[Dr. Sivana]

If you think you might have it you can go nuts,

If it is a close call, just take the anti-biotics. Much better than letting it fester. It is VERY treatable in the early going. (I contracted it when I lived about 20 miles from Lyme, CT in a heavily wooded area.)

[WVKayaker]

I was tick bit in March 1994. I walked in the woods near Paris, VA. I did not know it until I was bathing and discovered the critter on my belt line, almost posterior. I pulled it off and gave it little thought. I scratched at the site a couple days later, but saw no bullseye. It was a difficult site to self-observe.

In July, I woke up one Wednesday with what I perceived to be a toothache. On Thursday, it hurt enough to make a dental appt. When I woke on Friday, I hurt so much I went to a doc, where I was initially diagnosed with a "sinus" infection. But, another doc was consulted and decided to send a blood sample to Minnesota, since VA didn't test for Lyme at the time. Mayo determined i had the dreaded disease, and another round of antibiotics was prescribed.

In October, while in the woods again, I was struck in the face with a tree branch. My cheek swelled up like a baloon. The docs gave me some stronger stuff.

Dec 21st, they found me incoherent, walking in my woods. I was committed to the state hospital, where they kept me locked up past the holidays. A snow storm had kept the docs from visiting the inmates, so I remained hostage to the little critter until after the New Year. Fortunately, there are doctors who practice real medicine.

The psychiatrist had diagnosed me with a severe cocaine reaction. I admit having smoked a lot of pot, but I never used any white stuff. I figured I would like it too much.

One of the nurses realized I was not only sane and oherent, but needed a proper diagnosis. She called on one of her Docs from "the other side", the physicians. After testing, he placed me on an intravenous regimen similar to chemo. It did the trick.

The moral of this story, is GET ANY TICK BITE CHECKED!

[Santino Sonny Corleone]

I have seen them crawl on me (twice,) but never saw or felt a bite. Lived near a wooded area. What would you do? I heard that they have to stay inside for at least 24 hours to even have a chance, and even then, not all carry it.

[EggsAckley]

You’re right. It IS very treatable in the early stage. But here in California the problem is that just about every MD refuses to admit that it even exists, because the insurance carriers don’t want to cover it. By the time I finally found an MD who would treat it (120 miles away) I was a bit beyond the “early stage.”

A very nasty disease.