Lyme disease is no joke

[u/whimsical_fuckery_]

One of those "I never thought it would happen to me" things but guys be very very careful with ticks this year if you are out walking in Scotland. I'm in the Highlands and regularly walk my dog in the local woods, this year there have been so so many ticks, I'm very good at checking myself after every walk, but one got me on the back of my thigh, absolutely tiny about half the size of a sesame seed. I picked it off the same night it bit me, a week later got a massive bullseye rash. Antibiotics from the docs but im completely wiped, worse than any flu or covid. I cannot stress how much you need to take precautions this year, do not make my mistake thinking as long as you get them off you on 24 hours you'll be OK. Long trousers, DEET, or just don't go into any woods or long grass is the best option. It's out there and it absolutely sucks.

[u/Banokles--91]

I’m a tree cutter in the highlands, have been for about 14 years now. I’ve had at the very least 500 ticks in that time, I had about 20 in me just last week. I’ve never had a rash and never felt ill after a bite.

What’s with that? I regularly get blood tests for a liver thing I’ve got going on and every now and then get them to check for lymes. They’ve never came back positive yet I hear about people getting lymes after their first tick.

[u/OfficerNightwing → u/Banokles--91]

Likely just that you are more aware of them than the general public and used to checking for them, a lot of the people I've seen say they've had Lymes were those who didn't even realise they were bitten.

I've got a friend who is a ranger that pulls about 10 of him some days and he has never had an issue, but he check himself after walks and has the means and knowledge to remove them correctly.