Ticks, how have you prevented/treated bites?

[Tahoegold]

It's tick season. Makes me cring just writing that. In the spring, it's the tiny nymphs that apearantly can even be blown onto you by the wind. They hang out on the tips of grass along the trail. Not all, but some carry diseases. Not just Lyme. I would like to start a discussion where:

1) Those that have been successful in preventing ticks on clothing and skin.

2) Those that have prevented becoming sick with medical treatment.

3) Those that know about treatment in the medical field.

4) Those living with an ailment from a tick bite.

I realize this last one may be hard for those that are ill from ticks. I am truly sorry for what has happened to you. Ticks may be the most dangerous critter we face outside. It would be a stark lesson for us all to hear your stories to encourage us all to use the best possible preventitive measures. Some folks need motivation (me included). At least, we could share our successes, our stories, and maybe have all the ways to do this right in one discussion. Maybe it could save someone from getting sick or even, save a life.
Ok, so, I have never been sick from a bite but have been bitten several times over the years. Only recently, like last year did I even know of the dangers. I knew about Lyme, but, in reading about Lyme, I read about several other very dangerous diseases. I think I saw 5. Holy cow, if I had known that, I would have been very careful and gone to get checked! Two Toes recently did a video on critters to watch out for. He deemed the tick to be the most concerning. He goes to get checked if he gets bit by one. He's had the "bull's eye" mark and was successful in treatment. With this being said. It would be invaluable to have your stories on this topic here in one discussion. I look forward to hearing what you all have to say! TG

 

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[Jim in Idaho]

When my doctor prescribed the Doxycycline, he also told me I could come in when I was headed into tick country, and he would prescribe it again, as a preventative. I thought that was a great idea, but started using the Permthrin/Picaridin combo and never needed the Doxycycline again, thankfully. Just something to consider.
Jim

 

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[spaghettigold]

In my other activity as mushroom collector i,ve had many tick bytes in younger years.
Once i had 7 around my waste after crawling in to a young spruce forest . They are always on the grassy spots inbetween .
After a few days or weeks(can,t remember exactly) i got a headache (backside of head to neck area) and 40 degree celsius fever(104 fahrenheit?)No other external symptoms besides strong nausea, that would indicate a flu or else.
Got recovered in hospital,lost over 20 pounds in 9 days,liver inflammation marks through the roof and if i remember correctly my white blood cells where killed.
The fever subsided after 9 days and i fled the hospital by signing a agreement that i leave under my own responsability,(could,nt stand the food there) but i felt a lack of energy for the next 3 months.
In hospital they tested my blood everyday,got lumbal punction,urin and all the other tests but they could not tell me what i was suffering from.
Only medication i got was a feversuppressor.
Nowadays when in the woods i wear white clothings,trousers i stick in to the socks and then tape all together. At overknee-height i use double faced tape as glue trap.
The check all 15 min or so when walking through grassy spots. If i see one i make em pop with a lighter.
Will have to check that permthrine though.

Oh and some shrooms

 

[OreCart]

Thanks Orecart,
One of my closest friends, a woman, had that very same thing. She just had the operation to remove it from her pituitary. Not to derail the thread. But, it sometimes it happens, when we go in for one issue, another hidden issue is discovered. Glad you didnt have any tick diseases. Glad they found the tumor. My friend went to doctors for years, no one found it until recently.

It was only two years ago for me. I was logging on March 27th 2017 when I failed to see a spring pole, and cut through it. The force of the whiplash caused my chainsaw to be thrown back into my forehead; right between the eyebrows. I woke up with blood covering the snow and my saw idling in the brush. I work alone, so I started running for the house, about a half mile away.

I crossed a stream, then passed out. Then when I came too I saw the blood and figured I had better run or I might not make it. I did make it to the house though, then into the ambulance, and finally to the hospital. I spent four days there, but in checking my concussion for my logging accident, that was when they found my cancer.

