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From Illness to Adventure: How I Beat Lyme Disease!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ม.ค. 2024
- In 2009 I went on a hiking and camping trip to Thailand's amazing Khao Yai National Park which turned into a personal nightmare after I contracted Lyme Disease after being bitten by a deer tick. Lyme Disease in humans is a disease which is still not fully understand.
In this video, filmed at the exact location that the events transpired I tell the story using pictures that I still hyve from that trip. I tell the story of how Lyme Disease was nearly the ruin of me in more ways than one. Lyme Disease is a slowly unravelling mystery but ultimately I intend this story to be one of hope.
I still love Khao Yai National Park and return there often. It's not my intent to scare poeple away from visiting this beautiful piece of Thailand's natural heritage, just to make them aware that Lyme Disease can be prevented very easily with just a bit of awareness.
www.buymeacoffee.com/76srydp5bd8
Here's my new website www.meetmeinthailand.com/
Here's a playlist of my popular videos about Thailand in the 80's and 90's
• Thailand in the 80’s
#lymedisease #khaoyainationalpark #thailand #thailandtravel #thailandtravelvlog #thailandtravel2024
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This is important information. I wonder how many people this has happened too without any diagnosis. Great that you took matters into your own hands!
I believe it takes an average of 7 doctors before it is diagnosed. In retrospect I consider myself lucky to at least remeber the tick bite. cheers
Congratulation to 10000 subscribers. You really deserve it the most. Such a pleasue to listen. Thanks for your great content
Thanks and glad that you enjoy my content AB
Thanks for taking Us about this event in your Life mate 👍 it is good to Talk about and it is good to Learn about this subject
No problem Nigel, not the most cheerful content I have made but it’s a story I wanted to relate. Cheers
Great story and good advice for anyone who likes the outdoors. After I left the Army I ran a Deer Management setup in Purbeck Dorset and the old Borrelia burgdorferi was prevalent. We were dealing with wild deer from shot to larder and ticks were always common. A friend of mine picked up Lyme's disease and did not pick up on it for years. he had all sorts of problems especially being knackered all the time. Deterrence is the best option, use deet, stockings and long shirts. Its clear you are now fully educated on the threat and hopefully the next instance of foreign bodies in the groin region will be nothing more serious than Pthirus pubis 55555
Thanks for your knowledgeable reply NickNow nobody deserves that. Pthirus pubis?I think some stories are best left untold lol.
Excellent vlog, albeit not the usual content.
Thank you for sharing such a trying time in your life in detail with your subscribers and the entire world. That definitely takes more courage than climbing those mountains and trekking those trails. Well done.
The setting of your video is excellent, the lighting, your distance to the camera, how you are speaking, it felt like sitting at the camp with you.
For what it's worth, I feel we are very fortunate that you conquered the disease and are able to provide us the content you do now.
Keep up the great work.
Chris (Andy O's friend)
Thanks Chris, hope you are well. I’d thought about making this video for a while but decided to wait until I had a bit more reach before I did. I think making a video at the actual location of the event adds another element, like that time I interviewed the guy who fought a tiger with his bare hands at the exact location. Glad you enjoyed the way I set it up. Cheers
Thanks for sharing this Karl.
My pleasure! Thanks
Great yarn mate.
Kept me watching through to the end.
I got bit a few times over the decades here fortunately no issues
Knock on wood!
Our cats and dogs are covered in ticks.
I did get dengue and that's changed my attitude towards mozzies biting me!
Hospitalised from a mosquito bit.. go figure.
Keep up the vlogs 🙏
Cheers Gerard, glad that your own encounters had a happier ending than mine. Actually I have been bitten a good few times since but take immediate action these days.
Daryl Hall is someone who really struggled with Lyme disease, despite his wealth. You came through this really well, Karl. And great info for the viewers. A tough time for you...
Yes, I think I did read something about Daryl Hall. I don’t talk about it very often these days although making this video has certainly brought those times to the fore again. Cheers
Thanks for sharing! I’m 2 years in now. Like you, it comes and goes but I move forward every day
I read something when I had LD. it was that the LD spirochete has a life/growth cycle that is 130 times slower than other bacteria and therefore needs to be treated 130 times longer which worked out at about 2 and a half years. I have no idea if this accepted medical practice. Anyway, stopping treatment was very scary but I felt it had to be done so I stopped treatment after 2 and a half years and did not regret that decision. If the symptoms during the 'cycles' are gradually diminishing that that fits in with my own experience. Good luck and cheers.
Very interesting story Karl, so glad you managed to overcome the disease, talk about frightening !!!
