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  1. #1
    Registered User Elmer's Avatar
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    Question Lyme Disease in general

    Hey All.... recently got diagnosed with Lyme Disease from general camping (not near the AT). I'm just finishing up the antibiotics and gonna make a follow-up with my MD...I think I caught it right away but still knocked me down on the couch for a few days. Anyone have any insight, experiences and such? Just kinda looking for info from real-life people, ya know?
    Thanks!

  2. #2
    Registered User BigToe's Avatar
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    Default Lyme Disease book

    Hi mtbest,

    I live and hike a lot in New Jersey right in the midst of one of the worst Lyme areas. I've had it, my son has had it, my dog has had it. Many of my neighbors and friends have had it.

    A good friend got it many years ago before it was well characterized/diagnosed and she suffered significantly. She developed heart problems and at one point was blind. However this was because she wasn't diagnosed for at least ten years after onset.

    Generally what I have seen is that with a good course of antibiotic therapy early on the symptoms disappear. There is some controversy over the persistence of the spirochette after infection but nobody I know has had problems after early antibiotic therapy.

    I've read a lot about it over the years and in fact am just finishing a new book "Cure Unknown: Inside The Lyme Epidemic" by Pamela Weintraub. It's the most in depth treatment I've read - a little scary but being well informed is the best defense.

    I'm glad to hear you recovered so quickly. Don't let it keep you out of the woods. I was fearful for a lot of years and have just decided to be aware but not afraid.
    BigToe
    Men have become the tools of their tools.

  3. #3
    Registered User Just Plain Jim's Avatar
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    Question What a summer

    I hiked the SNP back in 2006 and caught the little devil. Being from Alabama, we had no idea what was happening to me. It took the doctor 15 vials of my [precious] blood and my wifes insistance to discover that I had a bad case of Lymes disease.
    Let me think...fever, chills, Bells Palsy, loss of appetite, loss of sleep, loss of 20 lbs. double vision.

    3 weeks of medication and finally [sort of] back to noral.

  4. #4
    Registered User Just Plain Jim's Avatar
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    [quote=Just Plain Jim;692153]I hiked the SNP back in 2006 and caught the little devil. Being from Alabama, we had no idea what was happening to me. It took the doctor 15 vials of my [precious] blood and my wifes insistance to discover that I had a bad case of Lymes disease.
    Let me think...fever, chills, Bells Palsy, loss of appetite, loss of sleep, loss of 20 lbs. double vision.

    3 weeks of medication and finally [sort of] back to normal.

  5. #5
    Addicted Hiker and Donating Member Hammock Hanger's Avatar
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    I had a really bad case of it back in 2002, was hospitalized for 4 days. It knocked the crap out of me. I had a number of issues for a few months but gradually got back to my normal self, sort of.

    Occasionally I get an area on either of my arms that feels like I am being bitten by red ants. It hurts like hell and I scratch at it until I bleed. NO topical ointment will help.

    The Dr says it has to do with the nerves not the skin and she seems to think it is related to the Lyme. It comes and goes every year for a month or two. This year I have had it since May and I am going insane with it some nights, when it seems to be the worse.
    Hammock Hanger -- Life is my journey and I'm surely not rushing to the "summit"...:D

    http://www.gcast.com/u/hammockhanger/main

  6. #6

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    Quote Originally Posted by mtbest View Post
    Hey All.... recently got diagnosed with Lyme Disease from general camping (not near the AT). I'm just finishing up the antibiotics and gonna make a follow-up with my MD...I think I caught it right away but still knocked me down on the couch for a few days. Anyone have any insight, experiences and such? Just kinda looking for info from real-life people, ya know?
    Thanks!
    I had heart block arrythmia and the hospital ran a lyme panel that came back negative. The doc said it's a common side effect of lyme. I'm not a fan of on-line medical help but make sure your health professionals know you are at a high risk of lyme.

  7. #7

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    My son and I each contracted Lyme's disease one year ago while hiking on the AT south of Harper's Ferry. I had Bell's Palsey and just felt like crap for a few days -- spent one night in the hospital while the doctors studied me to see if it indeed was Lyme's disease and not a stroke. My son's symptom were mostly flu-like. Started treatment early, as did my son, and neither of us has any noticeable symptoms. Seems if you catch it early enough, most of the horrible symptoms we hear about are prevented.
    good luck

  8. #8

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    [quote=Hammock Hanger;692183]I...Occasionally I get an area on either of my arms that feels like I am being bitten by red ants. It hurts like hell and I scratch at it until I bleed. NO topical ointment will help...[quote]
    I get the same thing, irritating as hell. Lyme Disease is a bi*ch.

  9. #9

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    I spent a week in the hospital because they were concerned that there was more to it than Lymes. I couldn’t walk, talk, and was so confused I couldn't even give the correct month. I had about 30 of the long list of symptoms. I was on iv antibiotics for 8 weeks, had to tape my eyes shut at night, and had to tape one eye shut during the day because of the double vision. It took a certain amount of stubbornness to get to this point, but luckily I haven't had it come back. The double vision took nearly 3 months and there was some concern it wouldn't go away. The scariest thing was being told I had inflamation around my optic nerve and that could cause blindness.

  10. #10
    Addicted Hiker and Donating Member Hammock Hanger's Avatar
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    [quote=john gault;692211][quote=Hammock Hanger;692183]I...Occasionally I get an area on either of my arms that feels like I am being bitten by red ants. It hurts like hell and I scratch at it until I bleed. NO topical ointment will help...
    I get the same thing, irritating as hell. Lyme Disease is a bi*ch.
    You too! Man it drives me nuts.

