A little warning

[Peck1524]

Just wanted to share my recent run in with a little nasty tic that really ruined my week. The saturday before last (4/23) I headed out in the pouring rain for my second day of Turkey hunting in Western Maryland. If you all remember my story I came close but never closed the deal  Headed home and took a quick one hour nap before showering and then off to my Mother-In-Laws for a small Easter lunch. While in the shower I found a small deer tic attached to the inner side of my left calf, right above my sock line. Like I've done dozens of times before I simply pulled him out cleanly with a pair of tweezers and taped him to an index card just in case. I woke up this past Thursday morning feeling really lethargic and in a pool of sweat. I thought my wife had turned the heat up in the middle of the night I was sweating so bad. By the time I got to work I was feeling like crap. Ended up leaving work at lunch with a low grade fever and slept the rest of the day away. By Friday morning my fever was over 100 and I was experience chills, cold sweats and general flu-like symptoms. I normally wouldn't go to the doctor for such a thing but had remembered my tic bite and figured I should go request some antibiotics just in case. I saw the PA who, at my request went ahead and put me on some antibiotics. I had a small rash on my back at this time but she said it only looked like a skin infection and the antibiotics would take care of it. Friday night was hell!! I went to bed with nothing on and a fan blowing on me and ended up with a sweatshirt, sweatpants and two blankets and still couldn't stop my teath chattering and my body shaking uncontrollably. My temperature climbed to 103 on Saturday and I literally felt like I was dying. My fever finally broke Saturday night but it took me two more days before I felt back to normal. I had lost 7 lbs. in 5 days. By monday I had the classic bullseye rash so I decided to see my doc since I suspected lyme to see if my treatment would change. He confirmed I contracted the bacteria from the tic that causes lyme disease and ordered me 30 days worth of antibiotics which will take care of the bacteria and prevent any long term problems. I'm thankfull I decided to go to the doctors early or I could have ended up with chronic lyme disease and the symptoms that go along. I feel 100% back to normal and am ready to hit the woods again this Saturday, with a couple cans of OFF this time!!!

This was my rash on Monday. It had grown probably 4x the size it was on Friday.

[turkey slayer]

My dad had this happen when i was little. I have been bit a thousand times, but have never had any of them turn out like that. glad to hear your back to normal! good luck this weekend!

[West Augusta]

Man, that looks bad Peck.  Glad you are doing better.  I sprayed all my camo with Repel before the season. 

[BOFF]

Sorry to read, but glad your doing better, and caught it early.  

Can we get different pics of the rash, (over time) so we are able to identify how it may look on us. I don't guess you got any pics of it on Tuesday?

Did it get bigger in diameter Tuesday and today? Did the bullseye remain?

God Bless,
David B.

[TalksToTurkeys]

Damn, Peck I hope the antibiotics do the job and everything is ok.
Everyone says they are bad around here this year, I've been lucky so far I guess. I haven't seen one and don't want to. I hate 'em.
Good Luck. 

[spurman]

I hate the little buggers, I usuall get several bites each year butnothing like that Derek.

[Peck1524]

I hate the little buggers, I usuall get several bites each year butnothing like that Derek.

I hear ya. I've probably pulled off dozens of tic over the years. This was the first, and last, time I've had to deal with the lyme bacteria though. I'm getting me some good spray to use on my hunting clothes from now on.

[Peck1524]

Sorry to read, but glad your doing better, and caught it early.  

Can we get different pics of the rash, (over time) so we are able to identify how it may look on us. I don't guess you got any pics of it on Tuesday?

Did it get bigger in diameter Tuesday and today? Did the bullseye remain?

God Bless,
David B.

I don't have any pics from before Monday. It started off as a small circular red rash. Doc said it looked like a skin infection on Friday. The rash probably started sometime early in the week. I remember feeling something but never paid it much attention until I started feeling bad. I would say the rash started about 3-4 days after I was bit. The scary thing is only about half of people who get infected get a rash. So if you get flu like symptoms and remember being bit by a tic it's best to visit the doc, rash or not!!! Here is one from last night. Starting to dry up and go away as quick as it came.