Lyme Disease - US NE

[CobyRupert]

Folks, it's Lyme, not "Lymes". No "s" on the end. It's named after the town of Lyme, Connecticut.


Finding a doctor who understands Lyme is very difficult. The CDC has basically declared war on doctors who dare to suggest there is such a thing as chronic Lyme, and who want to treat patients with more than 30 days of antibiotics. Some have lost their licenses, and the rest have pretty much gone underground. As usual in the world of medicine, upholding the party line is more important than truth.
.

Named after Lyme CT, where it was first "discovered". Say , isn't Lyme, CT just a few miles from Plum Island, a place the government developed secret biological weapons (diseases and such)? Not that anything would ever escape.
..but I'm sure it's just a big coincidence.

 

[Coyote machine]

My extended family lives in Lyme, CT. That is where the disease was first discovered, and some of my family have contracted it over the years. We had a home further up the coast in CT, and our gardner contracted Lyme Disease, but it took forever for the docs to figure it out. He ended up being on antibiotics for life, I believe, (can't say for sure- it was a long time ago he told us about it). He was so far into having had it for a long time when they finally made the correct diagnosis.
The disease is no joke, especially when it is so often missed when a patient goes for diagnosis. In some areas I believe it has become a part of a standard battery of tests to be ruled out because it is so common.

 

[bigdeano]

They found Lyme bacteria DNA in the Iceman corpse they found in the Alps. It's about 6000 years old as I remember. They had a program on the National Geographic Channel about it. So it's been around a long time. I don't know if it's the exact same variety we have now.

 

[wdchyd]

Named after Lyme CT, where it was first "discovered". Say , isn't Lyme, CT just a few miles from Plum Island, a place the government developed secret biological weapons (diseases and such)? Not that anything would ever escape.
..but I'm sure it's just a big coincidence.

Not sure it's a coincidence......I have a repeat customer that worked on a construction crew back in the 90's when they did a major demolition/construction project on that exact building (Lab 257) on Plum Island......all the construction workers were required to wear protective clothing and were warned about ticks carrying diseases from the island. US government doesn't want to take responsibility for the bio weapons lab failure to contain their research "leaks".

 

[oosik]

I don't think Lyme disease has been found in our area, yet. Deer ticks, which carry the disease, are VERY rare. However, wood ticks are thick as thieves and they do carry Hantavirus.

WOW! Did I ever make an error here. We have loads of wood ticks and they can carry Rocky Mt Spotted fever. The Hantavirus is carried by rodents and while somewhat rare, it is always a concern when working around outbuildings and associated structures. Wherever rodents can be found.

 

[tcartwri]

I have a co-worker who is now on permanent disability from Lyme. It completely ruined his life. We believe he picked it up in southern Manitoba where these ticks are as thick as mosquitos. The crew would come in every night covered in them.

It took him probably three years to get a diagnoses and then only after going to the States to see a specialist. The Canadian doctors treat it like witchcraft. They literally laughed at him when he tried to get tested for it.

In his case, it caused reoccurring rashes, joint pain and then basically made him crazy. From the outside it appears like he has schizophrenia now. He wound up losing his job, ended his marriage, alienated from his kids.

It is now recognized to be all over Southern Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and throughout the prairies.

Canadian members please educate yourselves and your family.

 

[check]

I have a co-worker who is now on permanent disability from Lyme. It completely ruined his life. We believe he picked it up in southern Manitoba where these ticks are as thick as mosquitos. The crew would come in every night covered in them. It took him probably three years to get a diagnoses and then only after going to the States to see a specialist. The Canadian doctors treat it like witchcraft. They literally laughed at him when he tried to get tested for it. In his case, it caused reoccurring rashes, joint pain and then basically made him crazy. From the outside it appears like he has schizophrenia now. He wound up losing his job, ended his marriage, alienated from his kids. It is now recognized to be all over Southern Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and throughout the prairies. Canadian members please educate yourselves and your family.

Yup. It took my sister-in-law forever to finally get diagnosed. And yet, if you catch it early, the treatment is very simple and very effective – antibiotics! But, apparently, if it takes a really long time to get diagnosed, then symptoms can persist even after a course of treatment. The various websites on the Internet say that it can be treated in either case, but medical science is not perfect after all.

I am also seeing more and more concern and even panic about this disease, given that so many people can and may have it and not know it. Pretty scary stuff!

Makes you leery about wandering around in the bush/woods, and we have over 25 acres of it!

 

[bigdeano]

I have a co-worker who is now on permanent disability from Lyme. It completely ruined his life. We believe he picked it up in southern Manitoba where these ticks are as thick as mosquitos. The crew would come in every night covered in them.

It took him probably three years to get a diagnoses and then only after going to the States to see a specialist. The Canadian doctors treat it like witchcraft. They literally laughed at him when he tried to get tested for it.

In his case, it caused reoccurring rashes, joint pain and then basically made him crazy. From the outside it appears like he has schizophrenia now. He wound up losing his job, ended his marriage, alienated from his kids.

It is now recognized to be all over Southern Ontario, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and throughout the prairies.

Canadian members please educate yourselves and your family.

What a shame. It seems most doctors can't diagnose anything without a positive test result, and lyme tests were very poor years ago. I was laughed at too even though I had the bullseye rash. I wish I could sue the morons.

 

[dmccarty]

Never mind fox, check out the invasive jap barberry as being the main cause of lymes spreading.

That was danged interesting. I found this, Controlling Japanese Barberry Helps Stop Spread of Tick-Borne Diseases - UConn Today.

We don't have Japanese Barberry but we have Russian Olive all over the place. Along with gazillions of ticks. I wonder if the Russian Olive attracts ticks like the Japanese Barberry? Another interesting item in the list was the use of a propane torch to kill the Barberry. I might have to try this with the Russian Olive. If I cut back the Russian Olive it almost always grows back from the stump. Only a plant poison will kill the stuff.

Later,
Dan

 

[Oldoak]

Dan, what I do is cut the Russian Olive or any other brush or saplings, even trees that I want to kill, and then paint the top of the fresh cut stumps with undiluted Roundup (I use a generic brand from Tractor Supply). Kills it right down to the roots and prevents any suckers that would have grown back. One application takes care of it and doesn't harm any other surrounding vegitation.

Back to ticks, I think I am a tick magnet. Can hardly go out in the fields or woods without having ticks on me although not always attached to me. I am very fortunate to date not to have contracted Lyme Disease.