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afraid to get back out in the woods??

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Posted 8/1/2012 6:42 PM (GMT 0)
For a long time now I've wondered if others with Lyme ever think these sort of things:

--never stepping in another blade of grass in their life to avoid ticks

--dousing themselves in OFF! before ever stepping out your door

--curling up in a ball & never leaving the house again

After wathching the hubby suffer for 6+ yrs, & recently getting my own Lyme & Bart diagnosis, sometimes I just feel like never going out into nature again! 

It's got me a little bummed lately, because we live in the country in a beautiful setting,, and we own land on a lake, which I find harder to enjoy now. I'm probably somewhat paranoid.  I can't even watch a commercial where a family is frollicking on their lawn without thinking, "yeah, right--how idyllic, too bad there are ticks crawling in thier lawn".    I'll catch somebody walking through a grassy area near town & think' "oh oh, they're gonna get bitten".

I worry so much about my kids(ages 17 & 19) getting this or already having it(no symptoms yet), and especially about my 19 yr old. He wants to get back in shape before he returns to college in a month & he's been running in the field behind our house. I tell him every time, "put on the bug spray", but being 19, he just shrugs it off. 

I buy trouble by thinking that we are definitely going to get reinfected at some point in our lives, and will it be worse, harder to treat, etc?

I know this isn't very healthy thinking, but after being affected by Lyme, it's hard not to be paranoid! 

Anyone else with this type of thinking???

 

Posted 8/1/2012 7:13 PM (GMT 0)
Constantly. Ignorance is definately bliss.
Posted 8/1/2012 7:18 PM (GMT 0)
I have ill 10 yrs lived in bed over 4 years now. IF and when I recover I will NEVER go in the woods again, will never walk in the pasture again or lean against a tree or sit on the ground. Some may not agree with me but I have not been living any type of life in 10 years and I would NEVER risk this again if given a 2nd chance at health.
Posted 8/1/2012 8:15 PM (GMT 0)
I must say I do get worried, but I love the outdoors (and also work in woodlands), and would never change that. You only live once, and I guess I'll just have to keep the occasional panic under control....
Posted 8/1/2012 8:17 PM (GMT 0)
I too make a conscious effort to avoid grassy areas. I no longer do any yard work and if I have to go on grass I always douse myself with deet products. I am one of those people bugs like to bite so I would be foolish to tempt fate. Last night friends took us on a pontoon boat at dusk for a ride around the lake and since my medicine prevents me from going near the lake in the sunlight I thought this would be perfect. Wore sneakers, doused myself in Deet to get to the boat, however once we got going all these spiders dropped down from the awning of the boat....let me tell you it was not relaxing after that! But my bug spray must have kept me from getting bitten. I am very very cautious.
Posted 8/1/2012 9:56 PM (GMT 0)
I think it's totally natural for us all to fear ticks and how they might compromise our immune system again. (I was very sick for 4 years, bedridden in hell for 2.) Even with that horrendous experience I believe my emotions and my spirit are depleted and compromised by limiting my exposure to the joys I find in pure nature. Ironically, it was my illness that realigned me with nature and it's importance in human life. I think the closer we live to nature, the healthier we are.

Nature--and the inspiration I find in the woods--offers me deep and profound joy and peace. Whenever I go to the woods, I make sure I'm wearing light colored pants, tucked in to my socks. Permethin on shoes, and other repellant. I wear my hair up and wear a hat. I do lots of tick checks and I'm more diligent than ever.

I choose to live life fully--taking precautions--without letting my fear limit my interaction with nature. I should add, that if I was still dreadfully ill, I may feel differently, but part of my recovery process led me to nature. I can't help but wonder if nature healed me somehow.
Posted 8/1/2012 11:31 PM (GMT 0)
I will not be imprisoned in my own house! Life is too glorious to live in fear.

Considering how much time I have spent outside, I've been bitten very, very seldom. I do take precautions and use an insect repellent, wear high boots, and shower as soon as I can when I come in.

In reality, getting in your car is far, far riskier to your health.

Get out there and have fun!
Posted 8/2/2012 2:52 PM (GMT 0)
I still lay in the grass all the time! I get that wave of panic when I see a bug that looks like a tick, but as long as you're checking for ticks, I think you're pretty safe - doesn't it take a while for them to attach and infect you? If I've been outside, I like to dry brush right after, that way I can inspect my whole body for ticks. I also do a nice little scalp massage as that's where I got my initial bite, and I can't see what's going on up there through all the hair.

