Many people think ticks that carry Lyme disease aren’t where they live. Think again. Ticks are in every state in America and six countries. People who are diagnosed with Lyme need to report to the CDC for the numbers to be accurate for their state. The think the last time the CDC updated its numbers is 2010, so the numbers are considerably off.
One extremely important point is regarding testing for Lyme. There are several tests to see if you have Lyme or other tick-borne infections, the problem is doctors usually only test for one. If you’re negative they don’t test further. I was diagnosed in 2014 with Lyme after several years of being told I didn’t have it. It took my Lyme doctor to run all the tests to see that I had Lyme and two other tick-borne illnesses.
Another important point is only about 30% of people get the bullseye rash after being bitten by a tick, that’s why it’s so important to take precautions. Here is a post that talks about how to avoid being bitten by ticks.
What is Lyme Disease?
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection primarily transmitted by Ixodes ticks, also known as deer ticks or black-legged ticks. These tiny arachnids are typically found in wooded and grassy areas. Although people may think of Lyme as an East Coast disease, it is found throughout the United States, as well as in more than sixty other countries.
Patients with Lyme disease are frequently misdiagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and various psychiatric illnesses, including depression. Misdiagnosis with these other diseases may delay the correct diagnosis and treatment as the underlying infection progresses unchecked.
LymeDisease.org has developed a Lyme disease symptom checklist to help you document your exposure to Lyme disease and common symptoms for your healthcare provider. You will receive a report that you can print out and take with you to your next doctor’s appointment.
Food for Thought
The port was implanted to start my IV Antibiotic Therapy.
Lyme can cause other illnesses to arise depending on where the virus sets up house. Mine went to the brain so I now have Dementia and fall easily. It’s like Lyme took a machine gun to my brain and left holes where memories were.
I have been writing about my Lyme journey for years, if you would like to read more posts, look in the Category Cloud on the sidebar and pick by topic.