The Lyme disease support group for Vernon, Juneau, Monroe, Sauk, and Richland counties will gather June 28 in the meeting room of the Hillsboro Public Library, 819 High Ave., Hillsboro, from 6:30-8 p.m.

The meeting is open to Lyme disease sufferers, their families, and the general public.

Any questions? Email us at garycepek@yahoo.com, or phone 608/489-2725 (ask for Gary).

The following excerpted summary offers insights from m.prevention.com for you, the reader, who may have to cope with Lyme Disease.

“Lyme disease is a tricky business ... tough to detect, diagnose, and treat—and symptoms are even frequently missed by doctors ...  most people infected don’t even recall ever seeing a tick latched onto them... new research features different types of skin rashes, often ones that mimic insect or spider bites, dermatitis, or lupus rashes. ... 10 of the 14 patients who tested strongly for Lyme Disease also had non-classical skin rashes that mimic skin conditions. ... The value of the study provides an alert for clinicians to be very wary of a patient who travels or lives in an endemic area ...” said study author Steven E. Schutzer, MD, professor of medicine at Univ. of Medicine and Dentistry, NJ.

If you suspect Lyme:

• Don’t rely only on a rash. If you’re showing flu-like symptoms, go to the doctor.

• Don’t count 100% on tests.  Dr. Schutzer says you may test negative right after a bite, but positive several weeks later. If your symptoms linger, work with your doctor to rule out other diseases; find a Lyme-literate doctor if you still suspect Lyme. (Some doctors “don’t believe in” chronic Lyme disease, so seek out a doctor affiliated with the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society, or ask for a referral from a local support group.)

If you find a tick on you:

• Remove it right away. Don’t cover it with clear nail polish or try any other old wives’ tales. Remove it with sharp tweezers.

• Get it tested. Places like New Jersey Laboratories (njlabs.com) will test a removed tick for Lyme or other associated diseases for a fee.

• Know the enemy. Different ticks carry different diseases. Know which ones are prevalent in your area.

• Dress like a geek. Ticks don’t fall from trees—they crawl up. Pulling longer socks up over your pants legs makes it harder for ticks to crawl onto your leg.