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Can't see the film? Watch it here.
For The One Show, Dr Sarah Jarvis has been finding out about Lyme disease.
Lyme disease is caused by bacteria called Borrelia burgdorferi, it is transmitted to humans by ticks, and if not treated can cause serious health issues.
Watch Sarah's film, above.
In her film, Sarah told us that a small but growing number of us - estimated by the Health Protection Agency as up to 3000 people per year - are becoming infected, often after a walk in the countryside.
The good news is, if it's caught early Lyme disease is really easy to treat, said Sarah. Only one in three ticks carry the bad bacteria, and if you remove the tick (the best way is with tweezers) within 12 hours of being bitten, you significantly reduce the chance of being infected.
More information
Borreliosis and Associated Diseases Awareness UK.
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very good to see awareness raised about this in the UK. I'm an American expat living here now, and Lyme's has affected pretty much everyone I grew up with (that's what you get when you live in the country!)
It's worth noting that Lyme's DOES NOT necessarily leave your system once symptoms cease and can recur at a later date even without you being rebitten- this is what we were told by our doctor anyway. I had it as a child and for nearly 15 years afterwards had recurring chest problems- bronchitis, pneumonia, the works. That plus the woman showed in the video is why you have to catch it early, and take full-strength antibiotics to knock it out the first time around...
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Please can you clarify on the show how to remove a tick.
The advice given by vets is NOT to pull the tick out directly but to grip it and twist anti clockwise.
As noted on the show, ticks have jaws that they use to hold into the skin whilst they draw blood; by simple pulling them out you risk leaving the jaws attached and a possible infection.
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I was diagnosed with lymes disease in August 2006 after my face was paralized, I had pins and needles in my hands, arms, legs and feet. I couldn't breathe well, and nearly had to be ventilated. I had been on a camping holiday and came back ill. They discharged me from hospital three times in one week before they admitted me and then I was in hospital for three weeks and I have been back numerous times since..... I have had MRI scans, CT scans and lots of lumbar punctures.... they LOST my lymes disease test results twice, and after 12 months agreed that I had the disease... they have NEVER treated me with antibiotics and I have symptoms I have had to learn to live with which have at times dominated my life. I get very tired, dizzy, sick, I get facial weakness and I have problems speaking at times..... Any advice as what to do now would be appreciated. I am a young mother with three children. I don't think I received the treatment I should have....
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If you travel in some parts of Europe and Asia there is also a risk of Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE):
http://www.patient.co.uk/showdoc/27000510/
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I've lived in Australia for the last 23 years and i've had hundreds of ticks on me and i totally disagree with the advice to keep yourself covered up.
If you wear long trousers, ticks will still get under them and will crawl up your leg. With trousers on and the material intermittently rubbing on your leg as you walk, you'll never notice the tick until it's already biting you. If your legs are bare, there's much more chance you'll feel it as it climbs upwards (as they usually do) and you've got a much better chance of picking it off before it gets its teeth into you.
I reckon i feel at least 90% of ticks as they crawl up my legs - long before they bite me.
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Thank you for this coverage of Lyme Disease. Lyme Disease Action has a patient contact help line patients_help@lymediseaseaction.org.uk
Justine the nurse, wife to Steve is a neighbour of mine and because of her alerting my local surgery my GP suspected my symptoms of severe arthritis and muscle weakness, which responded to antibiotics could be Lyme Disease. This was eventually confirmed by a doctor specialising privately.
Now after many months antibiotics I am virtually painfree. I can after 3 1/2 years again walk up stairs.
My illness was misdiagnosed as Fibromyalgia, ME/CFS, Poly Myalgia Rheumatica and I was incorrectly given steroids.
I sufferred for 6 years and if I and my doctor had recognised my early symptoms a few weeks antibiotics could have saved me years of pain and debility. I was retired early on ill health grounds from the Civil Service so this illness has also cost me my job and my Income.
Although HPA say only 3,000 cases a year there is much evidence to support many cases go years before being diagnosed.
The illness is a multi system illness and can cause neurological, rheumatic, gastric, heart, psychiatric and many more symptoms.
Thank you once again the One Show for a sensible coverage of a truly awful illness.
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It was good to see this subject of Lyme disease featured and thank you for doing so. I'd like to point out that the women in a wheelchair that you featured is the Chair of BADA UK (Borreliosis & Associated Diseases Awareness) www.bada-uk.org, which is a registered charity devoted to raising awareness about tick-borne disease and which runs a national awareness week www.tickpreventionweek.org
It is a pity that you haven't given her the courtisy of putting the charity's web address along with the other sources of information, when she gave her time to do the programme.
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Excellent piece on Lyme disease - thank you. I think it should be a notifiable disease so that we can learn where it is prevalent. When I got it from ticks in a London garden a few years ago I was amazed at how many people told me they knew someone else who had had Lyme disease - not always with a happy outcome.
It's definitely worth checking for ticks after a rural day out. I had antibiotics within 24 hours of being bitten, after my excellent 'tick-aware' doctor told me that ticks carry plenty of other nasty germs apart from burgdorferi. I still developed the disease after 2 weeks. Further antibiotics did the trick. Happy and healthy now!
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I agree with the above comment, you should never try and pull a tick out with tweezers, the chances of leaving the head in the skin is high. I have found an excellent gadget called a Tick Twister it's like a small two pronged fork, you slip the ticks body between the prongs and twist WITHOUT pulling - very simple and safe.
http://www.nscdesign.com/ticktwister.htm
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This was much better "piece" about ticks and Lyme disease than the previous one.
One small point, Dr Jarvis mentioned that there has only been 3,000 cases ever in this country. They are actually the figures for 2007 with about 1,00 cases confirmed and about another 2,00 cases estimated. As the programme explained, this illness has many guises and a major problem is the ignorance of many GPs and other NHS workers.
Lyme is on the increase year-on-year and with climate change, this will continue as ticks don't die off in the winter (at least, in sheltered areas).
There is an on-going project about ticks on Dartmoor at www.dartmoorticks.co.uk.
