Lyme Disease sucks

[Evan]

Went to the doc yesterday and got a shot and some pills for it, so it actually looks a hell of a lot better than before then.

always check for ticks!

[Feersty]

Does it ever really go away? I heard somewhere that it doesn't.

[Maengelito]

RJ's mom strikes again :!:

[Mike]

I found at tick on me at Summit last weekend, and another in my house today :?

[Evan]

its bright crimson right now. fuck this is nasty.

yes rob, it goes away. Its a bacterial infection so as long as you catch it soon enough you wont have any long term effects. It does have some pretty scary potential damage though. Permanent arthritis, brain damage, bells palsy (facial paralysis).

[ScottyB]

my mom got lymes disease 10 years ago, and she still feels the effects (mild though) to this day. that was back when lymes was still really unexplored, so nobody knew what it was, and couldnt diagnose it fast enough. be thankful though that you live in VA, lymes is out of control in PA and that general area.

glad you caught it early though evan... but are you sure that's from a tick? i thought the rash was a bulls-eye, not a large red blob. and what's the scratch from?

[Evan]

the "bulls eye" that it is known for is actually only representative of 40% of the cases. The distinguishing marks are a circular rash. The scab/scratch in the middle is when I first got it I scratched it really hard. There was a tiny black tick that I barely noticed at the center. (deer tick nymph - most common carrier of lyme)
VA along with PA and all mid-atlantic states are at the highest risk for lymes

It did take me a week to realize something is up and go to a doctor to be diagnosed, so I hope thats not too late. THe books say 36-48hrs is ideal.

[Mike]

i wish ya the best!

[JohnC]

the "bulls eye" that it is known for is actually only representative of 40% of the cases. The distinguishing marks are a circular rash. The scab/scratch in the middle is when I first got it I scratched it really hard. There was a tiny black tick that I barely noticed at the center. (deer tick nymph - most common carrier of lyme)
VA along with PA and all mid-atlantic states are at the highest risk for lymes

It did take me a week to realize something is up and go to a doctor to be diagnosed, so I hope thats not too late. THe books say 36-48hrs is ideal.

Jess got bit by a tick last summer, and didn't have get the rash at all. 6 months later, she could barely open/close her hands. Diagnosis: Lyme disease. Things are better now (after a month's worth of heavy anti-biotics), but her hands/fingers still have some pain. And of course the Lyme disease didn't help her immune system with the spate of sicknesses that teachers are exposed to during the school year... Stupid fucking tick.

[JessicaRabbit79]

Evan-
I'm really glad that you caught it early. Mine was a case of no real sign except for being really sick for about 6 months, which I thought was being a new teacher. :roll:
I was river tubing with a group of students in the Shenandoah River near Strasburg in August, and when I got back home, found a tick. We killed it and got it out, then watched the spot... nothing. It just healed up into a tiny little spot and went away. Then came all the weird diseases and my knuckles swelling up. Every time I went to the doctor, I told them that my hands were screwed up, but it took me going in specifically for someone to look at them before they tested for Lymes.

Moral of the story... be careful. If you get bitten, get tested- it's just a blood test, and it can save you a lot of pain and sickness. I hope that no one else has to deal with this.

[Evan]

oh no, Im sorry to hear that. I read about the cases where there was no rash or symptoms until the heavy stuff hits you, thats the absolute worst if you dont even know you have it.

[BLINGMW]

fun stuff! Sorry! I'm not going outside anymore.

[LorenaBeana]

Finally ya'll are talkin my kind of language! Actually, the reason it's so bad in PA is because it was founded in Lyme, PA, where a bunch of people came down with all these funky symptoms. And yes, it can lead to long-term neurological deficits, so it's a good thing you caught it when you did! If you have any more questions and don't feel like calling the MD, email or post something, and I'll consult my nursing books for you!
~Lorena, RN (in hopefully 3 weeks)

[Dave]

i thought the rash was a bulls-eye, not a large red blob. and what's the scratch from?

if any of you guys gets a bulls-eye looking shape on you after an insect bite, get it checked out immediately. Although I believe some ticks can leave this mark, I learned back in the day in Boy Scouts that the bulls-eye is representative of being bitten by a brown recluse spider, which I belive can be fatal if not investigated (not sure on that part). Just be careful this summer guys Whenever you go out and play in the brush, check yourself for ticks and bites when you get ready to shower. I found that to be the easiest in my years of camping.

[BLINGMW]

<kids> Thanks Ranger Dave! </kids>

[Dave]

<kids> Thanks Ranger Dave! </kids>

Just doin my part boys n girls

[JessicaRabbit79]

oh no, Im sorry to hear that. I read about the cases where there was no rash or symptoms until the heavy stuff hits you, thats the absolute worst if you dont even know you have it.

The good news is that four weeks of antibiotics took care of it. The antibiotics themselves were from hell and made me feel worse than the Lymes.... but I got bloodwork done again recently, and it's all cleared up! The worst part was the fact that it destroyed my immune system at the worst possible time- my first year of germy students. :!:

[.RJ]

always check for ticks!

And thats all I have to say about that.

[Mike]

I'm worried bout a bite I got now...