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Friends 13 year with tick on head

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Posted 7/8/2015 3:38 PM (GMT 0)
Great friend that lives in Texas just went to visit her family in Nebraska called me yesterday and told me her oldest just picked a tick off his head and does she do now, he broke the tick not knowing what it was when he scratched it. I urged her to save the tick and to have it tested. Also urged her to get him on antibiotics right now. Not sure on the antibiotics she is at work and we are texting.
She said her dr doesn't send for testing on the tick and needs to know where to send it, I doubt the County Health Department does that, should I suggest Igenex or have her try the health department 1st?
Anyone know the cost from Igenex for tick testing?
She is convinced it's a tick from Nebraska, they visited family farm, I'm sure there is wooded areas, they have no pets at their home and live in town.

Thank you,

Iheartx
Posted 7/8/2015 3:50 PM (GMT 0)
I think she is up against a huge battle here, being in Texas.
I called the health department and they don't test the ticks.

Thank you!

Iheartx
Posted 7/8/2015 4:32 PM (GMT 0)
I just pulled a tick out of my 4 year old's thigh about a week ago. It costs $68 for each test at Igenex - Lyme, Bart, Babesia, Erlichia, etc. I sent the tick in and had it tested for Lyme, Bart & Babs. Here's the info on sending in the tick: http://www.igenex.com/files/ticktest.pdf

I also went to his pediatrician and basically demanded antibiotics. They were hesitant, but I persisted and managed to get 20 days of antibiotics for him. I called my LLND and she will give him the extra days of antibiotics, and she also recommended some herbals I could give him, since the antibiotics don't treat Bart or Babesia.
Posted 7/8/2015 5:01 PM (GMT 0)
Happyjo,

I believe East Texas is but we are in West Texas.

I am waiting to hear back from her on what his pediatrician a response was to putting him on antibiotics.

Thank you for that cost info Jasperilla, I will pass it along.

This kids grandfather was bitten back in '95 in Nebraska, treated with antibiotics for 30 days and later it came back, treat with another 90 days of antibiotics ended up the homeopathic route.

Iheartx
Posted 7/8/2015 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
My stepdad just pulled one off his arm the other day... they live 3 states away... i tracked down a store that carries Astralagus... asked them to hold it at the counter... called My Mom and told her where to pick it up.
3000 mg for 30 days is what Buhner suggests.

Just a little FYI... :)
Posted 7/13/2015 12:32 PM (GMT 0)
Thank you Bellyfull! I hope you are doing well and stepdad too!

Super frustrated for my friend and her son!
They went to her normal pediatrician who is a good one in the area, they said they don't test ticks, also said that they can't prescribe antibiotics until he tests positive but we all know how that works out, the nurse even pulled up some CDC info and said it could take up to a year to show symptoms....but no preventative antibiotics there.
She sent the tick to Igenex last Wednesday or Thursday. Waiting for those results.
She spoke with her father-in-law that was infected in '95 and got his whole story, they were vague about all of this until me. He said yes get him antibiotics.
She took him to a walk-in clinic yesterday to see about antibiotics, she asked me if she should tell then the truth or just let then know he has recently had bronchitis and he hasn't gotten over it(he is also asthmatic) to get some antibiotics, foolishly I said no, tell them the truth.
The two girls at the front desk said oh we don't deal with that here you would have to take him to the ER to get tested, she let them know she didn't want a test but a preventative course of antibiotics.
She asked to just see a provider, one went behind the partition to go ask and came back and said no you can't see a dr, probably went behind the partition and turned 10 circles and can back to say no!
The other girl started to laugh at my friend, so she said if this was your son you wouldn't be laughing, the girl then says "Look this isn't our problem", my friend then said a few choice but diplomatic words to her about how she is allowing an epidemic continue, they left.
She is trying a different clinic this morning and going to the health food store today.

I am so angry that an employee of a health care provider would laugh at anyone or a mother that is seriously concerned about her sons health.
I shouldn't be surprised but I guess I am.
What is this world that we live in.
I fully told my friend my story, between mine and her father-in-laws and now most likely infection of her son she is ready to pull her hair out.
Will keep you updated as she continues on this journey of garbage into our healthcare system!

Iheartx
Posted 7/13/2015 4:10 PM (GMT 0)
Shame on that front desk girl. But maybe she was just laughing at the round about circling & determination of the mother, not at the son's illness (I'd hope). Still it was inappropriate.

Perhaps the Mom might like write a letter & include reference to ILADS brochures:
http://www.ilads.org/lyme/what-is-lyme-brochure.pdf & reminding them that Prez Bush had LD & it is in every state.

"...While Lyme disease is recognized in the Northeast and Midwest, patients and activists in Texas, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida told remarkably similar stories of policies that discourage reporting of Lyme disease and authorities who often discount confirmatory tests.

Similarly, a Texas A&M researcher, Dr. Maria Esteve-Gassent, said she preliminarily has found Lyme in half of 72 black-legged ticks in Texas, where just 28 cases were reported in 2011. A Corpus Christi woman, Chrissy Braugh, said her entire family of five has been infected, adding, "Lyme is not receiving the attention it so scarily deserves."...

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/news/health/lyme-disease/2014/03/21/lyme-counting-imprecise/6698009/

And why this committe in 2011 if no real LD threat in TX:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK57004/

Texas mentioned here in this southern article (pictures of TX ticks):
http://discovermagazine.com/2013/dec/14-southern-gothic

And the lovely CDC does mention TBRF -Tick-borne relapsing fever:
http://www.cdc.gov/relapsing-fever/distribution/

Also contact the Texas Lyme group?:
http://www.txlda.com/#

Post Edited (happyjo) : 7/13/2015 10:17:42 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 7/14/2015 5:40 PM (GMT 0)
GOT TO LOVE THOSE PA'S!

Good news, friend took her son back to the pedi office and saw the PA, armed with her new found knowledge of Lyme learned from me and you guys here, thank you very much and some other research she has done. She pleaded her case for a preventative dose of antibiotics. The PA gave her son Dicy because he is old enough it won't stain his teeth, he doesn't have anymore baby teeth. For 3 weeks to see what the tick test results are from Igenex and she can refill if need be.
Not out of the woods yet but there is humane ones left in the word.

Iheartx
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