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Hi, I'm Bernie, living in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. I was interested in Sarahs report about Ticks and how to remove them. However, during my First Aid lessons here, tick removal is covered every summer and we are told that it is extremely important that the head of the tick is removed. Unless you get right down to your skin with the tweezers, you might not be able to remove the head. Further, a special "tick removal" tool is available here in all chemists and this is specially designed to remove the whole insect. We are also advised to take one with us when going into the country/woods. As to covering up, that's obviously sound advice but not an option for me as a naturist BUT, armed with the Tick-remover, I'm covered.
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Correction - sticky "0" key ....
They are actually the figures for 2007 with about 1,000 cases confirmed and about another 2,000 cases estimated. As the programme explained, this illness has many guises and a major problem is the ignorance of many GPs and other NHS workers.
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There have been publicity campaigns about this in Scotland for years. Even BBC Scotland have reported on it for years. Maybe the One Show should try watching the BBC's output once in a while.
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My wife and I were both bitten by infected ticks in May 2008. We both had very different looking bites and did not realise it could be the same thing. We went to see the doctor and he was quite dismissive of them and gave us creams, When the creams did not work my wife was eventually sent to see a specialist who took blood samples and found Lyme disease. I then asked to be tested and also came back positive, we were both given antibiotics.
This took four to five months. Our doctor said he had never come across one patient let alone two! I do think this should be a notifiable disease.
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I think the estimate of 3000 cases a year is a gross underestimate. I live in the New Forest at weekends and have had the disease for 5 years. I think that many cases go undiagnosed through ignorance, they certainly do in the area I live.
One of the problems is that the tick does not necessarily bite immediately, I get bitten between 10 and 30 times a year.
Sometimes the tick may wait up to 24 hours before finding his ideal place to bite somewhere warm and soft which in my case is the groin area where I have had more bites than any other part of my body.
So if you have been outdoors for a walk where they may be lying in wait and you check yourself for bites afterwards, do not put the same clothes back on without properly checking the clothes as well, as I have been bitten over 24 hours later.
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Thank you for this very informative piece on ticks and Lyme's disease.
This was shown 24 hours after I found a tick attached to me !!!!
I became aware of the tick when I experienced the most awful pain at the site of the tick bite. I work in a hospital and a very kind Dr. managed to remove the little blighter completely using a needle. My GP discussed the symptoms of Lyme's disease with me and started me on a 10 day course of oxytetracline tablets. I have more pain today over the tick bite site than I did yesterday when he was attached which surprises me. The feature has scared me but better to be aware of potential symptoms than remain ignorant. I had never seen or heard of tick bites prior to this happening to me and more publicity is needed .
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I became ill in June 2006 and was diagnosed within the NHS as having a psychotic illness. I went to see a homeopath and after twenty minutes discussion he concluded that I had Lyme Disease.
My GP had lyme testing carried out and these were negative. There is in fact a significant problem with lyme testing.
However, my GP asked for a referral to an Infectious Disease Specialist - this was refused. Without seeing me or speaking to me he recommended anti-psychotic drugs.
Returned to the homeopath who said that I needed to find a Lyme Specialist, which I did. However, in England rather than Scotland,where I live.
I was too unwell to make the trip to see him initially, however, blood tests were carried out and I was diagnosed has having borrelia bacteria in my blood.
It has taken a long time to regain my health and I am still on long term antibiotic treatment. I had to leave my work and leave my home and I still pay for all my medication as my diagnosis has never been accepted by NHS.
Many people are in similar circumstances because there is insufficient knowledge about lyme and over dependence on lyme testing.
I believe that the numbers of people suffering from this illness are much more widespread than Dr Jarvis indicated. Due to misdiagnosis and underdiagnosis.
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Does anybody know if after having had the antibiotics there is any need to be rechecked ie another blood test, our doctor says it will only show that we have had it?
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Hi, I live in a wooded country location in France where the tick population is particularly high. They cause a threat to both humans and pets.
After watching your article on the tick nuisance in England I was disturbed by the lady who demonstrated the method of tick removal.
I have been told by vets and doctors in France that the best and safest method of removal is by twisting and pulling gently on the tick so that it is entirely removed. If just pulled out the very small mouthparts can be easily left in the skin and the wound will become infected.
Most pharmacies and vets in France sell a small plastic hook, supplied in two sizes, which slides between skin and tick. When in place you just twist the hook between thumb and forefinger and tick is removed safely.
Please can you advise the show about this far safer method of removal.
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I caught Lymes last summer in France. I was not aware of being bitten and never saw a tick. A rash was the first I knew anything was wrong and even then I thought it was just a reaction to a sting (have had this before) Finally I went to the doctor on my return to England - probably some three weeks after I was bitten. The doctor I saw admitted he had never treated anyone for Lymes but had the sense to bring in a collegue to see me. As soon as they had agreed it was likely to be Lymes I was put on antibiotics and sent for a test that came back positive. I was told a retest was not necessary after 4 weeks of antibiotics as by then the rash had disappeared. I agree that there needs to be more public awareness of this problem especially if it is becoming more common.
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May I first congratulate you on feature on Lymes Disease tonight. As a serving police officer who is undergoing private treatment at the Breakspear Hospital, Hemel Hempstead at the present for Lyme and its related Co-infections. I feel somewhat aggrieved that some of the serious issues relating to this disease were not raised. There is a common trend for patients with this illness to be bounced around the NHS, with mis diagnosis of ME/CFS, Fibromyalgia, Motor Neuron Disease and MS, as was my case. CHRONIC LYME DISEASE DOES IN FACT EXIST AND I AM PROOF OF THIS.
I was told by my GPs that I should stop grasping at straws and deal with my ME ie "go home a relax and you may get better'. I have been tested twice on the NHS through the UCH and my local hospital for Lyme but both test came back negative. I still knew I had Lymes because of the classic symptoms I was experiencing for example facial palsey, TMJ, joint swellings and pains, visual problems and light sensitivity, mood swings, neuro issues and much more. Later I had a different test done privately at the Breakspear. My bloods were sent to a lab in the US which tested ALL the co-infections and this proved positive.
The numbers of patients with Lyme Disease is way above official figures. A visit to my ward at the Breakspear would illustrate this. There are now investigations in the US into the integrity of medical experts, whose guidelines relating to Lymes were flawed or based on their own interests in medical insurance companies. These guidelines have been used by UK GPs. There is also evidence to suggest the illness is congenital and maybe linked to MS, ALS
and Parkinsons.
