Hi Sweet Friends,
So far, we’ve talked to my trusted pal and doctor Kenneth Bock, Integrative MD about adrenal fatigue and basic supplement recommendations.
Today, we’re chatting about Lyme Disease, which is especially important this time of year whether you live in the Catskill Mountains or Palm Beach.
Recently, I was faced with the seriousness of this condition when my dog Lola was bitten. She’s doing well now, but this scary, first hand experience woke me up to the big health implications of a tiny tick bite. I strongly suggest talking to your veterinarian asap about how you can protect your fur-kid from those little buggers.
Every time I walk through my yard or take a hike I immediately check my skin and Lola’s fur and skin for ticks (and I often find a couple on both of us!). This simple precaution prevents what could be a big health issue. And the good news is that there’s a lot we can all do to stop Lyme Disease before it starts or to treat it effectively.
So let’s get this tick-busting party started and review what we’ll be exploring in today’s video.
In this video, we’ll answer these questions:
- What is Lyme disease?
- How can you identify a tick bite?
- What are the signs of Lyme disease?
- What tests should you get if you think you have Lyme disease?
- How can you treat Lyme disease?
- What is chronic Lyme disease?
- What’s a positive long-term perspective on living with Lyme disease?
If you’d like to learn more about Lyme disease, check out Dr. Bock’s website. And to find out where ticks are most prevalent, take a look at these geographic distribution maps. You might be surprised about their abundance in your neighborhood!
Update: Additional Tick Tips & Recommendations
Thank you for sharing your Lyme disease resources and supporting each other in the comments below. I read through every one of your thoughtful words and pulled together the following tips, websites, blogs, videos and educational tools to help guide you on your journey to wellness.
(Please note that these are suggestions from my readers.)
Tick Bite Prevention
Helen’s Tips:
- Wear light-colored clothing. It makes ticks easier to see and remove before they can attach to feed.
- Wear long pants and a long-sleeved shirt. Wear closed footwear and socks. Tuck your pants into your socks.
- Put a tick and flea collar on your pet and check them for ticks periodically.
- If you frequent the areas where blacklegged ticks are established, examine yourself thoroughly for ticks. It is important to do this each day. Pay special attention to areas such as groin, scalp and armpits. Use a mirror to check the back of your body or have someone else check it.
Elisabeth’s Tips:
- For pets: In addition to checking your pet regularly, you need to use repellents, vaccine, keep hair short and avoid “at risk” places. Also, your pet can collect a tick and then give it to you.
- For humans, I recommend avoiding “at risk” places (tall grasses, bushes, forest border, for example) … Take a shower when you come back and use a fine comb on your hair (especially the neck line).
Tick removal:
Meg’s Tips:
- The best way to remove un-embedded ticks without exposing ourselves to them is to catch them with the sticky side of a piece of transparent tape and then quickly close it. Then we can look at the insect and also discard it safely. It’s easy to carry gift wrapping tape with you on a hike or to the beach.
Helen’s Tips:
- Using fine-tipped tweezers, carefully grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible. Pull it straight out, gently but firmly.
- Don’t squeeze it. Squeezing the tick can cause the Lyme disease agent to be accidentally introduced into your body.
- Don’t put anything on the tick, or try to burn the tick off.
- After the tick has been removed, place it in a screw-top bottle (like a pill vial or film canister), and take it to your doctor or local health unit … Establishing the type of tick may help to assess your risk of acquiring Lyme disease.
- It is important to remember where you most likely acquired the tick. It will help public health workers to identify areas of higher risk.
- Thoroughly cleanse the bite site with rubbing alcohol and/or soap and water.
Additional Education & Lyme Disease Resources
Education
- Lyme Disease Association
- UK National Health Service
- Ontario Canada Ministry of Health & Long-Term Care
- Canada Lyme Disease Foundation
- Books & DVDs: Lyme Disease Educational Resources
- Blog: Living Lyme
Testing
Infrared Sauna Therapy
Your turn: Have you had experience with a tick bite or Lyme disease? Share your insights and experiences in the comments.
Peace & skin/fur checks,
good work, but you forgot to mention the parasites which come along with the tick 50% of the time: babesiosis, Bartonella, and Erlichiosis. these need to be treated with an anti-parasitic medication, similar to treating malaria or typhoid. Mepron is the medication of choice. if you don’t treat the parasite, the antibiotics will not be, ultimately, effective. i had to do this. After being on anti-biotics for 6 months, which were not giving me much SX relief, i took Mepron. within one week i felt 50% better.
