# Lyme disease: A Trip in the Woods = Death Sentence? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 3, 2015, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyme-disease-a-trip-in-the-woods-death-sentence/724133 "2015-07-03T14:01:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyme-disease-a-trip-in-the-woods-death-sentence/724133/1 "2015-07-03T14:01:28Z")
I am very concerned about what I read about Lyme Disease. Scientists now have identified at least 5 bacterial diseases carried by ticks. The classic Lyme Disease seems to s a spirochete bacterium, much like syphilis. If it goes untreated, it can cause serious problems, and lead to joint problems, heart damage, etc. plus, due to human travel, ticks are showing up in places never seen before (a species , the “White Spotted Tick” has now been found in Cape Cod, where it had never been seen before). Every time I work in the garden,I check myself. and I walk my dog in the woods (I avoid tall grass areas or bushes). If you find one on you, can you avoid infection by removing it right away? Or should you go to the doctor right away? ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyme-disease-a-trip-in-the-woods-death-sentence/724133/2 "2015-07-03T14:18:45Z")
Remove it, keep it (if its the proper sort of tick, most ticks in Minnesota are the fairly harmless wood ticks and not the lyme disease carrying deer tick) and watch the spot for a telltale red ring. Also if you feel fatigued, let the doctor know you had a tick bite. Lyme disease sucks, but caught early its a course of antibiotics, not life changing. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyme-disease-a-trip-in-the-woods-death-sentence/724133/3 "2015-07-03T14:40:42Z")
My mom had Lyme, but caught it early. She’s had no ill effects, and she’s 81. If an old lady can survive it, I’m pretty sure you’re not going to die from it either. Just be vigilant. And use an insect repellent when you go out. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Accident](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Mr.Accident](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Accident)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyme-disease-a-trip-in-the-woods-death-sentence/724133/4 "2015-07-03T14:56:10Z")
Lived in and around the woods for 34 years and counting. I’ve had thousands of ticks on me in that time, and been bitten by hundreds of the buggers and I’m still kicking around. Haven’t caught anything from them yet. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyme-disease-a-trip-in-the-woods-death-sentence/724133/5 "2015-07-03T14:59:52Z")
If you go to the doctor right away, there is a chance they will put you on a prophylactic dosage of antibiotics if you are very whiny and they give in to that sort of thing, knowing that if a patient does not leave clutching a prescription of some sort they will be pissed. I would consider this the exact sort of abuse that leads to antibiotic resistance and thus a bad idea. Other than that, what else could they possibly do? Put some Neosporin on the bite site and make note of the date of the occurrence, then keep watch for any symptoms like fever, fatigue, or a rash. If you have symptoms, then see a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyme-disease-a-trip-in-the-woods-death-sentence/724133/6 "2015-07-03T15:58:10Z")
These symptoms can be caused by lots of things and are not uncommon. Lots of us have had bug bites which cause a rash. It’s just not at all clear when one should go to a doctor. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyme-disease-a-trip-in-the-woods-death-sentence/724133/7 "2015-07-03T16:35:24Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > These symptoms can be caused by lots of things and are not uncommon. Lots of us have had bug bites which cause a rash. It’s just not at all clear when one should go to a doctor. > **[Lyme disease - Symptoms and causes](https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lyme-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20374651)** > > Learn about the symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of this common tick-borne illness. Bullseye rash and flu like symptoms within a month after a tick bite - they’ll test if you say tick bite. This link has a picture off the rash: [http://www.medicinenet.com/lyme\_disease/page2.htm](http://www.medicinenet.com/lyme_disease/page2.htm) This isn’t a rash you normally see. Its fairly distinctive. Oh, and there is a human lyme disease vaccine - thank anti-vaxxers that it isn’t made. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyme-disease-a-trip-in-the-woods-death-sentence/724133/8 "2015-07-03T17:32:58Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > [Lyme disease - Symptoms and causes - Mayo Clinic](http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/lyme-disease/basics/symptoms/con-20019701) > > Bullseye rash and flu like symptoms within a month after a tick bite - they’ll test if you say tick bite. > > This link has a picture off the rash: [http://www.medicinenet.com/lyme\_disease/page2.htm](http://www.medicinenet.com/lyme_disease/page2.htm) > > This isn’t a rash you normally see. Its fairly distinctive. > > Oh, and there is a human lyme disease vaccine - thank anti-vaxxers that it isn’t made. You don’t always get that rash. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyme-disease-a-trip-in-the-woods-death-sentence/724133/9 "2015-07-03T18:29:56Z")
> [@AnaMen](#): > > You don’t always get that rash. No, but if you get any flu like symptoms within a month after extracting a tick, mention the tick. They can test. ---
**Author:** ![pendgwen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3da27b/32.png) [@pendgwen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pendgwen)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyme-disease-a-trip-in-the-woods-death-sentence/724133/10 "2015-07-03T22:11:25Z")
Lyme disease is not transmitted instantly when the tick bites you. In general the tick must be attached for at least 24 hours, probably more like 36-48. So if you come to my Emergency Department because you picked up a tick while walking your dog 3 hours ago you’ll get reassurance, not an antibiotic prescription. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/848f3c/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_Dunlop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_Dunlop)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyme-disease-a-trip-in-the-woods-death-sentence/724133/11 "2015-07-03T22:29:36Z")
I had Lyme once. I had the distinctive bulls eye rash and then they tested my blood anyway. I took doxycycline for 21 days and felt like crap for a week or two. It’s hardly ebola. I don’t think I even missed a single day of work. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2015, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyme-disease-a-trip-in-the-woods-death-sentence/724133/12 "2015-07-03T22:51:28Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > No, but if you get any flu like symptoms within a month after extracting a tick, mention the tick. They can test. R.E.M. drummer Bill Berry almost died in 1989 from another tick-borne disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever. My dad is currently on antibiotics because he had a tick bite that got slightly infected, but then again, he is 81 so the doctor wanted to be cautious. ---
**Author:** ![AnaMen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dfb087/32.png) [@AnaMen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AnaMen)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2015, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyme-disease-a-trip-in-the-woods-death-sentence/724133/13 "2015-07-04T00:38:56Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > No, but if you get any flu like symptoms within a month after extracting a tick, mention the tick. They can test. They can, but the test is not so accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2015, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyme-disease-a-trip-in-the-woods-death-sentence/724133/14 "2015-07-04T01:00:30Z")
They say that Avril Lavigne came very close to dying from this & that her health may never ever be the same again because of this. While I hope she gets better, that probably means Jack to someone whose symptoms are so bad that she’ll never have the time to find this site or read a single word that I say. I was told that a walk in the woods means socks pulled up over the bottoms of your jeans ( even if you look like an idiot) and a Full Tick Check afterward (usually done before a shower) and that this is Essential. Avril had the best medical coverage RCA could provide, and this happened to her. So, Be Aware… ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2015, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lyme-disease-a-trip-in-the-woods-death-sentence/724133/15 "2015-07-04T02:35:50Z")
Remove it right away; try to do it properly which is spelled out several places along the intertubes. If you see/have any of the symptoms, see your doctor right away but maybe ask for a confirming test before going on any of the antibiotics. Even if the test is negative, if the symptoms are there take the drugs. The test isn’t perfect but I always feel better with it. I catch enough ticks that I usually go for a panel once a year or two just to be safe. Everyone aches or feels flu-like now and then and it just _could_ catch something I missed or ignored. [http://www.lymeresearchalliance.org/test-diagnostic.html](http://www.lymeresearchalliance.org/test-diagnostic.html)