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Original poster

Tick bite on ds in very sensitive area. Panicked

46 replies

Sumshinebound · 11/02/2024 22:07

Hi all, need some help staying calm and balanced about this. Please no scare stories. Just hoping for a bit of mumsnet support.

Ds was crying in pain this morning saying my 'Willy is hurting' he's 4.5. I checked and there was something black stick out of his balls sack. Sorry to be graffic! I thought it might be dried blood I had no idea. I'm sorry to say I tried to brush it off and wipe it but it didn't budge. Then my husband came with tweazers and got it straight out and it was intact and alive. We put it in plastic ziplock. And took him to hospital as had no idea what to do. It looked like a dear tick. It wasn't engorged but has the marking and black legs.

Anyway the nurse said nothing to worry about and just monitor.

My friends as saying they were given preventative antibiotics for their kids when this happened. I don't know how long it was on but likely less than 36 hours - I hope. But can't be sure.

He's been a bit unwell this last week and complains of aches and there is a chance it's bitten him elsewhere and we just don't know it. They don't always get a rash. We frequently go for country walks and it is possible it's been lurking for a bit longer than a day or two. Gawd.

I've got a private GP appointment tomorrow as a back up as the nurse was very quick and dismissive and I want a second opinion.

I do understand that we can't give antibiotics every time we are worried about something but I did aggravate the thing by trying to pull at it and wipe it off which I've read can encourage discharge.

So not sure what to do. I suspect the GP will offer the option of preventing antibiotics to be safe as he's young and I did the wrong thing with the tick.

What would you do?

I don't want to mess up his microbiome but equally much more concerned about Lyme. Thanks for reading x

OP posts:
lovinglaughingliving · 12/02/2024 01:29

My mum (61) was bitten by a tick some years ago, now has CFS/ME and can barely walk more than 50 meters on a bad day.
Take the abx op.

KnittedCardi · 12/02/2024 08:37

That'searlyfor a tick, and also very unlucky to get under clothes like that.

We are also near Guildford, and yes high tick, high Lyme area. However, I get bitten every year, three or four times, they love me. They are in my garden, and I've seen them in the house! I am very sensitive to them though, so the minute they bite I get a reaction, so remove them quickly.

So, I couldn't have anti-biotics every time, it would be continuous all Summer, and you can't go in the sun with Doxycycline, which is a horrible med. Touch wood, never had Lymes. DH did though, and to his knowledge, only ever had a tick that once. Very unlucky.

WarningOfGails · 12/02/2024 08:40

I don’t think DS having been poorly can be connected with a tick that had only recently attached.

Original poster
Sumshinebound · 12/02/2024 09:03

KnittedCardi · 12/02/2024 08:37

That'searlyfor a tick, and also very unlucky to get under clothes like that.

We are also near Guildford, and yes high tick, high Lyme area. However, I get bitten every year, three or four times, they love me. They are in my garden, and I've seen them in the house! I am very sensitive to them though, so the minute they bite I get a reaction, so remove them quickly.

So, I couldn't have anti-biotics every time, it would be continuous all Summer, and you can't go in the sun with Doxycycline, which is a horrible med. Touch wood, never had Lymes. DH did though, and to his knowledge, only ever had a tick that once. Very unlucky.

Hi gosh that is unlucky? Where near guildofrd are you based? The nurse yesterday said she's only known of one case here in 10 years. There is so much mixed info. It does seem unlucky for DS.

Is your dh ok now after antibiotics? Assuming he started after symptoms developed. I'm just scared if we miss the best window to give antibiotics now as people don't always get the bullseye.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sumshinebound · 12/02/2024 09:04

WarningOfGails · 12/02/2024 08:40

I don’t think DS having been poorly can be connected with a tick that had only recently attached.

Thanks yes that's probably right! I'm very clueless about it all. X

OP posts:
Original poster
Sumshinebound · 12/02/2024 09:05

lovinglaughingliving · 12/02/2024 01:29

My mum (61) was bitten by a tick some years ago, now has CFS/ME and can barely walk more than 50 meters on a bad day.
Take the abx op.

I'm so so sorry to hear this.your poor mum.x

OP posts:
Original poster
Sumshinebound · 12/02/2024 09:07

AelinAshriver · 12/02/2024 01:00

How is DS today, OP? Please do update us on the GP :)

Thanks so much for asking. He actually woke bright and happy saying it wasn't hurting. But apparently things can get bad over a few weeks or months so it may not show up yet. The area looks almost healed but I think it's too soon to know. I'll post back after we've seen GP x

OP posts:
WarningOfGails · 12/02/2024 11:22

Just fyi my kids have had ticks multiple times in the SW of England without any issues (when we lived in South Africa my DD got tick bite fever! Which ticks here don’t carry)

KnittedCardi · 12/02/2024 12:11

Sumshinebound · 12/02/2024 09:03

Hi gosh that is unlucky? Where near guildofrd are you based? The nurse yesterday said she's only known of one case here in 10 years. There is so much mixed info. It does seem unlucky for DS.

Is your dh ok now after antibiotics? Assuming he started after symptoms developed. I'm just scared if we miss the best window to give antibiotics now as people don't always get the bullseye.

Show quote history

Towards Farnham. Don't want to be too specific!! The nurse is going on NHS data but that is based on NHS confirmed blood tests, which actually aren't generally performed, so is meaningless. We know several people just in our acquaintance and around the village, this week even the check out lady in Waitrose was on anti-biotics..... She was not happy!

Original poster
Sumshinebound · 12/02/2024 22:11

So we saw the private GP. I'm probably more confused now!

