Here in the USA tick season is upon us. It's apparently going to be a bad one. Do other countries also have to be cautious of tick bites? Tick bites can be very serious and sometimes even fatal. Some can cause Lyme disease and other health problems. They can cause heart problems and carditis. Anyone, anywhere who has to watch for ticks, be extra careful when outside. Check your hair and body for ticks. Nasty creatures.
I have to tell this story I just saw on TV. A woman in Miami FL was driving down a very busy street recently. Four lanes each side. She came to an intersection where she should have stopped but her car kept slowly rolling through the intersection. A friend of hers just happened to be close by (divine intervention?) and saw her car and realized something was wrong. This friend ran through the intersection , (fortunately traffic stayed stopped noticing something was wrong) yelling that her friend was unconscious and someone help. Soon other people ran towards the car and managed to push the car to a stop with it still in gear. Someone called 911 emergency. Another man broke out a rear window so they could get to the unconscious woman. It made me cry to see so many risk themselves to help. The outcome was good. The woman had passed out from her HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE medicine. She is fine now thanks to all the good Samaritans who stopped to help. And hopefully got her meds straightened out. Everyone take care. Be safe.
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How do I find that earlier post on ticks and afib? When I typed it into the search box at the top of this page, all kinds of things popped up not even related to afib or ticks at all. Thanks!
My son in law has just been diagnosed with Lyme disease, he’s a farmer so not surprising. I live in the country and the cats frequently come home with ticks from the fields, I hate having to remove them !
When I was taking HBOT treatment I met a whole lot of people with Lyme’s that had not been diagnosed originally. HBOT was the only thing that helped them live near normal lives. One was an ex fireman who when I first met him couldn’t even stand. After 6 months of treatment he was able to get a part time job but couldn’t ever go back to the job he loved. So sad.
Oh that is sad. Lyme disease is terrible. Some Drs still can't diagnosis it or dismiss it as something else. 😒Good there is some treatment for it though. Take care and be safe.
I think there's lots of products that are supposed to repel them but one would really have to go completely over the body with something since they can crawl anywhere on you and you don't know.
Are there any practical steps you can take to avoid them? Last year during lockdowns I used to go for walks in a park surrounded by woods. During the Summer I got lots of bites there on the leg (I was wearing long trousers). They didn't look like the pictures of tick bites I have seen however. Lyme disease sounds like something you really don't want.
Absolutely. I've lived in Scotland for a long time now. The first thing is to stop them getting on board in the first place. Never wear shorts or sandals outdoors. Always long trousers, and always, always have them tucked into long socks. OK, you may think you look a bit silly - like an old-fashioned golfer in plus-fours - but so what, the ticks cannot get in.
I've just realised, of course, that you need to do the same in the midriff. No tee shirts hanging over trousers. A shirt/blouse must be tucked into the trousers. A polo shirt is even better - no button line up the front, so no access that way.
By the way, these measures will also help a lot to reduce midgie bites!
Bill Cook gave you good advice. Then when you go back in your house check for ticks that may have gotten on your clothes. Check your hair and body. It's a hassle to do these things but better than getting bit. You can Google what to use on your skin. Deet is one and there's others. Take care.
I was bitten by a tick in North Yorkshire a few years ago. It dropped off a tree and I only found it when I undressed that night. I went straight to the doctor and had a course of antibiotics and as far as I know haven't had any problems because of it .
What an interesting human story there. Thank you. We do have tics and, judging from the number of dead deer I've seen this year on our roads, our deer population is burgeoning, which will mean more tics in more places. I hate them with a vengeance and fear them. I think we are heading for trouble as it seems very difficult to control them. I've been bitten several times and have had to have a couple of tests for Lyme disease so far.
Oh my. Yes the USA has a large deer population. Then all the other wild critters. Raccoons, bears, possums, coyotes (which there seem to be more of in Florida). All of them get ticks....
I picked up a tick last week. It was tiny and on my inside upper arm . It must have fallen off the Lime tree when I was lying in the shade . My husband removed it with the special tool we had for the cat . Not very successfully as he also removed some flesh which left a massive bruise ( thank you Apixaban) ! I am due at the doc's for a prescription renewal so I will ask for a test.