Long term anti-biotic treatment is the only answer at the moment. However, many sufferers have had partial treatment (2-3 weeks worth of antibiotics) believing incorrectly that Lymes will not recur. I would be willing to speak to someone on the show about my experiences. I am due to finish treatment mid May after 12 weeks of IV.
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Hi great article , however don't forget that insect repellants work well in preventing the ticks from biting, best one contain deet . there several clothing manufacturers that have tick repellant/ proof trousers and shirts great if you are in high risk areas , or exposed for hours , walking, fishing etc. in the great outdoors
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It can take about 6 weeks for blood tests to be positive because it takes at least that to produce antibodies. A knowledgeable doctor ( a rare UK find) would treat on antibiotics ASAP. after 6 weeks the bacterial has had time to spread throughout the body.
Medical people are well aware that antigen tests are not 100% reliable and Lyme tests are no exception to this. In fact the makers of the test kits themselves say that negative tests do not rule out Lyme. It should be a clinical diagnosis. According to BMJ by someone experienced in treating this illness, a rare find in the NHS.
So the smallest tick is the size of a poppy seed, you don't usually feel it as the tick's saliva is anaesthetic, and can also contain borrelia infection so some people have been infected in less than 24hrs, 40% of people do not get a rash and they are not always bull's eye one's, less than 50% get a positive blood test especially if they have been treated on antibiotics or steroids.
So many people like myself can go years with undiagnosed or incorrectly diagnosed medical conditions not realising it is connected to a tick bite that may have been many years previous to the full onset of illness.
Research shows some people produce antibodies to fight it off more easily than others and can remain asymptomatic for years. Others are affected earlier and immune system is unable to control the infection.
International Lyme and Associate Diseases say it is not so rare, the blood tests are not reliable and some people need long courses of antibiotics.
There is controversay over American IDSA guidelines which are currently being reviewed after legal action found that IDSA members had significant financial interests in Insurance, Vaccine production and Research.
See www.underourskin.com watch the trailer and read the many links with other extracts from the DVD. This helps to understand why what is happening in USA has impacted on our Doctors in UK finding it hard to recognise or treat adequately.
Eurolyme is a chat line for patients (mainly UK) and currently has just under 2000 members. So not such a rare or simply cured illness as our HPA would have us think. For more information see
www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk
and
http://www.bada-uk.org/
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Splendid subject, splendid "one "show". I was bitten by a "tick" whilst in France. The French publicise this danger in all chemists who in my experience have sound advice/leaflets to help. As has been said a tool is available to remove the demon insect what has not been emphasised is that the insect should be twisted anti clockwise it has a spiral nose ? However I can tell you all it is a terrifying sight to see this creature protruding from your thigh its legs waving around on ones skin-yuk !. I imlore Adrian and Christine to please air this subject again, previous bloggers are correct as we saw "doctors" treat this as a flea bite. It is serious--go to France. DEFRA wake up. GO TO Berreliosis Assoc: www.bada.uk.org BADA-uk. Katrina Anderson. Camping sites (some) were leafleted 2008. more please. The Camping Clubs should give this priority. Do get the BADA-UK leaflet promoted. its compreansive.
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Correction or sound advice needed re my previous blog, where I say the French advise twisting the nose whilst carefuly easing out- BUT BADA-UK state not to twist just pull gently and clean wound of debrie wash with anticeptic . Do not damage the creature as any fluid from it is lethal-use gloves when removing if poss: also when removing from animals, My daughter lives in rural France her retreiver is carefully inspected every day, every walk-unknown in U.K Farmers beware they are becoming a pest for all animals, includes humans.
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Perhaps, when recommending a 'cover up' prevention of acquiring ticks, you might warn people about foreign holidays where the heat is likely to cause them to wear the minimum. Here in Spain ticks, or "Garrapatas", are almost endemic. That red or black speck on your leg will not wash off in the shower, and when it grows to the grey 'baked bean' size, fully engorged with your blood, it will drop off. The damage may have been done. Only physical inspection works, they don't itch, they don't move, you don't know they are there! Sometimes we find 'junior' ticks under the adults, maybe they are harmless mites, maybe not - scouring them out with neat Gin seems to work. But who knows with a bacterial infection?
Where I live in Spain we are fortunate that there is little livestock in the countryside but when visiting my Sister in the southern Costa Blanca they clear the harvested fields using sheep which are infested and transfer the ticks from place to place. My dog ran into an infested area and when we found one on the surface of her coat we looked for more. We stopped counting at 250!
Also, when removing the tick, with tweezers or a strong pinch before it has fully engorged it is swift, nimble and tricky to catch. It seems to have a strong exoskeleton and the only way I know to kill the evil little $%^&*£$% is to crush them with a thumbnail or a hot cigarrette end! Try not to do this while they are still on your skin. But if you lose it among your clothing it will still be hungry and quite capable of finding the nearest warm body as a host.
Dick
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ChrisSand,
Yes that`s correct the test only shows if you`ve had Lyme Diease.
CD57 is an immune test that is avalible to see how your coping: If its low then your not coping.. Its not much use until after the 1st year or so after the 1st contact with the infection. The NHS do not do this test.
I can`t remember the different tests now off the top of my head: There`s one test that`s made up of bands if you only have a few bands developed you may of only had the infection for about 6 to 8 weeks: If you have a course of antibiotics before the 6 to 8 week period the bands might not show up at all. Even though the infection might still be in the body.
I had only a few lines show up on my test.
I`d had penacilin within a week of the 1st bite. Its not really ideal...
I sent my blood to a lab in Holland they used a broad spectum test as there are over 200 types of Tick.
They don`t all produce a rash.
The UK Test is only good for Sheep Tick.
Each animal has its own specialized Tick.
The experts have been told off from refering to Tick as Deer Tick in the Uk:
The Doctor..... Talked about deer on the show Sheep Tick occur on Deer as well.
The epidiemic is Sheep in the UK and Deer in the USA.
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I was pleased to see Dr Jarvis's item on Lyme Disease.
Wendy Fox, who was featured in this film, was very kind and helpful to my family when my daughter was diagnosed with Lyme Disease after nearly ten years of illness.
She did not have a bulls eye rash when she was originally bitten, but when she started powerful antibiotic treatment years later she produced a perfect rash.
