ways to treat my yard for ticks that is safe with children around?
Posts: 2541 | From Northeast | Registered: Jan 2008
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
Well, sorry to say that if that tick gave you babesiosis, doxy will do nothing to eradicate babesiosis.
When I was rebitten last fall and got a bulls eye, I got to my lyme doc within a week and he gave me doxy to treat lyme and bartonella and ehrlichia. And, he also gave me Bactrim DS to treat babesiosis. He said those 2 meds would cover anything the tick gave me.
I herxed very, very mildly on day 4 of that combo. After 30 days of treatment, I had not gotten any other symptoms, so he said I was finished.
Please consult your lyme doc regarding something to cover babesiosis. I believe it is the most common coinfection found in deer ticks, so it would be best to treat for it also, to be safe.
The doxy dose sounds good to me, based on how I was treated for my bite.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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That is correct, I agree with you. That's why I think ticks should be kept after they've bitten us so that we can have them tested later in case there are new symptoms.
I don't understand the logic of the people and LLMDs that don't see value in testing ticks post bite.
Posts: 872 | From New York City | Registered: Jun 2008
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
James, I understand the tick tests are not 100% reliable. So, I would not trust my health to that test.
Also, I sent in a tick for testing once. It took about 30 days for Igenex to get back to me with the results of the tick test. I don't want to wait around doing nothing for that amount of time.
To me, it is well worth it to treat for 30 days and forget tick testing. Of course, the only people who can do that are those who already have a lyme doc they can call and see right away--former lymies.
Laura was on a drug holiday. That's why I gave her the advice I did. When I was treating lyme and got bit, my lyme doc told me I was covered. So, everyone's case can be different.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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Truthfinder
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8512
posted
I found 3 ticks on me a few hours after walking down a gravel road for 20 minutes while on vacation in Wisconsin in 1978. Nobody else in our little walking party got any ticks at all. Some of us are just lucky.
So, I'll post again what I just posted on another thread.....
Since there is no proven method of preventing Lyme and co-infections after a bite, you do the best you can with what's available to you ASAP.
-------------------- 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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Why is the tick test not accurate? Igenex told me it was. They get to grind up the tick and do a PCR test for bacteria and, unlike human tests, the bacteria can't be missed.
Where did you hear that? WHY wouldn't testing be accurate? And if the test showed other bacteria, are you suggesting that info wouldn't valuable? Do you think it's better to start looking for babs infection only much later when sx show up rather than to know right away of the possibility?
Your point of the doxy having no effect if the tick was carrying Babs is a very valid one.
Laura was on a drug holiday which I assume means she was going back on abx soon. Therefore, any new bacteria would not get much of a chance to make the infection she has worse.
Also, we have at least a little immunity to a new infection insofar as there are lots of antibodies and WBCs out looking for the easy to get at spirochetes in the blood even without abx.
There are many other places that will test ticks besides Igenex. I may look into that for my ticks. Now that I think of it, I thought I heard that one place would check for free (I assume to add to there survey knowledge).
Posts: 872 | From New York City | Registered: Jun 2008
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posted
Some people don't have antibodies running around because of impaired immune system. My WBC count is actually low.
Posts: 571 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Oct 2008
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Dear fellow ticks...
As you know.... a ticks life ain't easy.
I should know what to do by now... but I am in a panic mode... so I am writing to TickNet for your advise.
You see... I was innocently sucking on a really nice looking human the other day and suddenly the human looked around and .. OH MY GOSH!
There she was! I saw her! A fully growed-up adult human!
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!
Well... let me tell you what happened next.
She panicked.. grabbed me by the belly and immediately flushed me down the "bad bowl".
I swirled around and around and tried as hard as I could but eventually I was not able to fight it anymore.. and down I went!
GEEZE!
Why such a severe punishment? I was just sucking on her a little!
This has totally freaked me out!
What AM I going to do about these new humans in my yard?
map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
It's happened so many times to me since my initial illness. I'm just a tick magnet.
Just two weeks ago my husband went golfing. The next morning putting on deodorant there was a tick hanging on me for dear life.
I had just come out of a very hot shower. I believe he had backouted during. But it was very clear the son of a gun had been feeding on me.
There's no doubt he came home with my hubby. The tick got next to me in bed and said AHA there's my favorite meal.
I, of course hollered at my husband. He told me he doesn't go into the woods for lost balls. He said he just walks along the woods area????? AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGG.
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6495 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
James, Lymetoo has posted many times here about the inaccuracy of the tick testing based on her experience.
Here is a recent thread where she told about it again:
I don't believe I have any immunity to a new tick borne disease based on having had lyme, babs and bart before. My now famous lyme doc certainly didn't treat me like I had immunity, and, my body gave no evidence of any immunity when I was rebitten in late August 2008.
In all my reading, I have never come across any lyme expert who ever said that prior infection with a tick borne disease confers any immunity. In fact, they all say you have no immunity based on past infection.
Your statement that "we have at least a little immunity" sounds like your own conclusion using logic. With this disease, if we have a "little immunity" (what does that even mean?, like being a little pregnant), it is meaningless since it does not prevent us from getting these diseases over and over again with new bites.
I hope you all listened to the interview with Dr. Jones that was posted a few months ago in which he said that children that get lyme will get bitten again because they produce pheromones that actually attract ticks to them.