Why are people not protecting dogs with k9 advantage from fleas and ticks ear mites and worms and heart worms. Unfortunately people must be protected by checking but animals are easy to protect. Hope all goes well. Good luck ! Callie
Hi Everyone,
I’m 27 years old andI live in West Palm Beach, Florida and have been misdiagnosed with several autoimmune diseases (i.e., lyme disease, lupus, fibromyalgia, etc.). All of my blood work has come back negative. I saw an infectious disease doctor who told me I had a false positive for lyme disease. I am desperate to seek answers. I have not been well since 2008. I don’t know what else to do because I have been through SO many tests and blood work. Doctors are beginning to think it’s psychological. My life has been forever changed. In the midst of this chaos, I was diagnosed with sensory neuropathy. My symptoms have been getting worse. I’m lost and just trying to manage my health the best I know how to. My symptoms are as follows: constant nausea, constant headaches in back of head (some piercing), hot sweats, the shakes, extreme fatigue, lack of appetite, weight loss, eye discomfort/dry eyes, diarrhea, chest pain, heart palpitations/fluttering, shortness of breath, racing heart, tingling and numbness in arms, fingers (painful), legs, toes, left side of face, purple feet, extreme foot cramps, achy muscles (arms, neck, back, abdomen), easy bruising, mild tremors in arms and hands (comes and goes), neuropathy (nerve damage), memory problems. It was recommended that I go to John Hopkins or Mayo Clinic, but I don’t have the finances. If anyone has any recommendations, I would GREATLY appreciate it. I’m desperate!
Thank you,
Shauna
Shauna,
You have to find a doctor that knows about Lyme Disease. I took my 12 year old to an infectious disease specialist and I knew more about Lyme than he did. Keep asking people, look on facebook, I can give you our doctor in CA # and you can see if she knows anyone if Florida who knows about this. We have been treated with IV’s and she is so much better but we still have work ahead of us. Don’t give up, just find the right doctor.
Mary
When Dr. Bock said, “Well, I know alot of your listeners are vegans and they’re more naturally-oriented but I would say this is a disorder that really needs to be treated with antibiotics …,” Kris, you said, “We’re definitely not against meds, when we need them.” As one of your followers and a vegan, I completely agree. However, the issue – which exists whether it is with Dr. Bock or anyone else, integrative or not – is that “treatments” are either derived from or contain animal ingredients, whether they are prescription medications OR natural supplements!! It is nearly-impossible to be given a treatment that has not harmed and does not contain animals, even when you ask your practitioner for them! And I am STUCK with not knowing how to proceed. I’m not asking you to reveal anything personal but would be BEYOND grateful if you could share some perspective on this issue as it relates to veganism. What’s a poor, little, sick, vegan girl to do? :/
I’ve had Lyme for 35 years. I was bitten in California near Santa Cruz when I was 18. No one knew about Lyme then so I was misdiagnosed until 4 years ago. That was when the real struggle began. I’ve struggled with my health, which became significantly worse with treatments. I’ve struggled with doctors who won’t treat adequately or long enough or who won’t look or treat co-infections. I’ve struggled with insurance companies who won’t authorize treatment when I did find a doctor who would at least go part way with me. It’s been a really difficult journey and it’s not over. I’ve struggled with the general population who are ignorant of Lyme and what it does and how prevalent it really is.
Recently, soon after moving to Texas, I had one Vet. ask me why I was so sick all the time. I told her that I had Neurological, Chronic Lyme. She looked at me as if I had grown two heads and said, “Oh, you must have gotten that up North. We don’t have that in Texas.” I was floored. A veterinarian telling me they don’t have Lyme in Texas? How ignorant could a well educated person be? I guess very, is the answer. I asked her if she had ever heard of the “Lone Star Tick”. She denied every hearing of such an insect. I think it was more from trying to save face than the truth. Needless to say, my dog doesn’t see her.
So this is all just to say that Lyme patients suffer in so many ways, and most of they far beyond just the physical suffering, which can be immense and profound, that Lyme causes. I have 54 symptoms, most of which come and go but some which are always present. I also have co-diagnosis, which may or may not have their roots in Lyme. I have Fibromyalgia, Osteoarthritis, Chronic Fatigue, Epstein Barr Virus, Psoriasis, Chronic Migraines, High Blood Pressure, and hernaited disks, to name a few. I have been denied disability, both privately funded and publicly funded because I don’t fit the “box” of known disabilities although I am barely able to make it out of bed on most days. I am not a quitter and I will survive this horrible disease.
I am currently not on any Western Medicine, such as antibiotics. I am using a very new method which allows my body to see, acknowledge and kill the Lyme on it’s own. Generally, they are called, “Healing Codes”. Only a hand full of people are doing this method but the success rate of those of us lucky enough to have found it, is staggering. Because I am so sick, it will take several years to accomplish this task but I will not give up.
