Fever? Spider bite?.... >>> Lyme's Disease

[Corinne]

Hi everybody!

I haven't been "sick" in a long time, almost enough to forget what it feels like... Now I don't know whether the slight fever i have is due to a spidder bite (some kind of reaction) or if it's due to eggs or fish that might not have been fresh...???
The fever and its symptoms (feeling hot, tired, sensitive skin) are the only out of the ordinairy stuff I'm experiencing. Of course it's making me more tired than normal.
Does anyone have some ideas? Could this be a reaction to less fresh fish?
I have to say that due to my current living situation I am eating frozen sashimi grade fish (I'm in the US atm). It smells and tastes perfectly fine and this reaction is not after the first time of eating the fish rather after 2 weeks...

In anycase I hope I fight it off in the next day.

thanks for any input.

Corinne.

[Oscar]

As far as I know reactions to insects are threefold:
1. After a short time one could have an allergic reaction, which in extreme cases can even be deadly (everything swells up).
2. The bite could be poisonous, so depending on how strong the poison is it could vary from slight itch to deadly (in a couple of hours).
3. The insect carries a disease, like malaria.

So yes, it could be the insect/spider bite.

Are you sure it's a spider though?

Research has shown that over 80% of suspected "spider bites" are caused by other arthropods, such as insects and ticks, or other disease states. Of the more than 3,000 kinds of spiders in the United States, about 60 species have been implicated as causing medically significant bites to people. Many spiders are not capable of breaking the skin with their fangs while other species contain venom that causes no reaction. Spiders are usually very timid and will only bite in self-defense if mishandled, cornered, or injured. Even when they bite, spiders do not always inject venom. The severity of the reaction to a spider bite will differ among individuals. Most spider bites are less painful than a bee sting.

Actual spider bites show two puncture marks although the wound is not always obvious. A rather typical reaction may involve localized reddening and various degrees of swelling, itching, and pain. Within a few hours a small red, blue, or black discoloration can develop around the bite site. The area may remain tender for a few days, and eventually a small sore can develop that soon begins healing. Accurate identification of any spider bite can only be made if the spider causing the bite is captured and identified.

Infrequently bites from some species of sac spiders, wolf spiders, jumping spiders, and cobweb weavers have been observed. There are two types of spiders in the United States, the widow and recluse spiders, that are infamous because of their venomous bites to people. Both the black widow (figure 1) and the brown recluse (figure 2) (neither of which is native to our area) are timid, nonaggressive spiders. Confirmed bites from these spiders are extremely rare in the Upper Midwest.

[Corinne]

Thanks so much Oscar!
Well there is localised redening, swelling, itching and pain. I'll have to check the double puncture aspect...
The funny thing is i'm not sure when I got bitten, so theoretically it could have been a bee, but I think I would have felt it. There are spiders here and it's possible I rolled over it in bed...then it felt theatened and bit.

[Corinne]

Ok Guys...
Today i'm experiencing a new symtom in this bug saga...
My mouth is very dry a bit ruff and pasty, and the food doesn't taste as good.
and again today i felt normal in the morning and around 6pm I start to get a fever (and related symptoms) and feeling tired. Also I have muscle pains (shoulder back) which aren't related to any physical activity...
the plot thickens...

[Oscar]

Weird...

Could it be something in the food, or something else?

[avo]

Is there something that you eat at the same (approx) time everyday that would make you like this before 6pm? For example, I eat avocado between late morning and afternoon, that is when I crave it. I also eat my animal food around 8-10pm. So if I feel funny in the evening, it's the avocado. If I feel bad in the morning, it was the eggs or fish. Is there something similar that you may follow, a routine of sorts, it may help find out what it was. Maybe munchfood at noon? or a specific fruit/food earlier in the day that may cause this reaction?

[Oscar]

Update:

Corinne has Lyme's Disease (a disease transmitted by ticks). She was still in the early stages, so she is now getting a short (2 weeks) treatment with antibiotics, after which things should return to normal.

[Corinne]

Thanks Oscar for updating the forum on my situation.
I've been at a language camp for the past 7 weeks and haven't had any time to be on the forum.
Also as you now know I was bitten by a deer tick and got Lyme disease.
It is very important to treat this ASAP as the long term risks are reduced.
The problem is people often dismiss the symptoms as a flu and only detect the condition much later when it is more serious...

I now wonder whether my symptoms were so severe so soon thanks to the diet...
To be investigated.

I am now finished with the antibiotic and feeling normal again!
What a relief!

[nick]

Corinne!
I wish the very best to you!

Let us know what happens and I hope you return to 'normal' again!

Nick

[Corinne]

Thanks Nick for your concern...
So far no further symptoms so I guess I'm clear htough one is never sure.
However I'm quite convinced that if I'm on the diet the disease has hardly a chance to redevelop!