He said that children adequately treated do not relapse. But, they will get rebitten because of their pheromones.
Here's the thread with the interview link if it is still working:
So, those of us that have the pheromones that attract ticks have to be vigilant our ENTIRE lives. We attract ticks. This is a very important thing to know to help us in deciding how we should alter our lifestyles.
It is easy for me to see that I attract ticks. My husband rarely gets a tick on him walking around in our yard. I can stand on our driveway for 20 minutes and find 2 on my leg when I walk into the house!
This has been going on my entire life. Compared to other people, I get lots more ticks on me.
So, if you find you are a tick "magnet," according to Dr. Jones it is because your body produces certain pheromones that attract ticks.
Keep that in mind for the rest of your life.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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canbravelyme
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-------------------- For medical advice related to Lyme disease, please see an ILADS physician. Posts: 1494 | From Getting there... | Registered: Aug 2006
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
Yes, my lyme doc recommended guinea hens. But, he cautioned me that my neighbors may not like it. They make lots of noise, he said.
And, many people are not permitted by deed or zoning restriction from having guinea hens. But, if you can, they eat ticks for sure!
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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posted
Dr. J (formerly of the Carolinas) said the same thing in a radio interview that I listened to over the summer
about pheromones being a Suspect with Why some people (children & adults) get bitten or are more susceptible over others.
They're in their infancy in understanding the cycle of tick-borne diseases. Needlesstosay, I realize...
Thanks for the link to Dr. J's radio program. I'll try to listen. I don't recall hearing it before but very well could have
quote:Originally posted by TF: I hope you all listened to the interview with Dr. Jones that was posted a few months ago in which he said that children that get lyme will get bitten again because they produce pheromones that actually attract ticks to them.
He said that children adequately treated do not relapse. But, they will get rebitten because of their pheromones.
Posts: 571 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Oct 2008
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tickled1
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 14257
posted
Holy moly! Thanks for all your replies. I have some Mepron on hand from treating before. It's not expired. Should I take it?
Tincup, your reply is too funny. Never thought about it from the tick's perspective before!
As far as the guinea hens, my father in law has some and they are SO loud!!! I may consider it though!
I do think the ticks are attracted to me more than others.
My husband's also a hunter so I'm wondering if maybe he brought one home with him. If I tell him he can't hunt anymore though, that would be the end of our marriage. I bought some stuff the put on his hunting clothes (permethrin) and he said there's no way in hell he's putting that on his clothes. He said he'll end up getting cancer instead of Lyme. The stuff is good for 6 washes so I guess it is some pretty rugged stuff.
Does anyone know if there's something I can treat my yard with? Actually, I just remembered something called tick tubes. Does anyone know if they work? Heack, maybe I can pour the spray I got for my husband all over the yard!
At least by the time we move in, there should be snow on the ground soon so I won't have to worry for a little while anyway. My husband wants to get chickens . Are they as effective as guinea hens?
Posts: 2541 | From Northeast | Registered: Jan 2008
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posted
That's really cute, TC, but for now, Laura's request takes precedence over the tick's concerns -
Laura, we've had a report here that spraying the land with TKO Orange killed the ticks. Not going to say for how long, but it was good enough for report-back -
TKO Orange, or Orange Guard in a more diluted form in stores, is from oranges - it contains the compound d'limonene, which is how oranges keep bugs away from their own orange hides.
It's biodegradable and kills bugs yet is nontoxic to us.
The concentrate is good for a very small quantity in a lot of water, then sprayed.
For personal use, I put a couple drops in a spray bottle and fill up with water. Spray on clothing, in home, yard, camping areas, camping gear. Also can be lightly misted or sprayed on dogs and cats. I don't put it on my skin, as it stings a little. The TKO Orange folks didn't seem to mind doing that, however. Tough guys...
You could tell your husband that we think we have a very safe remedy. Since it's biodegradable, I think it would have to be reapplied frequently.
www.tkoorange.com sells it concentrate - and no, I have no financial connections to this company, just use the product myself.
I am actually sorta getting real curious to see how far this experiment could be played out - as in if folks really TKO Orange spray the bejabbers out of the land before going out into it, would there be any live ticks left or not?
The Lyme patient got it by the gallon and sprayed it on their property.
Btw, your last comment about snow on the ground, from what I understand here, ticks do survive in snow. Tho I wouldn't know from where I live...(we did have some snow trucked in to Union Square once)
Posts: 13171 | From San Francisco | Registered: May 2006
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canbravelyme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9785
"Common Hazardous Ingredients in Cleaning Products
"D-limonene - This chemical is produced by cold-pressing orange peels. The extracted oil is 90% d-limonene. It is a sensitizer, a neurotoxin, a moderate eye and skin irritant, and can trigger respiratory distress when vapours are inhaled by some sensitive individuals. There is some evidence of carcinogenicity. D-limonene is the active ingredient in some insecticides. It is used as a solvent in many all-purpose cleaning products, especially 'citrus' and 'orange' cleaners. Also listed on labels as citrus oil and orange oil."
-------------------- For medical advice related to Lyme disease, please see an ILADS physician. Posts: 1494 | From Getting there... | Registered: Aug 2006
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. Are they as effective as guinea hens?
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