Nature has a lot to offer - there's no need to throw the baby out with the bathwater. Although it doesn't hurt to wear your pants tucked into your socks.....
Posted 8/3/2012 1:13 AM (GMT 0)
Hey all!

My hubby and I recently went to Lake Tahoe for a week and went on a walk. We ended up walking through the forest and across a meadow (with tall grass) and the entire time, I was thinking..omg...another tick bite. I was pretty nervous about it and then the next day, went out and bought some OFF with deet. I did not know about this product called permetherin, so I'm going to have to try and order some of that on-line.

I looked at my legs for ticks but I keep wondering..would I even see one if it was really small? What is the best way to do this should I find myself in the woods in the future without any protection? Dry skin brushing or using a scrubbing expholiant on the skin? does that help?

Thank you!
Posted 8/3/2012 1:24 AM (GMT 0)
I just recently saw Permetherin at Walmart. Yeayyyy!!! Do NOT spray on your skin though.

Get and carry a tick removal kit on you all the time. Or use tweezers closest to the skin and use circular pulling motion. The tick mouth piece is corkscrew shaped and will rip out of their bodies if you pull it straight out and stay in your skin.

It sounds like Tahoe was beautiful.
Lisa
Posted 8/3/2012 1:27 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Lisa!

I'm glad you told me not to spray it on my skin! I will get some of that at Walmart. Is that in the sportings good section?

I was thinking I'm going to wear pants next time tucked into socks but I'm going to feel a little silly. oh well... :)
Posted 8/3/2012 1:33 AM (GMT 0)
Yes, in sporting goods.

Use knee high tube socks. Spray them, then put them on and push them down. You can look like a hippey hicker! It'll be cute, I promise. ; )
Posted 8/3/2012 1:45 AM (GMT 0)
So far, I'm with the have to be in nature crowd. I find peace, joy & relaxation walking in the woods that I just can't find in any other way. I get withdrawals & antsy without it.

My ND also said that while I have active Lyme and am on antibiotics I am rather "bullet proof" . Said either you have Lyme or you don't - while its active, you can't get more Lyme. (I am still cautious tho since i don't want to pick up any co-infections either.) Strip down tick checks when I get home. Shower at least some time the same day.

For the healthy people in your house - Stephen Harrod Buhner recommends taking Astragulus daily for prevention in Lyme endemic areas. You can find the suggested dose on his website.
Posted 8/3/2012 3:05 AM (GMT 0)
You should check out Singleton's book "The Lyme Disease Solution" as well as "Buhner's book "Healing Lyme". According to these researchers, under optimal health conditions, a perfect immune system, and with use of certain herbs for lyme prevention (Astragalus, andrographis, uncaria, etc), there is a MUCH lower chance of contracting lyme. Also, Buhner explains the science behind a tick bite (the "gasket" a tick creates as it draws blood, and the tick's alternating cycle of feeding / saliva release), an goes into detail explaining that a tick NEEDS to be attached for upwards of 24 hours before the lyme spirochetes will actually make their way into your body.

I live in a HEAVILY tick infested area of the south jersey pine barrens, which from all of the places I've been to up and down the east coast, is by far the worst. On an average summer day I get between 5-25 ticks just from sending a few hours in my wooded backyard. If I was to go for a walk in the woods it would be even worse. After reading these books and understanding the information, I feel much better about knowing that it is definitely preventable. Herbs, and checking thoroughly every day and night. Good luck.
Posted 8/3/2012 4:09 AM (GMT 0)
Lots of great suggestions!!  I usually tuck my pants into my socks, wear DEET, & so on, but since my dx, I'm more paranoid! mad

Garfield48, I also have heard that you really can't get "more Lyme".  I like to think this is true.  My hubby still goes into the woods every chance he gets(health permitting), & he jokes that maybe HE will give the tick Lyme!  He rarely puts any bugspray on either...

Markus12,   good immune systems have GOT to be the reason some people are healthy & some are not. Though I believe if you have LD, it's just a matter of time before you get sick.  I will look into the books you suggested-- there are still a few I haven't read!!

Posted 8/3/2012 5:00 PM (GMT 0)
Definitely give them a read. Of all the books I've read on lyme, these are the best. Also check out the new addition of "Herbal Antibiotics" by Buhner if you're interested in herbal medicine / making your own medicine. Great book.
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