Hi Karen, another post in lock step with my current experiences. Two weeks ago, I removed an engorged tick from my wife's shoulder. For anyone unfamiliar, the University of Rhode Island has a free site that will respond within 24 hours if you submit a photograph online (I received a reply in 4 hours):
and this confirmed that the tick was a female red legged or deer tick, the principal carrier of Lyme as well as an estimate of how long it was attached from its size (2-3 days). From here, we submitted to one of the testing services they link to (we used https://www.tickreport.com/ ) and ship the tick to them. They have three levels of tests from $50 to $200 testing for more and more potential bacteria carried in the tick. My wife's tick tested positive for both Lyme general and Lyme specific.
While the wound site was red and inflamed and an inch in diameter to start (some of which resulted from my clumsy attempts to confirm I had fully removed it) it has continually shrunk from that time. While I used tweezers, it turns out there are inexpensive kits which can be purchased from Amazon.
She took the report to an urgent care location and was given the 21 day Doxycycline regimen with direction to return if the bullseye rash appeared (so far it has not). None of the sites we examined as part of this process spoke to any of the information you shared in your post. None of the health care people at the location were familiar with the reporting and testing sites I have shared here. The most important thing is to keep the tick (in a zip loc bag is best) for analysis. Unfortunately, the tick will simply drop off at some point when it has consumed enough blood (evidently seeking the ground to lay eggs). Thus, if I had not stumbled upon it before it dropped off we would never have known about it until, no doubt, odd symptoms occurred in the future leaving us at the mercy of a medical diagnosis.
Wow, that is great that you were aware of a place that you could provide the tick for and that you found it within the 4 hour time period! Many people never have the bullseye rash. Hopefully, no chronic issues for your wife. As the post stated, a strong internal immune system, healthy ecosystem will be useful as the spirochete prefers a habitable (unhealthy ecosystem).
In other situations, I prefer more potent biofilm products but if the person has chronic Lyme and has been suffering, resveratrol can be a gentle approach. For a person who has been dealing with Lyme longterm, I would estimate 3 months minimum, but I would also be in contact with my client on when to discontinue or switch to a different regimen based on their feedback.
Thanks for an excellent article on this subject. I'm saving it for future reference on the various tests, just in case I need it.
Something that I haven't seen addressed in anything I've read about Lyme is the possibility of the bacteria hiding out inside one or more of the various parasites that ticks often carry, which could protect them from a course of antibiotics, and allow them to then multiply and reinfect a person later. Could this be one explanation for the relapses? When testing for Lyme, is it SOP to also test for parasites and/or prescribe an antiparasitical along with the antibiotics, or is this symbiosis between the Lyme bacteria and parasites not a possibility?
Based on what I have been told by others who have had Lyme or suspect it, no they do not test for parasites. My go to would be the GI MAP test to determine if parasites play a role. I would not address parasites until I tested as depending on the type, I would be using different supplements.
Hi Karen, another post in lock step with my current experiences. Two weeks ago, I removed an engorged tick from my wife's shoulder. For anyone unfamiliar, the University of Rhode Island has a free site that will respond within 24 hours if you submit a photograph online (I received a reply in 4 hours):
https://web.uri.edu/tickencounter/tickspotters/
and this confirmed that the tick was a female red legged or deer tick, the principal carrier of Lyme as well as an estimate of how long it was attached from its size (2-3 days). From here, we submitted to one of the testing services they link to (we used https://www.tickreport.com/ ) and ship the tick to them. They have three levels of tests from $50 to $200 testing for more and more potential bacteria carried in the tick. My wife's tick tested positive for both Lyme general and Lyme specific.
While the wound site was red and inflamed and an inch in diameter to start (some of which resulted from my clumsy attempts to confirm I had fully removed it) it has continually shrunk from that time. While I used tweezers, it turns out there are inexpensive kits which can be purchased from Amazon.
She took the report to an urgent care location and was given the 21 day Doxycycline regimen with direction to return if the bullseye rash appeared (so far it has not). None of the sites we examined as part of this process spoke to any of the information you shared in your post. None of the health care people at the location were familiar with the reporting and testing sites I have shared here. The most important thing is to keep the tick (in a zip loc bag is best) for analysis. Unfortunately, the tick will simply drop off at some point when it has consumed enough blood (evidently seeking the ground to lay eggs). Thus, if I had not stumbled upon it before it dropped off we would never have known about it until, no doubt, odd symptoms occurred in the future leaving us at the mercy of a medical diagnosis.
Wow, that is great that you were aware of a place that you could provide the tick for and that you found it within the 4 hour time period! Many people never have the bullseye rash. Hopefully, no chronic issues for your wife. As the post stated, a strong internal immune system, healthy ecosystem will be useful as the spirochete prefers a habitable (unhealthy ecosystem).
How long should Resveratrol be taken to break down biofilm?
In other situations, I prefer more potent biofilm products but if the person has chronic Lyme and has been suffering, resveratrol can be a gentle approach. For a person who has been dealing with Lyme longterm, I would estimate 3 months minimum, but I would also be in contact with my client on when to discontinue or switch to a different regimen based on their feedback.
really appreciate the information you are sharing - thank you!
You are very welcome!
Thanks for an excellent article on this subject. I'm saving it for future reference on the various tests, just in case I need it.
Something that I haven't seen addressed in anything I've read about Lyme is the possibility of the bacteria hiding out inside one or more of the various parasites that ticks often carry, which could protect them from a course of antibiotics, and allow them to then multiply and reinfect a person later. Could this be one explanation for the relapses? When testing for Lyme, is it SOP to also test for parasites and/or prescribe an antiparasitical along with the antibiotics, or is this symbiosis between the Lyme bacteria and parasites not a possibility?
Based on what I have been told by others who have had Lyme or suspect it, no they do not test for parasites. My go to would be the GI MAP test to determine if parasites play a role. I would not address parasites until I tested as depending on the type, I would be using different supplements.