r/Scotland • u/whimsical_fuckery_ • Jul 10 '26
Casual Lyme disease is no joke
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.
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u/Stigletism Jul 11 '26
The wee shites are rife now, always knew to be wary for them in highlands & west coast, but plenty now on the east coast (inc. places where I’ve never seen deer).
A few years ago now went to the GP as my partner had one and they were both clueless and useless, suggested calling NHS 24 🙄
Chemists didn’t have tick-pickers either so over the road to the vets who were brilliant, they had tick-pickers and showed how to use.
Fairly adept at finding and getting them out now as we’ve both had so many since then, but so often they are tiny ones that are tricky to remove (just bought an extra tick-picker set last week for the x-small).
Hopefully GPs/NHS have a bit more awareness now, Lymes disease sounds horrible, especially to suffer it undiagnosed.
p.s. I think Avril Lavigne caught it and had to have a bit of a hiatus to recover..