Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Other Health Discussion => Topic started by: Hurdity on October 27, 2016, 04:38:13 PM
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I thought I would start a new thread on this as jasper mentioned she suffered from Lyme disease so I am copying what's been said so far for the benefit of anyone else who might be interested.
I had a tick bite 3 weeks ago which still hasn't healed (although another one i had the following day healed within a couple of days) and was worried about this but nurse I saw yesterday says just keep an eye out for symptoms as they only give ABs for the Erythema rash and only test if I get flu-like symptoms over the next few weeks. I would be interested to hear about yours and how soon after the tick bite you noticed symptoms.
Hurdity x
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Hurdity -
Sorry to hear about the bite - I would be really careful about waiting as the NHS are terrible with lyme disease. <50% get a rash so whilst it is diagnostic, the lack of it does not mean you are ok. Having been there and having ignored an engorged tick that I found, I would be pushing for prophylactic treatment anyway (doxycycline). I have been very ill for 4 yrs now as a result of all this. You might find this website interesting https://caudwelllyme.com/
Thanks for posting this (in the other thread!) and the website. I found the tick the day after it bit me so it wasn't engorged and I gather that means I am at low risk...... however my husband took it out for me and must have left a bit of the jaw in which is why it didn't heal and was very itchy - as I have a sensitive skin (the one I removed the next day was fine).
I don't know how you can go about getting the ABs but nurse did say they would test if I get flu-like symptoms so I can always say that I did - I did get swollen painful glands for a couple of days so could argue that is flu-like!
How awful to have been ill for four years - and can you cure it now or is it there for ever?
Hurdity x
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A friend in our village had a tick on his leg and was given ABs straight away. I hope you are all right Hurdity. DG x
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I found a tick on my foot earlier in the summer and panicked and whipped it out. I must have squeezed it a bit, because the bite was very itchy and took some time to heal.
A few years back, I found one in my groin. It was after walking on an RSPB site where there are a lot of deer. I did freak out a bit ::) but removed that one properly. A previous one that I found down my welly, years ago was one that I had absent-mindedly picked off, thinking it was a scab. ::) That was quite big and I think I got it when sitting in the grass in a sheep field.
I read that you need to get them out without squashing them, otherwise you push their stomach contents into the wound. To do this, you need to have a pair of pointy tweezers that will fit round the mouthparts. The vets around here can supply you with a device that will slip under them to remove them.
There was a defunct website about lyme disease which was useful. It will not up to date but had some useful info about keeping your garden safe and other things like that. http://www.bada-uk.org/
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I knocked a tick off my leg this summer with the towel after a shower - it must have been there since the day before. The evening before I had felt the gland under one arm was painful and I had pain in the centre of my chest and across the top towards the armpit (not breast pain). I ignored the remaining tick head thinking it would work its way out but went to see the emergency practitioner when the odd underarm/central chest pains continued off and on. The nurse said the tick head should have been removed immediately and I had put myself at risk of Lyme by not doing this. She also said that not everyone gets the bullseye mark and so I got 2 weeks of doxycycline just in case. Armpit discomfort continued for over a week but then went away.
I would recommend that you ask for a course of doxycycline. Better safe than sorry and treatment is more effective if started sooner rather than later.
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Lyme-disease/Pages/Introduction.aspx#symptoms
Interestingly I was told that my odd symptoms could not be related to the tick bite because they started too soon after the bite, but I heard someone with Lyme disease on TV who said her symptoms started straight away too.
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I no someone who was given anyone for a month as a percussion, are you sure the info the nurse told you is correct?
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Given antibiotics
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My brother suffered from symptoms for about 7/8 years. He eventually got 4 weeks of intravenous ABs & is so much better.
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Not many health professionals are au fait with the possibility of Lyme Disease!!!
Current thinking is ABs immediately. Some people can suffer for years B4 diagnosis. Have a look at :
http://lymediseaseuk.com
I got to recognise ticks as they scurried through my dog's coat, she never had them except when we visited the Lake District. If they fed I would leave them until huge then spray with Nuvantop or use a cotton bud with alcohol, held onto the mouth parts until it dropped off.
Mary - have your ear your first response :D
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They weren't always found until grooming by which time they had eaten well ::) …… she had a full one on her eye which the Vet removed. The 1st 1 I ever found I thought was a 'lump' :'( ::). It was easy enough to kill them as below.
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Oo-er - the nurse most definitely said they do not give ABs even though I have read a lot about Lyme and said I knew the rash was not apparent in all cases especially I gather in UK. She also didn't seem at all bothered that I had had swollen painful glands even if I didn't have a temperature. I think perhaps it's a bad year for them - we always go collecting fungi from September onwards and it does involve fighting through bracken which is taller than me, in some of the places we go, which are also full of deer (which also like the fungi!). We've also had sheep get in our orchard at the top of the garden - and left them in there to keep the grass down so maybe a few ticks have come in that way.
Alcohol is no longer recommended as a means of removal - which is what we used for both my bites (well I did the second one - which healed!). Nurse did say get one of those removal tools - but this is the first time for over 6 years I've had a bite and we've been visiting the same woodlands for years.
Our cat regularly gets them from time to time - but it doesn't really matter with pets - I mean they are easy to deal with. I don't fancy Lyme Disease though. I had a look at the NICE Guidelines which do not recommend giving ABs prophylactically so not sure what to do really. I could just make an appointment with the doctor and see what she says.
