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Original poster

Tick bite - GP has said to go to walk in centre but won't explain

62 replies

IHeartKingThistle · 31/05/2023 14:00

I found a tick on my leg and took it off about an hour ago. I think it must have been on there since Monday evening. Gross I know but it must have been tiny when it attached itself. I opened a chat on the GP app thing and they've said to go to a walk in centre 40 mins away. I've asked whether it's precautionary or if it's to get antibiotics but they just sent me the same message. I really don't want to go if it's just precautionary - can anyone shed any light?

OP posts:
Gingergirl70 · 31/05/2023 14:36

So you've asked GP app and received advice which you want to ignore. You've come on MN to ask advice, majority of which is same as GP, but you still want to ignore. You could go to chemist or phone 111 - if they gave same advice, would it make any difference?
You've already made your mind up so what's the point of thread?

Original poster
IHeartKingThistle · 31/05/2023 14:38

I'm going, I'm going!

OP posts:
Speckson · 31/05/2023 14:42

DH and I get one or two almost every time we go out for a walk or even in our garden between March and October- lived here 40 years and haven't had Lyme yet (fingers crossed). I used to inspect the children at bathtime and de-tick them too when they were little.

However my neighbour had it quite a few years ago before our GPs were so used to suspecting it. It wasn't until she was sent to a specialist for pains in her joints that it was finally diagnosed - she didn't have a bullseye rash, just a big red area which wasn't painful or itchy.

I pull them out with my fingernails - so long as they are crawling around you can be sure you haven't left anything behind (it's really difficult to get the bits out if they break, which mostly happens if you use tweezers). It leaves a tiny red itchy bump that lasts 2 or 3 days.

I think that if you pull them off within 48 hours you'll probably be OK - after that they start regurgitating back into you which is when the infection may occur. Not all ticks carry the disease, thank goodness.

Theonlyoneiknow · 31/05/2023 14:45

Out of habit I now keep any ticks that have bitten me in case the rash appears and there is an issue getting antib (freeze them in a little bag). There is a lab near Edinburgh that tests them for Lyme. Some GPs know very little about this so can be worth it. I have seen my friend's life ruined because of a tick bite. Not all cases result in a bullseye rash (hers didn't and she collapsed in the shops 10 days after being bitten).

Speckson · 31/05/2023 14:47

Theonlyoneiknow · 31/05/2023 14:45

Out of habit I now keep any ticks that have bitten me in case the rash appears and there is an issue getting antib (freeze them in a little bag). There is a lab near Edinburgh that tests them for Lyme. Some GPs know very little about this so can be worth it. I have seen my friend's life ruined because of a tick bite. Not all cases result in a bullseye rash (hers didn't and she collapsed in the shops 10 days after being bitten).

I read of someone who used to stick them onto the appropriate day in a diary with sellotape.

OpalescentFly · 31/05/2023 14:48

I'd expect to go and be told no treatment needed tbh in the absence of a rash/fever so probably wouldn't bother.

LIZS · 31/05/2023 14:49

Have you got it all out? They might take a blood test.

mumwon · 31/05/2023 14:54

Word to the wise -never pull tics out unless you have the the tic remover implement and know what you are doing the head can remain in the bite as they bury their head in your skin. Please to the doctor and get it checked and get antibiotics

BCCoach · 31/05/2023 14:56

They'll likely send you home. If everyone got antibiotics every time they got a tick half the population of the countryside would be on antibiotics year round. The only people I know who have been prescribed them with no indication of Lyme have been immunocompromised.

handmademitlove · 31/05/2023 15:01

A&E sellotaped by dd's tick to her notes 😁

YukoandHiro · 31/05/2023 15:02

Because you need antibiotics to prevent Lyme disease. It's a just in case thing.

You don't want Lyme.

YukoandHiro · 31/05/2023 15:03

IHeartKingThistle · 31/05/2023 14:17

I know it's a horrible disease and I really don't want it, but if it's a journey for nothing I will be really annoyed!

It's not for nothing though, is it? It's to get the drugs to make 100 per cent sure you don't get Lyme.

