Possible Tick Illness

[bigtrouble77]

I got bit by a deer tick in Brendan T. Byrne State Forest a month and a half ago. I also had some other mysterious bites that reacted the same way.

I have since been dealing with extreme fatigue and other minor symptoms (muscle soreness, skin tingling all over). It has been a very difficult month and a half.

I've come back negative for everything so far (including lymes twice). Will be tested for mono and cytomegalovirus tomorrow.

Are there any other things I should be tested for? I'm obviously addressing the other 'non-bite' related tests, but they've all come back fine. I'm also halfway through my antibiotic without much improvement.

Just hoping someone here may have some suggestions.

Thanks,
-bob

 

[Sue Gremlin]

The big ones besides Lyme disease that you can possibly get in NJ are
Rocky mountain spotted fever
ehrlichiosis
babesiosis

Who are you seeing about this? You have symptoms, so you know something is in there. Don't mess around with anyone other than an infectious disease guy. At least, that's what I would do. Do you know what tests were run?

Here's a pretty well written brochure on the subject
http://www.twp.freehold.nj.us/tbde/...es_publications/tickborn_disease_brochure.pdf

 

[Teegate]

Sue always points us in the right direction, so follow what she says and go to the proper doctor. Don't mess around, do something else now and keep us informed. I saw a show on TV where a woman had those symptoms for a year, and when visiting France a woman she met had the same symptoms and it was Lyme. The woman in the show returned and had other test and it was confirmed that all previous test were not accurately diagnosing her problem.


Guy

 

[bigtrouble77]

I appreciate the response. I'm just seeing my general practitioner right now. He's taking the approach that it's about 50% likely from the bite. Lymes has been run twice, ran the general blood test, thyroid test(family history) and some others for more common issues. Really, the lymes is the only tick related one so far. I've come across the other 3 tick ones mentioned above, but I'm not certain that my tests would have covered them. I'm also taking amoxocillin so I'm hoping that that antibiotic would be used for those other possible infections as well.

Can anyone recommend a good infectious disease guy around the Mount Laurel area? I'll definitely start looking tomorrow. I'm at the point where I need to be extremely proactive about this, it's juat interfering too much with my life.

Thanks,
-bob

 

[foofoo]

thyroid isint suposed to be family related. i have been bitten by probably way over 100 ticks in my life time and have no problems. im an avid hunter-fisherman and outdoors person.are you a worry wart. my buddy once ran to the hospital for a normal tick bite . he is a worry wart and is more than fine today. just trying to give you another opinion.

 

[bigtrouble77]

are you a worry wart.

Not really. I will say, when my symptoms are really bad I do get frustrated but this is not something I'm doing to myself.

 

[46er]

The Lyme Disease Association located in Jackson offers a physician referral service. There is no charge, but you have to register to use it. See the link. Good luck.

http://www.lymediseaseassociation.org/referral/LogIn.php

 

[bobpbx]

..are you a worry wart.

That's pretty blunt of you foofoo. You're not inside his skin, so you really have no idea what he's going through.

 

[bigtrouble77]

That's pretty blunt of you foofoo. You're not inside his skin, so you really have no idea what he's going through.

It's ok, I've gotten used to it. Just about everyone has asked me it at some point.

 

[Sue Gremlin]

thyroid isint suposed to be family related. i have been bitten by probably way over 100 ticks in my life time and have no problems. im an avid hunter-fisherman and outdoors person.are you a worry wart. my buddy once ran to the hospital for a normal tick bite . he is a worry wart and is more than fine today. just trying to give you another opinion.

Dude.

 

[Aaron]

If your gut is telling you its related to your tick bite, then don't give up. Medical pros making misdiagnosis are not to uncommon, they call it practicing medicine for a reason.

