Thousands of patients will contract Lyme disease this year, GPs warned

[Clutter]

GPs must consider Lyme disease in patients with bull's-eye rash or if they become unwell following a tick bite, campaigners have warned as modelling suggests the disease is set to reach epidemic levels.

Continued in gponline.com/thousands-pati...

[stiltzski]

Thanks for the very useful post, Clutter. My son's girlfriend has just had her blood tested in a German lab and it's been confirmed that she has Lyme Disease. She got bitten by a tick 13 years ago but did not get the classic bullseye, so people should not assume they do not have Lyme if they get bitten by a tick and do not have a skin reaction as apparently 50% don't. Also ticks with the Lyme bacteria are far more prevalent in the UK than once thought. Holly has suffered with symptoms all these years but refused the usual GP diagnoses: ME, CFS, anxiety etc. She is now an avid campaigner for awareness of Lyme Disease. It would be great if members could spread the word to prevent a possible epidemic of Lyme.

[loueldhen]

My mother in law picked up one in her scalp doing gardening in France. Under her hair but hard to see. It resulted in what I can only describe as a hole in her head and several days in hospital for intravenous antibiotics and several weeks of illness. She wears a hat when gardening now.

[Clutter in reply to loueldhen]

Loueldhen,

Was it dropped by a bird or do ticks jump? I thought they were picked up from grass.

[loueldhen in reply to Clutter]

There were tall grass weeds in her rockery and it is on a slope so i presume she had her head in them. She didn't spot it for about three weeks. Despite all that hair combing/washing/products etc. Horrid things.

[ITYFIALMCTT]

I'm not entirely sure how this is supposed to work but we've had common areas fenced off so that dog owners (nor anyone else) can walk there as so many dogs have picked up ticks there.

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More info here:

lymediseaseuk.com/

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It might sound daft but I had always walked miles out in the countryside in the UK. Now in France and still walking I have always covered up. i.e. thin long sleeved T shirt in summer with boots and socks plus long trousers others wear short sleeves and shorts etc but not me.

I have a friend with Lyme's she was bitten in France a few years ago it's a horrible thing to have.