Lyme also mutates, which makes it harder to find and kill it. Also, because the Lyme bacteria is spirochetal, it doesn’t stay in the blood stream but bores into every bone and tissue in the body, making it inaccessible to blood borne medicines. This is why I have chosen this method of treating my Lyme. I’ve tried almost everything else with varying success, none of it permanent or significant.
Every time there is a Lyme “Die-off” there is dead Lyme in my body and I go toxic and get very sick. It’s called a Herxheimer reaction. Then I use several methods of clearing the toxins from my system. It’s a crazy disease and getting rid of it is crazy, as well. Lyme is complex, and multi-symptom. It mutates and hides from the immune system. It’s difficult to diagnose and harder to kill. And, it’s my belief, that many more people have it and just don’t know it. I believe that we will see a surge in the number of people being diagnosed in the next 10 years. A great movie to see is “Under Our Skin”. It is on Netflix. It explains Lyme and the controversy surrounding it better than any thing I’ve seen.
There is hope. Even for someone who’s had it as long as I have. I refuse to give up, even on my worse days. I think that courage is not for the faint of heart.
Blessings, Hope, and Courage to all my fellow “Lymies” who suffer every day with this horrible, life stealing disease.
Rachelle LeMond
Rachelle,
Could you give me some more info on how you get these toxins out of your body? My 12 year old has completed 6 months of IV antibiotics and is now in the stage of building her immune system and trying to get stronger. What is “healing codes” and how does it work? Let me know if you can.
Mary O’Hara
Hello,
I was bit by something when I was pregnant. I had a rash, but my doctor refused to test me because they claimed that, “there are not one case of ticks with Lyme disease in this area..” which is untrue. My boyfriend had a tick on him that tested positive for Lyme. What do you do if you’re doctor refuses to test- and is there concern for my son, since I was pregnant. He is now 10.
Please find a Lyme Literate Medical Doctor (LLMD)! Now!
I know of a woman who had Lyme and gave it to her unborn child who was sickly her whole life until they figured out what they had. You need to find a Lyme doctor, keep asking around, post on face book, call and get a referral, it is very important that you do this.
Ive been sick 20 years this coming Dec. Ive been diagnosed with Lyme, Babesia and Erlichia. Early treatment included IV and orals. Never really got well.. Digestive system is a disaster, havent’ been able to swallow solids in 10 years. Stuck in the South because of financial reasons. Wish I could say I feel hopeful but no, I don’t feel there is any help for me..
So sorry to hear this, it breaks my heart!
I am 60 years old, had Lyme disease last summer (2012), and was on antibiotics for 2.3 months.
A few first hand observations:
– It seems that Lyme first affects the joints that are already compromised in some way and lingers there after treatment.
– If one is in bed for up to a month, limping around for another month or 2, and feels like there is a lingering of joint pain, try stretching and exercise to strengthen the muscles and tighten the joints. This will help get you back to normal.
– I found very little improvement with 4 different anti-inflamatories, including Prednisone (3 courses).
Do these seem to be common among Lyme sufferers?
Thanks,
Bill
Thank you for confirming my intuition on Lyme: when my then two-year old contracted it, I broke with (my own) convention and gave her antibiotics. It remains the only disease for which she has had them. As we were on the road at the time and not as gut flora-savvy as we are now, so she didn’t get the right supplements (for liver support, gut flora, etc) hence we now have a twelve-year old with a slew of allergies! Any ideas how to proceed?
Thanks for your wonderful website, Kris. I’m not a cancer patient but I love it!
Dr, Bock actually just tested me for Lyme and am so grateful … don’t have it! 🙂
What a great discussion thank-you Kris and Dr Bock! I am currently being treated for what has most likely been a chronic Lyme picture – So far it seems the natural treatment has done amazing things for my long term variable joint pain and swelling previously diagnosed as Rheumatoid Arthritis! This was eventually given this name about 7 years ago! I have also had MS for the past 25 years so we wait and see if the treatment has any effect on the neuro aspects of this! So for any others with a chronic picture do not despair – I have been treated by a QRA (Quantum Reflex Analysis) practitioner and done a protocol which Qantum Nutrients / Premier Research Labs out of Austin Texas suggest of high dose Betaine Hydrochloride with a couple of other minor dose products. I live in New Zealand and received many tick bites from living in Australia. I also traveled to the East Coast USA end of 2001 which I’m guessing is not tick season and I don’t remember a tick bite although I did a lot of hiking in Maine so who knows! We definitely have this disease here but conventional medicine has not embraced the full awareness of it yet. I am thankful I have had an insightful natural health practitioner.
