Public service announcement: Ticks! Ticks! Ticks!

Flyaway Bird

Flyaway Bird

Specialist
So, I got a tick-bite at the last event in New Hampshire. I don't remember getting bitten, and I thought I'd done pretty good checks, so I can't say for certain it was at the event. But a few days ago I started to get a really bad headache. Long story short, I was in the ER all day today and now I'm being treated for lyme disease. No joke. (And before you ask, it's totally treatable, I'm on antibiotics and should be fine in a couple weeks)

Guys: please please PLEASE do tick-checks. Thorough checks. Shake out your clothes, look in your underwear, dump out your sleeping bag. Check your friends as well. Get a buddy you trust who can look at all the places you can't see yourself. Seriously. Lyme disease isn't a huge problem if caught early, but it really really sucks. I'll testify to that.
 
glad to hear you will be okay samara
i hate ticks. omg if its one thing in this world i couldnt hate more, its ticks. ive had two of the tinie tiny kind so far one at nh, one at caldaria. i caught them trying to burrow into me and ripped them out (compleate no heads still in), a very pain ful expereince. yes, tick checks are very important so do them.
 
Seconding Samara's statement. I triple checked myself at Jersey this past weekend and I found a deer tick on me on Monday. Waiting to see if I end up in the same Lymetastic boat as Samara. Whee.
 
Alright, so because this was brought up... anyone who knows me knows I take Lyme Disease very seriously. My mom has lyme and it went undiagnosed for about 10 years. If it wasn't for a certain clinical trial, I prob wouldn't have a mom today. There are a few misconceptions regarding ticks. First, I don't know how many times I've seen/heard people say that it's easier to burn a tick off or to drown it off (via alcohol, etc). These two methods are the worst you can use. If you burn/drown a tick, you just made it throw up. Now that tick that has it's mouth in you has just injected it's contents in you, giving you the disease if they carry it. The best method is to tweeze it off. Just make sure to grab the head as well. All else fails, if in doubt, go to the doctor. If you randomly get a rash that resembles a bullseye, go to the doctor. If you've been bitten and aren't feeling well, but haven't seen the rash, go to the doctor (not everyone gets the rash, just ask my mom). Trust me, a copay is a lot cheaper and simpler than being stuck giving yourself injections twice a week in the gut just to be able to move. Feel better hun!
 
As an FYI to everyone, a tick has to be attached for 24-48 hours to give you lyme disease, so if you do a once daily thorough check, you should be good. I had a deer tick crawling on me about a month ago - I have lived in VT and NH all my life and spent most of my time in the woods and have never had one before so I am assuming they are bad in Claremont this year. Repellents with DEET are obviously good but ones with permethrin are supposed to be better for specifically repelling ticks.
 
There has been a bumper crop of ticks this year. Due in large part to the wonderful weather.... WE have had lots of problems pulling them off our dogs for the first part of the year, and one of them has gotten Lyme Disease. Please be very careful about checking yourself, or better yet, buddying up to make sure you ar not bitten. Samara, I hope you feel better and glad you found out in time to get some effective treatment. I walk my dogs everyday, in wooded areas. Stayingout of tall grass and heavy underbrush is one of the best ways to stay tick free. That, and covering exposed skin on arms and legs. Looking forward to seeing you all. Hope this helps.

Mark
 
Just wanted to put this out here. Please keep in mind that a deer tick is much much smaller than your standard dog tick. Be very careful when looking and really the best thing you can do is if you have someone who is comfortable doing it (like a spouse or other significant other) have them give you a complete check. Again lyme disease is completely treatable but really who wants to take antiboitics twice a day. I know I sure didn't.

-John (who just finished his treatment last weekend)
 
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