Did you get Lyme in California?

     Hi, I really want to know where Californians get their Lyme infections. I am especially interested in Orange and San Bernardino Counties, Southern Cal, but ALL info is of interest.

     Lyme has been reported in deer and rodents down here for decades but there's massive denial that it even exists here!

     Dogs and horses are getting it in So. Cal., anyone else?

     Please, let me know if you even think you got it here. 

Yes, 3 years ago. Southern California

I started craving carbs when I lived out in bay area, of Ca.

I was not so sick to go to dr. I remember I fell a couple of times, one minute walking fine, and then I would go straight down

I would think it was strange,

I did not get tested for west nile. I have rocky spotted fever, one of several co infections

but we are all so tranist, trains, planes, etc, bugs are everywhere...

in my gut, I know I got bit wiht something in Ca.

I spent some time in yosemittee,  I knew about lyme, but did not see any marks on my body

 and was thinking more about the bears with my car, that i loved so much...

 

I completely agree with Deejavu - I've picked up the different infections from practically everywhere I've lived!

I was born in Central California (1963), on the Eastern edge, Bishop, Cal to be exact. We lived there for 3 or 4 years, moved to Northern Idaho (Coeur 'D Alene) for 4 or 5 years, then back to the Bishop, Cal area again. By the time I was 13 (that was 1976 & still living in the Bishop area) I was having bouts of arthritis and had had Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and who knows what else. So it's been in those areas for at least that long!

I also picked up some infections in the Mesa, Arizona area and in the Northern Arkansas area.

Not many states are willing to admit that Lyme and other tick-borne infections are in their states. Arkansas doesn't want to admit that Lyme is here because they are known as "The Natural State" and are afraid it will negatively affect the tourism - evidently infecting them is okay though!

 Hello! Thanks for filling me in. I forgot to mark 'notify me' so I didn't realize so many people had responded.

I have now spoken to 11 different medical professionals in So. Cal - from RNs (3) to NPs (1) to MDs (7) who have all been misinformed about Lyme.

They don't even have the current CDC or State Health Dept. basics down accurately. I'm not even getting into the debated info, just the basics!

As long as they believe it is very rare in So. Cal, it will continue to be! If accurate testing isn't a sure thing then even IF people get tested the numbers will be off. 

 If people never even get tested, then DUH! of course it's rare. Truly a vicious circle. (Spelling?!)

I found a site that claims 17 (if I recall right - it may have been 19) cases of Lyme in dogs in Orange County but it didn't say if any of the dogs traveled. 

It's harder to find a Lyme rash in fur so I have presumed these dogs were diagnosed with blood tests.

I'll try to dig out those details.

Borrelia has been found in ticks in San Clemente, at Crystal Cove State Park (Laguna/ Huntington Beach), at Camp Pendleton, in San Bernardino, San Diego, and various parts of LA county.

But of course, no people, dogs, deer, rodents or BIRDS have ever moved from one place to another!

Cal. is one of the top 10 states for infection levels and Pendleton is a hot spot. Like Marines never, ever go out and visit anywhere on leave. (Yummy.)

Please, keep telling me more! The more where's and when's the better.

There's 11 medical professionals out here who have had their database expanded, even if not their minds. It may just maybe cause a little itch in their head when the next bit of evidence comes along.

I can hope and pray.

 

www.auburnjournal.com/keywords/lyme-disease-1

I'm in socal now lived in gold country for a decade... Do u need a doc? I've got a fantastic one and names of more in socal

I had a friend who climb rocks in bishop, he loved it.

There are so many great pieces of land, natural structure,...


u have traveled, travler..... awesome

Wellbeautifulspirit, if you're in So. Cal, there are some beautiful mountains here too. I know we're dryer than N.Cal but maybe you'll find some places here to feed your soul? Just wear tick repellant because, oh by the way, we have Lyme disease down here.

Pathogen Killer, thank you so very much for that list.
You're gold country through and through.

I haven't even been officially diagnosed yet because I was getting told by all my doctors that there's no such thing as Lyme in California...which is some MAJOR misinformation! It blows my mind that so many doctors here think it's nonexistent here. I am wanting to see an LLMD in Santa Ana, who is said to be great, but I can't afford her at this time (I'm a single mom who is unable to work and drive now). Too bad more LLMDs aren't able to take insurance. This whole "Lyme is a secret" thing is just weird.

That said, I am from Orange County, moved back to L.A. County just recently, and did a whole lot of camping and visiting relatives in San Diego County and up in Northern California as well. So who knows where I might have gotten this junk from. However, I will say....there are about 10 feral cats who hang out in my former home's backyard...I had killed ticks in the yard AND inside my home. So I really wouldn't be surprised if the feral cats somehow brought the ticks (not sure if that can even happen) or if we somehow brought ticks back from a camping trip? Absolutely no idea.

I want to keep this thread alive, I want Californians to KNOW the dangers of Lyme in their own state, their own counties, their own cities! It IS out there! Especially for so many of us who are (were) outdoorsy people.

Megara, I emailed you my list.

Hi, I just got back from a trip where, once again, a Dr. told me Lyme is rare in So Cal. This is a step up from 'it doesn't exist'.

I wish I'd had time to inform him about the squirrel study in which a squirrel which tested clean gave Bb to ticks. I think the link to the study is earlier in this thread.

My son has had a couple Lymie days this week when he was very sensitive - gentle touches hurt,

and emotionally wound - hot temper, quick to cry over things which don't usually phase him,

and mentally out of whack - unable to understand math concepts he has used  repeatedly before.

After two days of this, he became more normal. He didn't hurt, he could manage his emotions, and the same math 'made sense' again.

I have to look out and weigh whether he is shirking or really confused when we have school work trouble. He's pretty sharp and it comes easy for him usually.

He is a kid though, and he'd rather play than study. Duh. The problem is knowing when to be strict and when to be understanding because the Bb has stepped in.

I got an e-mail from someone who's girlfriend has Lyme. They're in San Clemente and don't know how she got it. I'll try to steer them here.

Also,I saw an old post on a mountain biking site which goes on about tick encounters in Orange County.

I'll try to track down the name of the trail/area where one rider says he got bitten, followed by a bullseye rash. He says it went away on it's own, so he did nothing about it.

Another case, unreported. Another area with Lyme. But, oh, 'there's no Lyme in So. Cal!'

It was frustrating not to be able to warn him about the possibilities but the post was in 2010 if I'm not mistaken.

It's good to be home and talking to people who know.

Post Edited (California Cat) : 4/26/2013 8:36:12 PM (GMT-6)

you might want to print this article out and show it to some of your doctors???
www.vcstar.com/news/2013/apr/11/lyme-disease-carrying-ticks-found-at-paramount/

As I've said in other posts, I was infected while living in central California as a young child through my teen years as well. So you aren't alone in this!

And unfortunately, California isn't the only state that's adopted this stance - Arkansas, where I now live, refuses to admit that we have Lyme here. One person was told that because we are known as "The Natural State", we don't want to hurt tourism. HA!! They don't want to hurt their pocketbook! We'll just allow everyone to come for a visit and take a little Lyme with them when they go home, I guess!