Lyme in south Florida

[gnappi]

A few weeks ago my son and two others went snakehead fishin' at a known hot spot and we did pretty well. The weeds were tall and as usual we just waded through them not thinking about ticks as none of us had ever seen them except at a dog park.

Well, all four of us had one or more on our person and two weeks later my son felt ill, went to the doc and was tested positive for Lyme disease. When my son told me about it and his symptoms (cold sweats / chills, constant headache, extreme sleepiness, muscle and joint pains) I realized that a bite on my arm that I attributed to a spider bite (My yard is wooded with fruit trees and I have spiders galore) was in fact a tick bite from one I killed in my house.

The doc put me on antibiotics straightaway and three days into them I'm feeling much better. From what I've read Lyme is prevalent in northern Florida and is really rare down here but that's one fishin' hole I'll avoid from now on.

 

[arfmel]

Good that you got diagnosed quickly and treated. I know a young man who got sick with Lyme and it progressed to a very serious stage before he was correctly diagnosed. Fortunately, he recovered.

 

[RC44Mag]

Sorry to hear that, hope it works out for all of you. If you don't mind, whereabouts are you down there? We spend a good amount of time in the Sebastian/Vero area and wondering if it's prevalent there. Thanks

 

[davevabch]

Get a tick bite, get tested IMMEDIATELY. Within 24 hours in states where they are present. Use Tick protection like hell all over your body and clothes. This is a WARNING!

 

[blume357]

the one, tick, that scares the heck out of me is the one that will make you allergic to red meat..... hot making that up... lady at our church as that condition.

 

[Philiprl]

We live in the country in North Mississippi and generally pull a dozen or so ticks off a year. I am also a dermatologist and treat a couple of Lyme disease cases a year. Most patients (70-80%) get a rash (spreading rings or eczema around bit in a couple of days. IgM blood test takes 1-2 weeks to turn + and IgG 2-4 weeks. Doxycycline is generally well tolerated (watch for sun sensitivity) and inexpensive so it is generally best to treat with any significant suspicion.

Alpha-gal (allergy to meat from a tick bite) is a significant problem. I diagnosed a case last week. The only treatment is to avoid all red meat including deer, squirrels rabbits, beef pork, etc. This condition may last for years or be permanent depending on how high blood titers are

 

[bigbillyboy]

Can be deadly , I lost a neighbor several years ago to lymes . Went mis- diagnosed for several years , and by the time they figured out what he was suffering from , it was too late .

 

[RC44Mag]

We live in the country in North Mississippi and generally pull a dozen or so ticks off a year. I am also a dermatologist and treat a couple of Lyme disease cases a year. Most patients (70-80%) get a rash (spreading rings or eczema around bit in a couple of days. IgM blood test takes 1-2 weeks to turn + and IgG 2-4 weeks. Doxycycline is generally well tolerated (watch for sun sensitivity) and inexpensive so it is generally best to treat with any significant suspicion.

Alpha-gal (allergy to meat from a tick bite) is a significant problem. I diagnosed a case last week. The only treatment is to avoid all red meat including deer, squirrels rabbits, beef pork, etc. This condition may last for years or be permanent depending on how high blood titers are

My BIL's brother got that last year. He's still off all meats.

 

[bigbillyboy]

I have never heard about this meat connection .....

 

[davevabch]

I had a friend that was a Gorgeous lady. Full of life, laughter etc. She was taken to the hospital for a tick Bite. You would not recognize her as the same person now. Just a mess. Confined to a Wheel chair, mental disorders etc. Very Sad. A few years ago I was deer hunting in Dec. came home and woke up Sat am because of a tick embedded in my neck And I use a lot of tick repellent. I was lucky enough to understand the danger and went right to the emergency room. They had to cut it out. Needed a few stitches. But the thing I remember the most was the Doctor telling me I really did the right thing by coming in soon. She told me there is a 24 hour window to get treatment. I got the treatment in time.
Do NOT play around with these creatures. They can kill you in a slow painful death. Go heavily on the Tick Repellent and Sawyers for the cloths.
Remember that are present all year round. They slow down in winter but do not think they are dormant. I love the wood. Used to go year round, hunting hiking, scouting. I do not go any longer in the spring or summer. I gave up Spring Turkey season because it.

DO NOT SCREW AROUND. 24 HOUR WINDOW!

 

[bigbillyboy]

I heard several years ago about a Lyme vaccine in the works . I asked my Dr. About it , he advised against it . He said it's still experimental , anyone know anything about it ......?

 

[Mobuck]

"Get a tick bite, get tested IMMEDIATELY."
WOW, I'd be drained of blood by that many tests. Just a wild guess that I discover at least 4-5 tick bites per week(sometimes that many per DAY). I've had LYME serious enough to require several weeks of 3 times per week IV therapy. There is some lasting effects of that bout but I don't let that bother me--much the way I feel about Covid or the common cold.

 

[gnappi]

Jeez, I didn't think the onset of symptoms would be so fast (48 hours to treatment) or that this recovery would be so slow. I'm still tired, achy, have a headache continually.

RC44mag, we were fishing in southern Palm Beach county quite a bit further south than you, I had no idea if lyme had been detected this far south.

 

[RC44Mag]

Jeez, I didn't think the onset of symptoms would be so fast (48 hours to treatment) or that this recovery would be so slow. I'm still tired, achy, have a headache continually.

RC44mag, we were fishing in southern Palm Beach county quite a bit further south than you, I had no idea if lyme had been detected this far south.

Thanks and best of luck with you're recovery.

 

[wheelgun1958]

How to Use Permethrin on Clothing, Safely

This insecticide can help prevent some mosquito and tick bites. But you must use it properly.

How to Use Permethrin on Clothing, Safely - Consumer Reports

Permethrin-treated clothing, first developed by the military a few decades ago, has been available to consumers since 2003, and there are a few ways to use it.

www.consumerreports.org

I buy the 10% from Tractor Supply and mix it 19 parts water to 1 part permethrin for a 0.5% solution. Fill a bottle, spray clothing and hang overnight.

 

[MaxMan]

My Nephew's son got Lyme's when in Tennessee. Docs put him on all sorts apof stuff. He missed about two years of school (home schooled when he could) finally they found a doctor with more of a homeopathic approach. He is back in school and almost 100%. If you want the DRs. name Ill get it. The Doc is in Miami.

 

[JackBull]

Ledum: 1M dose 3 times a day for 3 days. Best cure for man or beast and costs under $15.

 

[blume357]

Really sounds to me like there are different strains as well as people react differently if they get it.

 

[Mobuck]

I was experiencing symptoms for 2-3 weeks before going to the Dr. Maybe had some bearing on the severity of my infection. Muscle and joint pain and overall weakness became unbearable so had to seek medical help. Don't know if this is correct or not but I was told I would be a 'carrier' for life and should not donate blood again.

 

[Gator89]

the one, tick, that scares the heck out of me is the one that will make you allergic to red meat..... hot making that up... lady at our church as that condition.

Yep, alpha gal syndrome, my sister in law has it.

Alpha-gal syndrome - Symptoms and causes

www.mayoclinic.org