Tick Borne Diseases
Connecticut
Thought I would share what happened to me recently as a public service announcement, warning.
I got bit the wrong tick or ticks sometime in October while pheasant hunting. In the span of two weeks I went from being in pretty good shape - 410 pound deadlift which is not bad for an old man - to not having the strength to get out of bed or eat and completely atrophied. I lost 15-20 pounds in a week, I ended up in the ER and admitted to the hospital for four days. Diagnosis was Lyme and also likely Ehrlichiosis. A month later I am still not 100 percent.
I never took ticks or the diseases they carry very seriously. I have pulled probably 100 embedded ticks off me in my life and never got sick once. I figured it was something that happened to other people. I was really wrong about that. They can make you scary sick incredibly fast. Take them seriously.
Toonces - I'm so sorry to hear about your illness. What is Ehrlichiosis? I never heard of that one. What part of the state were you bird hunting? That's awfully scary. Did they say you would make a full recovery? I have NEVER had a tick bite in my 53 years of hunting. All the best!
Lyme twice, Ehrlichiosis once. I thought I was going to die with the ehrlichiosis. You're not kidding about not having the strength to get out of bed. A couple doses of doxycycline and it all went away.
I am still on the doxcycline. Will be for another few days. It was in Litchfield County for sure, either Goshen at the WMA or at my hunting club.
I waited too long to go to the hospital or see a doctor. I spent a week in bed first thinking it was the flu. If I had gotten on the docycline sooner it may not have been so severe, not sure.
Most people with Lyme have been missed diagnosed with autoimmune diseases like lupus etc....put on some bad meds. My wife was put on some chemo meds by Yale, who at the time didn't recognize Lyme. She seemed out a literate Lyme doc. After some blood work and an assortment of vitamins. She's doing much better.
I feel for you guys. I was bit when I was a kid. My parents pulled a tick off my neck a couple of days later I was sick as I have ever been. They gave my an alcohol bath to try to break the 102 plus fever. I always pay attention when I come out of the woods these days. Hope you have a speedy recovery.
When I had Lyme the first time, I recognized the symptoms and thought it was erlich again. Went to Dr and she looked for a red target on my torso. None found, but she prescribed the doxy. The following day, I found the bite with bullseye on my left hip, right at my belt. And there were 13 more 4" blotches all over my body. Only the one had a red bite mark, the rest just appeared. Never knew that could happen.
Before retirement I was seeing people with Bell's Palsy (paralysis of the Facial Nerve) from tick bites. It takes a long time to go away in many cases. Bad stuff from a tiny spider relative. After a long walk in the woods we pulled 19 ticks off the dog !!?
I also got bit this October in Cornwall. On my back between my shoulders. I spray with permithrin all the time. Must have come down from my neck
I also got very sick was rushed to the hospital in Torrington and thank God they knew what to check for. I only had it for a week so it was easy to fix. I was diagnosed with two different diseases.
Anaplasmosis and Ehrlichiosis
I was throwing up most of the day and had a high fever.
Toonces,
Sorry to hear and hope you improve soon! Thanks also for sharing, it's an important message to heed.
Bob,
Erhlichisosis is another zoonotic disease transmitted by tick bites and the bacteria comes from the Rickettsiales family of bacteria, the same family that Rickettsia rickettsii comes from (causes Rocky Mountain Spotted fever).
There are similarities in the symptoms between Erhlichiosis and Lyme disease, most notably fever, muscle aches, etc. It's a serious disease as, left untreated it can lead to renal or respiratory failure.
Thanks for that explanation Mike. I'm amazed that some people have had several tick bites while I have had none in 53 yrs! I've bird hunted in thick brush and high grass, as well as sat on the ground for spring turkey for about 30 years. I now hunt in two areas that have tons of barberry bushes, which from what I've read, ticks thrive in. I have been spraying my clothes with permethrin for the last 10 years ever since someone on this site recommended it, so that seems to help. I really hope all you guys who are impacted by these diseases are feeling well soon.
Yup I’ve had more tick bites then I can count. Awful little creatures.
I'm praying I don't get the one that makes you alergic to Red Meat!
I'm already alergic to shellfish, Chicken and Turkey!!
https://youtu.be/GMHKwQEe4IQ
All you NE..lol
Holy smokes. Get well soon! They are nasty little SOBs. Keep spraying down fellas.
