Nov
10
What other ways besides tick bites could I have contracted Lyme disease?
ByAfter ~ 6 months of symptoms, I was finally diagnosed with Lyme disease. I never had a tick bite or a rash that I was aware of – how else could I have gotten it?
I actually went to my new Dr. today – she’s a chronic illness specialist. I learned some interesting things: 1. lyme can be pa*sed through s*xual intercourse as well as blood tranfusions. 2. Mosquitos, spiders, and fleas can also be culprits. Its rare for those other buggers, but it is a possibility. Who knew?
She also said that I probably did get it as a child (I am now 25) but it stayed dormsnt until some sort of stress activated it. Craziness, right?
4 Comments
November 10th, 2009 at 6:38 am
Sorry only from ticks
November 10th, 2009 at 7:15 am
Yeup, ticks. I never had a bullseye rash. I never saw a tick. I was in the woods several hours about 2 weeks before the onset, so maybe that was it. I did have a tick on my head when I was 12 and I still have a big bump there from it, so maybe that was it. I’m 39 and got diagnosed in 2003. I never saw the criminal, but I have felt the victim. Good luck to you.
November 10th, 2009 at 7:51 am
Many people with Lyme disease do not recall a tick bite – the ticks are so small and their bite is painless. The rash is absent in many people. Ticks still are the main way people get Lyme. s*xual transmission is hypothesized but has not been proven. Same with mosquitoes and fleas – theories but not proven.
Ticks and spirochetes have co-evolved over time so that ticks are an efficient vector (tick saliva enhances the spread into the bloodstream) and the spirochete has adapted to tick transmission – for instance it starts to multiply and changes its outer surface protein when the tick begins to feed.
Other methods of transmission MAY occur, but at present are unproven. The main thing is, whether you remember a bite or a rash, you HAVE it and can get treated.
November 10th, 2009 at 8:03 am
Hi Colleen
Here is what you are looking for. On the bottom are ideas to heal the issue.
Causes
Lyme disease is caused by a microorganism known as Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), a type of spirochete (so named because of its slender, spiral shape) that was first isolated and identified by Willy Burgdorfer, Ph.D., M.D. in 1982. Conventional wisdom holds that Lyme is solely transmitted by ticks. This is false. In addition to ticks, Lyme can also be spread by a variety of other insects, including fleas, flies, mites, and mosquitoes, as well as by human-to-human contact (including breast feeding), and by blood transfusion. Unpasteurized goat or cow milk can also transmit Bb infection. It is important to realize that Lyme disease is not a simple infection, but rather a serious, complex illness that can often consist of other co-infections in addition to Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb), especially the parasitic pathogens Babesia and Ehrlichia.
Here are some ideas to start the healing process. Contacts on the bottom.
Quick Action Steps for Lyme Disease
1. To help determine if you have Lyme Disease, go to Dr. Burrascano’s symptom checklist (a.k.a. Risk Profile) using the following link: www2.lymenet.org/domino/file.n…
2. Avoid all alcohol and sugars, all processed and fried foods, all refined flour products, commercial fruit and vegetable juices, artificial sweeteners, and foods that contain hydrogenated oils and trans-fatty acids. Dairy products, caffeine, and non-herbal teas should be consumed sparingly, if at all.
3. Emphasize a diet of organic, whole foods, with plenty of fresh fruits, complex whole grains, organic free-range meats, poultry, and wild caught fish, and drink an abundance of pure, filtered water.
4. Also be sure to be tested for food allergies and sensitivities and eliminate all foods for which you test positive.
5. Useful nutrients include vitamin A, beta-carotene, vitamin B1, biotin, inositol, B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, omega-3 oils, calcium pantothenate, magnesium, and zinc, as well as CoQ10, acidophilus, the amino acid L-carnitine, and thymus gland extract.
6. Helpful herbs include astragalus, gingko biloba, ginseng, and maitake and reishi mushrooms, as well as cordyceps and Laryx.
7. Get plenty of rest and learn how to effectively minimize and manage stress.
8. To ensure full recovery, also seek out the help of support groups and organizations dedicated to providing information about Lyme disease. The following doctors and organizations are a good place to start:
Joseph J. Burrascano, Jr., M.D., 139 Springs Fireplace Road, East Hampton, NY 11937; (631) 324-7337
Lida Mattman, Ph.D., Nelson Medical Research Institute, 11664 Martin Road, Warren, MI 48093; (810)755-6430
JoAnne Whitaker, M.D., Bowen Research and Training Institute, Inc., P.O. Box 627, Palm Harbor, Florida 34682; (727) 937-9077. Website: http://www.bowen.org
The following organizations provide further resources and information about Lyme disease:
International Lyme and a*sociated Diseases Society. P.O. Box 341461, Bethesda, MD 20827: (301) 263-1080. Website: http://www.ilads.org
Lyme Disease Foundation, Inc. One Financial Plaza, Hartford, CT 06103; (860) 525-2000. 24-hour Hotline: (800) 866-LYME. Websites: http://www.lyme.org, http://www.jstd.org
The Lyme Disease Network. 43 Winton Road East Brunswick, NJ 08816. Website: http://www.lymenet.org
Vonner Health Services. 500 Spring Street, Suite 104, Gainesville, GA 30506; (770) 654-9400. Website: http://www.vonner.com
Best of health to you