Ticks, Lyme disease in NH

[renlouis]

I looked at the map and, not to confuse things, but wouldn't that map roughly overlap with a population density map? In other words, more cases of anything would be diagnosed where there are more people living and more doctors diagnosing. The extension of this reasoning would be that just because you live in a place where not many cases have been diagnosed doesn't necessarily mean that you would be less likely (per capita) to be diagnosed yourself (unless you are in a high-population-density area that has a low-incidence of diagnosis).

[BF66389]

I agree with your reasoning, but it actually does not overlap well with population density. The two prime examples are Nashua & Manchester- both highly populated but both have less cases than say- Hollis; which has exponentially less folks than Nashua.

My guess is that the ticks/disease has issues with colder weather, but as it mutates (or the climate warms) it moves north.

[Sleddog905]

I'm sorry to hear about your daughter Valerie. We have a close friend in CT who is going through a similar situation with chronic Lyme. He was a former power lifter who has since had to quit his job and move back in with parents because he can barely function. When we saw him this summer he looked pretty good, then I saw him again 3 months later and he literally looked like a cancer patient. He was so pale and frail! This is a guy that once weighed 300 lbs! They have treated him with antibiotics for two years now and just recently ran another Lyme test and told him that it had come back. They had told him he was Lyme free, but that it was the co-infection that was lingering. It's so frustrating that they can't really treat him. Some doctor's have told him it's all in his head, even though he tests positive for Lyme. That's helpful. He actually is trying to get worker's comp since he was bit while on the job, and they sent him to see a shrink. He thought he was going to see a doctor.

Growing up we never worried about or heard about Lyme disease. Now I'm quite happy that I live in CO where the prevelance of Lyme is SO much less than back in New England. I wouldn't let Lyme keep me from moving back there if I so desired, but it would certainly be a factor that I'd consider while making my decision.

But anyway, many posters have already listed great suggestions for checking for ticks when you come inside from a wooded or grassy area. It's really just about being diligent and using a buddy to check for ticks everytime!

[Scribbilyr]

[quote=Valerie C;7114508]I can only answer these questions from my point of view: someone who had to dig for answers because the "gods in white coats" with the MD following their name were certainly no help. In fact they urged me to NOT research Lyme Disease because of all the misinformation out there. I don't know what's worse, being misinformed or NOT informed. I guess we'll all find out years from now if we made the right decision to treat, retreat, retreat once again... but when it's your kid who can't walk, can no longer concentrate a book, and missing 39 (yes, 39) days of school in a year, decisions have to be made...

OK, back to the questions at hand (I tend to digress on this subject)
Maestra, I do think that people with a weakened immune system are more likely to NOT be able to overcome the BACTERIA on their own. After all, what is Lyme Disease? It's the infection from the Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria. Like any bacteria, some are most likely able to overcome without treatment. Others, like those with a weakened immune system, will have symptoms and hopefully be diagnosed and treated. Caught early enough, it's not a problem. The ones who end up with chronic Lyme are the ones who weren't diagnosed in that crucial period immediately following the initial bite.

Our infectious disease Dr. (truly an angel in a white coat!!) feels that DD's Lyme could be the result of an infected bite from a year or more before symptoms emerged, and that her own immune system kept the bacteria from multiplying, and when she became ill, the bacteria still in her system recognized a weakened state.

And MtnFlyer, I can only guess on your question. Somebody who understands the migration of the disease, and most importantly (imo) their hosts, which include deer, mice and of course birds. All I can tell you is that when my DD was diagnosed, a well respected Dr. in Concord flat out stated: There is no Lyme Disease in New Hampshire. Apparently even the CDC recognizes that there is indeed Lyme in NH. Hopefully northern NH remains free of the bacteria.

And speaking of these animals, you mentioned that it's a shame to have to ward off the wildlife. While that may be true, please remember that as beautiful as they are to watch from our windows, deer and other wildlife just don't belong in our yards. It's unfortunate that we (as humans) have taken over their area in frightening numbers in the last couple of decades (part of the Lyme problem??) but some folks I know have feeding stations which attract deer, mice, raccoons, and other various wildlife. I cringe when I visit, but hey, it's their property. And btw, my kids are not allowed to play outside in that yard

Please understand that this entire post is my opinion based on my experiences. It's not documented fact, and as we say, your mileage may vary...