 

[Smithsgold]

 

[Tahoegold]

Thanks for the post Smithgold,
That's the video I mentioned earlier. Gary mentions that he's had the classic bull's eye twice. Has been treated right away each time and is well. I know at least 2 guys that didn't get treatment. One had a booming roofing business in Tahoe. One week he just stopped showing up at the shop I worked. A month later he came in and had severe motor muscle difficulty like he had a brain injury. Turns out he got Lyme and was on massive antibiotics. He never got back to work. His life changed. It was sad because he was in his 30s, family man and had a great business. All that went away. It still haunts me to this day to remember how he changed so rapidly. He couldnt even drive a car. Someone had to do that for him. Another guy I know seems ok but ocasionally has a limp. I've heard of folks having heart problems, brain damage and even lung problems. I know that If I were to ignore a bite and come down with a nasty case like some have, I would beat myself up mentally for the rest of my days. I could see it in their eyes. It was preventable and they got hammered. My Tick Twister will be here Monday. I'm headed out do do a little digging. No mosquitos, and so far, no ticks. Testing out a new mat config. with Motherload and Talon alternating. I may go all motherload. The gold is really fine, but, I found a silver horseshoe ring once and didn't go all motherload. That motherload can get the fines really well and lets the rocks just roll off. Love it! But it has to be tuned just right. Then you start seeing the really fine stuff getting caught!

 

[OreCart]

Thanks for the post Smithgold,
That's the video I mentioned earlier. Gary mentions that he's had the classic bull's eye twice. Has been treated right away each time and is well. I know at least 2 guys that didn't get treatment. One had a booming roofing business in Tahoe. One week he just stopped showing up at the shop I worked. A month later he came in and had severe motor muscle difficulty like he had a brain injury. Turns out he got Lyme and was on massive antibiotics. He never got back to work. His life changed. It was sad because he was in his 30s, family man and had a great business. All that went away. It still haunts me to this day to remember how he changed so rapidly. He couldnt even drive a car. Someone had to do that for him. Another guy I know seems ok but ocasionally has a limp. I've heard of folks having heart problems, brain damage and even lung problems. I know that If I were to ignore a bite and come down with a nasty case like some have, I would beat myself up mentally for the rest of my days. I could see it in their eyes. It was preventable and they got hammered. My Tick Twister will be here Monday. I'm headed out do do a little digging. No mosquitos, and so far, no ticks. Testing out a new mat config. with Motherload and Talon alternating. I may go all motherload. The gold is really fine, but, I found a silver horseshoe ring once and didn't go all motherload. That motherload can get the fines really well and lets the rocks just roll off. Love it! But it has to be tuned just right. Then you start seeing the really fine stuff getting caught!

God, our wives, and our health; those are the three things we take for granted the most I think.

Take any one away, and we start to see how really vulnerable we really are.

 

[Raider19962]

Tahoegold,

Here in Delaware if you go outside at all you'll probably encounter ticks of one sort or the other daily. I have seen a doctor before when I had the persistent bite sores and was told it'll clear up in time, just look out for the bullseye rash. Local antibiotic ointments help. Honestly, if I went to the doctor every time I got bit by a tick I'd go broke. They literally blow in the wind around here!

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Tahoegold,

Here in Delaware if you go outside at all you'll probably encounter ticks of one sort or the other daily. I have seen a doctor before when I had the persistent bite sores and was told it'll clear up in time, just look out for the bullseye rash. Local antibiotic ointments help. Honestly, if I went to the doctor every time I got bit by a tick I'd go broke. They literally blow in the wind around here!

Pardon me, but I didn't see anybody suggest going to the doctor for every tick bite. What I did see, and said myself, is that if your bitten, and have symptoms that are unusual, or maybe flu-like, you should definitely see a doctor.
Jim

 

[CGC Miner]

Ahhhhhhh, tick are the worst!
Most evil little nasty buggers out there! They might be the only thing I truly hate! Pure evil!

