Garden Railway Forum

After spending most of my life engaged in outdoor activities of the mountain climbing, walking and caving variety, and having occasionally been feasted upon by ticks, it appears that they have finally laid me low with Lymes Disease
The point of this post is not to garner sympathy, but to raise awareness of the condition, and also the fact that the 2 ticks involved were picked up at a friends garden railway, and not in the great outdoors as such
Admittedly, his garden backs onto agricultural pasture (as does mine, although in a different location) and a wander along his hedgerow was almost certainly where I picked the blighters up from (I discovered and removed one within minutes, but didn't find the second until that evening). I had no reaction to their bites - a tell tale 'bulls eye' around the wound is common, but not always present, until I fell ill some six weeks later with some unspecified viral cum flu like symptoms.
I am recovering now, thanks to the antibiotics which my doctor eventually prescribed for me, but I can honestly say I have been laid really low by this. I went to Llanfair on Saturday, including a ride on the railway up from Welshpool, and it absolutely wiped me out. I'm afraid I couldn't face the return trip on the train and caught the bus instead. I think that qualifies as a cardinal sin, but I plead extenuating circumstances
I'm hoping there are no lasting side effects and am looking forward to getting out on the hills again soon.
Anyway, don't ignore bites from these wee beasties. If you get the reactionary bulls-eye, get straight to your doctor for prophylactic treatment as soon as possible. If you don't get the reaction, look out for flu like symptoms in the following weeks.

Sorry to hear about this Phil, I know you said you were under the weather, but this sounds really nasty. Fingers crossed for a full recovery.

philipy wrote: ↑Wed Sep 05, 2018 12:24 pm Sorry to hear about this Phil, I know you said you were under the weather, but this sounds really nasty. Fingers crossed for a full recovery.

Thank you Philip. My fingers are crossed too!
I managed another hour in the garden this morning. Trying to get finished photos of the bridge is proving difficult. We have one of those rare (here, at least) full sun days, and the contrast is fierce. I may try again later.

That is bad news indeed Phil and I sympathise with you and hope you are getting the treatment you need. Luckily you have identified the problem and got the help you needed in good time, whereas many people are not aware of the symptoms and even many doctors, mainly in towns and cities, don't diagnose the issue as quickly as they should.
We are in a rural area and surrounded by fields with livestock, ideal for the ticks to thrive.
All best wishes for a full and speedy recovery, please keep us updated.

Interesting Phil.

Late May Bank Holiday I was at Kingsbury and got bit on my left arm. I was left with a red rash that became very hot, burning even a few days later [but NOT targetlike. Red, growing and even grew outward in a little tail until I was given some antibiotics by my doctor. I did some down with a grotty flulike illness a few weeks later and ever since seme to have been short tempered and tired at times easily too. I must wonder.

Hope you make a quick recovery and thanks for the heads up.

I've seen Facebook warnings (American ) and always dismissed it. We do have ticks a plenty down here as there are free roaming sheep in the village and woods. The dogs have been spared the last 18 months through a change from frontline to bravecto. Prior to that we would probably get half a dozen in a season.

Not good Phil, although at least it sounds like you recognised it quickly as Lyme disease can get really properly nasty if left untreated. I am extremely wary of ticks and tick bites, as I spend a lot of time in the summer strimming dense bracken as part of my job, and additionally always try to keep my skin covered when I'm out walking in areas where ticks may be.

Sorry to hear of your illness Phil. Glad you have received treatment and hope you're soon fully recovered.

dougrail wrote: ↑Wed Sep 05, 2018 3:20 pm Interesting Phil.

Late May Bank Holiday I was at Kingsbury and got bit on my left arm. I was left with a red rash that became very hot, burning even a few days later [but NOT targetlike. Red, growing and even grew outward in a little tail until I was given some antibiotics by my doctor. I did some down with a grotty flulike illness a few weeks later and ever since seme to have been short tempered and tired at times easily too. I must wonder.

In short, get your bottom to the doctor now, or at the latest, as soon as possible. Lyme's is a serious illness if allowed to develop much beyond the initial flu-like stage. It is one of those diseases where it is far better to get checked out than to shrug it off and then end up with significant complications later. Currently you might be in the stage between the initial infection and it developing into something more serious - go and get the blood test!


Peter in Va

IrishPeter wrote: ↑Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:30 am

dougrail wrote: ↑Wed Sep 05, 2018 3:20 pm Interesting Phil.

Late May Bank Holiday I was at Kingsbury and got bit on my left arm. I was left with a red rash that became very hot, burning even a few days later [but NOT targetlike. Red, growing and even grew outward in a little tail until I was given some antibiotics by my doctor. I did some down with a grotty flulike illness a few weeks later and ever since seme to have been short tempered and tired at times easily too. I must wonder.

In short, get your bottom to the doctor now, or at the latest, as soon as possible. Lyme's is a serious illness if allowed to develop much beyond the initial flu-like stage. It is one of those diseases where it is far better to get checked out than to shrug it off and then end up with significant complications later. Currently you might be in the stage between the initial infection and it developing into something more serious - go and get the blood test!


Peter in Va

I would supprt what Peter says - back to the doctor asap. They tend not to bother with the blood test it seems (long time for results), but just put you straight on doxycycline as quick treatment is key.

You can not trust the result of a blood test! The result depends on the brand of the test being used. Brand A is tested positive. The test results of the brand B are negative. If the second opinion hospital uses the same mark of the test, the result will be the same. If different, then the result is different. So there are people out there who are sick and are tested negative again and again.


My story is that I had a tick that was in the vicinity of my jewels. I had wandered in the hills around the river Mosel (Germany) in shorts. The light bulb in the bathroom of our rented resort was broken. So I washed in the dark. The next morning I discoverd a small ball attached to my skin. My mother removed it as one without any special tools as we werent aware about them. Ive kept it in a matchbox and he/she lived for another five days on my blood. This was 25years ago, pre internet!, and not a lot know about.

IrishPeter wrote: ↑Thu Sep 06, 2018 12:30 am

dougrail wrote: ↑Wed Sep 05, 2018 3:20 pm Interesting Phil.

Late May Bank Holiday I was at Kingsbury and got bit on my left arm. I was left with a red rash that became very hot, burning even a few days later [but NOT targetlike. Red, growing and even grew outward in a little tail until I was given some antibiotics by my doctor. I did some down with a grotty flulike illness a few weeks later and ever since seme to have been short tempered and tired at times easily too. I must wonder.

In short, get your bottom to the doctor now, or at the latest, as soon as possible. Lyme's is a serious illness if allowed to develop much beyond the initial flu-like stage. It is one of those diseases where it is far better to get checked out than to shrug it off and then end up with significant complications later. Currently you might be in the stage between the initial infection and it developing into something more serious - go and get the blood test!


Peter in Va

Cheers for the advice bud - after the burning rash developed I did go to my doctors and got prescribed with antibiotics [can't remember the name] and got pumped up on them - twice a day with food dealie. With them the rash rapidly went - think within a few days. I will request a testing though on your advice, many thanks