Cliff, the thing that frustrates me is that it could all have been sorted with a quick course of antibiotics if I’d been aware. Cheers
Great story and glad that you came out ok in the end. There's also a lesson for all of when travelling to get medical attention immediately.
Cheers Shaun. Yes, a bit of awareness could have saved me so much pain.
Thanks for sharing Karl. You have some great life stories. I’ve seen you walking about in Pattaya a couple of times last year but didn’t want to bother you.
Most days I go into town somebody comes over and says hi. I enjoy talking to subscribers and getting feedback so don’t be shy. Cheers
I had same experience saw Karl sat in nicks bar on soi 7 a couple of years ago.I was dying to say Hi ,but I hate to bother people when they're trying to relax.
Come and say hello next time. Cheers
Hi Karl, great video with some good info! Spent a night in Khao Yai two weeks ago, but in a homestay! Saw the comment by Crazyc about Ren, the youtube musician, never new that about him, but like some of his music! Back in Patts next week.
I might have made this video while you were there Keith. I watched video by Ren, he seems very talented but understandably intense. See you next week
ur a very good talker karl, i go golf alot in thailand and im always getting mosquito bites, i gotta be honest id never heard of lyme disease before, but im sure to be aware now thou
It’s definitely not spread by mosquitoes so don’t worry. It’s also comparatively rarer in Thailand but ticks can carry several nasty infections so my message is just to be aware about them. Cheers
Hi Karl: i just watched your interview on Pat's Channel. It took a bitta time but i finally remember you from Freddy's GH. I was part of Naughty Nigel's gang. Many unforgettable nights. Glad youre keeping well. Youre looking good. Subscribed with bestest greetings from Saigon. (Stephen, formo journo @The Nation newspaper).
I can definitely remember there being a journalist for The Nation and can just about remeber you when I looked at one of your videos and put it through the time filter lol. (I had hair back then!). I do mention Nigel briefly in my "I Lived in the Naughtiest Street in the World" video. Long time ago now and obviously you haven't been able to shake SEA out of your system either. Cheers
Well done on 10k subs again
Cheers Bryan
Thank you Karl, such a scary but informative video. It must have been awful for you, not just the Lyme Disease itself but the other circumstances surrounding it at the time. So pleased you're ok now. Good advice to go to a doctor immediately if you get bitten by a tick, or indeed anything else. Several years ago, I got bitten by a tiny insect, black and about the size of half a sesame seed. Fortunately I haven't had any serious symptoms but occasionally that area of my arm becomes extremely itchy. I was surprised at how long something like that can stay in your body. Keep well, Karl. Best wishes, Ju
They have a type of insect like a midge here, but bigger. I’ve only encountered it in remote forests high up but you don’t notice the bites at the time but I’ve had their bites trouble me for months at a time. Lyme Disease is actually more prevalent where you are than here and awareness is key although it’s nothing to be paranoid about and I have had plenty of ticks on me since then. I know what to do now, that’s the difference. Cheers
Great info. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful! Something to be aware of but I don’t think it’s a reason not to visit. Cheers
@@karlsthailand I have long term Lymes now and am working on getting rid of it. I'd be great to meet you when I'm back in Thailand. I also landed there late 80-ies and it seems we visited the places. We event rented motorbikes from the same place in Chiang Mai (Pornchai) . Live part time in Phuket now.
@@panordin If you ever find yourself near Pattaya it’s worth sending me a message. Sorry to hear about the LD. It’s a part of my life I tend to block out from my thoughts tbh. It’s a battle that can be won though if you have the right people behind you. Cheers
@@karlsthailand Thank you for your advice. and do let me know if you go to Phuket!
Had always been wary of Ticks in Thailand, especially where my wife is from out on the Khorat Plateau. Just presumed that they would be there, so interesting to know that they are predominantly in the Khao Yai area.
Nice chilled video today!!!
I thought I’d break the rhythm by throwing that one in there lol. Ticks are all over Thailand although I am not aware of the extent of LD. already one other subscriber has commented that he also contracted it here but has just completed treatment. Easier to just be aware but not worry about it. Cheers
Thanks for this
My pleasure! I hope that you found it useful information
It's good to hear that you are over it now Karl, that sounded nasty. Very well told story as usual, just like your old eighties and nineties tales. Do you have any more?
Cheers, it was a story I needed to tell even if it isn’t a very cheerful topic. I will probably do some more retro videos at some point but I don’t want to keep telling the same stories. Bangkok Pat is putting out a collaboration video I did with him tomorrow. I can’t wait to see it.
