View Full Version : Lymes Caution
We are up on the mountains in southeast Rockbridge Co. (and north eastern Botetourt Co.) most every weekend for at least one day, and for the last month, all weekend. The area runs from roughly from Cornelius Creek-Bryant's Ridge area north to Punchbowl. This last weekend, I was out without bug spray (mushroom, 'sparagus and ramp hunting) and came back covered with ticks. BAD ME!
Yesterday I learned from the vet that this is a terrible tick season in our area and the positive Lymes tests are on the rise. She had 2 positives just yesterday, the dogs are from the area I describe above.
So, all who come through here beware and be more careful than I was about insect repellent and all the other precautions we should take.
Frau (scratchin' all all these tick bites like an old dawg :o)
orangebug
05-09-2008, 07:36
Did your doctor do anything for you post exposure?
I had Lymes several years ago, so I rely on the not-altogether-reliable bulls-eye symptom to determine whether I go to the doctor's or not. I keep an eye on the bites and my energy level.
Nessmuk treated my gaiters with permethrin (sp?) yesterday so I have no excuse not to spray up for this weekend an the rest of the season. I know of no person who uses as much OFF as do I.
I am exposed to ticks SO much that I would have to take doxycylline all summer, to use it prophylactically :(.
Fr.
sofaking
05-09-2008, 11:58
deer ticks (lil bastards!) or wood ticks?
orangebug
05-09-2008, 12:42
And you may have immunity from prior illness.
Both deer ticks and wood ticks. I am so paranoid about the teensy ones. Seems no matter how hard I look for them, I miss one or two.
Immunity would be a blessing. I wonder if there have been any studies done on that? Google have have some info for me on that.
Fr.
Stony Brook University Medical Center info says that there has not been sufficient research to know whether immunity develops by exposure over time.
I can only hope. Now i want to know how big the nymphs are.
Fr.
KnowledgeEngine
05-09-2008, 14:53
I think it is going to be a horrible tick year everywhere near me.
I always wear long hiking pants & long sleeve hiking shirt, then apply 100% deet to my socks, ankles, and pant cuffs. Sometimes even the tounge of the shoe. Also do my forearm, and shirt cuffs, back of hand, back of neck, and my lower face. Then I wear a camo bucket hat over that.
Been out 4 times so far, and not a single tick bite yet
sofaking
05-09-2008, 14:56
I think it is going to be a horrible tick year everywhere near me.
I always wear long hiking pants & long sleeve hiking shirt, then apply 100% deet to my socks, ankles, and pant cuffs. Sometimes even the tounge of the shoe. Also do my forearm, and shirt cuffs, back of hand, back of neck, and my lower face. Then I wear a camo bucket hat over that.
Been out 4 times so far, and not a single tick bite yet
be careful with deet on synthetics. better to use permethrin, it's designed for use on clothing and gear.
KnowledgeEngine
05-09-2008, 15:11
I just wish the FDA would allow a high concentration of permethrin for consumer use. That and picardin. Would buy picardin or other alternative repellents if they were certified for higher concentrations.
I like the treatments where I can say "If I was a bug, I would approach this person like a life or death situation. I fly away I live, I get too close I die a horrible death." (I know deet is just a repellent, but that is how I want the bugs to be thinking anyways)
sofaking
05-09-2008, 15:15
I just wish the FDA would allow a high concentration of permethrin for consumer use. That and picardin. Would buy picardin or other alternative repellents if they were certified for higher concentrations.
I like the treatments where I can say "If I was a bug, I would approach this person like a life or death situation. I fly away I live, I get too close I die a horrible death." (I know deet is just a repellent, but that is how I want the bugs to be thinking anyways)
um, okay...
Just came back in after a few hours out. Was a good girl and had on the short permethrin gaiters, long pants, tucked in top. I FOUND the troublesome location this time. Everywhere I went I thoroughly checked my pants and shirt for ticks, and only found the buggers after the last asparagus stop. Walked through the same type of grass each time, but the last area was awash with both kinds of ticks. I picked ten off the britches.
