Thanks, Leslie.  Sage advice! 

I've been infected from trips to "Lyme disease ground zero" - the Pine
Barrens of South Jersey.  I had the classic rash, but also tested negative.
After one exposure some years ago, even after I explained to a physician
that I had experience identifying deer ticks, AND had 30 deer ticks on one
ankle & 23 (yes I vividly remember counting them all as I plucked them off
with tweezers in the parking lot at Wells State Park) on the other ankle I
really had to beg him to give me antibiotics.  My sister Mary found doctors
(all male) skeptical of any diagnosis concerning Lyme disease.  She finally
got confirmation years later.  Oy.

Patient, if ya can't heal thyself, then at least find a doctor that doesn't
get "brain freeze" when it comes to these things.  Seriously, if caught
early there is almost never any damage or lasting effect.

*********************
Frank "Tick Man" Boyle
Rohrersville, MD

*********************

-----Original Message-----
From: Maryland Birds & Birding [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Leslie Starr
Sent: Sunday, July 09, 2006 10:49 AM
To: 
Subject: Re: [MDOSPREY] Lyme Disease Reminder PS PS

In a message dated 7/8/2006 9:38:18 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
 writes:

> So if a tick bites,
> maybe the best thing to do is assume the worst and get treated, even 
> if there are no symptoms.  (My tests haven't come back.)

Also, it can take a couple of months before your body has built up enough
antibodies to cause a positive test result. I had mild flu symptoms ten days
after a tick bite, but no rash and negative test results, so the doctor
refused to give me antibiotics. I was sicker at eight weeks, but still
testing negative. 
Finally tested positive and began treatment at ten weeks, by which time the
disease was so well established that it took years to recover.

For a few years, I started antibiotics after a bite and sent the tick for
analysis (U. Conn. - will send the info on request). Now that I'm back out
in the woods more often, that seems impractical, and I am just monitoring
how I feel, but still keeping the ticks (in a baggie with a wet paper towel
in the
fridge) in case I become ill and want to have them checked. 

Leslie Starr
Baltimore & Port Republic