Hacker News Reader

Comment by tankbot | Hacker News Reader

Seems like much ado. If I was bitten by a tick (or twenty, as has happened before) I would pull it off and flick it, then immediately forget about the whole thing.

Do you see a doctor after every time you get into a car? Because that is far more likely to kill you than just about anything you can think of.

View on HN

I was coming down with symptoms that were flu-like, and had extremely painful muscle tension on my neck. Both of these can be attributed to either lyme disease or meningitis. I operated under the assumption that $200-300 was cheaper than long-term (years) health problems or death.

Here's what the CDC says about Lyme Disease.

(http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/)

> If left untreated, infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks; laboratory testing is helpful if used correctly and performed with validated methods. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics.

Thanks?[0]

[0] http://xkcd.com/903/

as a person who spent 20+ years fighting lyme disease, which ended up attacking my CNS, i can tell you this is absolutely not a good idea.

I'm sorry about your experience, it wasn't my intention to be flippant about the disease, but rather to point out that people's paranoia is often misdirected.

no problem - paranoia is sometimes excessive. however, "Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't out to get you," is also true, in my experience :)

Haha, indeed!

You obviously don't live a region that's at risk for Lyme disease. The disease is seriously bad news if it is left untreated, as the bacteria invade the nervous system.

It really depends on which area you live in. Some are high-risk for diseases, others are fine.

Additionally, though, a deer tick will not transmit Lyme disease until it has taken its blood meal, usually 24-36 hours after first biting. If you take it off right away, and it hasn't "inflated," you're almost certainly safe.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com