Watch Out for those Little F'ers!

[FuzzyGrub]

In late fall, I spent 3 days in bed, followed by 4 days in the hospital. My only symptom was a fever. It would vary from low to 101F or so. Went to a walk in clinic tested for covid and the flu. Negative and sent me home to rest. Went back to my doc a couple of days latter, and sent me to emergency room Blood test showed low platlette and white blood cell counts. If it went much lower, could start bleeding internally!

While many have heard of Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, what I had was Anaplasmosis. I had never heard of it, but learned from the Docs that they have seen more of this than Lyme in the last year or so. I also learned of two cases of a friend of a friend who had it, and both ended up in the ER, like myself.

While they never found the tick bite, the diagnoisis was confirmed by a DNA test at some lab in Texas. Doc said the bite would have occured about 2 weeks prior to symptoms. Carried by same ticks as Lyme. I spent 4 days on intervenous Doxycycline waiting for the counts to get up, followed by 14 days of the oral pill, at home. This is the same antibiotic they use to treat Lyme, which I have also had. Unfortunatly, you do not build up any immunity.

This is just an FYI to my fellow outdoorsmen. Letting others that may not have heard of it, to know what the symptoms are. I keep to mowed trails with nylon pants that have been treated. Check more carefully now. It is amazing how small they can be.

​

 

[LDUBS]

Thanks for sharing. Those kinds of experiences are even worse when the cause isn't known.

We got back late Wednesday from a two week driving trip in Germany. Yesterday Mrs Ldubs tested positive for COVID. Fortunately, her symptoms are just similar to a slight cold. I'm still negative, but time will tell.

 

[FuzzyGrub]

Thanks for sharing. Those kinds of experiences are even worse when the cause isn't known.

We got back late Wednesday from a two week driving trip in Germany. Yesterday Mrs Ldubs tested positive for COVID. Fortunately, her symptoms are just similar to a slight cold. I'm still negative, but time will tell.

A few weeks latter, the wife came down with covid, followed by myself, a few days latter. 2nd time for both. I highly recommend the Paxlovid, You can feel the differnce after just one day on the med.

 

[overboard]

Another thanks for sharing!
Those little suckers can cause a lot of problems, anymore while turkey or archery deer hunting I have all my clothing treated with Sawyers permethrin, so far so good and have never had a tick on me while wearing permethrin treated clothing.

 

[Stand Up]

Wow! I'm wandering around the bushes more often than not, although I don't leave any exposed skin except my hands and face. And I put bug spray on those areas. I'm going to look into this Permethrin stuff. Thanks for the heads up, eh!

 

[FuzzyGrub]

It is one of those diseases they track. Someone called from the county asking a number of questions, mainly about whereabouts over the three weeks prior.

While I found some ticks in the late spring/early summer, hadn't after that. Having a lab probably increases my risk, even though we haven't found one on him in years. Maybe that flea/tick stuff really works. The Doc asked questions about the dog, too. Apparently this also makes them sick.

Not sure how wide spread it is outside of NY-PA and surrounding states. It was just wierd for something I never heard of, jumps up and bites me in the arse.

The biggest impact was that I missed my grandson's first birthday party.

 

[flatheadsteve]

I hate ticks! Hope your feeling better soon.

 

[FuzzyGrub]

I hate ticks! Hope your feeling better soon.

All fine now, but the first two weeks of November were lost.

 

[davidj65]

Thanks for the info. Just the last couple years I've been getting a lot more careful about ticks. Apparently a lot in our area.

 

[Tin Man]

Thanks for sharing with your fellow outdoorsman. Glad to hear you are on the mend and felling better. Good to see doc after 2-3 days and a fever is still present. Being sick sucks!

I'm not sure how common ticks are here in CA. I don't do any hunting or hiking so I have no idea. Mosquitoes are bad enough!!

 

[LaqueRatt]

I get out in the woods a fair amount, but haven't encountered a tick since I was a kid. Guess I should knock on wood or something. BTW with my recent bout of covid I took some over the counter stuff that was a real God-send. A lot cheaper than the magic pills too.

https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/w...-relief,-liquid-medicine/ID=300438741-product

 

[Billy H]

Wow! I'm wandering around the bushes more often than not, although I don't leave any exposed skin except my hands and face. And I put bug spray on those areas. I'm going to look into this Permethrin stuff. Thanks for the heads up, eh!

Hate ticks! Good for nothing at all. Permethrin is probably the best you can get to fight ticks. You don’t spray on skin, you treat your clothes. Last for weeks. I spend a huge amount of time in the woods and since using permethrin ticks getting on me is almost nonexistent compared to the dozens a year I used to get. Sawyers is the brand I use.

 

[FuzzyGrub]

You guys made me go look to see what brand I have. Yep, Sawyer.

 

[thill]

My wife and then I had the same thing happen in VA. We did a bunch of yard work, and both of us got bit by itty-bitty ticks. Didn't notice until there was an itchy spot the next day.