The 1-2 months after spring thaw seems to be the worst tick season up here in the mountains. I've had too many friends get sick and have found plenty of ticks myself, I don't mess around anymore.

I treat my boots heavily with permethrin clothing spray. Top of hat too, pair of pants and backpack. Seems to have worked well over the last 2 seasons. I also use picardin spray around entry points during peak season when I am out crawling in the dirt.
Stay safe out there!

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Ahhhhhhh, tick are the worst!
Most evil little nasty buggers out there! They might be the only thing I truly hate! Pure evil!

The 1-2 months after spring thaw seems to be the worst tick season up here in the mountains. I've had too many friends get sick and have found plenty of ticks myself, I don't mess around anymore.

I treat my boots heavily with permethrin clothing spray. Top of hat too, pair of pants and backpack. Seems to have worked well over the last 2 seasons. I also use picardin spray around entry points during peak season when I am out crawling in the dirt.
Stay safe out there!

Yeah...LOL, that reminds me of a couple of years ago. Treated my clothes with Permethrin, but wore a short-sleeved shirt. two ticks attached right where the sleeves ended on my bicep...tricky buggers. I'd forgotten to apply the Picaridin to my upper arms. Ticks WILL find the weak spots in your defenses, if there are any.
Jim

 

[Tahoegold]

Tahoegold,

Here in Delaware if you go outside at all you'll probably encounter ticks of one sort or the other daily. I have seen a doctor before when I had the persistent bite sores and was told it'll clear up in time, just look out for the bullseye rash. Local antibiotic ointments help. Honestly, if I went to the doctor every time I got bit by a tick I'd go broke. They literally blow in the wind around here!

Hi Raider19962,

Ok, you can do that. Are you suggesting tick bites should be ignored unless one starts showing symptoms of a potentially life changing disease sends you to the hospital? Ok, however, here, we are trying to put the best preventitive advice in one thread. I've read that nymphs blow in the wind. So, that being said, if you know you are in an area that has disease carrying ticks, wouldn't it be wise to go outaide protected? You did not mention weather or not you were using a form of repellant or clothing that prevents tick from getting to your skin. Are you using something? Were you bit while using repellant? I use mosquito repellant because mosquitoes are airborne and very pesky, some even have west nile. ( I may have had that. There was a warning in my areay a few years ago and I never get sick, but, I got really sick that year. I couldnt even drive for a few days.) I use DEET but, I'm going to give this Picardin a try. Same with Permethrin. So, my questing is pretty obvious. Are you using prevention, and, are you saying you are bit even though you use it? Also, do you save the tick that bites you for testing? They do that for rabies too.... I'm actually serious, these questions would help us all understand your experience and what went on. Thank you!

 

[bowwinkles]

Pardon me, but I didn't see anybody suggest going to the doctor for every tick bite. What I did see, and said myself, is that if your bitten, and have symptoms that are unusual, or maybe flu-like, you should definitely see a doctor.
Jim

As Mr Tahhoegold has said, "the change can be ever so slight and maybe very hard to diagnose". In my case the change was very slow as my white count went into the toilet. Every day that advanced I felt the energy drain that was not explained, unless it was caused by not sleeping good. I did not have the bullseye indication, just a very itchy spot where the bite was. So the change may be very slight, it is still a change so just pay attention. Personally , I would rather be a little less affluent (doctor visit comment) than end up as I did due to not knowing the danger of these little critters. Take a minute and read and pay attention to what many have said here.

 

[OreCart]

I know this probably has no real use to anyone as a preventative measure, but one thing we do to keep ticks off the lawn for the kids sake (as well as kill snakes and other annoyances), is in the use of ducks.

Ducks LOVE ticks.

