TICK fever!!!!!

[buckeyefarmer]

I just finished up three weeks of Doxy hoping to get over Lyme . I don't recall ever being so down sick when it first hit,. 104 Fever, and it hurt to move. Heck, I couldn't even roll over in bed. I was like that for four days. Didn't eat, sucked on watermelon cubes my wife brought me. Then a low grade fever of 101 for a week. I didn't develop the ring around the bite, I guess about 20% don't.

It took a week to see the doctor. But with a combination of symptoms that all respond to Doxy, a prescription was issued prior to the blood test results.
I got immediate improvement after taking the first pill, which I did as soon as I got home from clinic and pharmacy. By the second day, I was over the fever. 'Reminded me of when the dog got Lyme, He picked up right away after looking like he was at death's door.

Any way, When the blood test results came back positive, I got two weeks more of the Doxy (three weeks total). I'm feeling OK now, but the corners ache after even moderate work (splitting wood with sledge and wedge yesterday, I was done inside an hour, and ache today) But, I am 67 years of age, so some aches and pains are expected . plus, I've been in light duty recovery mode for a month now with low energy.

Now I'm wondering if I'll be one of those "sufferers" with chronic symptoms. My neighbor tossed away three years on one treatment after another with different doctors before he just said "ENOUGH!". He is doing quite well these days, and NO meds. Go figure.

I did "learn/read/heard" a bit about the disease though. (I'm no authority, just because it got me ;-)

There are over 100 different types for tick fever in North America alone, and over 300 world wide. I guess the Scandinavians and Russians must have their share.

The actual "bug" that get's us sick MUTATES as the host blood is mixed in the ticks gut and mouth parts (or whatever they have). That's why there is no vaccine. Working with the tick won't result in any useful indication of how the strain will present in the host.

Deer don't get fever, but like moose, can suffer from loss of blood to the suckers. Birds are likely the real culprits as far as spreading tick populations.

The blood test we get for tick fever doesn't test for the bacteria that causes the disease, it tests for the anti-bodies that we produce to fight off the infection. We can test "positive" for tick fever and have NO Symptoms at all, and not have any active bacterial infection. Just the residual anti-bodies that remain after. This troubles me, because, if the anti-bodies are anything like those that are produced in response to exposure to poison ivy or oak, the anti bodies themselves can be a serious concern. AND, the medical community "knows" very little about what can really help someone who is suffering symptoms related to a tick bite infection. We get lucky sometimes, then there are those not so lucky.

Get well!

Hope you get well some. When i came down with GBS in july, doctors first thought a tick bite. It wasnt. But recovery still ongoing.

 

[tjkubota93]

Wow, sounds alien.

I'm sure it was to him. He was the kinda guy that NEVER passed up a plate of beef, pork or venison. Probably never had any poultry or fish unless it was fried. Not to be critical, but could have made a positive life change for him as far as diet.

 

[CalG]

I'm sure it was to him. He was the kinda guy that NEVER passed up a plate of beef, pork or venison. Probably never had any poultry or fish unless it was fried. Not to be critical, but could have made a positive life change for him as far as diet.

Whew! I guess I dodged that bullet! I gave up on meat eating about 50 years ago. Some things I will just never know ;-)

Oh! I'm doing well. Done with the doxy treatments. Feeling pretty good, but things are different. I continue to lose weight. I sometimes have rather intense "pangs", pressing pain just randomly on muscle or bone, feels like something pressing in from the outside. Weird! Stiff and sore "corners" more than I recollect before. Different, but good enough. I just pray for myself and others not to be caught in the entire dark possibilities. I read that tick fevers and herpes might be related. Now there is a strange one too. laying around inside of one dormant for an entire lifetime......and then...crap!

 

[BRMyers]

Just so I understand, the tick bites made you allergic to beef, pork and venison?

One of the employees I work with, something. He got tick fever and developed an allergic reaction to meat. He has been one year without meat at the end of the month and goes for his follow up visit. If his numbers look good, they will start with small amounts of meat and slowly re-introduce it to his body to see if his body will react.

 

[randy41]

the Lone Star tick causes the meat allergy. the adult females have a white spot on their back.

 

[Jdeere1]

My wife and I have a lawn care business in Ontario Canada. We cleaned an over grown lot last summer and my wife came home with a tick stuck on the back of her leg. I took it off and sent it to our health unit to be tested for lime disease. Her Dr. Put her on Heavy anti-biotics just in case. The tick tested neg. We now cover ourselves with bug spray when working in over growth.

 

[oosik]

Well - it spitted snow here for five continuous day. What little accumulation has melted. However - the overnight temps have gone well below freezing for the last week. I've not seen ticks now for over two months. I will still be giving my pup - Brownie - the last NexGuard pill this month - - just in case.

