Tricky Tick-y Series

I have had Lyme, co-infections, and autoimmune conditions more than half of my life now. While I would never consider myself an expert, I've learned some tidbits along the way that may be helpful to those wondering where to turn next if they have reason to be concerned for Lyme themselves. 

To continue to expand a bit on what I mentioned in my last post, let’s talk about Lyme and co-infection related issues and what to do if you have concern or diagnosis and don’t know where to turn. 

You can easily find out TONS about Lyme through many reliable resources via Google, etc. There are suggested “stages,” symptoms, treatment regimens, and more out there. But the bottom line is, any good Lyme Literate MD (LLMD) will tell you that a) a lot of the current Lyme info for providers is outdated, unreliable, and not patient-centric and b) that Lyme testing is relatively unreliable, but the most reliable tests we have are worth doing and treating any unusual symptoms (especially in the presence of a tick bite) is paramount.

What are symptoms? 

This is important - as I listed in THIS POST, nearly ANYTHING *could* be a symptom because Lyme can literally “attack” any body system, and it can fluctuate over time. Symptoms can be neurological (often mimicking many different types of autoimmune and other neurological conditions), mental health related, skin issues (yes, some people get a bullseye rash, but not everyone does, and other rashes or skin issues can happen too), gut issues, certainly pain and flu-like symptoms, fevers, exhaustion, cardiac arrhythmias and multiple other heart-related issues, numbness, memory issues and brain fog, arthritis...the list truly could go on and on. 

I consider this both hopeful AND helpful - I/you are NOT crazy, and yes, no matter what the test says, if you were bitten ever and certainly if you are at all symptomatic, you should be treated by a specialist. Know that you can find a variety of treatment recommendations out there, and my BEST advice when it comes to that topic is to do your research and work with a LLMD (and preferably a functional medicine provider too, if you can) to tailor your treatment to YOU. It is NOT one-size-fits-all. 

So what to do if you’d like to tackle Lyme head-on:

• Find a LLMD in your area. Check out ilads.org to help you with that if needed. They should be able to work with you on natural option vs antibiotics to treat Lyme. Standard treatment is antibiotics, but some LLMDs believe in treating with herbals only, and some use both herbals and antibiotics for treatment (mine does). 

• Get proper testing done for Lyme and co-infections. Typical ELISA and Western Blot tests are what MOST providers may use, but they are VERY unreliable, historically. In fact, no blood test is perfectly full proof, and a good LLMD will treat symptomatically if you've had a bite no matter what the test results conclude. However the IgeneX is what I currently know to be the most comprehensive testing at this time. And it can be pretty darn helpful, when in the hands of a LLMD. Testing should ideally be done around 4-6wks after a tick bite. Treatment should be ongoing prior to testing, especially if symptomatic. 

• Start supporting your body holistically NOW. Don’t wait, even if you opt not to be treated right away. There are lots of easy steps you can take immediately to change your health long-term. Boost your immune system, raise the vibrations of your cells and body, get savvy about gut health, prioritize nutrition (look into anti-inflammatory ways of eating and ditching sugar if you don’t know where to start), find ways to manage your stress, tend to your emotional health, get rest, drink gobs of water to flush your detox system, consider detoxing gently and naturally, and ditch all toxins in your life ASAP.  (I’ll be blogging more about all of these things, and touching on them in my Facebook group if you’re wanting to run with these ideas)

• Get knowledgeable on some treatment basics. HERE is a very quick and helpful article about the latest research in herbals for Lyme disease treatment. The ILADS guidelines for treatment can be found HERE. Bear in mind that co-infections (which are OFTEN present with Lyme) can change the treatment course up a bit, and is another reason why working with a LLMD is SO important. 

• Get your bloodwork done outside of Lyme labs - find out more about your health from the inside out. (Bonus: this helps you tailor your treatment approach too!) Consider checking all of your body systems. A good LLMD should easily help with this. 

• Work on your mindset - know that you CAN do this and practice ditching a poverty or “lack of” mindset for an ABUNDANCE mindset! That right there is SUPER healing! 

Ready to start your healing journey NOW? Here’s a great resource I created to help you get started! It's FREE! 

Be WELL! 


**Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional here to diagnose, treat, cure, or otherwise influence your medical journey outside of the guidance of a medical professional. I am simply sharing my own journey and what I have learned along the way. Please find a doctor you trust and discuss any medical concerns or treatments with them. Also, please know, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases through my site at no extra cost to you.

I have had Lyme, co-infections, and autoimmune conditions more than half of my life now. While I would never consider myself an expert, I've learned some tidbits along the way that may be helpful to those wondering where to turn next if they have reason to be concerned for Lyme themselves.

The fact is, ticks are tricky little buggers, and ANY tick bite should be taken seriously in order to minimize and/or prevent ongoing complications.

Most people hear “tick” and immediately think “Lyme disease.” I too still go there automatically in my mind. But what people should most definitely be aware of is the variance and trickiness in the world of ticks. Let's unravel some basics together here - a "beginner's guide on what you should know about ticks," more or less.

What are we even dealing with here?

Ticks are arachnids and external parasites. They are vectors, or carriers and transmitters of diseases. They feed on their host’s blood, and in that way can transmit, through their saliva, any microbes they are carrying and picking up along the way. Not every tick infects someone it bites with microbes or disease. But the people that ARE infected do risk many symptoms, some ongoing, and even death from tick-borne illnesses. 

What symptoms are we talking about?

Symptoms you can experience from tick-borne illness vary WIDELY, as basically ANY body system can be affected by tick-borne illnesses. In regards to Lyme disease specifically, ILADS, a non-profit, international, multi-disciplinary medical society, dedicated to the diagnosis and appropriate treatment of Lyme and its associated diseases, lists possible major/main symptoms on its website. Here’s a summary taken directly from www.ilads.org: 

Common Symptoms and Signs of Early Lyme Disease

• Erythema Migrans rash (EM); see description below

• Fatigue, malaise

• Flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, arthralgias, myalgias

• Stiff neck

• Dysesthesia

• Lymphadenopathy

• Facial nerve dysfunction leading to weakness or paralysis of facial muscles (often mislabeled as Bell's palsy)

Common Symptoms and Signs of Disseminated and Late Lyme Disease

• Fatigue

• Multiple red rashes (EM’s)

• Severe headaches and neck stiffness

• Joint swelling and/or pain

• Neuropathic symptoms - nerve pain, numbness, hot/cold sensations, tingling

• Cognitive dysfunction

• Memory impairment

• Unprovoked pain which may interfere with sleep

• Palpitations or chest pain, shortness of breath

• Lightheadedness, fainting

• Gastrointestinal symptoms

• Psychiatric symptoms- including depression, anxiety, and mood changes

Some research has shown that Lyme should be considered in the differential diagnosis of rheumatologic and neurologic conditions, as well as chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, somatization disorder and any difficult-to-diagnose multi-system illness. 

Are all ticks out to hurt me!?

This chart shows a variety of tick types and possible infections they can carry and transmit. However, it’s also important to know that this is all variable. For example, many people claim only Deer Ticks can carry Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi), and even then, have to be attached for many hours to transmit it to the host. That simply isn’t always hard and fast truth. What IS helpful is to remove ticks ASAP to reduce transmission rates, and to seek treatment, particularly if you suspect you are infected with a tick-borne illness.

But how do you know? What should you do if you are bitten?

Here’s the thing, at the end of the day, the way I see it, you have 2 main choices: 

    1) if you are bitten by any tick for any amount of time, you could start treatment immediately (ideally with a SPECIALIST - we will talk about that more later!) and continue it for 6wks or more or 

    2) if you are bitten by any tick for any amount of time, you support your body to fight possible infections and monitor indefinitely for symptoms, which could show up at any time for any number of reasons (including other health issue triggering the tick-borne illnesses to rear their ugly heads, stress-induced flares, toxic-related flares, etc). 

At the VERY least, you may want to send the tick into a certified lab to be tested for Lyme and other co-infections. For Pennsylvanians, we like to use this lab, which offers some free testing options.

You can look up other testing options through a Google search of your state or on the ILADS website. 

Coming up!

Next, I plan to talk more about your next steps after a bite...and more! So stay tuned for the rest of this Tricky Tick-y blog series! (Find the next post HERE.)