How to treat a tick bite?

[Smiling JOe]

Lady D, I believe those tiny ticks are Deer Ticks, which are known to carry Lyme Disease. It is probably best to go be checked out by a doctor, as Mango said. No need to panic, though. I spent a week on Cumberland Island and one evening alone, I removed 23 Deer Ticks from my body (that was the highest number for a day, but I did find more throughout the week), without incident. Just best to take precaution.

 

[Mango]

FYI -- My dogs are on FrontLine, but still pick up ticks. I've also tried other combo meds for ticks and heartworms without full success. Frontline isn't made to repel ticks, just to kill them after they've been sucking the blood, but sometimes, that can take a few days.

A good natural repellent is Eucalyptus oil. One small vial to about one gallon of water (or whatever you can tolerate because EO is strong) transferred to a dark container and out of the sun. Many people soak a bandanna in it over night, allow to dry -- out of the sun-- and put the bandannas on their dogs. This works great with Frontline.

Some people also add citronella to keep peskies from biting their pets. Personally, I find citronella too strong and it repels me.

 

[Smiling JOe]

Eucalyptus Essential Oil (not to be confused with "Fragrance" Oil), is indeed a good repellent, but be careful about putting it too close to a dogs eyes, as the vapors from it have a burning effect on the eyes, even it placed around the neck. Try it on yourself first to see what I mean. Also, it tends to work best when mixed with another oil, such as vegetable oil if you are going to apply to your own skin. WARNING to those with high blood pressure, pregnant people, and small children -- best to avoid the strong Essential Oils like Eucalyptus.

Growing up working in the deep woods, wearing full clothing, we used to dip rags in kerosene and wipe the rags all over our boots and the base of our pants, which works very well as tick and chigger repellents, but don't stand to close to the burning wood pile, and be careful if you decide to take up smoking.

 

[arimport]

Take your tick bite seriously

Okay, I didn't have my glasses on and scratched at something in the bend of my leg. About the time I realized it was a tick it came off or most of it came off. Now it is itching like crazy and has formed a knot about the size of kidney bean . I tried Benadyrl cream but not helping much. Any ideas?

I had a tick bite several months ago and had a very hard long recovery. I went to Palmetto Clinic (Blue Mtn. Beach) and they immediately prescribed an antibiotic. I then had to go to The Pensacola Infectious Disease Center to be tested for lyme and several other things...

Needless to say several weeks later I was feeling better but only after an intense amount of antibiotics and dr's visits.

Take it seriously - please.

 

[Lady D]

Well, I had a followup at the doctor's office where I had the bloodwork done for the Lyme panel. It came back normal, however, I was told my bloodwork was normal from the last time, well I was informed yesterday that all was normal other than I had a slightly elevated liver enzyme reading. I told Mango of this as she has dealt with Lyme disease.

She sent me a link to a website that showed tickborne diseases and one is called ehrlichiosis or something like that and it causes either a low white or red blood count or can cause a elevated liver enzyme reading, plus a severe headache, muscle aches, joint aches, fatigue, fever, rash can be present but not always, and I think a cough. And this can kill you.

And of course before that tick was taken out of the nape of my neck two days before that I had developed a severe headache that Saturday night late with chills and fever. I had fever on and off for 3 days, that was before finding the tick. So I really have no clue how long that tick was there. I had my hair cut that Saturday morning so I would have thought it would have been seen then but it was very tiny.

Now I have been feeling fatigued, and my elbow joints and knees have been hurting. They did more bloodwork yesterday to check my liver enzymes again. However, I take one medication daily for Ulcerative Colitis that can elevate the liver enzymes, so that could be the cause. I'm hoping.

So everyone, be careful where ticks are concerned. I read it is best to wash the area good with alcohol or peroxide and then apply a tribiotic cream, which I did. Ticks are bad.

 

[jensieblue]

Hope you don't have any complications from the tick bite...Awful, awful things...

 

[Mango]

Well, I had a followup at the doctor's office where I had the bloodwork done for the Lyme panel. It came back normal, however, I was told my bloodwork was normal from the last time, well I was informed yesterday that all was normal other than I had a slightly elevated liver enzyme reading. I told Mango of this as she has dealt with Lyme disease.