 

[Fuddy1952]

Fuddy1952 - First & foremost I am sorry for your diagnosis... & everyone else that has contracted this horrific epidemic... Lyme Disease. (I will apologies for this long post now)

Ok, so I will agree to disagree with your doctor. "He said I caught it very early and doxycycline will cure it, I won't have after effects". I'm sorry but he has no idea what he is talking about to give you a guaranty or even making a statement like that. From reading your first post (& all your others), unless I am mistaken, you never stated finding or removing a tick from yourself... or a bullseye rash..... So... caught in time, means nothing because you only know when your symptoms showed up & not when you where infected (more on this later)... I truly Pray he is correct, but just like you were your own advocate in your diagnosis, not him, stay diligent in that mind state & if you have any (I mean any) doubts on your recovery after the antibiotics... please follow up.

You don't have to trust me (but hope you will) "trust me" the average Family / Primary Care / General Practitioner / ER Doctor / & Infectious Disease Doctor's do not have enough time, tools or knowledge in their hands to deal this epidemic (& the CDC is a decade to late). I will be the very first to admit, that if caught in time, correctly treated properly, with antibiotics the odds are very good for 80% of people... (I think I'm being very generous on that number based on what I've learned) I hope you are one of them...

But if any of your symptoms remain, or new ones arise.... please do your own due diligence again. Even today there are very few Lyme Specialists or even Lyme Literate doctors (even if they say they are) that understand this ever evolving disease.


A little background..
To be perfectly honest with all of you.... I am not a doctor, not even medically trained (so I understand if you take this with a grain of salt), but if you put me in a room with most doctors, I unfortunately have more knowledge on this subject then they do. I'm self-employed with a engineering / construction / technology / electronic background; & have always been an outdoors man. I've always have loved knowledge... but was pushed to learn about Lyme; I have had multiple people I love effected by it, but 13 years ago when my wife got sick (she is many years younger than me & I'm now only 48... a gentleman never divulges a woman's age) there was very little was known about it (Lyme) compared to today; so I was driven to understand the lack of understanding & treatment.... (I'll save that for another post... political... insurance... money). We were always very active outdoors people, fishing , hunting, atv'ing, camping, animal rescue, working our own property & we were always very conscious of the dangers of Lyme (we live in CT). She never had a attached tick that we found, never had the bullseye rash, & tested NOT positive 3 times prior to a positive results. My wife has had permanent neurological damage that effects her entire right side of her body for the past 12+ yrs; she has not worked or led a normal life for the past 8yrs. She is limited to a transport chair when she has flair-ups as she can not walk without help, at least 4+ times a year, the rest of the time she is battling constant pain... She suffers from multiple co-infections, Ehrlichia, Babesia, Bartonella & Borrelia miyamoto (this is besides the Lyme). She was treated by 4 times by "modern" medicine, yes doxycyclin, over 20 months & she never got better. She has been diagnosed with RA, Fibromyalgia, Neuropathy, even to see a psycho therapist (no lie) & hospitalized multiple times. We have spent $$$ (I will not put that number down) on doctors, medication, infusions... etc... over the past 12+ yrs. We now have a very Lyme Literate Doctor (Naturopathic) that is working with her & her Physical Therapist & her Pain Management Specialist, etc.. etc hoping for some normality in life..... (we are also doing some non-conventional medical practices which seem to be having some good results)... We know she will not ever be cured at this point... we are looking of so normal...

Ok... so some products we have found that work for prevention... (tried tons)

Cedarcide - All natural spray for humans /pets (think dogs) & a concentrate to spray the yard area.... (this stuff works - not cheap - not the longest lasting... but safe.... Oh & it works... 4+ years using) We use this with Mosquito Barrier another all natural spray...
Sawyer Picaridin - for Clothes
Sawyer痴 20% Picaridin Insect Repellent - Lotion & Spray - this stuff has worked really well...


My (our) point please don't take it lightly or rely on anyone else to be your best advocate.... nothing against traditional medicine... not haters... just be your own advocate... don't be afraid to question things when they don't seem or "free" right...

So... I could write a book.... go on forever (I have & if you read this far you are either a believer, crazy, or think I'm crazy) but you should all know this is only one of,two or three other (non-medical / non-Lyme) forum sites we have expressed our concern / plea to be careful too in 12+ yrs. (most people judge you.... think you are crazy... we have be called that more than once... in the medical field too)... Wheelchairs don't lie...

We are very private people when it comes to this as there is so much disbelief..... we are not looking for sympathy... but to bring some awareness..... This post was approved my my wife... my better half.... my love.... my life... the one that really lives with it.... & we hope it helps...

Thanks for all the information, so sorry about your wife. I seem to be ok although it seems to me I get exhausted more when working. I had blood work done recently and everything was within normal range.
Thanks again.

 

[Fuddy1952]

I forgot to mention I do have joint pain. The Dr. prescribed this expensive pain relieving ointment for arthritis which I've never had and I'm sure came from the tick bite.

 

[Dftodd]

Just so I understand, the tick bites made you allergic to beef, pork and venison?

There's a tick common in our area that can carry that affliction. Can't remember which one. But I know a couple people that have developed that allergy after a tick bite. It's supposed to wear off in time (years) but results vary from what I was told.