Thank you, Valerie, for sharing your experience with everyone. I'm so sorry about all of it, especially for your daughter. My question is this, if you could do it all over again, would you live somewhere other than New Hampshire? Or do you feel that the state, the people, the economics of living there make the risk worthwhile? Our son is 4, and your story is exactly why I posted my original question on ticks, to try to figure out if it's really worth it. By moving west again, we will be taking our son away from his grandmother, with whom he is very close, to the state that he was born in but that of course he barely remembers. I am going crazy weighing it all, and it seems to come down to a decision of his health versus his family. My husband's career allows us to live anywhere because his company is based out of FL and he travels for work. His criteria is that the state not have an income tax and he has privacy when he comes home. Before we moved to NY I hiked nearly every weekend and walked every day, now I rarely go outside. What I'm hearing from the people who have responded to my post is that yes, there are ticks but go outside anyway and be ready to check when you're finished. (I love that "live free or die" spirit!) Washington state had 15 cases of Lyme disease last year, and yes there are spiders and bees and you might get killed by a tsunami or an earthquake, but the LIKELIHOOD of those things is considerably less than the likelihood of contracting Lyme disease in the Northeast. So, back to my original question, do you (or anybody else, of course) think it's worth it? Thanks.

[NH2008]

Val - just wanted to say that I'm sorry your daughter and your family are going through this experience...thinking of you and hoping someone finds a treatment that will help her feel better soon.

[renlouis]

Val - I hope your DD is doing better. It sounds like Lyme disease can be devastating!

I've been looking at both NH and PA (near Phila) because my DH has had job opportunities in both places. Sounds like both areas are hotbeds for Lyme. That really scares me. There is so much good about NH and also Bucks County, PA, where we have also been looking. The Lyme disease sounds out of control though. One of the great things, to me, about both of the areas is the outdoor recreation, but it sounds as if it is almost "risky" to participate in hiking, etc. due to the Lyme problem. I know there are precautions to take, but when the ticks are the size of a sesame seed, how do you be sure to find them - I know that neither my 13 y.o. or my 10 y.o. long haired girls are going to sit still while I try to go through their hair every day!

[Positiveone]

What time of the year are these tics more active? Being that NH is a cold state at what point do the Tics vanish? Can ones property be sprayed monthly to kill off or fend off the tics?

And I cannot believe there is still no vaccine to date! Here we are in 2011 heading on 2012 and they really treat Lyme the same as they did back in the day.

[Mac_Muz]

I was reading abut the so called cure, and what the meds do is put the disease to a sleep, not really kill it. That's a little grim. I would say in NH the ticks are active from a point in Spring, right thru Fall, with summer being the most likey time to get all bit up.

In the town of Moultonboro I picked up a road kill silver fox apx 1995 for the hide, and found one deer tick, the type most likely to carry Lymes. I belive the much more common wood tick also carries Lyme's.

And last year I spoke with a woman in Porter Maine, who had what I assumed was a tick bite that appeared to have the bulls eye feature. I am not certain it was, but I am willing to bet money it was.

I live rural and am in the woods all the time year round, and I check myself a lot in summer. I am always looking on my clothes, and feeling my neck and around both ears, at my hair line, and etc.

I can spot a wood tick hanging off a blade of grass as good as a chicken can, at this point, but it takes a while to 'see' like that. Oddly I don't have any symptoms, which doesn't seem likely considering for all my life I have been in the woods every chance I got, and my little brother ended up dead to Lyme's after a 2 decades long battle.

We grew up visiting places like Cranes Beach in Ipswich Mass, where it is most likey my brother was bitten and caught Lymes. This problem sure isn't pretty. Where I am now thjere is 2 dogs, and protect them with Front Line. Using that over the years here I haven't found any kind of tick on either of them, but one of the dogs is getting older at 9, and seems to either be sore in the joints from aging, or has Lymes. I am not the dog owner, and have no vested interest, and I don't tell other people how to live. I made a suggestion for a look see, but nothing was done. It just might be old age anyway.