We prefer ducks over free range chickens because the ducks automatically put themselves in at night, and reemerge at day break. Their poo is all liquid so it is not a problem, and they are non-aggressive and give us eggs. The latter we do not really care for in omelets, but do use them for cooking since their whites are bigger then the yolks compared to chickens. They really "fluff" up whatever you are cooking; brownies, cakes, etc.

As a side note, on this farm we also have put up a lot of bat houses. Since bats eat their weight in bugs every night, the ducks get the bugs down low and that come out during the day, and the bats get the bugs that come out during the night, and fly up higher.

As for ducks and snakes, granted this is Maine so our snakes are small, but I have never seen a snake where our ducks roam. I saw one in the garden last year, but a fence keeps the ducks from eating our veggies (and our fruits since tomatoes are actually a fruit). It is disgusting, but the ducks eat the snakes.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

As Mr Tahhoegold has said, "the change can be ever so slight and maybe very hard to diagnose". In my case the change was very slow as my white count went into the toilet. Every day that advanced I felt the energy drain that was not explained, unless it was caused by not sleeping good. I did not have the bullseye indication, just a very itchy spot where the bite was. So the change may be very slight, it is still a change so just pay attention. Personally , I would rather be a little less affluent (doctor visit comment) than end up as I did due to not knowing the danger of these little critters. Take a minute and read and pay attention to what many have said here.

Yeah...that incredible weakness was one of my symptoms with RMSF. It took a great deal of willpower to get me in the pickup to drive to the doctor. I'll never forget how weak I was. No bullseye rash either.
Jim

 

[Raider19962]

Hi Raider19962,

Ok, you can do that. Are you suggesting tick bites should be ignored unless one starts showing symptoms of a potentially life changing disease sends you to the hospital? Ok, however, here, we are trying to put the best preventitive advice in one thread. I've read that nymphs blow in the wind. So, that being said, if you know you are in an area that has disease carrying ticks, wouldn't it be wise to go outaide protected? You did not mention weather or not you were using a form of repellant or clothing that prevents tick from getting to your skin. Are you using something? Were you bit while using repellant? I use mosquito repellant because mosquitoes are airborne and very pesky, some even have west nile. ( I may have had that. There was a warning in my areay a few years ago and I never get sick, but, I got really sick that year. I couldnt even drive for a few days.) I use DEET but, I'm going to give this Picardin a try. Same with Permethrin. So, my questing is pretty obvious. Are you using prevention, and, are you saying you are bit even though you use it? Also, do you save the tick that bites you for testing? They do that for rabies too.... I'm actually serious, these questions would help us all understand your experience and what went on. Thank you!

Tahoegold,

I don't mean to belittle the message here at all. I usually put on a DEET based repellent and long sleeves, mostly because the Delaware State bird is a mosquito. The times I've gone to my doctor regarding the tick bites were when the sore lasted for more than a month, and once when I had a lot of symptoms. Got tested both ways, and nothing. Turned out my doctor was over-prescribing blood pressure medicine and really down-shifted me for a while. The ticks are quite pernicious and determined, and seem to find a way in no matter what I do, but I've learned to look carefully after any outings. I think my dog brings them to me as well, even though he has been treated with Frontline. Regarding going to the doctor often, I know how he will respond to anything I say to him regarding a tick bite and any symptoms. He will say, "If there is no bullseye rash, then it's not Lyme". Which we know is not necessarily true, so I reserve visits for any involving symptoms, which are quite rare.

 

[Tahoegold]

Tahoegold,

I don't mean to belittle the message here at all. I usually put on a DEET based repellent and long sleeves, mostly because the Delaware State bird is a mosquito. The times I've gone to my doctor regarding the tick bites were when the sore lasted for more than a month, and once when I had a lot of symptoms. Got tested both ways, and nothing. Turned out my doctor was over-prescribing blood pressure medicine and really down-shifted me for a while. The ticks are quite pernicious and determined, and seem to find a way in no matter what I do, but I've learned to look carefully after any outings. I think my dog brings them to me as well, even though he has been treated with Frontline. Regarding going to the doctor often, I know how he will respond to anything I say to him regarding a tick bite and any symptoms. He will say, "If there is no bullseye rash, then it's not Lyme". Which we know is not necessarily true, so I reserve visits for any involving symptoms, which are quite rare.

