Tick bite - does anybody know the difference between northern & southern France?

Health Care & Carte Vitale
1

Hi everybody!


I have have a question about tick bites!


I was bitten by a tick over 3 weeks ago enjoying an outside film viewing. Did not think too much about in the beginning, but soon it got sour, had the typical colouring etc as a tick bite has, still some left and it has not healed completely! Had a variation of symptoms, but as we have been very busy renovating, worked very hard since moving here to Provence earlier this year + I already have some of the 'supposed possibly symptoms that can come with a tick bite' - as that is just me - I pushed it aside.


However, last Monday I went to see a local doctor, as I had a very bad persistent rash + my tick bike was still not OK! He purely concentrated on the medication I have been taking daily for hypertension for years, as you can get a rash with this, but I have never ever had a rash!


As he spent sooo much time on the computer, asking lots of questions, taking my blood pressure, which was fine I'm glad to say, I forgot all about the tick! So later the same day I decided to return to the surgery, as I thought, hang on a minute, we never discussed the tick bite, despite I had told him!


After having waited around or again, a very long time, he finally saw me again, walked right up to me, very much into 'my personal space' looked down at me, as if I was a complete idiot, and loudly said, 'ticks in Provence do not carry Lyme's Disease only in northern France'! Well, I didn't know that, as I have never been bitten by a tick before, and did not know there was a difference between northern and southern France - again he never bothered to mention this to me either!


Friends have today booked me in to see another doctor later this week! However, before going and not wasting the doctor's and my time as well as my money, I would love to hear from you people out and bout in France, if you know anything about the difference in tick bites in northern and southern France! Whether you know a little or a lot - will be much appreciated. :)


2

just googled it...Lymes disease is all over the world! Don't mess about if you have any symptoms http://www.medicinenet.com/ticks/article.htm

Phase 2: Early disseminated disease

Untreated, skin redness associated with early localized Lyme disease resolves in about one month. The second stage occurs weeks or months after the appearance of the red rash. During this time, bacteria affect other parts of the body including the heart, joints, and nervous system.

3

Bizarre thing to say about Lymes disease - deer carry it in Richmond Park London! Yes Ticks carry it but my understanding it's South France as well, we're Normandy & if we are coming down South our vet gets super excited about our Jack Russell's if they are travelling with us & insists we have extra tick repellant - I'd deffo get that bite double checked.

4

Many thanks all...well, I'm I've definitely had the bull's eye, just cannot understand that doctors say and do very different things, thought it would be about prevention, and it flairs up all the time ie it get very itchy, then calms down, and then again and so on! My foot has been really bruised and is still a bit bruised with a big scab in the middle...having said all this, I have never been so loved, by mosquitos and the rest that is...my hubby always said it was nice to take me on holiday as the mosquitos always went for me not him, however, you should see his legs now, glad I'm not suffering completely alone...revenge is sweet at all these years...lol - many thanks all... :)

5

Hi Lis, hope you're not all itchy scratchy with it. We're in SW France (although on the map it looks just south of central) and yes, ticks down sarf can carry Lyme disease. My French neighbour, lovely lady, is just getting over a dose and the neighbour across the lane has had it three times. My little boy had one attached which I corkscrewed out (as you do) and I phoned the doctor in case he needed a preventative as opposed to curative. She said no, only if the bullseye appeared in which case to get him down there for the necessary anti-b's. Very luckily no bullseye but yes, any tick bite, north, south or away with the fairies should be monitored.

6

seconded - my reply was to settle your mind a little, forgot to say you might just as well get a second medical view but antibiotics will be useless if it isn't bacterial so not automatic, courage ! ça ira ;-)

7

Hi Lis

I would definitely attend the second doctor's appointment and get a second opinion, because you've had the rash and have been feeling unwell. Lyme's can be very nasty and I also think there's a lot of myth/ignorance surrounding it. Definitely push for some antibiotics!! Bon courage! Mary

8

Many thanks Andrew...well, you just never know, so again, many thanks for that... :)

9

OH had a tick in her side a couple of weeks ago, went to the doctors and she simple twisted it and removed it, no medication, just keep an eye on it. We're in the South, OH is French and born just up the road on a farm and more than used to ticks. The standard used to be antibiotics incase of infection but given the current trend not to perscribe them unless necessary they do nothing. I had a tick bit/tick embedded in my leg in Germany, a friend removed it with a kit and I dodn't do anything more than that - all cleared up very quickly. OH's bite was red and swollen for a few days/week or so but nothing after that ;-)