When Dr Randolph says that ONLY one in three ticks is infected, this might imply that this is not too bad. However, a single deer could have thousands of ticks on them, so the possibility of coming in contact with an infected one is higher than one might think.
Testing for Lyme Disease is tricky as there is a high level of false negatives. At the moment in England it is not a notifiable disease. My daughter was diagnosed using tests from Germany and America and no doubt her case was not counted. I know many others who are in the same boat. I think the true incidence is probably far higher than stated.
However, a very big thank you to the BBC for featuring this piece.
What needs to happen now is for doctors to be made more aware of this horrible infection. My daughter was misdiagnosed for nearly ten years. As Dr Jarvis stated early diagnosis helps greatly with effective treatment.
I have an appointment with our local MP soon to discuss this very issue. Both BADA UK and LDA produce excellent leaflets informing about the disease and I believe that PCT's across the country should be ensuring that information on the dangers of Lyme Disease should be available in surgeries.
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I'm glad the One Show is highlighting Lyme. My daughter (age 17) was diagnosed last summer after being ill for years with migraines, brain fog, chronic fatigue - also she has had an underactive thyroid since age 8 which we now know is caused by the Lyme disease. Finally after reading an article in the Daily Mail we went to a private hospital who ran tests confirming Lyme and co-infections. Our doctor still won't acknowledge she has Lyme and sent a blood test to the Lyme unit at Southampton hospital which came back negative. I don't believe the testing is good enough in the Uk and that there are many many undiagnosed cases. We treated our daughter anyway and she is much better - no more migraines, brain fog etc. Still very tired but improving. Unfortunately it has messed up most of her teenage years and she had to drop out of school.
One more point the bulls-eye rash only occurs in about 30% of cases.
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I heard on a vet programme on tv, that pulling a tick out can leave the head in, which can cause an infection, they said you should cover the tick with vaseline, the tick will smother, and drop out, just a thought.
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http://www.bada-uk.org/defence/removal/indextickremoval.php
Correct Tick Removal
How a tick is removed is extremely important. Incorrect removal can result in:
The tick's mouth parts being left behind in the skin.
a) Compression of the tick's abdomen.
b) Puncture of the tick's body.
C) Injury and stress to the tick.
These in turn can result in localised infection from foreign bodies and the introduction of infective organisms from the tick's stomach contents and saliva.
Leaving behind the tick's mouth parts can result in septic abscesses which, in severe cases, can lead to septicaemia.
Compressing the tick's abdomen can cause its stomach contents to be squeezed back into the blood stream of its host.
Puncturing the body of the tick can spill its stomach contents, which may contain infective organisms.
Causing injury or stress to the tick can result in it regurgitating the blood meal that it has ingested. This may contain infective organisms and result in the host contracting a serious infection/s.
Stress to the tick can result from applying solutions such as alcohol, aftershave, oils / butter, paraffin or petroleum jelly. It can also result from applying a freezing agent or burning the tick with a cigarette, lighter, or match head.
These methods might be successful in getting a tick to release its grip, but they can also significantly increase the chances of disease transmission.
There are only two safe ways to remove an attached tick:
With Fine-tipped Tweezers
With a Tick-removal Tool
I have copied this from the BADA UK website, if you follow the link it leads to excact instructions on how to use tweezers.
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Tick removal tools are available from the BADA UK website:
http://www.bada-uk.org/products/tickremover.php
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I`ve search for ages and ask DEFRA and various other contacts if they would test the Spinney at the back of my house.
Both myself as well as my Cats got sick.
The cats had a weeks worth of anti-biotics.
One of them had a second week: They seemed to have lost their sense of smell that`s been 4 year ago now..
The vet played down the +ve result saying it was only low level...
They were only a year old when they caught Lyme.. They resticted their own diet and while they eat fresh fish before the infection they, refused anything other than tined or dried food afterwards.
After 4 years they`ve now just decied they like fresh fish once again.. its not as if I have not given it to them.
I`ve found my own smell and taste as well has been badly affected..
My GP refused to treat me long term. Having to return to the GP once I got my own private test every 10 days or so.
To get more antibiotics as I live next to the small wooded area. Where the Tick can easily walk along fences or fall from over hanging trees over my house and garden.
Some doctors think they just climbe grass and wait for a meal. They go to the heightest point. If that happens to be your house.
I am told by the doctor no one else has been bitten in the area.... How do they know?
Most people don`t see much..
As I`ve only got the poppy seed sized version here. It can cause any number of symptoms and up to 5 or more years before they start to appear.
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i've been camping in the lake district on many occasions and have had ticks or have had been with people who have had ticks!
the advice we were told/given by doctors , was NOT to pull the tick out with tweezers like it said on the report!!! but to either twist it with tweezers anti clockwise but only to do this is you knew what you were doing so that you did it correctly or drown it in alcohol, then it would fall off, taking the teeth with it.
On the odd occasion i had a tick, fortunatly i found them after a couple of hours, but i put purfume or neat alcohol on it and after a few minutes it fell off.
While watching the show tonight, i felt that you did not give the correct advice! and after reading other comments on here i was not the only one who felt this! i feel you need to clarify on the show the correct way to deal with a tick and a tick bite.
Laura, Newcastle
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Better from the BBC after the sorrowful piece by George McGavin last year.
The test referred to earlier is the Western Blot, however this is mainly for Borrelia burgdoferi; the main causitive organism inthe US. European Lyme is more likely to be caused by B. garinii, B. affesi?, or B.valensi. (apologies my memory is not very good). Bandings on Western Blot tests therefore are different.
My experience is that Lyme is not well recognised by GP's or Consultants.
I was bitten in 1996; tick mouth parts were removed from the middle of a circular rash after 3 days. I felt awful; fatigue, sweats, headache and general flu symptoms. This despite initial high dose oral antibiotics. I was then on a mix of antibiotics from my GP for three weeks but still feeling ill.
I returned to work after 6 weeks, but was extremely post-viral; fatigue, moody, blurring vision, insomnia, sweating, unable to concentrate amongst many of the symptoms.
Unfortunately, my blood serology was always negative.
In 2001, I was looking over a cliff, ready to take on more step. I sympathize with Alasdair Crockett and Jan Linton, I was so nearly there before them.
Currently, I have now been taking high dose antibiotics; much of my function is slowly returning but full recovery is now unlikely.