Wife felt yucky, went to the doc, put her on the antibiotics. Felt better in a few days. I thought I had escaped, but a few days later, I got it, and felt really bad. Same thing, but mine lasted for a solid week before I felt normal again. I should have gotten treated the same day as she did, but it hadn't hit me yet.

Funny, but the doc on call that day gave me a hard time about wanting antibiotics. I asked him what else he thought it could be, and he called an associate. I asked her what SHE thought it was, and instead of answering, she said, "FINE! I'll prescribe the antibiotics!" and huffed out of the room.

I hope to never see either of those doctors again. I'm not on ANY medicines of any type. I am not the type to ask for anything, but Lymes and other tick-borne diseases are nothing to play with. The longer they stay in your system, the more likely you will have long-term problems.


Glad you are better, Fuzzy!

 

[FuzzyGrub]

They have become such a problem here that tick bite = Doxycycline Rx. Doesn't matter if you have a red ring or rash or nothing.

 

[FuzzyGrub]

I get out in the woods a fair amount, but haven't encountered a tick since I was a kid. Guess I should knock on wood or something. BTW with my recent bout of covid I took some over the counter stuff that was a real God-send. A lot cheaper than the magic pills too.

https://www.walgreens.com/store/c/w...-relief,-liquid-medicine/ID=300438741-product

Looks like that is something worth while to have in the med cabinet.

The "magic pills" (Paxlovid) I have had with both bouts of Covid. I felt the difference within 24 hours of the first dose. My wife only got it with this last bout. She couldn't believe the difference too. While we don't have a "luxury" med plan, there was no out of pocket for it. The biggest issue I had this last bout, was getting a positive covid test to get the med. I could tell I was coming down with it for three days before getting a positive result.

Just my experience.

 

[FuzzyGrub]

The following popped up on my news feed:

Anaplasmosis is not associated with a rash, but can cause flu-like symptoms

Anaplasmosis cases have been increasing in the United States, from just 348 in 2000 to 5,655 cases in 2017. It is most commonly reported in the Northeast and upper Midwest.

Anaplasmosis is transmitted by the blacklegged tick — also called the deer tick — as well as the western blacklegged tick.

Symptoms of anaplasmosis typically begin one to two weeks after a tick bite and include fever, chills, severe headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite.

 

[LDUBS]

I'm not sure how common ticks are here in CA. I don't do any hunting or hiking so I have no idea. Mosquitoes are bad enough!!

I agree it is relatively rare compared to other areas. Let's keep it that way!

 

[thill]

The following popped up on my news feed:

Anaplasmosis is not associated with a rash, but can cause flu-like symptoms

Anaplasmosis cases have been increasing in the United States, from just 348 in 2000 to 5,655 cases in 2017. It is most commonly reported in the Northeast and upper Midwest.

Anaplasmosis is transmitted by the blacklegged tick — also called the deer tick — as well as the western blacklegged tick.

Symptoms of anaplasmosis typically begin one to two weeks after a tick bite and include fever, chills, severe headache, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite.

^^^ That^^^

 

[Still Afloat]

In late fall, I spent 3 days in bed, followed by 4 days in the hospital. My only symptom was a fever. It would vary from low to 101F or so. Went to a walk in clinic tested for covid and the flu. Negative and sent me home to rest. Went back to my doc a couple of days latter, and sent me to emergency room Blood test showed low platlette and white blood cell counts. If it went much lower, could start bleeding internally!

While many have heard of Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, what I had was Anaplasmosis. I had never heard of it, but learned from the Docs that they have seen more of this than Lyme in the last year or so. I also learned of two cases of a friend of a friend who had it, and both ended up in the ER, like myself.

While they never found the tick bite, the diagnoisis was confirmed by a DNA test at some lab in Texas. Doc said the bite would have occured about 2 weeks prior to symptoms. Carried by same ticks as Lyme. I spent 4 days on intervenous Doxycycline waiting for the counts to get up, followed by 14 days of the oral pill, at home. This is the same antibiotic they use to treat Lyme, which I have also had. Unfortunatly, you do not build up any immunity.

This is just an FYI to my fellow outdoorsmen. Letting others that may not have heard of it, to know what the symptoms are. I keep to mowed trails with nylon pants that have been treated. Check more carefully now. It is amazing how small they can be.

​

You have my sympathy. Lyme almost killed me twelve years ago but, with the right doctor and a lot of meds I’ve been in remission for almost a decade. To this day I take homeopathic anti-microbial medicines twice per day.

I wasn’t diagnosed until four years after the initial infection and by then I was really sick. Three months of oral antibiotics didn’t cut it and finally went on IV’s twice per day for several months. It left me with a balance disorder and advanced degenerative arthritis.

I’m still here and still fishing, just can’t do some of the things I used to do.

Edit; I just wanted to add that I picked up Lyme on the west coast. This is not just an eastern thing anymore.

FYI, a friend picked it up about the same time but, didn’t treat it serious enough and now she has severe dementia in her late fifties.