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Lyme Disease Cases Are Exploding

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Re: Lyme Disease Cases Are Exploding

#181

Post by SantalBlush »

rb808 wrote: post #96
cmrdporcupine wrote: post #48

Explosion of deer and rodent populations is definitely not helping. We were walking with our dog at a local natural area we frequent. A deer crossed the path and we all stopped to take photos, and then moved on. That day we found ticks all over our dog. The deer are literally swimming in them. Both rodents and deer are part of the lifecycle of the tick. Suppressing deer populations and encouraging red foxes and other…

Most people still see deer as cute, but its starting to change. When I see deer I just see disease carrying vermin. Deer populations have exploded. I wish they were systematically culled. Time talked about this a while back, I havent seen anything since. https://time.com/709/americas-pest-problem-its-time-to-cull-... https://vet.uga.edu/population_health_files/scwds-150wtdeer5...

Hunters would be happy to go out and take more deer annually, if allowed. Venison is excellent, and it's a much more humane source of meat than factory farming. Seems like that would be win-win.

Re: Lyme Disease Cases Are Exploding

#182

Post by lkrubner »

Something1234 wrote: post #160
lkrubner wrote: post #118

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Teenagers with acne often take antibiotics for many years. I had one friend with severe acne who took antibiotics well into adulthood. Those teenagers, who take antibiotics, with a microscope at home can do this simple experiment: prick your finger with a needle and put a drop of blood on steriled glass, then put that under a microscope. Do you see bacteria? Yes, of course you do. Even if you take antibiotics for 20…

Don't you need some kind of dye to see the bacteria?

There are certain kinds of bacteria that you need to stain, because otherwise they are nearly perfectly transparent, but there are lots of larger bacteria that you can see well with even a fairly cheap microscope, of the type that teenagers use in school. Indeed, when I was 15 years old, I remember watching a lot of single celled organisms crawl around in the microscope that I was assigned at school. Although most bacteria tend to be on the smaller side of single celled organisms, some larger bacteria are still easy to see, even with such cheap microscopes.

Re: Lyme Disease Cases Are Exploding

#183

Post by lkrubner »

citrablue wrote: post #175
lkrubner wrote: post #89

I was bit by a tick and I got sick. No doctor could figure out what was wrong. I tested negative for Lyme. I took antibiotics (Biaxin) and 3 months later I was fine. I stopped taking antibiotics. Within 2 months I was sick again. I took Biaxin for 6 months. I felt great. I stopped antibiotics. Within 2 months I was sick again. I took Biaxin for a year. I felt great. I stopped taking antibiotics. Within 2 months I was…

Minor nit, the feeling of awfulness from the flu is the effect of your immune system kicking in. The feeling of relief is when it kicks out, because the tide of the battle has turned.

I like your point, though if we're talking about the overall disease fighting system, it is the evolutionary oldest part that handles the initial inflammation, nasal drip, and fever. The later part, the adaptive part, the part actually works on the principle of immunity, gets going later, and once it has asserted itself, then you feel relief, at least in part because that primitive initial reaction begins to recede.

Re: Lyme Disease Cases Are Exploding

#184

Post by hermitdev »

astazangasta wrote: post #152
Assossa wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would greatly appreciate it if you could find the name of that medication. My sister has Lyme Disease and is still suffering health effects from it despite various treatments.

Lyme Disease is caused by a bacterial infection that can cause nerve damage. Even if you treat it with antibiotics and remove the infection, the nerve damage might remain and be very hard or even impossible to rehab.

I have nerve damage from arthritis in my spine. Mine is definitely not correctable with current medical technology (degenerative discs, bone spurs and pinched nerves & spinal cord from the above). Most days, I'm resting at a 4-5 on a 1-10 pain scale. It can easily reach a 7-8 on bad days. When I go for allergy shots, I dont even notice the injections, typically.

Thing is, most pain meds dont even work. NSAIDs don't make a dent. Opiods dont work either (not that I could get a doc to prescribe them if they did). Muscle relaxers do help quite a bit in reducing the pinching of nerves. I recently did a 7 day trial on Celebrex, and after 3 days, I was in the least pain I'd been in for years (apparently it's one of those that builds over a few days). I see my PCP tomorrow and will hopefully get an ongoing prescription.

Ive been on Lyrica and gabopentin for the nerve pain in the past. While they helped with the nerve pain, I had a lot of side effects with both, and don't want to go back on either.

Re: Lyme Disease Cases Are Exploding

#185

Post by astazangasta »

hermitdev wrote: post #184
astazangasta wrote: post #152

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Lyme Disease is caused by a bacterial infection that can cause nerve damage. Even if you treat it with antibiotics and remove the infection, the nerve damage might remain and be very hard or even impossible to rehab.