Thank you Chris… again. Please also tell others about the nymph stage of the tick. My husband and I visited the East Coast and returned home with flu like symptoms plus rashes several places on our bodies. We told our West Coast doctor that we had been in Long Island and there was talk about the unknown effects from the early baby stages of the tick called the Nymph stage. They are the size of a freckle or dirt and do not make the text book bulls eye. After 6 different doctors we saw one that immediately said oh you have Lyme symptoms. Because i was “child bearing age” i was given a three day super powerful antibiotic. Within twenty for hours it was like flipping a switch. Unfortunately my husband was given the standard dosage which needed repeating before any relief.
We are being treated by an Integrative Medicine doctor and he is treating chronic Lyme with TruRife. We are just a month and a half in the treatment and feeling terrible. Evidently this is to be expected. His experience is that because Lyme and coinfections hide in biofilms they are unable to be detected by antibiotics, therefore for chronic Lyme patients antibiotics are not that helpful.
Anyone have any experience with the TruRife and Lyme?
I have been diagnosed with Lyme just recently, but have been suffering from chronic joint pain, foot pain, and brain fog for a few years. I am so glad to finally know what is going on and have the correct diagnosis. There were times where I thought I had fibromyaglia and/or arthritis, but with all that has been ailing me Lyme makes more sense. I am seeing a naturopath for it and the supplements and naturopathics have helped but I don’t know if it will be enough to fight it off. I also just found out that it can be inherited. My grandfather died of Lyme and so it’s possible I was born with it and then just last summer I did get a tick bite, and from that point on the symptoms have hit me full force. My doc. is confident that my body is capable of fighting it off and I know it will be a time consuming battle but I will fight it. I’m so glad that you put something on here about Lyme. There are many who don’t fully understand what it is and how it affects you. Thank you.
In 2004 my daughter became violently ill. I took her to doctor after doctor all over CT. Nothing. According them, there is no illness, no sickness, it must be in her head. She could just about stand up and you think it’s in her head? I spent 2 years and thousands of dollars out-of-pocket before I got lucky and found the right doctor who steered us in the Lyme treatment direction. But her Lyme tests done in CT were always negative and we had never seen a tick bite, so how could it be Lyme?
In 2006 when she started seeing a LLMD (Lyme Literate MD) we became more knowledgeble about the disease, took chances on the meds and although I am broke, she is back on her feet living a normal life.
It was a rough road. A very long 6 years of treatment and out-of-pocket expenses but to see her well again, it was well worth it.
To all the Lyme patients, don’t give up. You can be cured.
Looking for a Lyme literate doctor in Arizona. I live in the Gilbert, Chandler and Mesa area. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Donna
Yes, yes, yes – he is so right!! I will be recommending him to people.
Hi Kris,
As you know I have been fighting Lyme Disease since I was 17 been bitten twice..
It is so much easier to get your pet treated and tested for Lyme . I am so glad Lola has awesome parents and educated ones 😉
It comes down to be aware of this disease and go to the right knowledgable doctor. If you catch it early you have a great chance of being healthy. Plan and simple
So please protect and check yourself, pets, and everyone 🙂
Love
Athen CSL
How do I avoid ticks?
Wear light-coloured clothing. It makes ticks easier to see and remove before they can attach to feed.
Wear long pants and a long sleeved shirt.
Wear closed footwear and socks.
Tuck your pants into your socks.
Use a tick repellent that has “DEET” (following the manufacturer’s directions for use). Apply it to your skin and outer clothing. Avoid your eyes and mouth, as well as cuts and scrapes.
Put a tick and flea collar on your pet and check them for ticks periodically.
If you frequent the areas where blacklegged ticks are established, examine yourself thoroughly for ticks. It is important to do this each day. Pay special attention to areas such as groin, scalp and armpits. Use a mirror to check the back of your body or have someone else check it.
What do I do if I find an attached tick?
Prompt removal of ticks from your skin will help prevent infection, since transmission of the Lyme disease agent usually requires the tick to be attached for more than 24 hours.
Using fine-tipped tweezers, carefully grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible. Pull it straight out, gently but firmly.
Don’t squeeze it. Squeezing the tick can cause the Lyme disease agent to be accidentally introduced into your body.
Don’t put anything on the tick, or try to burn the tick off.
After the tick has been removed, place it in screw-top bottle (like a pill vial or film canister), and take it to your doctor or local health unit. They can send it to the Ontario Public Health Laboratory for identification. Establishing the type of tick may help to assess your risk of acquiring Lyme disease.
It is important to remember where you most likely acquired the tick. It will help public health workers to identify areas of higher risk.
Thoroughly cleanse the bite site with rubbing alcohol and/or soap and water.
A website for those in Ontario, Canada
http://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/public/publications/disease/lyme.aspx
Would it be nice if you include closed captioned (CC) for the deaf or hearing impaired so any of us can understand what u and other were saying in your videos.