Thank you for your response Raider19962,
I can understand having a doctor that won't take you seriously enough to take action. There's another less expensive way to absolutely know. Use a tick removal tool like "tick twister" or "tick tornado", buy the test kit from the links provided in my previous post and simply send it in. Test results are emailed within 72hrs. Not all tick borne diseases are in every state. However, its important that one has a knowledge of all that are in your state. Prevention is always cheaper.
You mentioned that you "usually" use DEET. Have you been bit with it on on an area you had treated? I sometomes get bit by mosquitos bit they only try to bite then fly off. I think the DEET has a bad taste. Also, I feel it when they bite and I'm using DEET. There must be something preventing them from using what ever they use to make a bite that I cant feel.
So, it sure would be helpful to know if you are getting bit with or without repellant. You could try the tools and test kit. I can't imagine wind borne nymph ticks... Please stay safe and healthy Sir!

 

[boogeyman]

Only had two encounters. Dog ticks, no after effects. I think I taste bad. One bit and died! Without my help!

Eat a lot of garlic? I may sound looney toons here, but I try to eat a bunch of raw garlic a day or two before going out. I've stood next to people getting swarmed by skeeters where when back lit they have a cloud around them yet none on me. Never had a tick on me just on my clothes. Give it a try! Can't hurt!

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Eat a lot of garlic? I may sound looney toons here, but I try to eat a bunch of raw garlic a day or two before going out. I've stood next to people getting swarmed by skeeters where when back lit they have a cloud around them yet none on me. Never had a tick on me just on my clothes. Give it a try! Can't hurt!

There is something to the "what you eat" deal. I hunted predators for their fur, many years ago. never got a flea that would stay on me. Something in my natural skin oil. Same thing with ticks. When I was finally bitten by a tick it was during the night, after I'd taken a "cleanup" in the camper. washed the oils off, and a tick took advantage. So, there's something going on there, for sure. But, I don't trust my "natural" repellant anymore.
Jim

 

[CGC Miner]

Yeah...LOL, that reminds me of a couple of years ago. Treated my clothes with Permethrin, but wore a short-sleeved shirt. two ticks attached right where the sleeves ended on my bicep...tricky buggers. I'd forgotten to apply the Picaridin to my upper arms. Ticks WILL find the weak spots in your defenses, if there are any.
Jim

Pure evil I tell ya! I used to be against the permethrin spray but then gave in and if you keep it mostly off of your own skin you will be ok....maybe.
I did a test with the permethrin on a pair of carhart type pants. 3 days after application, I put a tick on them. Within 20 seconds it wobbled and fell off. I put that tick in a jar to see what would happen. It turned more or less imobilized and died about 20 hrs later.
3 weeks later, the permethrin application did not have the same desired effect... During the heavier tick season, dowse your boots, hat, pants n backpack. It sucks that your most vulnerable spot, your head....you check yourself.

 

[Jim in Idaho]

Pure evil I tell ya! I used to be against the permethrin spray but then gave in and if you keep it mostly off of your own skin you will be ok....maybe.
I did a test with the permethrin on a pair of carhart type pants. 3 days after application, I put a tick on them. Within 20 seconds it wobbled and fell off. I put that tick in a jar to see what would happen. It turned more or less imobilized and died about 20 hrs later.
3 weeks later, the permethrin application did not have the same desired effect... During the heavier tick season, dowse your boots, hat, pants n backpack. It sucks that your most vulnerable spot, your head....you check yourself.

You can use the Picaridin on your hair....no problem, or your bald head if that applies.
Jim