People with Lyme disease say take precautions against tick bites [Columbus Ledger-Enquirer, Ga.]

May 28--Marcia Austin says having Lyme disease is like having the flu forever.

The 35-year-old Columbus woman has been battling the ailment's symptoms for some six years and will likely do so the rest of her life.

There is no known cure and when asked recently what she does to make life manageable, she pulled out a small pharmacy, the numerous bottles of medication and vitamins covering a dining room table.

Because of a lack of doctors knowledgeable about Lyme disease in Georgia, there are also regular trips to a hospital in Raleigh, N.C., for treatment.

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread through the bite of the black-legged tick. Though the bugs are more prevalent in the northern states, they are found across the country. Other ticks carry diseases such as Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis.

Isaac Tillotson, a Columbus insurance broker, who has battled some symptoms of the disease for more than 10 years, says he knows several people in Columbus with the sickness.

Being aware of ticks will be especially important here this summer. Shawn Taylor, environmental health county manager for the Columbus Department of Public Health, says ticks, mosquitoes and other bugs will be seen in strong numbers because of the lack of cold weather this winter.

The onset of the symptoms of Lyme disease is 3-30 days after a bite. Early symptoms may include chills, fever, muscle pain, stiff neck, headaches, swelling in knees and joints as well as muscle weakness.

Later, speech problems, troubles with memory and decreased concentration may occur as well as some paralysis and heart problems. Symptoms and their severity are not the same for everyone.

A "bull's eye" rash, a red spot at the site of the bite with a clear spot in the center, is often the sign of Lyme disease.

If diagnosed in the early stages, it can be cured with antibiotics.

"I wish I had gotten sick earlier," Austin said.

Tillotson said after removing a tick it should be sent to a lab to see if it is carrying the disease. Austin did not do that.

A recreational therapist, Austin was bitten in Warm Springs, Ga., while working at an outdoor therapeutic camp for juvenile offenders.

"I never thought about keeping the tick," she said. "I was just not that concerned."

Tillotson, who travels to Washington, D.C., for treatment of his flu-like symptoms, said he was bitten while mowing the lawn at a home in Cataula, Ga.

"It is amazing that so much bad can come from one bug bite," Austin said.

She said it was about a year before she began to feel symptoms. Fatigue came first.

"I'd go to work then come home and go to bed," she said. Later, came the aches. She then became forgetful and less focused, making it difficult for her to do work. She had trouble speaking.

"The disease attacks the central nervous system," Austin said. "I became irritable, depressed. I was just not the same person. It was very frustrating."

Material she read convinced her she had Lyme disease, but a few tests she took came back negative. Still, her symptoms got worse. A homeopathic doctor told her she had Lyme disease and that diagnosis was confirmed at the Lyme and Tick Borne Disease Research Center at the Columbia University Medical Center in New York. "I was glad to know I was not crazy."

Some treatments she had made her feel worse. "It was like getting chemotherapy," she said

Her strong faith has helped her through the ordeal as has the support of her husband, Nace.

Austin said people need to be aware of ticks and Taylor agreed. He said ticks like moisture just like mosquitoes. "Parents should check their children when they come inside and check their pets as well, especially if they've been near a wooded area."

He said people should wear long sleeves and long pants when outside and though it might not be much of a fashion statement he suggested putting pants legs inside socks. Spraying repellent on skin and clothes is important.

"You know, I don't like to scare people when I talk about Lyme disease but it is scary," Austin said.

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