Glad you got that out. Serious Stuff... Hope it never returns.. Jim
It’s been nearly 13 years now. I am aware of ticks more these days though as you can imagine and have probably had about 20 or so on me since then. I remove them very quickly and put myself on a few days of amoxicillin which is very cheap and easily obtainable here. It’s just so easy a precaution to take. Cheers
I guess your fitness helped. The story was well related, well done.
Thanks very much. I think it always pays to be fit even if we can’t always manage it. Thank you
As soon as I saw the title I had to check this out. I had know idea that Lyme disease was common outside the northeast of the United States. I live in Connecticut and there is a town Lyme where I assumed this disease originated from. Maybe just a coincidence. There are a lot of conspiracy theorists that believe this disease was created in a lab off the east coast here on Plum Island. I'm curious Karl whether you have ever heard this or not. Getting quick treatment for this is the key. Glad to see your okay. I very much enjoy your vlogs on Thailand. Hoping to retire here in a few years.
It's certainly a mysterious disease and there's so much conflicting information out there about it. At the time it consumed my life for two and a half years. I had heard of some stories about it's origin and where it came from but the honest truth is that once I had put it behing me I never wanted to think about it again. I made this video to hopefully increase awareness a little but have no intention delving deeper into it. That's my lesson, don't be scared but be aware and act fast if you think you might be at risk.
Very informative video, thanks for posting. Only time I picked up a tick was at the top end of Pal A-U waterfall, didn't notice it till I was back in Bangkok because it latched on behind my shoulder. By then it had become bigger, pried it off & thankfully nothing came of it. Plenty of ticks here in Perth region during summertime, apparently not carrying the Lyme bacteria. Pets are susceptible when walking in a grassland environment.
Yes, usually tick bites are ok but Lyme isn’t the only disease they can carry. All’s well that ends well and I’m glad you had no long term problems
Thanks for sharing good luck
Thank you too
The internet can do crazy things to your head with illnesses...❤
It can. It’s a great resource but it’s also a hypochondriac’s nightmare! In all honesty I found the Internet very useful at that time even though there was some confusing information and difference of opinion. Cheers
Fair play to ya Karl, there was a programme in Ireland where the poor man's brain was effected with Lymes, by just going on a nature walk and was bitten, on a lighter note, congrats on 10k subs, you really deserve it 👍👍
I read some real horror stories while I was being treated. A very mysterious disease with big gaps in our knowledge that most sources of information just smudge over. The one thing everyone seems to agree on is getting treatment fast can be very important. Thanks, it’s taken a long time to reach 10,000. I hope future growth will be faster. Cheers
love your story. when confronted with medical and legal issues, your well intended attempts to manage on your own can limit your capability to get through it. when I was struggling with an injury from being a passenger in a bad auto accident, my bone doctor advised me to get legal help as well. I've never forgotten his wise words, "don't try to do your own brain surgery".
When it comes to things like that I can be pretty proactive. I’m not the type to let a doctor call all the shots without some input of my own. Lyme at that time was a very politicised disease, probably still is and the official line was that a month of treatment was enough to cure it and chronic Lyme disease didn’t exist so it took a doctor with guts to go against the prevailing doctrine at the time. I’m just glad my treatment worked eventually
I had a really hard time with a knee injury. I couldn't walk correctly for years after surgery. Glad that you were able to come out on top. Do they sell "OFF!" or some other kind of tick repellant in Thailand? I grew up in the woods so I was always using that stuff.
Long term health problems are a real strain aren’t they? Actually, for me the real problem was lack of knowledge. If I had been aware I would have been on antibiotics the moment I found that tick embedded, especially as the area surrounding it was inflamed. I’m convinced that prompt action would have saved me from so much. Yes, various repellents are available here. I’m careful to monitor myself for days after going into the jungle at this time of year. I’m convinced the tick was in some of the clothing I took and bit me days after the trip was over. You can’t live your life in fear, too much of that around these days. Awareness is as good as you can do. Cheers
Gosh, what a terrible experience. I’m so glad you eventually pulled through. I didn’t even know that Lyme disease existed outside of America.
I think it’s certainly the most prevalent in North America and Europe but seems to be appearing in Asia to these days even if it’s quite rare.
Don´t think I ever got a tick on me in Thailand ... only leaches, mozzies and sandflies! Here in Sweden though they are very common, and I get tick bites in my garden several times during summer, but luckily I have not been infected with Lyme or Borrelia as we call it here. In some areas of Sweden we can also get TBE Tick Borne Encephalitis, but there is a vaccin for that, but not for Borrelia/Lyme. Good to hear that you finally got rid of it after that long time!