Hope your test comes out negative. I often wonder why God put such nasty creatures on earth. Along with cockroaches and mosquitoes and fleas and a few others. Ugh. Take care.
In the Brecklands of East Anglia they are getting common. Ticks that is. And I found one, while hiking in N Devon which had crawled up my shorts into the area where the sun never shines. Very traumatic! But no Lyme Disease thank goodness.
I hate the little blighters! I had an AVR 3 years ago and have two cats, who I treat regularly for tics. However last year I awoke to find a tic lodged on my left arm - shock horror😱 Immediately removed it but one of my cats must have snuck on the bed and left it there! Extra vigilant now! Sue
Yes we have to be vigiliant here in Scotland ! My grandson had one on his neck last week to our horror !When I lived in southern Spain they were even worse. Horrible things. Even the dogs hate them!
I think ticks are going to be bad all over this year with the temps rising in many places. I grew up in a rural area and we were always getting ticks off our poor dogs. Never made them sick though. Glad you found the one on your grandson.
English guy living in Florida past 20 years, never seen one in Uk but we live in the woods here & had lots on me, once attached & removed, the sore lasts for week & weeks, I once had the tiniest of ticks on my perineum & had to squat over a mirror with a pair of tweezers, you can picture the scene, I’m sure, took at least 5 minutes to get the sucker & brought blood!!!
I'm sure they are really thick out in the woods. Especially here in Florida where foliage is so plentiful. (Maybe with all the building going on lately it will cut down the tick population. )Bad in town too. I've heard we are supposed to have a super hot summer this year in Florida. Do you think that makes them worse? I did read they are spreading more up north along the Eastern coast. Oh my you had quite the time getting that tick out. 😳 Not at all funny but you must be somewhat of a contortionist. ☺ The tiny ones are hard to spot. Take care.
Yes it was so funny, waited till my wife went to bed & had a flashlight sitting on the mirror, so I could see lolDon’t think the heat makes any difference, I’m surrounded by woods & I know if I go out there I’m going to get one if not more, just been out watering & had one crawling up my leg, it’s just apart of life around here, just glad lime Disease isn’t rife here
I think Lyme disease is on the upswing here in Florida. One of the reasons I posted about it. It is more common in North Florida and North central Florida but seems to be spreading to the rest of the state. Brown recluse spiders are not indigenous to Florida. They made their way here via people who moved here from other states where the spider lives. So I would imagine ticks might hitch a ride too. On animals and people both who migrate. Nonetheless they are still scary nasty creatures that I can't think serve any purpose. Other than to make some people ill. ☹️I guess you didn't wake your wife up😂.
I retired 9 years ago and one month later had lyme disease. It is awful and the after effects have resulted with heart problems, aFib and eye problems. Please check yourself after coming inside if you are in a wooded area or taking walks in long grasses!
I wonder how many species of ticks there are. Here is South Africa we have plenty, and humans contract Tick bite fever and dogs Biliary Fever, both of which although unpleasant are treated successfully with appropriate antibiotics. Dogs if not caught early require blood transfusions. There are the occasional cases of Congo fever from a particular type of tick, but I have never heard of anyone with Lyme's Disease, and I was involved in working trials with my GSDs and we had to track for fairly long distances through undergrowth and bush.
850 species around the world. 90 in the USA. Two can cause Lyme disease here. The deer tick and western black legged tick cause Lyme disease here. Others can cause other illnesses. With that many species I would think you'd have Lyme disease there too. Maybe not as much? 🤔 Any illnesses from ticks is bad.Take care and be safe.
Thank you, I had a look to see what good old Uncle Google had to say, but it just said that ;"The status of Lyme disease in South Africa is unknown but with the number of ticks and hosts, it must exist'. I found it surprising that the researchers here, who are very good (cue Omicron variant) have not expended more time on the condition.
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New to all this! Meds/supplements advice much appreciated
Follow up after ablation and endurance test
Hawthorn and Apixaban?
