Lyme Disease resource

[Daniel Eagan]

http://www.columbia-lyme.org/

Don't think this has been posted before; it's under the auspices of Columbia University. Pretty thorough site with a lot of FAQs.

 

[erugs]

Thanks for posting this. There is a lot of valuable information about Lyme disease on this site. Just today I had another discussion with someone who had the classic bulls eye rash and was denied treatment by her physician.

 

[Barkingcat]

Just today I had another discussion with someone who had the classic bulls eye rash and was denied treatment by her physician.

Eh? What the heck -- denied treatment?

 

[erugs]

Denied. It "couldn't" be Lyme as she had already recieved treatment for it. And nevermind ongoing symptoms. We had a long, enlightening discussion by the photocopier at work and I hope she's now as angry about it as I am feeling and will seek a second opinion. "Have a Lyme experience? Spread the word." That's my new motto.

 

[Barbarossa]

Symptoms

From the article:

In about 60-70% of cases, a rash may develop at the site of the tick bite.

I came down with a in early June and was among the 30-40%.

In early Lyme disease, patients often experience moderate to severe flu-like symptoms (fatigue, chills, fever, headache, and muscle and joint aches, swollen lymph nodes).

In about 18% of cases, the classic well known CDC clinical features of Lyme disease are not present. In these cases, the only symptoms may be marked fatigue and flu-like symptoms.

I had the first 5 symptoms on the above list. Excepting the lymph nodes, they are all 'flu-like', aren't they? One thing that was not flu-like: I was dry in my respiratory system. Nary a sneeze or sniffle.

Apply the DEET and do the tick checks, folks. These vermin are unpredictable.

 

[Barbarossa]

Denied. It "couldn't" be Lyme as she had already recieved treatment for it. And nevermind ongoing symptoms. We had a long, enlightening discussion by the photocopier at work and I hope she's now as angry about it as I am feeling and will seek a second opinion. "Have a Lyme experieince? Spread the word." That's my new motto.

I asked my doctor about that and was told that I can get it again.

There was a 'doctor protection' law passed in Massachusetts recently concerning lyme disease: http://www.mass.gov/bb/gaa/fy2011/os_11/h67.htm

Stay on your doctor if you think you may have it. This disease is a quite recent discovery. Doctors have 24 hours in the day like the rest of us and can't review all research that may pertain to their patients.

 

[WhiteMTHike]

Never had Lyme but I am just getting over Ehrlichiosis; mentioned in the article from Columbia University. I had it bad and was in the hospital for 4 days getting pumped with IVs of Doxycycline. I also had to take the pill form for 10 days after getting out of the hospital.

I don't recall the exact tick bite but I do have a very good idea of where it happened. It wasn't while hiking but it did take place in the woods behind my back yard. RI has a very high tick population and many documented cases of tick-borne diseases.

From now on when I hike it is long sleeves and long pants, no matter what the weather. I also picked up some of this from REI and will use it on all future hikes.

http://www.rei.com/product/768970

 

[erugs]

I asked my doctor about that and was told that I can get it again.

There was a 'doctor protection' law passed in Massachusetts recently concerning lyme disease: http://www.mass.gov/bb/gaa/fy2011/os_11/h67.htm

Stay on your doctor if you think you may have it. This disease is a quite recent discovery. Doctors have 24 hours in the day like the rest of us and can't review all research that may pertain to their patients.

That's right, you can get it again and again and again. There are states trying to get legislation passed to allow for long-term antibiotics, then there are states like NH, where it didn't pass. There is fear about the widespread use of antibiotics, but if you need them then you need them. Long-term antibiotics are given for acne....New work has shown that long-term antibiotics are better than allergy shots or sinus surgery for allergies and I can vouch for that, which is a nice aside to being treated for Lyme. I am now using 98% fewer medications for sinus problems. I also have fewer visits to the doctor for the wide array of symptoms which come from undiagnosed Lyme, such as diagnostics and special visits to hand and foot doctors.

 

[jniehof]

From now on when I hike it is long sleeves and long pants, no matter what the weather. I also picked up some of this from REI and will use it on all future hikes.

http://www.rei.com/product/768970

I like permethrin because I hate ticks, but I also love my girlfriend and my girlfriend loves her cat, so I've stopped using it. DEET and tucked in pants for me.