Moral of this, a good and correct diagnosis, given history of possible exposure. Immediate high dose antibiotics for at least a month, not just until symptoms subside.
This bug hides and has differing morphology.
Enjoy the country, but be aware and check, and keep checking.
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It was good to see the article about Lyme disease on the programme. I wish it had happened two years ago and my G.P's had recognized the mark on my leg.The treatment I received wasn't enough and too late.The infection had affected my nervous system.Two years later after more tests in the infectious disease department and more antibiotics I have had to take early retirement .I was told the infection has caused permanent damage.No more treatment or support has been offered by the N.H.S and I feel abandoned and over looked almost told to go away and put up with my ongoing symptoms.Hopefully more G.P's will know the signs and early treatment will help others after it has been highlighted on prime time television..
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Regarding tick removal: Slog26's comments above from the BADA UK website make the most sense. Alcohol, perfume, surgical spirit etc. might get the ticks to drop off, but this is not the method to use and is not proof against getting Lyme disease.
I was aware that tweezing them out was tricky and that you could leave mouth parts behind. So I sprayed the ticks with a bug repellant like Raid. They dropped off very quickly. I still got Lyme disease and my doctor said I should not have tried to poison or suffocate the ticks as if you do something like that they usually disgorge their stomach contents into the host before dislodging.
She was right.
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Thanks for raising the awareness of Lyme disease to folks in the British Isles. Many people (including doctors) associate tick borne disease with America but it is prevalent all over Europe too. UK & Ireland is no exception! There's a useful Tick Disease Map available showing the areas of Europe afflicted at http://www.tickalert.org/map.html
The Tick Alert team are also asking for people spotting a tick to report it to them, so they can keep their stats. updated.
Did you know that Lyme disease is notifiable in Scotland but not the rest of the UK or Ireland? Work is being done by Lyme charities to change this and we can all do our bit by approaching local politicians.
Thanks to Wendy from BADA who appeared on the program. She works tirelessly behind the scenes to keep up the fight against Lyme disease.
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Thank you for including the piece about Lymes Disease and the interview with the Doctor. I've never heard of this disease.
I was diagnosed with RA 10 years ago but none of the medication has helped. For the first 3 years I was told there was no arthritis. I am now dependent on a wheelchair when I go out.
For many years I have visited friends abroad. Every time I went by ferry to a local island I developed huge sores, had to visit a local doctor and was given antibiotics for 'flu-like symptoms. My own doctor dismissed my inflammed legs and the circular lesions and said "they're bites - go home and stop worrying".
The friends we visited maintained the sores were sun-related, but a few years ago it happened to them. Their doctor told them they were tick bites. It then turned out that animals had been transported on the passenger ferry from one island to the other.
Having now looked on the web at the items on Lymes, I am beginning to wonder if I have been infected and this has been the cause of my problems.
What a great item this was tonight ... thanks
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I am saddened to hear of the many stories of misdiagnoses. I was unaware of being bitten and had no rash. I could have got it from picking up a field mouse that was sick. I had awful headaches for a month and then got Bilateral Bell Palsy. Ironically, the Bilateral BP was quite fortunate, as this is a classic symptom of Lyme.
I was treated with antibiotics for 6 weeks and hopefully it has cleared up. Few people have mentioned having a Lumbar puncture or MRI scans to help with the diagnosis.
I think it is a notifiable disease in Scotland. Why not in England?, it's a very unpleasant disease and it would appear to be spreading.
Good luck to all.
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As an orienteer, myself and many people I know get ticks on a very regular basis. I've only ever known one person to suffer from Lymes Disease - he was ill for a while but he's completely fine now.
I think its fine as long as you do a thorough check every time its possible you'll have them - as we do a check every time soon after being out so we find them within a couple of hours or so. Its also important to make sure you don't wear the same clothes again until you've washed them - a tick could cling onto clothing then reattach itself when you next put the clothing on!
If using tweezers you need to make sure you pull the tick out the same way it went in otherwise you'll snap the body off the head and leave the jaws in which is not what you want!
Throughout the years we've heard various forms of tick removal (vaseline, tweezers, commercial tick grabbers etc) - I still go for the tweezer approach - grabbing the tick as near to the head as possible (i.e. not squeezing the body too much) and pulling out in the right direction. If the head is left in you watch it closely for the next day or so for any signs of a rash or anything abnormal.
A shame more advice wasn't given about how to deal with them than just focussing on the outcomes. Sure you need to scare people into making sure they look for them but surely the main point is to provide advice on how exactly to deal with them!
Lucy, Edinburgh
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The treatment of lyme disease can involve a lot more than antibiotics. There are many supplements which can help also diet and exercise is important.
The first treatment I received was to build up my immune system. Like many of the people who have already commented I suffered from a range of symptoms.
It is important that doctors learn to diagnose lyme symptoms because testing alone is insufficient in arriving at a correct diagnosis.
The suffering that many people endure is dreadful and people are having to resort to paying for private investigation and treatment. Of course, everyone cannot afford to go down this route.
Also it is difficult enough experiencing the devasting symptoms of lyme without being confronted by disbelief on the part of medication practitioners.
Well done to the One Show for raising this topic, however, the programme only raised the tip of this huge iceberg.
I hope that there will be a follow up.
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I asked the PCT as well as the healthcare commission to take note as well as the GMC:
About alternative treatments being used by a lot of doctors and lay practitioners:
Computerised devices are being used to heal. They are a Pandor`s Box.
Richard Gerber MD said in his book
Vibrational Medicine for the 21st cen.
"These devices are more effective than long term Drug or psychotherpy".
He likewise said that doctors are using these devices under the counter.
Watchdog did a program about a month ago
about Food allergies and sensitivities.
Watchdog reported on a type of Vaguer test that can be used to diagnoise other conditions if the programe is applicable.
The Watchdog jounalists 4 of them went round Super Drug and other chemist shops.
They found this vaguer test gave them different answers. Each researcher had several tests in different chemists.
I know the BreakSpear uses some devices very simular.. To treat various conditions not only Lyme Disease. I have tried to warn a doctor there and others.
I`ve personally had more than 6 practitioners used what they used to call Radionic equipment on me. So I am well experianced to know the side effects of these seemingly harmless devices.
(And there are side effects, where your practitioner can infect you with his or her own condition+that of other patients)
They still wrongly believe they are using older much less harmful technology.
