Perthshire woman tells how Lyme disease has devastated her life

Apr 15 2011 by Alison Anderson, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

A LYME disease victim has endured horrendous health and personal problems after being twice bitten by infected ticks in Perthshire, writes Alison Anderson.

As outdoor enthusiast Linda Sinclair prepares to sell her beloved house near Fortingall, she told the PA how she believes Lyme disease has robbed her of her home, health and marriage.

“I was a keen hillwalker and I picked up a tick when walking in Perthshire about 10 years ago,” she said.

“I started having strange symptoms which couldn’t be identified including dizzy spells and signs of a kidney infection even though tests showed I didn’t actually have an infection.

“Then about four years ago, I had another tick bite which I think triggered the full-blown Lyme disease. But even then, doctors didn’t diagnose it as Lyme disease.”

In grandmother-of-five Linda, the disease manifested itself as meningitis, putting her in agony and in hospital.

“The extreme pain moved around my body and was much worse when I laid down,” continued Linda (60).

“For six weeks I’d pace the floor at night because no pain killers except morphine could take away the pain.”

She also became severely dehydrated, but the medical profession still failed to link her many debilitating symptoms to Lyme disease.

“There is no definitive test for Lyme disease and it affects people in different ways, but with a combination of blood test and clinical diagnosis a specialist at Ninewells Hospital confirmed I had Lyme disease.”

That was in 2006, and Linda’s life is still compromised.

“I’ve been left with a form of ME, with a constant pain, especially in my joints, and extreme tiredness,” she explained.

“I have difficulty in focusing on and accomplishing tasks and have memory loss. I think the medical profession are getting more aware of Lyme disease but it horrifies me that there is still a huge level of ignorance.”

Linda now takes all possible steps to prevent picking up another tick. While she is no longer able to go hillwalking, she enjoys spending time in her garden – but always in wellies and long sleeves.

She advised: “Anyone going walking in the countryside should always wear long trousers either with gaiters or have their trousers tucked into sturdy socks, and long-sleeved shirts to minimise the risk of getting ticks on their skin.

“They should examine themselves afterwards and if they have a tick should use a proper tick remover.”

This week is Tick Bite Prevention Week, aimed at preventing and raising awareness of Lyme disease.

Cases in Scotland have been dramatically increasing in recent years, and Perthshire has been identified as a tick bite ‘hotspot’.

There is currently no vaccination, so prevention is key. Fronting the campaign to raise awareness about Lyme disease is bushcraft and survival expert Ray Mears.

He has lent his support to tick-borne disease charity BADA-UK (Borreliosis and Associated Diseases Awareness-UK), the organisation behind the prevention week.

According to the Health Protection Agency, up to 3000 people in the UK contract Lyme disease (Borreliosis) from the bite of an infected tick each year.

“I feel that there is not enough awareness of Lyme disease in this country, given the fact that in rare cases it may can develop into a critical condition,” said Mears.

Farmers, ramblers and hill-walkers are most at risk from picking up ticks, but the nasty little creatures are present in urban parks and gardens as well as the countryside.

A dedicated website has been launched offering advice – go to www.tickbitepreventionweek.org

Tick and Lyme disease facts include:

Ticks are most abundant from April to October – but bites can occur year round.

Tick saliva contains an anaesthetic which means you don’t feel the bite.

Ticks drop from low vegetation or climb on an animal or person brushing by the plants on which the ticks are resting.

Ticks like warm places on the body like the groin, armpits and scalp. The back of the knee, waist and buttocks are also favourite blood-sucking spots.

Generally, the first sign Lyme disease is a circular rash within three to 30 days of infection.

A person may also experience flu-like symptoms such as swollen lymph nodes, fatigue, headache, and muscle aches.