She sent me a link to a website that showed tickborne diseases and one is called ehrlichiosis or something like that and it causes either a low white or red blood count or can cause a elevated liver enzyme reading, plus a severe headache, muscle aches, joint aches, fatigue, fever, rash can be present but not always, and I think a cough. And this can kill you.

And of course before that tick was taken out of the nape of my neck two days before that I had developed a severe headache that Saturday night late with chills and fever. I had fever on and off for 3 days, that was before finding the tick. So I really have no clue how long that tick was there. I had my hair cut that Saturday morning so I would have thought it would have been seen then but it was very tiny.

Now I have been feeling fatigued, and my elbow joints and knees have been hurting. They did more bloodwork yesterday to check my liver enzymes again. However, I take one medication daily for Ulcerative Colitis that can elevate the liver enzymes, so that could be the cause. I'm hoping.

So everyone, be careful where ticks are concerned. I read it is best to wash the area good with alcohol or peroxide and then apply a tribiotic cream, which I did. Ticks are bad.

You didn't mention the joints hurting to me. I mentioned [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]ehrlichiosis because of the elevated liver enzymes. It's usually the first thing checked here in NY when someone has been exposed to a tick and has those symptoms. It's a different panel than the Lyme panel. There is a specific test for it. Even then, it may not show up. I suggest, based on what you are saying above, that you see a doctor who specializes in tick borne infections. I am not sure that there is anyway for the doctor to tell you what is definitively causing elevated liver enzymes aside from removing you from the meds for a while and re-checking them. (Perhaps Skunky will weigh in)

Your insurance may not cover the doctor, but is it worth possibly being misdiagnosed or not being treated with the right antibiotic if there's a chance it's [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]ehrlichiosis??
http://www.tn-lyme.org/
[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Ehrlichia chaffeensis infections are most frequently reported from southeastern and midwestern states with abundant lone star tick populations, especially Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. Cases have been reported from almost every state in the United States, although some of these may have been imported from states where the disease is highly endemic. [/FONT]

 

[Lynnie]

A friend of mine's sister had a deer tick bite in 1993 (Naples, FL) and it went misdiagnosed. She is now somewhat disabled, has lost all of her teeth.......Lyme Disease is very nasty; I hope you continue follow up visits with your dr. until the liver enzyme reading is within normal limits.

Growing up and playing in the woods by my house, we had at least one tick on us daily and did an inspection every day during the summer before having supper......it was part of the getting washed up for the supper table!

Lady D, I hope all goes well for you!

 

[Lady D]

You didn't mention the joints hurting to me. I mentioned [FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]ehrlichiosis because of the elevated liver enzymes. It's usually the first thing checked here in NY when someone has been exposed to a tick and has those symptoms. It's a different panel than the Lyme panel. There is a specific test for it. Even then, it may not show up. I suggest, based on what you are saying above, that you see a doctor who specializes in tick borne infections. I am not sure that there is anyway for the doctor to tell you what is definitively causing elevated liver enzymes aside from removing you from the meds for a while and re-checking them. (Perhaps Skunky will weigh in)

Your insurance may not cover the doctor, but is it worth possibly being misdiagnosed or not being treated with the right antibiotic if there's a chance it's [/FONT][FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]ehrlichiosis??
Lyme Disease Network of Middle Tennessee - Welcome!
[/FONT]

[FONT=Verdana, Arial, Helvetica]Ehrlichia chaffeensis infections are most frequently reported from southeastern and midwestern states with abundant lone star tick populations, especially Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia. Cases have been reported from almost every state in the United States, although some of these may have been imported from states where the disease is highly endemic. [/FONT]

Hey Mango, I did not mention the joint problems as my UC can cause that, menopausal symptoms can cause that, the Septra DS and the Ciprofloxacin can cause that plus liver problems if I remember correctly. I will be notified of the lab results of course I am sure when they have them. And yes, unfortunately I too saw a map that showed that tick disease was found here also. So I have to wait and see what they say. There is no lyme disease organization here that I could find but there is in Middle Tennessee. I will look at the link you provided. Thanks.