Because its wrongly called low level radiation.
Yet the PCT treated me as if I had a screw missing. Watchdog has reported the version they tested to what was the medical devices agancy... I must of spoken to them at least 3 times over the last 9+ years now trying to warn them about these systems.
As well as Watchdog:
Dr George Carlo (USA) did a Talk in September 08 www.es-uk
he believed that biofeed back/electromagentic treatments that used Scalar waves/non-linear wave system.
To most people it means a type of Radar or microwave.... Even a nuclear content.
They can be used in the same room or over distance.. But
These waves thought to heal many illnesses
"Break The Cell Membrane". Another doctor at the meeting disagreed.
I`ve spoken to others and they likewise realise: The power of the biofeed back is well under estimated. It masks Lyme and any other conditions rather than curing
A lot of Lyme suffers have electrosensitivity problems either, or because of pre-exposure to electropollution. as a result of the Lyme disease as it changed the sodium balance in the skin.
Much of this problem has come from military science which is not new:
In my own case:
I saw a very strong link with a G3 and mobile phone mast going in over 4 years ago about a 1/4 of a mile from my house.
from March of that year to October when I caught Lyme.. The I saw the population of other insects vanish, we had loads of wasps
and bee`s and butterflies. They have now gone.. The Tick became top dog..
I see about 2 cabbage whites a year and and the odd hornet a handful of bees`s in my neighbours garden only because she got speical Bee flowers. Previosly they were happy enough to go for the few I had in my garden.. We had masses of odd looking insects and butterflies.
It was a consevation area. But I was told the council could no longer afford to support that status. So the Mobile phone company without any planning permission can hide its transmitter in the trees.
No other conservation group was interested
They even said, we`ve got mobile phones on our reserves and we`ve seen no problem.
I`ve since heard different. It almost as if these nature groups don`t want to talk to loudly as if they have be told you will not get a grant (government) if you talk+ the mobile phone company must pay them.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/watchdog/2009/02/food_intolerance_test.html
Tick incease has been blamed on global warming: While the rediction of Butterflies has been blamed on too much rain.
However both Bee and Wasp populations have been changed because of an incease in fungal infections and mites.
The fungal infection has a link to inceased +ve ion radiation from mobile phones.
Other infections have become more obvious in us humans like cold sores.
There are reports that mobile phones now being used in hospitals: Are one of the most infectious agent they have........ Its found they are near impossbile to clean..
Their own levels of radiaition helps lock in infection... Hence buildings which have had transmitters on top of them for many years have the same problems; MRSA and mobile phones levels is there a connection?
When so many of our hospitals are not able to keep clean: They have no clean air:
We`re are sitting in our own rubbish. Along with the poor animals.
One report I read:
The USA military microwave Tick to kill off their preditors:
I will repeat MICROWAVE then as a biological weapon dip those Tick into a solution of Lyme Disease:
The Tick are then taken out even into parts of the USA and they are sprayed to keep people away from those areas.
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Finally a informative piece on Lyme disease, but i think that you should have mentioned BADA-UK, especially with all the hard work that Wendy Fox and co put into raising tick awareness! Also the time she took out to do the interview. The only thing is you can't fit all the information into a few mins, there is so much to know. My partner contracted Lyme, it was only down to information he got from BADA that he realised what he had. If you think how totally soul destroying and frustrating it is to know there is something wrong with you but no-one knows what it is, of the other side is they think it's in your head. The most important thing is the correct information and passing it on. If your not sure then research it. Carry on the good work wendy
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Great to see Lyme disease given some airtime.As a sufferer of this awful illness i can tell you what a terrible thing it can turn out to be if it is not diagnosed as soon as possible.We must raise awareness ,because if we don't ,with ticks on the increase ,more and more of the population(including children) will find themselves suffering.
Would love to see it gone into in more depth,but realise there is only so much time you can give to each subject in such a short while,so thanks again,
tinywillmick
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I was delighted that The One Show highlighted the problem of Ticks & Lymes Disease last night, especially with the walking season about to start. My uncle was diagnosed with possible Lymes Disease whilst we were on holiday 2 years and thanks to a quick thinking doctor was treated quickly enough to suffer no lasting side effects.
I run a first aid supply company and when I found out the danger of ticks I did a fair amount of research and started supplying the Tick Twister Hook through our Ebay shop. I was, therefore, surprised last night to see the lady on the programme using a pair of tweezers which don't really remove the mouth parts which are implanted in the skin. The Tick Twister Hook doesn't compress the abdomen of the tick and minimizes the transfer agent of Lymes Disease.
I have also been surprised that ticks are a world wide problem - in the last 2 weeks alone we have sent the hooks to countries all over Europe, America, Alaska (!!) and Japan.
If you are a walker and/or have pets please find out about using the best removal tool.
firstaidmum
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Thank you for redressing the balance somewhat from your previous program. I was hopeful there would be a mention of the possible misdiagnosis as there may be many people with Lyme or something similar who have been diagnosed with ME, for example.
Hopefully people will have seen the program and talk about it and more and more people will become aware of this awful disease.
It would be good if GPs, neurologists, etc, have also seen the program, as the number of them who still say that Lyme is extremely rare is shocking. Hopefully they will be interested enough to investigate a little further and then people presenting with absolute classic symptoms like myself (foot drop, fevers, etc.) will not be left to suffer. I still don't know if I'll get better and I've been on treatment for over 2 years.
Also it would be good if it had been mentioned that the tests for Lyme are not reliable.
Having said all that, it is only a short program and it did get the main message across, thank you very much.
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Twisers don`t work for the small tick: I would love to be able to go to my GP`s and get the tick removed I can`t reach with my finger nails. The GP just would not want to know.
There is no leverage to twist the little "B`s". Its just a matter of pulling. The one`s I can`t reach have to stay. Showering can cause and after shock as they fall out from places you can`t reach.
Then where do you go
When they get in the house, there`s just nowhere to go..
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A few years ago we were on our way to Haven carvan park, we were in a pub garden near Bexhill, when I discovered I had a tick on my leg, and my husband told me what to do, my daughter had some tweesers with her.
I didn't realise how serious it could have been.
I have fwd info to others. Thank you the info was very useful. We are dog walkers.
