Just found a tick, anything I can do to reduce chances of Lyme?

[jimTheBassPlayer]

Hi,

 

My DS12 has Tourettes and we've been treating him for his tics for a couple of years now.

 

We found a tick on him today, not sure if it is a deer tick or not. I am obviously concerned about Lyme, I certainly don't want him to have that in general, and especially so because he is already experiencing neurological symptoms which may or may not be PANDAS related.

 

I am just wondering if there is anything I can apply topically which could reduce the chances of a lyme infection?

 

Or anything else I should do. How long would I have to wait before a Lyme test is feasable?

 

Thanks,

-Jim

[Guest]

I live out in the woods and my family and I grew up with ticks all over us (never heard of lyme in those days), none of them have ever had any issues and I don't have lyme.

 

Check in a couple of weeks for new symptoms and or a rash in that area. My psychologist said in 2 weeks he had a major rash but also new feelings of fever and fatigue and generally unwell at which point he went to the doctor's.

[Mayzoo]

Antibiotics are used to prevent lyme disease. They should be administered within 48-72 hours. Depending on the age of the child, Doxycycline or Amoxycillin seem to be the abx of choice. Call your pedi or primary care giver immediately if you think you can get them to prescribe them.

Edited June 12, 2013 by Mayzoo

[MichaelTampa]

http://www.treatthebite.com/

[beeskneesmommy]

I hope you kept it. Here's what I would do and what I have done for myself in the past. Put it in a plastic bag or tape it to an index card and put it in a plastic bag. Double bag the little sucker. Save it. Go to an urgent care and /or call the family doc and ask for a run of Doxycycline to prevent Lyme. A 12 year old should be OK with it Doxy - I believe that kiddos under 8 can't have it. Docs may tell you that the tick must feed for 24 hours in order to transfer Lyme. May be true for people who do not have autoimmune issues, but I wouldn't take the chance. Bring the tick into the urgent care or doc's office and ask that they send it infectious disease (or the powers that be) for identification. Deer ticks are small and brown. They do not have a white spot on them. Be prepared for resistance but power on and make it happen. Better safe than sorry!

 

I am not a medical professional, and I am not giving you medical advice. Just telling you what I would do

Edited June 12, 2013 by Beeskneesmommy

[mama2alex]

Jim,

 

There are many kids on this forum whose PANS is caused by Lyme and other infections. It's not just strep you need to rule out to determine if your son's symptoms are PANDAS/PANS related. So you should have your son tested for Lyme and coinfections (Bartonella, Babesia, Erlichia, Mycoplasma) regardless. Since you know he was recently bitten, you should contact the Internation Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS.org) and ask for an ILADS-trained doctor in your area. Or you could start a separate thread on this forum asking for recommendations in your area. If you contact an ILADS doctor and tell them he was just bitten, perhaps they can get him in right away. He needs a full evaluation by a Lyme-literate doctor because testing is not that reliable.

 

Also, most Lyme-literate doctors have treated kids with PANDAS/PANS, PANDAS/PANS-like symptoms and kids with tics, because these all share symptoms with Lyme Disease.

 

I definitely agree with others - treat the bite.

 

My husband was bitten 2 years ago and we thought it had been attached less than 24 hours. We saved the tick and took it to Igenex, a Lyme testing lab (we live 1/2 hour away) and had it tested for Lyme and coinfections. It came back positive for Lyme only. While waiting for test results to come back, my dh started Doxycyclene and ended up being treated for 8 weeks. He never got sick.

[Hopeny]

Up to 50% of people don't get a rash. In my opinion waiting for symptoms to show up is like putting sandbags up after a hurricane comes through. My older dd never got a rash. Damage is done and can take years and tens of thousands of dollars to heal not to mention the suffering. I cannot think of one reason not to take 30 days of antibiotics as a preventative measure. Doxy also treats some of the other tick borne infections that can be fatal such as ehrlicia and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. My nephew contracted Lyme from a tick attached less than 12 hours. Please search on the thread for my post on The western blot, the tests are essentially unreliable. Many people remain sick for years because their doctors wrongly tell them they are negative for Lyme. Few doctors are adequately trained and experienced enough to diagnose and treat Lyme. Good luck.

[lfran]

If you kept the tick and your local authorities won't test it, you can send it to Igenex for tick testing for lyme and other diseases. The charge, but I would absolutely do that if it were me. I don't think you need a doctor's prescription for the tick to be tested.

[MichaelTampa]

Damage is done and can take years and tens of thousands of dollars to heal not to mention the suffering.

I'm sure I'm well into 6 digits by now.

[jimTheBassPlayer]

Mom kept the tick so we're good there. And found a place to test the tick, so we're starting that process. Local Urgent Care will prescribe preventative abx with 72 hours so we're good there. We're touching base the pediatrician, would prefer to have them on board for the process preferably.

 

Need to look into possible interactions between his current Meds (Intuniv 2mg) and the possible abxs he may soon be on.

 

Much thanks everyone.

[philamom]

 

Damage is done and can take years and tens of thousands of dollars to heal not to mention the suffering.

I'm sure I'm well into 6 digits by now.

I hear ya! And I consider myself lucky with the insurance coverage we received so far.

 

**for a good resource on tick identification, check out www.tickencounter.org

Edited June 13, 2013 by philamom