Lyme Disease

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I know it’s a little late in the season for this warning, but I just wanted to remind everyone keep an eye out for ticks. I brought this up to Steve in another thread and he made the point that I should warn everyone. I contracted Lyme Disease when I was around 15 years old, from playing baseball and not from landscaping like every doctor I see seems to blame it on, and have never gotten rid of it. I went a few months without a diagnosis which I believe is the main reason for me not being able to get rid of the Lyme. There is a lot of controversy with this disease, and some people seem to think that you never really get rid of it, that you put it into remission. I have a whole story and really don’t want to bore everyone with the lengthy details but basically if you get bitten by a tick, go straight to the Dr and have them put you on Antibiotics (a 3 week course) so the disease doesn’t have a chance to make its way into your system. Because if it gets hold and you wait until you get symptoms then it may already be too late, I spend every day with at least one bad head ache, joint pain and constant fatigue, just to name the consistent problems, I wake up in the morning feeling like I’m an old man and get winded walking up a flight of stairs. I also have some less persistent issues with nausea and memory problems. I have been treated numerous times with oral Antibiotics to a point that I had to be treated with a 30day course of Intravenous Antibiotics because the Lyme develops an immunity to the meds and each time you need get treatment you need to go to the next level of medication. From here out I was told that I don’t have “Active Lyme” that I now have “Post Lyme Disease Syndrome” and that I will deal with the same symptoms for an unknown amount of time (days, months, years) until I stop having these symptoms no treatment just basically live with it. So keep your eyes out, and the other thing is that if you don’t get Lyme Disease, you can also get co-infections which are carried through the tick’s saliva. If you don’t find a tick, which a lot of people don’t due to their size, look out for a rash or flu-like symptoms. I was told that in the northeast spring and fall are the worst times for ticks and also that if it doesn’t get cold enough, winter is also an issue so I guess that pertains to you guys form the south. I have seen soo many doctors and done a lot of research on my own, I have lived with this for over 10 years so sometimes I feel like I know more than some doctors. If you guys have any questions or problems let me know. And also, if you have had Lyme this doesn’t mean that your immune like chicken pox.

[Steve]

Lawn care business tips

Very informative post. Thank you! And also, if you have had Lyme this doesn’t mean that your immune like chicken pox. Do you mean you can get it over and over again? Also, now that you are more aware, looking back, what do you think you would have done differently? I know you said you would like to have gotten treated earlier, but does anything stand out that should have helped you get treated that you initially dismissed and didn't think about it?

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Yes, you can get Lyme Disease over and over again. Apparently there are numerous strands and if you get bitten by a tick with a different strand that you previously had then you will get that strand of Lyme Disease again. Basically there are no immunities and no vaccinations. It would be great if it were like Spider Man and I got special powers now right? There isn’t really much I could of done back then, they didn’t know as much about the disease as they do now, which still isn’t much, so I don’t know if there was anything I could of done. There was a delay in treatment basically because they didn’t diagnose it as Lyme right away, so I think my hands were tied. Now there are no delays, for those of us that live in the northeast, if you go to the dr with one of the symptoms they immediately test you for Lyme, back then they tested me for everything else first.

[Steve]

Now there are no delays, for those of us that live in the northeast, if you go to the dr with one of the symptoms they immediately test you for Lyme, back then they tested me for everything else first.

In case your doctor doesn't think of it, I guess it never hurts to tell the doctor that you are in the lawn care industry and ask might it be lyme disease.

[Upscale2]

As facc said you never get rid of it. I spent 3 years with all
Of the symptoms he described and then some. Went to my doctor, an infectious disease doctor and a Lyme specialist. Took meds for over 2 years.

Don't take Lyme lightly, it can ruin you life.

With that being said, I found an alternative treatment that worked for me and feel great again.

Good luck to all.

[Steve]

Went to my doctor, an infectious disease doctor and a Lyme specialist. Took meds for over 2 years.

So even after those 2 years, the medication didnt do much help?

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Upscale 2,
What kind of alternative treatment are we talking about, I’m interested to hear what worked for someone else. My infectious disease dr mentioned that I should take a probiotic every day in an attempt to build up my immune system along with a better diet. Due to all the antibiotics I feel like I don’t have an immune system at all. Other than that, I drink a homemade smoothie with tons of fruit, powdered protein and a shot of wheat grass every morning for energy.

[jasonw]

A good thing to note for those of us out west. There is a great decrease in cases within the range of Scloporuse occidentalis, Now that does not mean you wont get it but chances are if you see the little buggers running around your pretty safe.