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Thank goodness – a discussion on Lyme Disease. The doctors in the NHS need to be educated with regard to Lyme Disease. I caught it a year ago and when the rash appeared I saw three NHS doctors and at first I was told it was an allergic reaction and given cream, after two weeks I was told it was a fungal disease, given cream and after two weeks I insisted on being tested for Lyme Disease which turned out to be positive. Fortunately I knew someone who recognised the rash and sent a photo to their doctor in America who confirmed that it was a Lyme rash. I went privately to a specialist doctor (the only one in England I might add) and he gave me a prescription which I took to my NHS doctor and after long consultation they agreed to give the medication on the NHS. The government guidelines is for only two weeks antibiotics which as my diagnosis took so long would not be good enough to get rid of this disease. My specialist prescribed 3 months strong antibiotics and hopefully I am now clear. The spirochetes bury themselves in the soft tissues in the body and can lay dormant for a long time then breed and infect the organs of the body.
This subject MUST be discussed at a much greater length – I feel your programme did not put across the seriousness of this illness if left mis-diagnosed – it will eventually affect the neurological brain hence paralysis and nervous system breaking downI You should investigate this further.
I might addthat my friend has had to spend a vast amount ofmoney for her treatment because NHS do not knowhow to treat advanced Lyme and refused her funding.
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Thank you to the One Show for increasing the awareness of Lyme disease in the UK. It can be a devastating disease.
I would agree with the various comments that it is not safe to pull a tick with a tweezer. It may leave its mouthparts behind and excess distressed to the tick can cause it to regurgitate its stomach contents which can then cause transmission of a range of infections.
I listened to a lecture given by a doctor from British Columbia who has been treating Lyme disease for twenty years. I recommend looking at his website. He has been teaching emergency departments to remove the tick using a small bleb injection of lidocaine with adrenaline. This causes the tick to back out spontaneously as its access to blood will be impeded by the adrenaline injection. http://www.drerniemurakami.com/main/page_about_the_doctor.html
I would highly recommend keeping the tick when it has been removed and getting it tested for Borrelia or coinfections through PCR testing. It is also worth talking to your doctor about taking a course of prophylactic doxycycline following a tick bite.
Tick borne diseases are real and serious.
There is a revealing documentary on this: "Under our skin"
http://www.underourskin.com/
With best wishes to all those striving to improve their health.
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How interesting to read the experiences of so many people. since my last "blog " 9p.m 19/3 where I mention French concern over Lyme. We all mention the same incedences, lack of medical concern, the lack of a true test, safe removal of the dangerious insect. May I suggest we all send the info: and B.A.D. A web to our respective doctors / surgeries who hopefolly have an e-mail adress & and a web site. I should add our grand-son then 9 (I am reminded) was operated on in our local hospital (insion) to remove a tick. We should carry antiseptic and the removal tool when out and about in the wonderful countrryside. Brian, oxfordshire. p.s. One Show please read our blogs and repeat the contents + other bbc programms, many thanks.
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BBC`s Inside Out did a program about Porton Down after ww2 spraying the public from van`s to see how many were affected by toxic substances.
Its still going on right now various reports from the USA in that planes are doing the job still.
http://www.drerniemurakami.com/main/page_about_the_doctor.
Once the immune systems been damaged.
http://asianvictimsassociation.ning.com/profiles/blogs/over-800-testimonials-of?xgs=1
Lyme is either being delibratly sprayed in some form around the world, in combination with other infections and chemicals. But equially its mal practice by industry combining electromagnetic and chemical substances. They are being sprayed through aircon systems. The particles are not remove just like a cheese grater the particles get smaller and cross the "blood brain barrier"
The Royal Society (London) was asked to report a few years ago. Nothings been done:
The electromagnetic field makes the skin more permiable to chemicals it amplifies their effects.
Beauticans use a type of electgromagnetic roller to incease the absorption of creams into the skin.
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I`ve been trying to find info on IV antibiotics
and dosage: So I could at least get some info over to the NHS consultant.. About possible long term use..
IV twice a day one site said.
That seems impractical.
(Unless I can admin myself)
GP play`s hard to get..
She refuses to read anything off the net.
Even though the infectius diseases consultant said to work things out for myself.
The GP will not do anything she told me unless a consultant tells her.. So I have just got me own prescriptions.
The consulant was not too concered.
Is not prepered to waste too much time on little old me.
It mentions the use of Florinf and other steroids.. On one site.. (waiting to ask permission from the NHS)
And insulin resistance being associated with other endocrine problems which are not obvious from tests. (In Lyme conditions)
There`s a reluctance to treat unless blood tests show up. Even docs could be prosicuted and struck off if they treat thyroid
problems according to www.thyroid.uk
Some doctors in the alterative medicine have been treating patients with Thyroid tests of 5 units and above...
(Other EU values say TSH should be 3 units)
The infection can push the TSH up high..
They call it ethroid..
But the blood test is not as accurate as saliva, is not so tightly bound.. Yet the NHS
does not like salvia tests.
The NHS is reluctant to treat till the TSH
(Thyroid stimulating hormone) is 8 units and above.
There is chicken and egg situation going on
in that something`s already knock the immune system in Lyme Sufferes previously to the Lyme Disease, is not being taken seriously and treated.
The people who have been treating Lyme or not treating it in their wisdom. Have been told off for not taking proper clinical pictures.
And have been too reliant on blood tests alone..
The same apply`s the endocriologists and
neurolgists. Don`t have star rateing`s as to what their prepared to look at even if you
do find something in a book or on the net their just as likely to ignore it.
There should be specilest units, but that will take time to train them... Or get them to open their minds.
Tests that are largley though the private and USA sector are not taken seriously.
Even if the NHS can do the tests themselves the consultants are still 20+ years behind the times.
The biochemists might know more than the consultant. But its not up to the biochemist to tell the doctor his job..
Even though the biochemist designs the tests. If the doc don`t ask then nothing happens.
The doc can misinterpted the tests.
Even eminet consultants who have been in
positions of authority; and God Knows how many patients they have misdiagnoised.
If one can speak to not just one biochemist but several. They laugh at what the consultant might say...
Its no wonder we are told we eat too much
and that`s a main cause of diabetes..
BBC Horizon proved a few weeks back over eating does not make people put on more weight.. Neither on its own does it cause diabetes... (But the metablisum speeds up)
Some people might eat a lot.
