Ticks - deal with it!

"Clean the tick bite out with soup, water and rubbing alcohol." Huh? I'm thinking you meant soap Dave. This is a good article. Thanks for the information and hope you don't have any more run-ins with ticks.

 

When it comes to Lyme, there is much that is not understood. Sadly, ticks aren't the only way to get lymes, masquito bites or any exchange of bodily fluid by a person (loved ones beware)with lymes can give you the disease. Andonce you have the little bugs have fun getting rid of them. When treated with most antibiotics the bugs will hide in your spinal fluid until they attack again. Most attacks happen when there is a change in the barometric pressure, storms and weather changes. I've been treating my Lyme with a combo of samento and noni extracts. It's very important to read read read and then learn more. Some experts find 1 in 4 people suffer from the bugs but aren't aware because of false negatives. And that there are a lot of commen and some severe ailments that result from lyme. Chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, crones disease, and more can be attributed to lymes. Damn those bugs!!!!

 

Five years ago this week I got out of the doctors office my prescription of Doxycycline in hand and cruised over to the CVS as quickly as possible. With chills, pains, a headache and aches all over my body including my sternum (felt like a heart attack) I didn't know what the hell was going on. My doctor diagnosed me with Lyme disease even before he ordered the blood work. I never thought of Lyme because I never had the red bulls-eye rash commonly associated with the disease. He explained it was better to get on the antibiotics as soon as possible rather than wait the three days or more for the results. The way I felt he could have told me I was pregnant and I would have believed him.

After three weeks of Doxycyclin I felt great. The tests never immediately proved I had Lyme disease until a year later. Even once treated, it stays with you. Hope my future health insurance companies doesn't read this.

In my case I was lucky enough to probably have had it treated early and I have not had any problems since then. I still figure I got bitten by the deer tick in my own sparsely wooded backyard where I dump my lawn and yard clippings. I live in a neighborhood frequented by plenty of deer and the mild winter that year contributed to my situation.

This year was one of the mildest winter we have had in decades and the with full-on buzz of global warming in the air the ticks are bound to be in party mode early.

It seems that the Blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis) or more commonly known around our parts as the Deer tick is pretty widely spread along the east coast. This is the little bugger that spreads Lyme disease. The larger American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) is more commonly found on humans and pets, but is still responsible for Rocky Mountain spotted fever and other fun diseases. As it turns there are a few lesser know ticks across the country for all enjoy as well. Yippeee!

Deal with it!
• Use repellents of Permethrin or DEET 20% before heading out into the woods, streams or backyard. Careful as DEET can degrade or ruin you fly lines. Permethrin tastes better if you miss your face too. (Import to use Permethrin and DEET as directed.)

• Bath and clean your cloths throughly after spending time in tick infested areas (TIA). I guess as it turns out for me anywhere outside past my back door classifies as a TIA, but do come over it's a nice place.

• Use tweezers to glasp the tick at it's head to remove carefully and completely. Clean the tick bite out with soap, water and rubbing alcohol. Don't bother with matches, vaseline or other medieval remedies for removing ticks they don't work. Just ask my dog.

• If you experience aches, pains, fevers, chills and the commonly seen red bulls-eye rash, get to a doctor immediately. I know this may sound like Monday morning to most, it is combination of symptoms that will be the true tell.

The CDC has a very comprehensive website that should be reviewed for all the best ways to prevent, remove and get educated on ticks. Not to rag on you like you mom or something, but lyme left untreated can be a pretty rough patch to get cleared up.

 

I am in the woods A LOT for work and am always covered in ticks....until I found the greatest tick repellant ever. It's called Dr Ben's cedar oil spray. It's all natural so you don't have to worry about all the problems associated with chemical repellents (and it makes you smell like you just climbed out of a cedar box. Not only does it repel the ticks (and other insects) but it kills the ticks on contact VERY quickly. Another bonus is that because of the natural smell, it does not spook deer. Anyone who deals with ticks, do yourself a favor and grab a bottle.

 

I am in the woods A LOT for work and am always covered in ticks....until I found the greatest tick repellant ever. It's called Dr Ben's cedar oil spray. It's all natural so you don't have to worry about all the problems associated with chemical repellents (and it makes you smell like you just climbed out of a cedar box. Not only does it repel the ticks (and other insects) but it kills the ticks on contact VERY quickly. Another bonus is that because of the natural smell, it does not spook deer. Anyone who deals with ticks, do yourself a favor and grab a bottle.

 

I am in the woods A LOT for work and am always covered in ticks....until I found the greatest tick repellant ever. It's called Dr Ben's cedar oil spray. It's all natural so you don't have to worry about all the problems associated with chemical repellents (and it makes you smell like you just climbed out of a cedar box. Not only does it repel the ticks (and other insects) but it kills the ticks on contact VERY quickly. Another bonus is that because of the natural smell, it does not spook deer. Anyone who deals with ticks, do yourself a favor and grab a bottle.

 

"This year was one of the mildest winter we have had in decades and the with full-on buzz of global warming in the air the ticks are bound to be in party mode early."

Huh? This was the coldest winter we have had in a few years and last year was certainly much milder...

Anyway, good article and good things to be aware of being that us fisherman spend so much time outside. Getting lyme is one of my biggest worries being outside frequently. I wear my breathable waders as full on chest waders rather than letting everything from the waist up dangle down from the wading belt in an effort to try to keep the ticks out. I probably look silly on small water wearing full on chesties but its worth it to keep those little buggers out.

Great article Dave, thanks

 

"This year was one of the mildest winter we have had in decades and the with full-on buzz of global warming in the air the ticks are bound to be in party mode early."

Huh? This was the coldest winter we have had in a few years and last year was certainly much milder...

Anyway, good article and good things to be aware of being that us fisherman spend so much time outside. Getting lyme is one of my biggest worries being outside frequently. I wear my breathable waders as full on chest waders rather than letting everything from the waist up dangle down from the wading belt in an effort to try to keep the ticks out. I probably look silly on small water wearing full on chesties but its worth it to keep those little buggers out.

Great article Dave, thanks

 

"This year was one of the mildest winter we have had in decades and the with full-on buzz of global warming in the air the ticks are bound to be in party mode early."

Huh? This was the coldest winter we have had in a few years and last year was certainly much milder...

Anyway, good article and good things to be aware of being that us fisherman spend so much time outside. Getting lyme is one of my biggest worries being outside frequently. I wear my breathable waders as full on chest waders rather than letting everything from the waist up dangle down from the wading belt in an effort to try to keep the ticks out. I probably look silly on small water wearing full on chesties but its worth it to keep those little buggers out.

Great article Dave, thanks