Old topic; ticks
Contributors to this thread:Pennsylvania
From: hawkeye in PA
19-Jan-17
Just a reminder between the dog and I we had 7 ticks on us today. Hoping I found them all and we never left the yard.
Some earthworms on the sidewalk also:) Edited: make it 9 found two more on the dog. Ridiculous this time of year, can't wait for summer:(
From: RC
20-Jan-17
Chris pulled one off me back in October that was buried into the skin. I got on antibiotics right away. 2 months later it was still burning and itchy, went to a general surgeon and he opened it up and cleaned out parts of the tick that broke off inside the skin. 67 years and never had a tick on me, now I've had two stuck on me the past year.
From: HerdManager
20-Jan-17
RC, if you've never had a tick until this year it only means you are not in the woods much. Get out there, just be careful.
Lyme disease twice when I was younger. Now I am incredibly vigilant with Permethrin and bug spray. It is nothing to mess around with.
I found one on me a few weeks ago, and the temps were in the high 30s. Ugh.
From: RC
20-Jan-17
I've spent all my years in the outdoors, Herd. Been hunting since age 12. Lived in the country all my life. Guess I've just been lucky.. But there are way more ticks now than there used to be. I've sprayed my cloths with permethrin and it sure does work.
From: Red Beastmaster
20-Jan-17
In my 57 years living in the same place I have seen a grand total of one tick.
From: hawk-eye
21-Jan-17
In most cases drinking PBR repels ticks
From: hawkeye in PA
21-Jan-17
I didn't think anything would get close enough to bite Roy:) Maybe he's getting soft.
Red, not all that long they were rare around here.
From: Jeff Durnell
21-Jan-17
Here too. It's beautiful out today and while I'm anxious go out and machete some shroom trails..... nah, I'll wait til it gets cold again so the ticks are down.
I should have gone to the club today and shot a round. What a day.
From: RC
21-Jan-17
Ha Ha, smart arses...
From: Justgrad25
23-Jan-17
Up until 3 or 4 years ago, never seen a tick anywhere on me in Northern 2B but these last 3 years, been getting WAY worse. Went from a tick or two on me on my way in/out to over a dozen on me at times this year....Now, everything gets sprayed with Sawyers before I head out in the woods. Golden rod fields and thick creek bottoms were the worst for me, by the way. Stay safe.
From: buc i 313
23-Jan-17
Tick's ?
Years ago I lived in an Ohio, county that had a lot of "Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever" cases annually.
As I recall after the first or second "hard frost", ticks were never a problem until the following spring.
MUST BE GLOBAL WARMING ! :^}
From: DanWesson357
23-Jan-17
I spend my entire childhood 70s & 80s in the woods of Western PA I NEVER got a tick or heard of anyone who did. Now I live in central PA and they are everywhere.
From: RC
23-Jan-17
I think the ticks came in on those mountain lions that Gary Alt stocked to reduce the deer herd..
From: RC
24-Jan-17
Ron, you should get on antibiotic pills for a couple weeks...
From: meatus
24-Jan-17
What should the tick take? Ugh!
From: HerdManager
24-Jan-17
Odd they have a preventative vaccine for animals, but not for humans.
From: RC
25-Jan-17
Thats a good point, Herd. Be nice if they would develope one.
From: hawk-eye
25-Jan-17
at one time they thought they had a vaccine for Lymes in humans, turns out it just didn't work. I read everything I find on it, it's a complicated infection.
From: yellow eye
26-Jan-17
I summer, fall and winter all over in the woods, seen very few ticks this year. Just got back from the doc, had one on my arm, found it on Monday. Took the dog for a walk in a local park in Bethlehem. It left a big mark on my arm and was basically on overnight. Meds for 21 days and a blood test in 3 weeks. Hey RC a leach can not live off another leach.... Good thing I am all the way across the state from u, them is frighten words, but that funny right there
From: RC
26-Jan-17
So what.........
From: Bourbonator
26-Jan-17
Ticks are bad for sure! Dug 3 out of me this season, and have been tested for lymes just as many times. I use to never get bit, now it's common place.
From: Jeff Durnell
27-Jan-17
Keep in mind, standard Lyme tests are notoriously unreliable. The Lyme test my family doctor gave me came back negative when I was full blown infected. He and the other doctors and surgeons I saw afterwards saw the results of that test and refused to acknowledge it could still be Lyme. I endured a lot of suffering because of their ignorance.
From: hawkeye in PA
27-Jan-17
"The Lyme test my family doctor gave me came back negative"
Jeff, Is there another test that is reliable that can be requested? I don't have any symptoms, but had the " standard "test done this week for peace of mind during routine physical.
From: meatus
27-Jan-17
The test used is notorious for false positives and vice versa, a good doc will always prescribe preemptively doxycycline or amoxicillin as symptoms may not start right away and could be delayed. Symptoms are very similar to the flu with a lot of fatigue and could be ignored letting the Dx wreck havoc on you till a Doc realizes what you actually have. When in doubt ask for a prescription just to play it safe. Lime Dx is no joke, be safe guys!
From: John H
27-Jan-17
I've had the standard test ordered twice in the last two years by two different doctors, both times came back negative. Still felt terrible and was getting worse with stiffness and joint pain. When my wrists, hands, and fingers swelled up and became so painful I couldn't move them, I finally talked my doctor into the Western Blot test in Nov. Came back 10 out of 10 bands positive. Get the Western Blot.
From: Jeff Durnell
27-Jan-17
Yes, the Western Blot is certainly better, but still not 100% reliable. My WB did come back positive. I was never so relieved to get 'bad news'... just felt good to know what I was dealing with so I could get on with the battle.
Not all Western Blots are equal either. Depends on how the labs analyze them.
There's a handful of labs the LLMD's trust more than the others. IgenX Lab in California is a very good place to send to.
How are you feeling now, John?
From: hawkeye in PA
27-Jan-17
Good info, Thanks.
From: John H
27-Jan-17
Jeff, I'm getting better everyday. Sent you a PM.
From: Jeff Durnell
28-Jan-17
pm back atcha
