found tick, freaking out

2 hours ago I was scratching my head and found an attached tick!!!! I called my LLND (with whom I am under care for bartonella) who is 7 hours away to see what to do. I then went to a local clinic to have the tick removed. It was removed fine with head intact, etc.

My LLND is having me send the tick to Igenex for testing. I am freaking out!!!! I have been SOOO careful about keeping covered up from head to toe when I'm out - and now this!

The Igenex test is $325. I am just beside myself. I am trying to calm myself down by saying "it is what it is" but that's not working as well as I'd like. My LLND did give me her cell number so I can call her if I start to show any symptoms of headache, joint pain, flu like, etc. She said she will immediately call in doxy for me if that should happen.

I have no idea how long the tick was attached - it wasn't terribly big. The dr who took it off (of course) was a "CDC" about Lyme - I didn't even tell him I was under treatment. He didn't understand why I would want to send it to a different lab than the one they use, etc. It's maddening.

I had to restrain myself when he said, "lyme disease out here (Pacific Northwest) is so rare. The entire state of Idaho only had 3 reported cases last year." ARRRRGG! There was no way I was going to make it a "teachable moment" for him. I was trying to focus on me and on him getting the tick out in the right way - which seems to have happened. And then he said, "this is the 2nd tick I've take off someone this week. And we didn't send it in." Oh brother!!! The medical community is clueless about this!

Has anyone here sent a tick to Igenex? How long did it take to get results? I am getting ready to leave for the post office right now to mail it. Of course, the won't get it until Tuesday with the holiday, I suppose! ARRRGGG!!

Any thoughts, help, etc. would be greatly appreciated. Thanks much

What part of the NW are you in? Idaho I assume. I'm in WA, so just curious since I have yet to see a tick on our wooded property. It doesn't mean there aren't any, but we've been here for over 15 years. I think my illness is a relapse and I'm not sure about my daughter. She was in Michigan and Texas and various parts of the Cascades when she was young, so she could've picked it up in any of those areas too. I'll have to do a tick sweep on our land to see if I pick up any.

I sure hope you don't have any reaction from your tick bite. Let us know how you're doing the next week or 2.

I'm in eastern WA -on the border between Idaho and WA. I am sure my "original" lyme/bart came fromwhen we lived in Minnesota - 11+ years ago. Interestingly, since we moved here 10 years ago we've never seen a tick, even though we have a cabin in the woods.

I am breathing and reminding myself to stay in the "now". I am grateful to have my LLND who is willing to be there for me. I'm grateful to you all too.