Babesiosis

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

My mom, who is 78 and in good health, started feeling sick this week. She had terrible joint pain and was running fevers. Last night she hit 103, vomited, and was so shaky she could not walk. We brought her to the ER and her oxygen level was low (88% and she is not a smoker, and it only went up to 92 with oxygen running). She had a bit of a cough so they were thinking pneumonia or maybe sepsis, but in the blood they found parasites, babesia, which are transmitted by ticks. The parasites damage the red blood cells causing the oxygen to drop. It is very serious if left untreated too long.
She was admitted for a couple of days and started on IV meds. The symptoms and the treatment are similar to malaria. The disease is completely treatable, thank goodness.
I know that there are parts of the country that don't have ticks, but this unusual diagnosis is something to consider if feeling ill like this. Serious stuff!

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

Oh wow!
Does she remember being bitten by a tick?
And good catch by those docs.
Praying for your Mom to pull thru with flying colors.

They still don't know what I have yet except bronchiectasis.
Looks like some funky bacteria called corynebacterium.
Lucky me.

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

Oh wow!
Does she remember being bitten by a tick?
And good catch by those docs.
Praying for your Mom to pull thru with flying colors.

They still don't know what I have yet except bronchiectasis.

Looks like some funky bacteria called corynebacterium.
Lucky me.

And they don't have a definitive treatment for your lungs?
At least they know how to treat this.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

My son when he was a child was bitten by a tick on a camping trip, Jackie can you guess where?

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

My son when he was a child was bitten by a tick on a camping trip, Jackie can you guess where?

Montauk?

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Montauk?

Maybe a little south of Montauk ��

Great diagnostic catch by the MDS. Hope she feels better soon.
And you have a VERY young mom!

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

Maybe a little south of Montauk ��

lol I never thought of that!

Great diagnostic catch by the MDS. Hope she feels better soon.
And you have a VERY young mom!

Yes, she was 20 when I was born.
She was discharged yesterday, still short of breath and feeling crummy, but she was getting zero sleep in the hospital so needed to be home if just to rest.

[grest Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close grest]

what a strange thing...glad to hear that it is treatable and she will get better.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

And they don't have a definitive treatment for your lungs?
At least they know how to treat this.

Right now I'm feeling okay, but having to use oxygen now, so that really sucks.
Hopefully not for long cause I really hate it.
I don't want to go out cause I feel like everyone is staring.
I have a pulmonary doc appt. on Friday. We shall see.
Then off to the beach for a week.
The beach fixes everything.

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

what a strange thing...glad to hear that it is treatable and she will get better.

Right now I'm feeling okay, but having to use oxygen now, so that really sucks.
Hopefully not for long cause I really hate it.
I don't want to go out cause I feel like everyone is staring.
I have a pulmonary doc appt. on Friday. We shall see.
Then off to the beach for a week.
The beach fixes everything.

Enjoy your time there!

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Montauk?

Nope right by Chapmans back yard in Wadding River, But I am positive he got it While Strawberry picking at Lewins farm

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

I just heard that my nephew was really sick, and he tested positive for 3 tick borne diseases- Lymes, Babesiosis, and Anaplanmosis. Thank goodness he is young and healthy otherwise. He lives and works in Manhattan. And the only time he was near any wildlife was a weekend he spent in Amagansett ( east end if Long Island) about a month ago.
Be vigilant for ticks!
I just bought a 5 pack of lint rollers. I read that if you run them over your clothes and skin when you come indoors, they will pick off any ticks that have not penetrated yet.

[wackymother Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close wackymother]

That's terrible! Thank you for posting. Our daughter, who works with animals, has been sick with mysterious fevers all week. Just feeling better now. The doctor did bloodwork but felt that Lyme disease was unlikely because she is not having joint pain or problems. I'll ask the doctor to check for these other tick-borne illnesses when she does the follow-up bloodwork.

[happymum Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close happymum]

Scary Stuff! Glad that they caught it and she has been able to come home.

[jackio Gold Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close jackio]

That's terrible! Thank you for posting. Our daughter, who works with animals, has been sick with mysterious fevers all week. Just feeling better now. The doctor did bloodwork but felt that Lyme disease was unlikely because she is not having joint pain or problems. I'll ask the doctor to check for these other tick-borne illnesses when she does the follow-up bloodwork.

Did they give her any prophylactic antibiotics?