to ask you to sign this petition (Lyme Disease)

[elfycat]

link

Back in June I started an AIBU about 'class pets' being sent home (nits. worms and on that day a tick in her scalp from rolling in the grass at lunchtime).

My light-hearted tone was missed by many. And there was a suggestion that I was being a little hysterical about it.

I carried on being paranoid and hysterical over the summer. Finally forcing DD2 (5) into having a blood test. The GP humoured me...

Results? Yesterday I got a call to say that she's tested positive to Lyme Disease. Luckily she's asymptomatic ish and I'm hoping that after she recovers from a huge course of antibiotics she'll be free from it.

But I attended the GP twice (three times including the tick removal) and was utterly dismissed the first time I asked for her to be checked. The next time I asked for a specific GP to call me because I hoped he would listen to me. I have never taken my kids on a time wasting trip.

The only 'symptom' apart from the tick itself was that her bite mark remained inflamed. As it was in her hair (and we've been treating for nits) I couldn't see if the mark developed the customary bullseye appearance. She had a course of antibiotics for another reason and the mark faded during that course and returned afterwards. Amoxicillin is one of the best antibiotics for Lymes, but now she's had a lesser dose, for half the time that one will be off the list. It's why the redness faded but the first GP dismissed my argument that antibiotics would only have had an effect if an infection was present and perhaps that needed to be looked at even if it wasn't Lyme Disease. There were also a couple of feverish cold/flu days but we'd all had various summer holiday viruses.

The incidents are on the rise; this is not a good year to be bitten and still it's something that GPs aren't looking for. If not found she could have become quite unwell in odd and non-specific ways. I've nursed people with it as an underlying condition, complicating their other treatments. A blood test and antibiotics is all it takes to cure most people.

[FlumptyDumpty]

Signed.

Really sorry to hear about your DD. It must be very scary for you. I hope she has no lasting effects.

GPs in this country are, by and large, woefully ignorant about Lyme, which is really worrying given the catastrophe long-term effects it can cause. A friend of mine had it for weeks, getting fobbed off by various NHS GPs until she finally bit the bullet and saw a private GP, who immediately ordered a test for Lyme, which came back positive. Thankfully, she fully recovered with treatment and the GP in question is now something of a local legend.

Fingers crossed the petition does well and changes are made.

[pieceofpurplesky]

Signed. I hope your daughter is ok

[elfycat]

A friend of mine from a FB group linked me to the petition. Good timing on that as I'm feeling a little passionate about it. I'll be encouraging people at school to sign it tomorrow (and to check their kids if they roll in the long grass).

I had a bit of a stressed moment, but I'm good at putting on a brave face. I told DD that she does have the naughty bacteria from the bite so she'll need some medicine to clear that up. She's strangely happy about it in an 'interested' way. She was fascinated by the tick, and cool as a cucumber during the blood test. Probably another HCP in the making...

[elfycat]

Bumped ( for the morning people). I know how quickly AIBU moves on...

[BigGapMum]

I've signed.

[gastropod]

Signed. My brother caught Lyme disease ( in the US, where they do take it seriously) and it's dreadful.

[Baaaaaaaaaaaa]

We used to live in Singapore many, many years ago where ticks were prevalent. We kept a dog. My sister found a tick in my hair one day (possibly/probably from the dog). We were used to removing ticks from said dog so mum removed the one from my head and life carried on. I wouldn't know the signs of Lyme disease, but guess over 50 years later if I were ill I'd know about it?

[Baaaaaaaaaaaa]

PS: petition signed.

[GeminiRising]

I had already signed it.

A very good friend of mine has been suffering from Lyme disease for almost a year now - she has had a fight on her hands to be diagnosed, the old test that the NHS use came up negative so she paid for a private test (one that they use in US/Canada where it's rife) and it was positive but her consultant refused to accept the results of the test and would not prescribe the antibiotics, despite months of NHS testing for other infections/diseases not actually finding anything else.

She finally got her GP on board and has got the antibiotics and is improving rapidly but she lost her job because of being off sick for so long.

Please, please sign and share the petition.

[Onedaftmonkey]

Signed. Good luck to your little one. Hope it clears up soon.

[Em3978]

My son was bitten by a huge tick last year (we found it after it'd dropped off) after a holiday in the highlands. He developed the bullseye rash, we knew what we were looking for, so I took him to the docs. TWO docs dismissed it as the rash wasn't perfectly circular (it was in his groin) and he wasn't ill. They googled it while I was in there, read about it properly and eventually prescribed a decent amount of antibiotics. Within 2 days the rash was gone.
We live near the Peak District where deer ticks and Lyme disease is getting more common, I hope I educated them both!

[FlumptyDumpty]

Bumping. This is so important.

[Jellybean83]

I've signed!

I'd never seen a tick until this summer, had to pull two off of DSs back within a week of each other, I knew about Lyme disease so after a bit of googling I knew what to look out for. Hope your little girl is alright.

[elfycat]

The GP has spoken with the microbiologist and there's a possibility that it might be a false positive test result (there are 2 readings they take and they show up at different times and she's on the border timewise. False positive are apparently reasonably common). As she's not symptomatic they're going to hold off on the antibiotics and take another blood test in 2 weeks.

Fingers crossed then...,

Still worth the effort to promote the petition. The GP didn't know this stuff before asking today, which says it all...

[FlopIsMyParentingGuru]

Signed and shared

[meridithssister]

I had a similar experience to you OP with my daughter. I will sign.

[rosesarered9]

Remember, you need to confirm your email for your signature to be counted.

[rosesarered9]

Hope your DD is OK.

[rosesarered9]

www.standard.co.uk/news/girl-13-may-be-paralysed-by-disease-that-baffled-doctors-for-six-months-but-her-mother-diagnosed-on-6897279.html
I knew the girl's mum via a friend.

[FlamingGalar]

Signed

A friends daughter has suffered with Lymes for 4 years. She had no support from the NHS and the family has spend thousands on private treatment.

Hope the test result does turn out to be a false positive OP. Crossing my fingers for you.

[SquinkiesRule]

Done.

[JellyBelli]

Signed - my BIL contracted Lymes and it wrecked his health for a year.

[nothanksbyenow]

Signed.

[CoffeeCoffeeAndLotsOfIt]

I'll sign. My dh had a tick bite earlier this year, was ill in bed with flu like symptoms but blood test for Lyme came back negative.

He's fine now, but any slightest symptoms in the future we'll be straight back to the GP.