I got a tick bite, back on July 4th. (Thursday) I got home late, and took the kids to see fireworks. Hit the hay at 12:00, after a bath. This gave the tick time to sink his rotten little poisons into me. Next morning, I felt the temperature change from 70° to 90°, and back down to 30° and all over the chart.
I went inside, and went to bed. I knew something was bad wrong with me. By Sunday, I was pretty freaked out. Got some antibiotics. Checked with Doc on Monday. Both docs said that it was tick fever. Bulls eye. One of them told me that there was about 22 known varieties of tick fever, but tests only for 4 or so of them. I changed to the antibiotics that they put me on.
I was off work for 6 wks. I have good days, and bad days. Had a real bad one last wk. Today was horrible. It makes me unable to handle pressure, and to think things through. My nerves are shot. I take B vitamins, and cod liver oil. And sometimes fresh garlic. All of those help.
But I am still going up and down. (I learned not to say I am "Cycling") Folks laughed at me for that!
Anyway, my advice is get those ticks off as fast as possible. I do not know if my career as a surveyor will last. I have too many ups and downs. I don't think things through. It is very hard to memorize stuff, that matters. I like tree work. I can climb trees, and top them, etc. It is easy for me.
But, I often only can work 1/2 a day.
Ticks can ruin your career.
All the best to all the rest of you.
Nate
wow, so sorry to hear that. It's scary for sure. I know you'll find your way through it with your family.
thanks Andy.
I took alot for granted.
N
Very sorry to hear about this. I'm optimistic that you'll recover, but it's sobering to learn how profoundly it's affected your stamina. You're way too young to be slowing down like that!
I hope you continue to pursue medical remedies. Sometimes it takes an advocate to push the medical system into going the extra mile instead of just saying, "We've done all we can do."
Hang in there, and keep us posted as to progress.
Take care, Nate. Blasted tick....! :-@
Sounds like ya need a hug, Nate.... :-$
Nate,
Did you happen to find out what kind of tick it was?
Find a doctor that recognizes that chronic lyme disease actually exists and will treat for it. I don't believe the CDC recognizes the long term affects of Chronic lyme, at least not yet. It's usually mis-diagnosed as fibromyalga or some other such nonsense.
A friend of mine went through a similar situation and saw many different doctors until he finally found one that will treat for chronic lyme. His quality of life has improved greatly since seeing this specific doctor. Don't settle for one doctor's opinion.
Good luck.
-V
Good luck, Nate.
Are ticks vulnerable to harsh winters? Hopefully something good can come from these extended cold temps.
I remember your first post about it...
It's weird how it can set your whole day. You may find the first tick crawling, then every few minutes you feel another, then another, then another, but your look and there is nothing there. You do need to be forever vigilant. Hang in there.
I am not an advocate, but I have been watching this guys site for over a year now. Sometimes he seems to be on tho something, other times he seems to be a little on the "nutjob" side.
Scheesh Nate, I had no idea you were fighting this battle.
As a long time victim of Lyme disease (6 times) I am now scheduled for a complete battery of tick born disease tests.
We check ourselves, and each other daily, during the season. One problem is that the season is expanding up here, anyway.
I have always come down with symptoms such as the joint pain, the flu like feeling without a rise in temperature and have had the anti-biotics immediately.
Best of luck Nate, you can knock it eventually.... Maybe it's time for a IV drip?
You said "Bulls eye" if you mean you had a bullseye rash at the bite site that's a symptom of Lyme disease, which you don't want to mess with, it can be totally disabling. I've heard anecdotally that the best test for it is pricey and therefore avoided by doctors and insurers.
Yes, I had a huge bulls eye. At the site of the bite. And, it also destroyed tissue at the site of the bite.
I don't have symptoms of joint pain, (doc says we caught it real soon) but I did have swollen lymph nodes, at the site of the bite. But, I do have the nerve damage. It is like I used to have a 10 gallon personality, and now I am doing good to get it up to a quart, and often live at 16 ounces. Best euphemism I can think of, that describes it.
N
Nate,
Is it Lyme disease or another tick born disease? I'm only asking because I didn't the Lyme disease came on that quickly.
Either way I'll certainly act differently when I get bitten (after hearing your story).
I usually get bitten several times in the spring and several more in the fall. Sometimes I get antibiotics and sometimes I do not. When I don't get treated I monitor both the site of the bite and my body for symptoms. I often get a pretty good sized red itchy spot but it goes away within a week.
It's scary stuff. I'm not afraid of much in the woods around here but ticks scare the heck out of me!
Good luck and hang in there.
Gregg
Just saw this somewhere and thought of you.
http://www.kutv.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_8971.shtml?wap=0
Thanks Andy.
That link is mostly about another type of Tick Fever. It has similar symptoms of RA (Rheumatoid Arthritis). Mine is not that kind. But, I did foreward it to 2 other persons with it.
My wife is allergic to red meat. Apparently that is tick induced, in some cases. The tick bite, is a bigger deal to surveyors than ever before. Another item of intrest, is that the bites accumulate. That is, maybe you get 2 today, and 5 tomorrow, and 2 the next day. Slowly, you can also get symptoms, if enough of those ticks had the same strain of complicating poison. And, that could serve as a trigger, to hurt you.
In the next 20 yrs, we all will know more about this sick subject. And, probably not because we really want to know. But, because we need to know.
N
Nate,
Man I feel for you. From what I know personally of people who have contracted Lyme disease, it's completely debilitating to some. One fellow I met said he wouldn't wish it on his worst enemy. Have you experimented with your diet? Could there be something in there like red meat, sugar or gluten that is exasperating things? At risk of sounding like some kind of new age dufus, I'm a strong believer in the power of meditation. The average person will laugh it off but keep an open mind. The mind and body are intrinsically linked. Stay positive. Better days are ahead. Believe it. ~Willy
http://www.besthealthmag.ca/get-healthy/health/the-truth-about-lyme-disease
Nate, Lyme is real big in my area and we have to deal with ticks all the time. I saw this doctor on a public TV. It may be worth looking into, sounds like they have been successful on treatment.
Wish you luck.
Nathan, my Brother. This is hard to hear.
I am certain that your sharing of your story will have saved countless others.
I know that I will think of your story every time I check for ticks from now on.
Brad
I actually saw the tick. My wife pulled it. It was what we commonly call a "Yearling" or teenager tick. It was a tick that had eaten once, molted, and I was his second meal. (He never got his third) I am not sure what breed he was. But, I do remember him. (OR her) Maybe there is a special place in hell for them! he he eh me, my humor fails sometimes!
