Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever...

[Wise Old Owl]

On the last week of March in Pennsylvania (2010) I contracted Rocky Mountain Spotted fever on the AT. The headaches, rashes, and pain in the joints of the feet are starting to clear up. This is a rare tick born disease, about 3000 get it annually. Has anyone else been though this?

[turtle fast]

It is quite rare. How fast did your doctor diagnose your symptoms? Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is not on the fore front of most physicians minds concerning the symptoms. Where in Pennsylvania were you hiking?

[sasquatch2014]

I had Erliciosis (sp) which was explained to me to be similar to spotted fever and it was not any fun only a second behind kidney stones in my history of illness.

[Wise Old Owl]

They didn't, in fact they diognosed my dad faster and then after hearing what happened to him I demanded the same test. I was hoping for a different result.

[HiKen2011]

When I was a young boy, around 14 a good friend of mine who lived 6 miles up the road got it. He was only 11 yrs old at the time and had a very difficult time with it. He almost died. Was in the hospital for about a month, packed in ice with a very high fever. He eventually recovered and is doing fine today. Very scary at the time though!!!!!!!!

Dtour

[Wise Old Owl]

Yea It is scary, but I never got the fever in fact it was more like night sweats or flashes.

[Wonder]

A friend of mine got it south of Hot Springs in 2006......we didn't even think he was going to make it!!! We all had to stay holed up in HS until we found out if he had meningitis! I hope you get better really soon!

[Wise Old Owl]

Thanks Wonder, saw your dad today, he is happy about something... As for me its one day at a time.... the headaches continue and the medicine is the best.

[K2]

I hope you and your dad feel tip-top soon. When I was a child, I heard a lot more about it than I do now. Usually the one affected was in "critical condition." I guess treatment has improve since then, not that I'm old, he-he. K2

[Wise Old Owl]

You are funny we are less than 1 year apart and yes YOU are OLD!

However, I appreciate the good will, dad is paralized for an hour each morning... He is 70+ and I am worried his hikin days are over.

I would loose the best hikin partner ever.

[turtle fast]

Wise old owl you had to demand the test? Wow. I hope that doctor felt like an idiot.
Where were you hiking in Pennsylvania?

[Wise Old Owl]

Yes and the primary doctor just wanted to send me to the hospital without the test. The infectious disease doctor would have kept me there for five days while waiting for the result... That didn't fly with me so I went to a previous doctor that was primary in the 90's and he took a different more intelligent approch.

Yes this was the AT in PA. (Pinnicle & Pulpit)

[Wise Old Owl]

OK Here we are .... I now have relief from most of the symptoms after three weeks of the drug. I clearly still don't feel like hiking. But I am better. Rugby my Lab is rambunctious every time I reach for my hiking boots.

[kayak karl]

my son got it in NJ. was treated at Penn State. he also had all 10 bars of Lymes. it been a long year and a half.

[Connie]

Wise Old Owl,

In Montana, my mom and dad said people check each other all over. I wear tight fitting ankles of my pants, and stretch gaiters in tick-country. I absolutely do not go in known Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever areas, I am so afraid of it. I am glad you and your dad found treatment.

How much exposure time was it? Do you know?

I mean, do you have any idea how much time the ticks were on you? All day? More?

I am asking, because I have heard it takes some time for the infection to be transmitted. Maybe wrong information.

[Wise Old Owl]

Exposure was no more than a five hour hike up to the top & back. I have picked off ticks in less than half an hour... This time I did not see them and or knew I was in trouble till two weeks later.

I usually look for rashes each night - didn't see anything.

[Connie]

Oh man, that is sneaky.

I hope you dad improves. Are you feeling any better?

[K2]

I am not old Sonny, but is that a way to talk to your elders? (smiley face)



I hope you feel better too. K2

[Wise Old Owl]

Thanks K2! 1 more week and I should be done....got to get back out there.

[Mrs Baggins]

Hmmmm...........our cats go in and out and our son has found ticks on his bed because one cat likes to sleep there all day (we washed all of the bedding and he keeps his door closed now). BUT..for about 2 weeks I had a ferociously itchy rash from my chest to my knees, skull cracking headaches for a couple of days, odd pains in my hips and feet. No fever, nothing else. I was taking Benadryl every night to keep the itching at bay so I could sleep. It's all clearing up now but I still don't know what caused it and I'm only allergic to things like nickel and spandex.....and they have never brought on symptoms like that. Could it have been a mild form of RMSF? I never found any ticks on me but I sometimes sleep on our guest bed (hubby snores) and the cats were sleeping there, too.