Cheers. I find them to be much more of a problem at this time of year. I have had about 20 of them on me since then but they don't stay on for long once I find them. Call me paranoid but I now take a course of antibiotics with me just in case. Cheers
Rainy season probably wakes up the leaches and ticks, and as I only traveled during dry season that helped me from being attacked! @@karlsthailand
You friend was hour angel mate . You so lucky . I got this 3 years so far and it is not happy roses i tell you.
So sorry to hear that. I was very resolute and aggressive and pushy when it came to treating it. I was lucky that people were around who backed my decisions up.
I read a book about Lyme disease, Biography of a germ. Very serious disease, very old disease but only got known known through a ooutbreak in the town of Lyme in the USA.
If you've got time read the book, its fascinating
I was aware of a bit of the history of but in all honesty I have no intention of looking any deeper into it than I already have. I don’t talk about it much these days but felt that if posting my own experience improved awareness then it was worthwhile going back there once and making this video. Cheers
You have done us a service, thanks
If my message makes a single person more aware then it’s been worthwhile making this video. It’s not my wish to spread fear, too much of that around these days. Cheers
My brother was a landscaper for many years and he tested positive and negative many times back and forth. They kept him on various anti-biotics and he had lots of depression. What would be a real "clinical" depression - maybe for the same reasons you described. After a couple years he stopped the treatments himself and like you never had another symptom. Despite the fact that I was in the woods hundreds of times and I lived for 6 months in a trailer on the edge of a State Forest in the town where Lyme Disease was discovered - Lyme Connecticut... I never had any symptoms. It's striking that the odds would favor me getting it and I apparently escaped it. Maybe some people are more susceptale depending on their gut flora and alcohol content. I kept mine high enough to kill anything for a few years. lol
Who knows Mal. It’s certainly a very mysterious disease that has become embroiled in politics and has lots of contradictory information flying around about it. Yes, sounds like you were very lucky. How many times did you find ticks on you? Cheers
Great story Karl.
Now you can drive legally in Thailand?
I can’t see any reason why not. I haven’t had any symptoms for 14 years now. Cheers
Omg mate what a horrible thing to catch , good you come out the other side .
It’s a period in my life I tend to erase from my thoughts Chris. Cheers
Thanks for sharing Karl - happy to know you've beaten this thing. I contracted covid 1 month after arriving in Thailand and I've been dealing with the effects (in particular breathing issues) of long covid for 6 months now. Everyday you wake up hoping for improvements - just want to get back to your former self. I'm sure now being back in the same place you're highly conscious of your surroundings. I find your videos to be time well spent. Thank you!
Thinking back it was a bad time in my life but a learning experience. I can’t believe it went on for 2 and a half years. I’m not intimidated by science or medical matters and was very proactive about my treatment of Lyme disease. Even today there’s a big chasm in information about it. All everyone seems to agree on is speed is of the essence. Sorry to hear about your own long term problems, it’s something I know nothing about and thanks for kind words about my content. Cheers
How interesting, Karl and worthy of a video, if it makes people who get a tick get a course of antibiotics! And great that you pulled through. But don't you wonder about how you decided you felt better and stopped the antibiotics? I am not one of those that know much about Lymes disease and therefore not one of those that will shout that you are making it up if you claim you are better. But there seems to be some grey area, some point where you worked out that you had beaten it and said, that's it, no more antibiotics. Sorry, am I getting a little fixated on one thing?
Good that you are fit and well now me old mucker (I said mucker, m m, not..). I hope someone watches this video and will know what to do if they find a tick. Hats off to you.
Have You ever taken a look at Carnicom Institute research?
There are definitely grey areas Tony. My decision to stop the treatment was based upon the recommendations of a guy who was considered the expert at that time. My experience seemed to go as he had described with the regular herxheimer reactions gradually diminishing in strength over time. History seems to have shown I made the right choice. Cheers
Hi Karl, very interesting post.... there's a UK Musician who had Lyme's misdiagnosis for 10+ years... so had to deal with major side effects from the drugs too. He's been in Canada the last year having Stem Cell treatment & whilst there his work has taken off, big time. Quite a few of his tracks include lyrics surrounding his ilness, the one that started his rise ( All the way to a UK No1 Album ! ) is this " Hi Ren ". th-cam.com/video/s_nc1IVoMxc/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for that. I listened to it all, very unique, his bitterness comes over but in a very eloquent way. He’s definitely unique and original which are qualities I admire
Thank you SO MUCH for introducing me to Ren's music! Neuro Lyme here 35 years. No diagnosis for over 30 days Inadequate treatments for 11 months, until I became senile. Then 90 days of cefotaxime IV's, years of meds and Herks. My family didn't believe or help me. Finally I learned to live with it as best I could and the Vitamin B's helped. My children were born Lyme positive, one deaf, both with a related heart conditions and both nearly died. Make no mistake, it's a post WWII gain of function bioweapon. So is Lonestar tick disease, and the Alfa Gal side effect making people unable to tolerate eating meat and other animal proteins. Spring is almost here, be vigilant people, tick bites and tick borne illnesses are extremely prevalent in Springtime when the nymphs are questing for blood.