"I heard sometime ago a consultant thought by putting a needle in someone`s tum would make them lose weight".
These are supposed to learned people?
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Not much has been said about the good work Tick Alert have done. During 2008 articles alerting people to the dangers of tick bites were in lots of outdoor magazines.
The tick alert site shows a map of tick hotspots all over europe. Tick Alert were also giving away Trix tick removers which are claimed to be the safest way to remove a tick.
In my own experience, it is very difficult knowing if you have gripped the correct spot using tweezers - I wonder if the advice givers have ever had to do it themselves?
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earthtickman,
Yes fiddley for me as mine are too small to get much round at all.
I`ve had various one`s appearing at different times.
Some seem to be like a little arrow, they sort of fold themselve up and dig in.
Others are what they call a mole tick the top half is like a shell with legs around the edge of the (a bit like a horseshoe crab)
As spiders Ticks and crabs belong to the same family.
Just spaying them does not do much:
I sort have to just pull with my fingers..
Maybe a spay version of lydercain and adrenaline might be a solution for me.. Rather than injecting it... (who might make it)
When the Tick first came I may as well have been laying down in the tree`s near my house. Nothing would stop them inside the house. I tried flea spay and now I am using
Rentakill Fly and insect replent I need 3 or 4 of those around the house. They are supposed to last up to 2 months..
I am getting bitten again so I suppose they are just about up after 6 weeks.
The council have like the local GP`s take no
resposibility as to what`s happened since the G3 and other transmitters gone in.
Health and safey is wrongly based on what other people notice, rather then what`s safe.. A lot of people have to be told to move away from hazards.
(Most people are hyped by electropollution but they don`t see it so they can`t say, its unsafe)
As I had to quote BBC Horizon when the
Zaybrooker sank and other hazards.. Most people just stand and stare: Including those who are supposed to lead peir pressure is not enough to stop people creating safe places and if they can`t make money out of it..
Councils have had legisation passed on to them.. By central government but there`s no one to spell it out to them and the so called experts..
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I read in some of these references given above.
There`s a common factor between electropollution suffers; and Lyme Disease in that there is high levels of Mercury and heavy metals in blood samples.
There maybe an increased levels of heavy metals in the areas these folk live; a lot of Brown Field Sites have been re-developed maybe into conservation areas, and homes are likewise have been built on this land..
The governments hid the chemical pollution left behind.. Because people don`t normally go to this bad places it gives a chance; for
at first nature to come back..
However as soon as the lands disturbed by building, the poisons are realest out of the ground... Toxins pass into the buildings:
There are other combinations that break down of the immune system: Making some people more prone to being poisoned than others. Some genetic disease make people more prone to heavy metal poisoning... Whether like alcoholics the previous generations have been poisoned with over drinking. That weakened the gene pool and the children suffer serious ills..
The generations born over the last 70+ years have had their gene`s exposed to more pollution. (Than pervious)
Darwin talked about the survival of the fittest...
The way things are going it will only be the Tick and Cockroach left they can both survive microwave ovens and I think nuclear radiation.
Perhaps we will all return
"One Fine Day" as Tick?
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I thought the show was much improved compared to the other show, but it only is the tip of the iceberg, there is not enough info about misdiagnosis, I live in Holland, and have helped a lot of people in the past years to get a positive test from a decent lab, all these people have mostly been diagnosed with other illnesses such as MS, my daughter for example.. also parkinson,
ALS, CFS, ME, Alziemer. just to name a few,
Most of the GP,s and specialists are very ignorant to this infection, I have had more than 11 different medical doctors, and all have been rubbish, and in the end I had to go abroad, to get a diagnose, it took me more than a year to find the only GP in the UK to help me. by this time I was chronicilly ill, and have to pay my own medication, this illness is so terrible and can happen to anyone, I think there should be a advertisment made to warn people, and not only when you are walking in the forrest, but having a picnic with the children or in the garden on a nice day is all it takes,,
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I`ve just seen this weeks comment on Salt intake being reduced.
Most doctors know very little about biochemistry an increased up-take of salt is caused by a biochemical shift; not a real increase in most peoples diets.
The increase of Salt has an antiseptic action and can help prevent infections or reduce their indecencies conditions like Lyme Disease, are taking advantage of this misunderstanding by some members of the medical profession, telling them to cut back on salt.
The wrong observations being taken by so called lab staff. Its the losing of Magnesium in the diet and its absorption, that causes a precipitation of sodium (Salt) in the blood.
The raise in fat or cholesterol is the bodies way of repairing damaged cells. It starts to lay down fat in the blood vessels because of autoimmune problems; allergic reactions rote the blood vessels leaving pockets where the fat or cholesterol stick, in effort to repair the damage.
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The BBC MUST do a program on Lyme as the current situation is insulting and disgusting to victims.
I wish I had seen the One Show before I was bitten by three ticks in a school field in June 09. I had the Lyme disease rash and not surprisingly the test was negative. Lyme was missed by the doctors and three weeks were lost, but when I did go back and told them it looked like Lyme Disease and showed the picture of the rash they started me on amoxil . After a few days I felt drugged and couldn't stay awake and couldn't move. I was very ill and I am still pretty ill, can't walk very far due to joint and muscle pain and have lots of numbness in my face and body. I have headaches and my vision has altered. I have gone from a five day a week gym attending adult to someone who thinks twice about moving from the sofa as I will have trouble moving /walking.
I have had to pay for private advice and treatment as the NHS guidelines only cover 30 days antibiotics. It's a terrible situation to be in. I have been unable to work for nearly two months as I am housebound and was basically sleeping all day and unable to do anything. My husband drove me to the Breakspear Hospital. I am so glad we went...and now have hope that I will be better by Christmas.
Lyme Disease action is a wonderful resource for suffers and if a new petition is started I will be contacting my MP requesting they support a national register and "flexible" treatment guidelines as specified by ILADS.
http://www.lymediseaseaction.org.uk/
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I do computerized electrodermal screening in Columbus, Ohio and I have been finding that 60% of the people I screen show Lyme spirochetes! Recently Dr. Mercola had a very informative article on his website. There is a whole family of spirochetes. The one that causes "Lyme disease" is one particular one of a big family. They all cause problems and are spread by many biting insects and spiders - not just ticks!
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