    Years ago I went out hiking and must have brought back a tick that liked my husband better, cause it crawled over to him. He wound up with Bell's Palsy and didn't even hike. He never let's me forget it either.
    Hammock Hanger -- Life is my journey and I'm surely not rushing to the "summit"...:D

    http://www.gcast.com/u/hammockhanger/main

  11. #11
    Registered User Elmer's Avatar
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    Wow. Thank you all for your input.....I feel terrible that you all suffered that bad though. I had all of the symptoms mentioned above with the exception of the vision problems and the "red ants". Most everything I had I could handle......except for the confusion. Even simple things like making a sandwich...ugh. But that part of it was very brief.
    Thank you all again for your replies....I greatly appreciate it.
    Not that this post has to end......I'm sure there's many more out there who would like to share.

  12. #12
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    I hate to be crass about having Lyme Disease BUT
    .
    .
    check with your doctor about any local testing laboratories that will pay you for your plasma (NOT blood) after you've been positively exposed. I got paid travel expenses plus $100 PER VISIT for such donations, and I could make donations twice a week. Basically, labs need your anti-bodies to ensure their test equipment is properly calibrated, and will gratefully pay you for giving them what they need. It's not a donation -- they're PAYING you for what you have and what they want.

    You'll be asked the same medical questions that one is asked prior to giving blood ("At any time in your life, have you ever had sex in exchange for money or drugs?"), so you may choose to avoid the questions and not go. Or you may already know you can't give blood or plasma. Or you may decide you just don't like being poked and drained for money. But if $100 for a couple hours of your time sounds good, ask your doctor.

  13. #13

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    Land of the Tick: home of the Plague.

  14. #14
    Just Hikin' Along
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    After having a severe case of Lyme's during the late spring of 2005 (while living in New Jersey), and taking medication for six weeks, I thought my problems were over. While my blood was being tested several days ago, for a completely unrelated problem, it was discovered that I either had been re-infected or else had a flare up from the original. The Western block test showed I'm heavily infected... again. Tomorrow I'm scheduled for an MRI and soon will have a lumbar puncture to test for the spread into brain and spinal areas.

    I've noticed a distinct weakness for the past month or so, but didn't attribute it to Lyme's. I just about got my feet back into shape and now this.


  15. #15
    Addicted Hiker and Donating Member Hammock Hanger's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Quoddy View Post
    After having a severe case of Lyme's during the late spring of 2005 (while living in New Jersey), and taking medication for six weeks, I thought my problems were over. While my blood was being tested several days ago, for a completely unrelated problem, it was discovered that I either had been re-infected or else had a flare up from the original. The Western block test showed I'm heavily infected... again. Tomorrow I'm scheduled for an MRI and soon will have a lumbar puncture to test for the spread into brain and spinal areas.

    I've noticed a distinct weakness for the past month or so, but didn't attribute it to Lyme's. I just about got my feet back into shape and now this.
    I had the lumbar puncture when I was in the hospital. It turned out o be painless... and it was good to know that all was clear. With some of the problemI was having the dr thought I may have Meningitis, this showed I didn't.
    Hammock Hanger -- Life is my journey and I'm surely not rushing to the "summit"...:D

    http://www.gcast.com/u/hammockhanger/main

  16. #16
    AT 4000+, LT, FHT, ALT Blissful's Avatar
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    Sorry to hear that - hope it's now knocked out of you. I had a test for it a few weeks ago that came up negative.







    Hiking Blog
    AT NOBO and SOBO, LT, FHT, ALT
    Shenandoah NP Ridgerunner, Author, Speaker


  17. #17
    Lifetime Wanderer fishinfred's Avatar
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    Default Dang Tick got me too this year...

    I got bit in late May (I think) near Manassas Gap (had 3 ticks on me when I did my nightly tick check ) ,had to come home for a family issue and just felt wiped out for a week ,then the BULLSEYE RASHS appeared.....I thought it was ringworm at first then after about 5 days the FEVER hit . I was totally out of it ...couldn't think straight,my daughter said I was slurring my speech ....she ended up taking me to emergency and they did all the tests and started me on the anti-biotics (28 days worth) ,my rashes disapeared within a day or so but EXTREME FATIGUE ,and confusion continued.Then I got sicker as soon as I finished the anti biotics for about a week .Went back to the Dr and she said I could be feeling this way for months ....well its been like 3 months + and I think I am finally getting better (more good days than bad) I'm even packing up to head up to Maine next week and will hopefully get a months worth of hiking in before the Gathering in Oct. - hopefully......
    IT DOES SUCK BIGTIME SO DEET UP OUT THERE !
    If you or anyone you know thinks you may have it or want to learn more about it there are some good posts here on WB on the subject of LYME DISEASE
    with photos of the rashes ,treatment etc. Great info that after reading I was about 99% sure what I had was LYME ,thanks to the folks who posted all the info !
    See ya out there!
    PEACE
    FISHINFRED

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  18. #18
    Registered User Elmer's Avatar
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    Wow......so my 21 days on antibiotics isn't gonna clean it up huh? Ugh. Not I know why I've been draggin more than usual.

  19. #19

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    Learn the symptoms using reliable sources. More than half the posts I have seen on this website regarding Lyme contain errors. It's a serious disease and you can't afford to be misinformed.

  20. #20
    Registered User Elmer's Avatar
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    Thanks Tater....I am going to make a follow-up appointment and have a long sit-down with the doc.
    I appreciate everyones input and sharing experiences. Better cautious than care-free sometimes I guess.

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