She started by saying if it was her boys she would give the antibiotics - but that's after treating established Lyme disease and sees how bad it can be.

After explaining that we seemed to catch it early and it didn't look engorged we don't think and on for less than 24 hours we think and came out moving and whole that she feels we could watch and wait. She wrote a script just in case he shows any slight symptoms.

So watching and waiting for now and I'm hoping I'm making the right decision.

3 weeks of antibiotics could make him sick from other things if he is actually ok. So I really don't feel ok atm about giving him those when he doesn't have symptoms.

Very hard to know what to do

OP posts:
AelinAshriver · 13/02/2024 22:03

How is DS doing? And how are you? It's scary watching and waiting when DC are potentially poorly!

What do you mean giving him the antibiotics could make him sick from other things?

As far as I know, the only downside is that it they can give you an upset tummy?

After the course, take some probiotics and you're good as gold?

I know there's a risk of antibiotic resistance in the future but that's only if you take loads repeatedly?

DS had chronic tonsillitis as a toddler and so was on a course of antibiotics for the best part of 18 months and I worried about that but doctors assured us it would be ok.

I'm sure your DS is and will be perfectly fine. But if you're still struggling to know what to do:

If it was her boys she would give the antibiotics

I'd give the antibiotics as a precaution. But you are his mum and know him best. And I'm sure either way, he is perfectly fine :)

Original poster
Sumshinebound · 14/02/2024 07:41

AelinAshriver · 13/02/2024 22:03

How is DS doing? And how are you? It's scary watching and waiting when DC are potentially poorly!

What do you mean giving him the antibiotics could make him sick from other things?

As far as I know, the only downside is that it they can give you an upset tummy?

After the course, take some probiotics and you're good as gold?

I know there's a risk of antibiotic resistance in the future but that's only if you take loads repeatedly?

DS had chronic tonsillitis as a toddler and so was on a course of antibiotics for the best part of 18 months and I worried about that but doctors assured us it would be ok.

I'm sure your DS is and will be perfectly fine. But if you're still struggling to know what to do:

If it was her boys she would give the antibiotics

I'd give the antibiotics as a precaution. But you are his mum and know him best. And I'm sure either way, he is perfectly fine :)

Thank you so much for responding and sharing your story.
We decided in the end to give him the antibiotics.
What I meant re getting other things is it can weaken their natural immune system by wiping out microbiome but we will give probiotics at the end of the course and yogurt while he's on them.

A few reasons we decided :

  • the doctor would give to her own kids in these circs
  • the tick burrowed very deep into his reproductive organ. Not like an arm or knee. It's a very important area for later in his life and gawd knows what the female tick left in there. They carry all sorts. It was an adult female by the look of it.
  • he has seemed out of sorts and very hot and getting strange red patches on his body. No idea if infection related but he really hasn't seemed himself.

So hope it's the right decision and we feel it is. Xx

OP posts:
Greentangerines · 14/02/2024 07:51

Did he wee in the woods?

You have to be so careful if you go for a wee on your walk.

Apollo365 · 15/02/2024 15:10

You did the right thing OP

MargaretThursday · 15/02/2024 16:26

Sorry but Guildford has ticks in numbers, and there is Lyme's, especially in deer areas I think, so if you've been down by the Punchbowl or similar, I'd be careful especially. I'm not surprised the GP hasn't seen many though because most people would either remove it themselves, or the local pharmacist will do it round here. On the basis of it being hard to get a GP appointment face to face, I don't think it would occur to me to go unless I needed antibiotics, and even then they'd probably prescribe over the phone and tell me to drop the tick in for testing if needed.
Last summer ds was doing something outside near Bramley and some people were talking about taking 5 or 6 off themselves every evening we were out. I think I obviously taste nasty as I removed many ticks off me that were crawling around but didn't get bitten once. Ds had one bite.

Original poster
Sumshinebound · 15/02/2024 21:09

MargaretThursday · 15/02/2024 16:26

Sorry but Guildford has ticks in numbers, and there is Lyme's, especially in deer areas I think, so if you've been down by the Punchbowl or similar, I'd be careful especially. I'm not surprised the GP hasn't seen many though because most people would either remove it themselves, or the local pharmacist will do it round here. On the basis of it being hard to get a GP appointment face to face, I don't think it would occur to me to go unless I needed antibiotics, and even then they'd probably prescribe over the phone and tell me to drop the tick in for testing if needed.
Last summer ds was doing something outside near Bramley and some people were talking about taking 5 or 6 off themselves every evening we were out. I think I obviously taste nasty as I removed many ticks off me that were crawling around but didn't get bitten once. Ds had one bite.

Thanks for letting me know. Do you know any other hot spots to avoid or be extra cautious? Would be useful info thanks x

OP posts:
Original poster
Sumshinebound · 15/02/2024 21:10

Apollo365 · 15/02/2024 15:10

You did the right thing OP

Thank you! I feel it's the right decision x

OP posts:
Original poster
Sumshinebound · 15/02/2024 21:12

Greentangerines · 14/02/2024 07:51

Did he wee in the woods?

You have to be so careful if you go for a wee on your walk.

Yes! Omg this is a nightmare. It is so strange because we have not seen one tick pre this incident and have lived here since 2020. So odd.

OP posts:
ThursdayTomorrow · 15/02/2024 21:18

We live about an hour from you OP. My kids have all had ticks. None had antibiotics. All are fine.

Original poster
Sumshinebound · 16/02/2024 08:38

ThursdayTomorrow · 15/02/2024 21:18

We live about an hour from you OP. My kids have all had ticks. None had antibiotics. All are fine.

Thank you that's very helpful to know!! I'm glad all ok

OP posts:
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