There's no other successful treatment than early prophylaxis

SlipSlidinAway · 31/05/2023 15:18

BCCoach · 31/05/2023 14:56

They'll likely send you home. If everyone got antibiotics every time they got a tick half the population of the countryside would be on antibiotics year round. The only people I know who have been prescribed them with no indication of Lyme have been immunocompromised.

Exactly.

DD went on a school camping trip once and the staff spent most of their time removing ticks from the kids. They didn't go en masse to the local A&E.

Meadowfly · 31/05/2023 15:21

Lots of people live in the countryside and get ticks all the time, we definitely don’t get antibiotics each time!! We do watch the bites for the bulls eye ring though.

Meadowfly · 31/05/2023 15:22

Yuko - you do not need antibiotics just because you’ve been bitten!

frockhopper · 31/05/2023 15:32

Don’t risk it. I had Lyme Disease and it’s horrible. I didn’t get the bullseye rash or a fever. Several weeks down the line I was just really fatigued, irritable and a bit headachey. Then I woke up one morning and couldn’t bear weight on my leg. A year later, I’m still having strange symptoms and currently waiting for blood test results.

Leftbutcameback · 31/05/2023 15:40

Theonlyoneiknow · 31/05/2023 14:45

Out of habit I now keep any ticks that have bitten me in case the rash appears and there is an issue getting antib (freeze them in a little bag). There is a lab near Edinburgh that tests them for Lyme. Some GPs know very little about this so can be worth it. I have seen my friend's life ruined because of a tick bite. Not all cases result in a bullseye rash (hers didn't and she collapsed in the shops 10 days after being bitten).

This is such a good idea. Thanks for sharing (I didn’t know they could test the ticks themselves)

Original poster
IHeartKingThistle · 31/05/2023 15:52

Well there was a lovely nurse on reception who was a bit baffled as to why I'd been sent. Said they wouldn't do anything today without a rash or symptoms and to go back if I got the bullseye or got fluey.

I'm really not minimising it and I will be really vigilant. I'll go straight back if I need to. Strange thing to do to send me though!

OP posts:
primroseknows · 31/05/2023 15:55

I'm a surgery HCP and we would normally advise to watch and wait. The bullseye markings or unwell feeling would be a bit of a red flag.

Theonlyoneiknow · 31/05/2023 15:55

Lyme Disease PCR - Biobest Laboratories

This is the lab. I have used them before. I found a tick on me after a few days in the highlands and had no idea how long it had been there. I sent it to the lab and got results back really quickly (they have set days for 'tick' testing). I usually wouldn't test with no symptoms/less than 24hrs bite but had no idea how long the evil thing had been feeding

Lyme Disease PCR - Biobest Laboratories

Biobest are pleased to offer express Lyme Disease testing of ticks for individuals who have been bitten.

https://biobest.co.uk/lyme-disease-testing-by-pcr/

LadyGardenersQuestionTime · 31/05/2023 16:06

Never thought I’d hear myself say this, but call 111. Ticks love me, I take them off quickly and easily and have never had any ill effects but I am vigilant afterwards - for feverish illness/fluey symptoms as much as a bullseye which doesn’t always happen.

SlipSlidinAway · 31/05/2023 16:11

LadyGardenersQuestionTime · 31/05/2023 16:06

Never thought I’d hear myself say this, but call 111. Ticks love me, I take them off quickly and easily and have never had any ill effects but I am vigilant afterwards - for feverish illness/fluey symptoms as much as a bullseye which doesn’t always happen.

Op has consulted her GP and been to A&E ...

lljkk · 31/05/2023 16:18

We've had lots of tick bites. We watch and wait. No regrets yet.
Sorry you had wasted trip OP, my guess is the chatbot simply didn't understand your situation, wasn't programmed to understand it any better.

soundsys · 31/05/2023 16:19

Definitely worth it! Will probably give you antibiotics. I got Bells Palsy from a tick bite - did not know that was even a thing before!

KnittedCardi · 31/05/2023 17:01

Like others, I get bitten by three or four a year, they are in my garden, and just love me. DH has had confirmed Lyme. Even so, I remove them and watch and wait. I got antibiotics the once, because I scratched one off by mistake, and the head was left in. The antibiotics themselves are awful, lots of side effects, and taken for a long time, and you can't go out in the sun.