The dog was frontlined Tuesday, so hopefully between the two of us, we have defeated the rascals tonight. I have only seen the deer ticks this bad once before, in 2006.
How did they do this in the old days? By that I mean WAY before I came along. I can recall a tick having escaped from our Schnauzer, sometime in the late 60s, and laying eggs in the wall right next to the dog's bed. My dad picked ticks off the dog with tweezers for several months. The dog was dipped every three weeks religiously, in those days before frontline.
Oh how I wish they had some sort of Frontline for humans! I have heard there used to be a similar product but that the cure was worse than the pest.
Frau (who ought to change her trail name to Tick Woman);)
Blissful
05-09-2008, 23:02
I was in my garden the other day and pulled two dog ticks out of my hair. One was starting to go for my scalp. Ugh.
Pokey2006
05-09-2008, 23:05
I am never bothered by ticks, but the other day I emerged from a field with around a dozen on my pant legs. I couldn't believe there were so many. So, apparently it's a bad tick season up here, too.
It amazes me how skeeters, gnats and ticks seem to go for certain folks and not for others. Gnats will swarm around my head and I look at Nessmuk and find NONE near him.
Worse is the concommittant paranoia which has me measuring every tired moment or feeling of POSSIBLE g.i. upset for signs of Lymes. The worry is almost more troublesome than the itch.
Tick Magnet
(aka Frau)
StarLyte
05-10-2008, 07:29
Frau, I can relate to this.
I am truly a bug magnet and I carry this type of DEET (http://www.pestproducts.com/DEET_insect_repellent.htm) with me. The container is tiny and very lightweight. I completely know the dangers of DEET so don't feel you have to remind ;)
Ticks are nasty little thangs and I almost dread searching my body for them after a hike, even locally here in Cleveland.
Being prepared. But then...you can't carry everything in your pack.
4eyedbuzzard
05-10-2008, 09:11
On this note...
I was in LL Bean the other with a $20 gift card that's been burning a hole in my pocket, and figured I'd buy a couple pair of merino wool socks. They were $12 a pair or something like that for the plain ones, or a two pack of permethrin treated ones for $21. As I selected the treated ones the sales girl was warning me about the dangers of permethrin and trying to get me to buy untreated. All the while I'm thinking, possible permethrin reaction vs lyme(or other tick born) disease. I'll take my chances with the possibility of a reaction. I'm either buying treated or spraying existing clothing and gear.
DEET, permerthrin, polypropelene, nylon, isobutane, titanium... gosh it's good to get out and enjoy nature :rolleyes: :D
Whenever I handle that treated clothing it makes my lips numb. Allergic response I figure.
Anyone else have this reaction?
I have several partial containers of Sawyers Maxi-Deet lying around (we find it at WalMart). We finally found larger sizes at Sportsmans Warehouse. We go through it so fast that we need a big, non-spray refill bottle to pour into the little spray bottles once a week.
My favorite is still OFF, because, shame on me, I like the aerosol. I did get a small squirt bottle of OFF for this season (along with everything else in the insect repellent dept.). I just squirt on whatever I have handy.
Hands down, regardless of the 'dangers' of DEET, I use it. Having had Lymes once, I am not eager for a second chance at it.
Went out today up on Aple Orchard Mt., with the tall, treated gaiters, and saw not one tick. HURRAY! Did see the ridge runners painting white.
Fr.
I haven't tried the Bozz Off or other treated clothing. It is pricey. I haven't had any adverse reactions to any of the repellents so far, knock wood.
Fr.
HAHA, Buzz Off, of course.;)
Fr.
a good vet would tell you that it'll most likely take over 48 hours to infect you w/ lymes. so you got 2 days to find em :D
I was at Wal-Mart today and they had Permethrin on sale, $5.00 is the normal price, it was on sale for $2.99, I bought 5 more cans of it.