Ticks are very common on the Nthn Beaches area of Sydney. Most experts say they don't carry Lyme disease, but some say they do. I got one in my eye, it had latched on under my eyelid, and my eye swelled up and completely closed up for several days. I had to go to hospital to have it surgically removed. Ticks love to feed on possums, koalas, wallabies, kangaroos and many other types of Aussie wildlife, along with dogs, cats and humans. I've had countless tick bites over the years. Hopefully non Lyme diseased. 🤞
There are other diseases that they can spread apart from LD. If LD isn’t present in your area then obviously it needn’t be a concern but you have first hand experience of how unpleasant they can be regardless. I’m e probably had 20 of them on me since that time, they don’t stay there long once I have found them, I can guarantee that. Thanks for sharing your own experiences
@@karlsthailand Wasn't aware they were that common in Thailand. I've never had one there. But looks like you go to some pretty isolated areas, with lots of wildlife. 👍
Yer got bitten, never got Lymes but the Doc gave me a Tetanus shot, no idea why? i thought Tetanus was associated wherever horses were kept.
I have no idea why he did that either Steve. I’ve been bitten by ticks plenty of times since so I think that there was definitely an element of bad luck to it but all the same I do wonder how much better it might have turned out if I had just been aware at the time. Cheers
Regarding the lifestyle you lead, I'd thought a tick bite would be the last of your problems. An encounter with spitting Cobra... a scorpion ....A money grabbing bar girl. 😁
Not often can I sit through someone whining about their ailments but I honestly enjoyed the video. 😁
The fact that it isn’t an ongoing ailment probably helps to make it more tolerable for you to listen to lol. I always say people going into the jungle fearing big animals and come out of it respecting the small ones. Cheers
Hi Karl have you heard of a young guy called Ren his story is he was mis diagnosed with mental health at a very young age but they found out it was Lymes . He has not long smashed the TH-cam with his song and story and struggles. It's called Hi Ren have a listen.
Someone else mentioned him earlier and sent me a link to his video. He’s very talented and original and you can feel his pain. That’s a problem with Lyme, it’s so easy to miss or diagnose incorrectly. I feel for him.
I was some what mesmerized by that piece of music it stopped me in my tracks. Keep up the good work Karl some of the topics really relate 👊
Your friend on the back of the motorbike looked like Bryan Flowers.
Well, spotted. Yes, it’s Bryan and his wife Dun
Nice
I just got over it this week.... plenty of oral and IV antibiotics..
Also contracted in Thailand if you don’t mind me asking? Glad you put it behind you.
@@karlsthailand Yep .. At Kaeng Krachan .. Started taking Doxycycline the day after the bite, 3 days later pretty much all the symptoms plus B/P of 210/104.. Hit the hospital for 3 days of IV .. Just finished the capsules today so going to have a beer..lol.. Doxy is easy to buy over the counter. I would recommend any one with a bite to start taking 200mg twice a day immediately then get to doc's asap.. cheers.
Yes mate.
@@karlsthailand
That deer looked like death.
It sure did and there were a few of them looking the same. Someone told me years later that it’s related to them being in musk and is a seasonal thing. I have no idea tbh
Very interesting 😊
Thanks, not the most cheerful topic but there's nothing else opuit there about it in Thailand. Cheers
Karl, what is the test for Lyme disease? I've felt like that for a couple of months, thanks.ive had a blood test
I have no idea these days Kev. When I had it they used a Western Blot Test with coloured bands but I think it was 60% inaccurate so a good chance it would miss it. Maybe things have improved. Because it’s a disease that can affect every organ of the body it’s a diagnostic nightmare and it used to take an average of 7 doctors before it was diagnosed. I would read up on the symptoms and if you have quite a few of them then perhaps it’s worth further investigation. Have you had ticks on you or lived in a rural area where LD is endemic?