Thanks for your comments and suggestions :)
Hurdity x
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Have a read of the appropriate web-site that I posted [seems not many medics in the UK believe that it is/can be a problem :bang: :bang: :bang:] ……… GPs are reluctant to prescribe anything these days >:( but Lyme should not be ignored.
Alcohol or meths. held onto the mouth parts will continue to be my method of choice! One needs to be patient though until the critter stops wriggling :o and kicking his little legs …….. apparently when squashed they regurgitate their gut contents into the blood stream which can poison pets which could matter.
Maybe visit a local Vet. or ring a Pharmacist for advice?
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My son had a tick in his leg for, we think, 36 hours this summer. Five days after being bitten he got flu like symptoms although he didn't have the rash the doctor prescribed him Doxycycline for 14 days.
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I would want a course of doxycycline personally, especially at your age.
As you no the need for the bulls eye rash is a myth.
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How R U today and what have you decided?
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Thanks for asking CLKD - I am fine and always have been ie the bite is just itchy and I haven't had flu-like sympotms - just a couple of days of swollen glands which could have just been my immune system fighting off some other bug. I am just a bit concerned about whether I may or may not be in the future due to difficulties in early diagnosis, and also the discrepancy in advice between different areas of the country. The nurse was following protocols (NICE, CKS, Public Health England) - CLKD - I thought you would be pleased - I went to the nurse which you are always advising!!! I am umming and ahhing about whether to go to doc next week (which will be the fourth week since the tick bites).
Maryjane why ABs particularly at my age?
I think mine was attached for about 24 hours but if a bit of its jaw was left in as the nurse says, then it's been there longer - but not alive though.
CLKD - killing them with alcohol can also cause them to regurgitate contents of their salivary glands which could contain the bacterium - and so this method of removal (which we used!) is also now out of favour.
Also I don't think pharmacists can prescribe ABs can they? if so then that's much easier than making a doc appt! A vet though :o ...... ;D ;D.
Maryjane I love the idea of antibiotics as percussion - great predictive text there ;D
Anyway thanks again all for your comments and ideas.
Hurdity x
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Interesting topic, because this is a very contentious issue in Australia. The authorities refuse to accept that Lyme disease exists here, because there has never been any scientific proof, yet many people suffer from the symptoms. Some have even resorted to going overseas for radical treatment.
There was a program on TV just the other night about it. What is interesting is that studies are being done to show that there could be other diseases being carried by ticks that might not necessarily be Lyme, but has the same side effects, so more research definitely needs to be done. I think there was one lady who said you should never try to manually remove them. It is best to use a freezing agent that will kill them instantly so there is no chance of leaving anything behind or them regurgitating. I haven't watched the show fully yet, but here is the link if anyone is interested......
http://www.sbs.com.au/news/insight/article/2016/10/24/how-sick-can-you-get-tick
This is another one I found when I was looking for the link.....
http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/4494187.htm
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Hurdity - a Pharmacist can give advice and may be more thorough about suggesting ABs than a GP!
As Lyme can take months to cause problems in some people, why wait until you are ill :-\. Talk to a Vet.!
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Did you seek advice ? :-\ ?
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Thanks CLKD - I phoned yesterday and made an appointment with doctor as a precaution - but couldn't get one until next week! The bite has almost healed now but have had swollen glands which may just be resisting a general infection.
Hurdity x
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Concerns raised over Lyme disease cases
The incidence of Lyme disease on Uist is far greater than that on neighbouring islands, according to figures gathered by BBC Gaelic News.
25 November 2016
From the section Highlands & Islands
Full article Concerns raised over Lyme disease cases
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I have a house on Uist and I can say honestly that the risk is very real and you must take care there when walking to follow all the guidelines. This summer my dog got 6 ticks on one walk on paths only. Dogs are at risk too and some pass on from the disease there. There is a vaccine for dogs which I would give my dog, but she can't have it due to her having MVD a genetic liver disease.
It is absolutely gorgeous in Uist but the Lyme disease risk is a serious one. I have severe ME but tested positive for Lyme 20 years ago. It was decided then that I did not have it as my symptoms were more akin to post Polio/ Coxsackie B but I often wonder.
Just be aware and careful That would be my advice. The doctors there are very up on symptoms where maybe in others areas they are not.
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Some GPs still don't believe that Lyme Disease exists!
Advice when walking in the Lakes is to wear long trousers tied up at the ankles or 'over-trousers' which have a pull-to at ankle level. My dog never had ticks anywhere except up there ::) and I got to recognise the little blighters in her coat as she was blonde. The neighbours' cat has had 2 this year and she doesn't venture far, wondering if they are brought into their garden on hedgehogs, foxes or badgers :-\
So pleased that you enjoy your time on Uist, it's too far a trip for me ::)
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Hurdity - a Pharmacist can give advice and may be more thorough about suggesting ABs than a GP!
As Lyme can take months to cause problems in some people, why wait until you are ill :-\. Talk to a Vet.!
and even years. From what I have read Chinese medicine effectively treats it
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??? - ::)
Neighbours' cats have been picking up ticks regularly in recent weeks. I need to put the trial camera out - we don't have deer in the gardens as far as I am aware as the fences are high and gates locked; a badger cub was in theirs 6 weeks ago, had to be pts and it's surely too late for hedgehogs to be around?
We wait until the tick feeds and falls off, hopefully not in my carpets or on our bed - where one cat is currently snoozing ::)