You could also give a call to the State of New Jersey;s Family health line, they wont know the info but they can put you in contact with people that can help you

1-800-328-3838 If you call and they cant help you PM me and ill tell you who to ask for and such

http://www.state.nj.us/health/fhs/primarycare/health_line.shtml

 

[bigtrouble77]

I appreciate all of the support. I have an infectious disease group nearby that I plan to call monday morning. I'm going to obviously try and get in there asap.

This morning I woke up feeling terrible, I probably overdid it yesterday. I'm also going to call my doc monday and add babesiosis to the Quest script. I have every symptom except the nausea.

I still believe it's tick related due to the circumstantial timing, so I'm going to keep going this route aggressively. I just found one soft, swollen lymph node yesterday on my arm so I'm not sure if that means anything.

Anyway, I'll keep you all updated, this is a nice release for me.

-bob

 

[Sue Gremlin]

I do hope you get to the bottom of this as soon as you can, Bob. I will be looking forward to your updates.

 

[foofoo]

That's pretty blunt of you foofoo. You're not inside his skin, so you really have no idea what he's going through.

thats why i asked if they are the worrying type. my buddy is the type as well as one guy i work with. anxiety can take over in some situations. nothing wrong with that. not saying its made up either. i have hypo- thyroid and my doc told me its not family related even though my mother had it too. thinking back i probably had the disease most of my life but didnt get diagnosed til in my mid 20-s so i have experience in wondering if something isint right. that disease will make you tired and at times make you feel like your poo. i know a guy that has lyme disease and his joints would swell. i was actually trying to give a little hope and reason if your read into what i said. sorry if you took things the wrong way. i hope they figure it out and i hope its not lyme disease or any disease for that matter.

 

[bobpbx]

thats why i asked if they are the worrying type. my buddy is the type as well as one guy i work with. anxiety can take over in some situations. nothing wrong with that. not saying its made up either. i have hypo- thyroid and my doc told me its not family related even though my mother had it too. thinking back i probably had the disease most of my life but didnt get diagnosed til in my mid 20-s so i have experience in wondering if something isint right. that disease will make you tired and at times make you feel like your poo. i know a guy that has lyme disease and his joints would swell. i was actually trying to give a little hope and reason if your read into what i said. sorry if you took things the wrong way. i hope they figure it out and i hope its not lyme disease or any disease for that matter.

Okay. Thanks for the explanation. I understand you better now. Anxiety definitely can aggravate situations.

 

[subkron]

Don't use the negative results of the lyme tests as a means to discount lyme (or any other tickborne illness). The tests are known to be very inaccurrate and perhaps an appropriate clinical diagnosis is best based on symptoms. You should hit the check out the referral info from "46er" since those physicians are lyme literate.

I would also recomend visiting the ilads.org site to get more information on lyme and its treatment.

 

[PancoastDrifter]

Dr. Joe Jemsek (www.jemsekspecialty.com) discusses the controversy surrounding Lyme disease and what action needs to be taken to provide patients with better care.

 

[bigtrouble77]

Just a quick update... I'm still not totally recovered, but i'd say I'm around 80%. I've had tons of tests done (including a chest xray) and everything has come back negative or perfectly ordinary. I've been tested for every common tick borne illness in NJ and they've all come back negative.

My doctor thinks I have an undetected virus that my body is fighting. My stomach is still unusually upset, something I thought was due to the antibiotics (but it's continued weeks after taking them). My muscles and tendons are still a bit sore, but nothing like before.

So my current hypothesis is that it's a stomach virus that I probably contracted from one of the six tick bites I got. But in reality it could be from just about anything. Just hoping this doesn't linger too long. I was scheduled (and paid for) to run a couple marathons this year so I'm really disappointed that's not going to happen.

Anyway, thanks again for the support and reading material, it's all been very helpful.

-bob

 

[Teegate]

Glad you are feeling better. How much does it cost to run a marathon? Maybe a doctors note can get you your money back.

Guy

 

[Sue Gremlin]

good news that you are on the mend. I don't think you have a stomach virus from a tick bite, but what I think doesn't matter. The important thing is that you are feeling better.