I have nerve damage from arthritis in my spine. Mine is definitely not correctable with current medical technology (degenerative discs, bone spurs and pinched nerves & spinal cord from the above). Most days, I'm resting at a 4-5 on a 1-10 pain scale. It can easily reach a 7-8 on bad days. When I go for allergy shots, I dont even notice the injections, typically. Thing is, most pain meds dont even work. NSAIDs don't m…

Have you tried much acupuncture? I've found it extremely effective for nerve issues, although nothing approaching what you are dealing with. But in general western medicine seems bad at resolving these kinds of things, it might be worth investigating. If you are in SF competent practitioners abound.

Re: Lyme Disease Cases Are Exploding

#186

Post by conesus »

perfmode wrote: post #61
pmoriarty wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ticks can drop out of trees on your head, or attach to your hair when your head brushes past some leaves on a tree. Also, if your bare skin is not covered in insect repellent, that could also be a route that they get to the rest of your body. The most effective method of not getting bitten is not to go in to the woods at all.

> The most effective method of not getting bitten is not to go in to the woods at all. your profile reads: He who lives without folly is not as wise as he thinks. -- Rouchefoucald

Most advice we give is advice we want to give ourselves.

Re: Lyme Disease Cases Are Exploding

#187

Post by foobiekr »

learc83 wrote: post #37
joyjoyjoy wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

"Also from what I've read just applying it to your shoes is hugely effective on its own vs ticks, with socks adding another large percentage, as the majority of ticks will jump onto your feet and climb up your legs." This is very interesting advise. I always thought ticks drop from trees? no? I actually wear a hat sometimes in the forrest because of this. Am I stupid?

Ticks do not drop from trees. They almost always climb up your legs. They are generally below waist height.

I had at least twenty ticks as a kid, all on my scalp. I used to spend a lot of time in the woods.

This was before Lyme had spread, though. I still remember sitting in class feeling my hair and feeling the back of a tick.

So .. I think they must be on trees and bushes, I’ve never had one elsewhere.

Re: Lyme Disease Cases Are Exploding

#188

Post by foobiekr »

brainflake wrote: post #93

It's too bad LYMErix was taken off the market due to anti-vaccine marketing in the 90s... https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/5/7/17314716/lym... https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2870557/

If you pay close attention to https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2870557/ you’ll note that a portion of the population does appear to have a genotype that makes people susceptible to arthritis which is exactly the symptoms that the initial negative response to Lymerix claimed.

I wish there was a Lyme vaccine but imho the case of Lymerix is closer to Rotashield than an innocent victim of anti-vaxxers.

Re: Lyme Disease Cases Are Exploding

#189

Post by TheBlerch »

acheron wrote: post #7
nouveaux wrote: post #4

I've recently gotten into backpacking and learned that the most effective way of dealing with mosquitoes and ticks in nature is Permetherin. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Permethrin . It is intended for clothing and not the skin. The best way to apply it is to soak your clothes and let it dry. Spray on applicators are also available. Once it is dry, it is very stable and safe. It does breakdown with UV and washes, so…

Yes, this. Also from what I've read just applying it to your shoes is hugely effective on its own vs ticks, with socks adding another large percentage, as the majority of ticks will jump onto your feet and climb up your legs. The rest of your clothes are worth treating too certainly, but even if it's just your feet it will be a major help.

I’m a longtime hiker and backpacker and in addition to treating your shoes, socks, pants, shirt and hat with permethrin, I highly recommend either a light summer weight gaiter treated with permethrin, or at the very least tucking your pants into your socks. Ticks primary (though not only path) is crawling up from your shoes or socks and crawling up your legs inside your pants. Also be sure when you treat your clothing to do so in the shade as UV will break down the wet permethrin so it’s not effective. Also let the saturated clothing dry in the shade. Do not spray near cats or aquatic life. For your exposed skin you can use Picaridin, which is much safer than DEET. DEET by the way will eat up clothing and gear it contacts. You can save $ on permethrin by buying a concentrated bottle and mixing with water in a spray bottle every time you need a new batch. Clothing treated correctly with permethrin at home is supposed to last about 6 washes / weeks.

Re: Lyme Disease Cases Are Exploding

#190

Post by TheBlerch »

joyjoyjoy wrote: post #11
acheron wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, this. Also from what I've read just applying it to your shoes is hugely effective on its own vs ticks, with socks adding another large percentage, as the majority of ticks will jump onto your feet and climb up your legs. The rest of your clothes are worth treating too certainly, but even if it's just your feet it will be a major help.

"Also from what I've read just applying it to your shoes is hugely effective on its own vs ticks, with socks adding another large percentage, as the majority of ticks will jump onto your feet and climb up your legs." This is very interesting advise. I always thought ticks drop from trees? no? I actually wear a hat sometimes in the forrest because of this. Am I stupid?

Tall grass is where the tick action is at. Also sitting down in grass, especially when your ankles are exposed (when not tucking in pants legs into socks or not wearing gaiters)
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