caddisguy's ultimate tick experiment

[caddisguy]

So the tick thread on the Van Island section got my wheels spinning.

I have talked to my doctor a few times about Lyme but he tells me it is virtually non-existant West of the Rockies. At the same time, I have seen maps that show places in southwest BC (my hunting spot included) listed as high risk. I am curious who is right, as I get bit several times a year. To date I have had over 50 ticks in me and hundreds on me. Very few engorged for more than a day.

I read about a test kit called "Care Plus Tick Test" and found it at London Drugs. It is going to cost me quite a bit, but why not? This experiment is going to be wicked cool.

I am going to by 15-20 test kits at around $15 each. I am going to collect 15 adult deer ticks from my hunting spot (I can do this just by walking through a little brush in painter gear)

This will either put me at ease or educate a doctor. Either way it is going to be an awesome win.

Downside is it will cost me $200-300 but it will give me something to mess around with this weekend if there are still no bears around my area.

I am excited. Anyone else interested in this experiment or am I just nuts?

[DarekG]

Sounds interesting, would be awesome to hear the results. Where the hell are you that you can collect 15 ticks by walking through a little brush? Must be the humidity or something because they don't seem as common in the Okanagan... Though I have pulled a few off before. Gross.

Also does anyone here have experience with a "Lyme friendly" doctor in BC? I've heard most aren't educated about it and don't generally check for it, or check too late. Apparently you can cure it with antibiotics if you catch it fast enough.

[tuner]

I think it's safe to say that it's both very interesting and flat out nuts.
Good on you though Caddis the results ought to be interesting.

[Spy]

I would find a new Dr

[Wild one]

I hate ticks sick creepy little Fers

Collect and kill as many as you can

[caddisguy]

My bear spot in Region 2 has loads of ticks. One thing I haven't figured out is why they like me so much. My wife stomps around the same places I do and we have only ever found two ticks crawling on her. She has never been bitten. I was bitten on Saturday while being super careful. I was wearing light blue jeans, tucked into socks, checking every minute or two. I would move branches out of the way with my hands instead of letting them touch me. If one touched me, I would inspect the area it touched me. Then while standing in two feet of snow I felt a pinch on my lower back... touched it and it felt like a pimple. I called my wife over and she pulled the tick out. I was only out of the car for 5 minutes!!

[chris]

I'm definitely curious. It's funny how doctors would rather ignore it because it's not as common out here.

[scoutlt1]

Damn caddisguy, you are one chick...I mean tick magnet!!!

[landphil]

Count me in as interested in the results. You must be a magnet for ticks though, fifty+ bites; holy cow man. I've never been bitten, have had one on me (that I know of) that I brushed off, and saw a handful on my bear from a few years ago. That's growing up living in the sticks, and spending lots of time outdoors.

[landphil]

My bear spot in Region 2 has loads of ticks. One thing I haven't figured out is why they like me so much. My wife stomps around the same places I do and we have only ever found two ticks crawling on her. She has never been bitten. I was bitten on Saturday while being super careful. I was wearing light blue jeans, tucked into socks, checking every minute or two. I would move branches out of the way with my hands instead of letting them touch me. If one touched me, I would inspect the area it touched me. Then while standing in two feet of snow I felt a pinch on my lower back... touched it and it felt like a pimple. I called my wife over and she pulled the tick out. I was only out of the car for 5 minutes!!

You sound like my wife with mosquitos. They only start to bug me when you can't breath in without inhaling one. But they swarm to her like mad, and she gets pretty bad reactions from their bites.