Haven't found any ticks this year from hiking, but was covered in a mess of 'em (all large dog ticks, not deer ticks) after running by Magazine Beach in Cambridge.

 

[Raven]

From the article:

I came down with a in early June and was among the 30-40%.

I had the first 5 symptoms on the above list. Excepting the lymph nodes, they are all 'flu-like', aren't they? One thing that was not flu-like: I was dry in my respiratory system. Nary a sneeze or sniffle.

I came down with Lyme about 8 years ago and had those 5 symptoms as well as a raised red rash over many parts and Bell's Palsy - lost muscle control in one side of my face; it slowly drooped. I got to the doc when this started...fast. Never saw the bullseye. Probably under the rash. Keep an eye out for these symptoms too.

Thanks for posting.

 

[roadtripper]

I like permethrin because I hate ticks, but I also love my girlfriend and my girlfriend loves her cat, so I've stopped using it. DEET and tucked in pants for me.

I did not know that permethrin was so toxic to cats. Thanks for the heads up on that - I was just about to buy that recommended permethrin product too. I'll have to stick to DEET.

 

[WhiteMTHike]

I did not know that permethrin was so toxic to cats. Thanks for the heads up on that - I was just about to buy that recommended permethrin product too. I'll have to stick to DEET.

I didn't either. I'll be going up to Pittsburg next week to hike Mt. Magalloway. I haven't used the product yet and it sounds like I'll just be using it up there. I'll have to get rid of it before coming home. I need to protect the guy in my avatar. Looks like DEET for me as well.

Thanks for the heads up jniehof.

 

[DougPaul]

I did not know that permethrin was so toxic to cats. Thanks for the heads up on that - I was just about to buy that recommended permethrin product too. I'll have to stick to DEET.

Cats can also react to permethrin-containing products (eg flea and tick treatments) used on nearby dogs.

Toxicity is low for most mammals (except for cats*), but neurotoxic effects can occur in high doses.

* I have read that permethrin binds to the fiber in fabrics so that a human wearing treated clothing receives a minimal dose. I don't know if cats are at risk when exposed to treated clothing. (It is also possible that part of cats' problem is that they lick their fur and thus ingest anything that gets on them.)

Permethrin is very toxic to many aquatic organisms (and, of course, insects...).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permethrin
http://www.pesticideinfo.org/Detail_Chemical.jsp?Rec_Id=PC35397
http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/Permtech.pdf

Doug

 

[Darl58]

I was in the ER last year, day before I left for the Alps with a huge bull's eye and a nasty looking sore in the center of it....Had all the symptoms which got worse overnight as soon as the bull's eye appeared.....NASTY!~

Stiff & swollen neck, nauseous, dizzy, breathing problem, fever, chills,.

The tests all came back negative.......so why bother testing when it is first noticed?? I saw a special on Lyme on TV the other night and a Dr was saying that he has to send his testing out to a couple private labs that are not covered by Insurance but are the most reliable....and he always sends it out to two different labs.

As far as I know mine has never came back as positive but with the Bull's eye, I had Lyme and they expected another issue with it due to the open sore!
Thankfully I got the Bull's eye and was treated quickly! The "infectous disease specialist" was brought in to check mine out cause it was so nasty looking..

He hadn't seen one like mine before.......it is not fun so watch yourself and check if you are in the woods at all...I freak now if I see one on me!

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

Thanks for posting the link, Daniel. Fortunately, my PCP is a golfer (I thought that they all were?) and is very aware of Lyme disease symptons. In fact, he suggested that I was a good candidate for the Limerex vaccine a few years ago, so I took a round of those shots. Seems that the jury is still out over the pros and cons of that strategy.

 

[Daniel Eagan]

Updating this with links to two articles.

From the Press Republican, the New York State Department of Health is now posting warnings about Lyme disease in Plattsburgh parks.

And in "Protect your pet from Lyme disease," USA Weekend reports that Lyme disease is up 21% in dogs since 2009. One in 15 dogs in New Hampshire is infected with the Lyme disease bacterium.