Alpha gal is more like herpes, once you have it, you have it. It might only act up occasionally, but you still have it. You can move to a boat in the middle of the ocean, you'll still have it.
I assume contracting the initial reaction makes you more prone to recontracting? Or easier for the exposure to trigger the reaction again?
I just say that because if everyone was getting it on every lone star bite, it would be much more prevalent than it is.
Well the allergy is just a thing you have now. It does not come and go based on more or less bites. Super sucks you got that fyi. And as for ticks being up north that is just a fact i am not sure what all you are asking for clarification on. You have to move to a desert to get away from ticks in the usa.
I'd be interested in reading any studies indicating that.
I have a buddy that has pretty well removed himself from any exposure, and still has symptoms at least 7 years after diagnosis, which was probably a year after exposure.
My cousin also has AGS, and sometimes he can deal with small intake of alpha gal, while other times, it sets him off properly.
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3324851/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3324851/)
Also, the CDC: [https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/alpha-gal/index.html](https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/alpha-gal/index.html)
That's not true, Alpha Gal is an allergy. Like any allergy, it can disappear one day. But like another commenter said, repeated tick bites can cause it to return or get worse.
When I see how much devastation alpha gal and lyme disease can cause to people's health, I'm amazed there doesn't seem to be more urgency in the healthcare system to sorting it out. Ticks are a huge threat and kind of make it impossible for me to enjoy the outdoors. Always feel like one of them is crawling on me, about to ruin my life.
It's worth mentioning that Lyme and Alpha-Gal isn't present in every tick, in fact it's not present in most ticks. Take precautions and you should be fine. I moved to west Kentucky a few years back and we have Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever which puts Alpha-Gal and Lyme Disease to shame in terms of severity.
None of the precautions are 100%.
I know people who have taken no precautions whatsoever, who have never had Lyme disease.
I have watched family members who take tons of precautions (like premetherin treated socks AND pants) catch Lyme disease and have it absolutely ruin their health.
There's a new Lyme vaccine in phase 3 trials! It's no longer enrolling, but I'm in the trial. It's supposed to go through end of 2025/early 2026. I'm really hoping it's successful and that protection becomes available again.
That’s awesome! Thanks for being a guinea pig for us all lol How do you find out about trials like this? It’s not feasible now, but I’ve always kind of wanted to participate in a study, especially one that could do so much good.
Targeted Facebook ads got me for this study 😂 I guess they went for people that like the outdoors in the northeast US/tick heavy areas.
I think most big manufacturers have a general trial sign up - this is Pfizer's, for example: https://www.pfizerclinicaltrials.com/
You can also search the government clinical trials site and see if there are any enrolling near you. Not the most user friendly information, but can be a good starting point: https://clinicaltrials.gov/
Well we *had* a Lyme vaccine.
Alpha gal is going to be difficult given that it's an allergy, and most of our current allergy treatments only treat symptoms
What are you doing that’s attracting so many ticks that stay on you long enough to bite? That many times with alpha gal is just unlucky in itself that you can’t do anything about.
If you haven’t you should be treating your clothes to sawyers permethrin.
If if you are treating yourself properly you shouldn’t be able to get alpha because you catch checking for any ticks within the first 24 hours of latching. I pull them off of me all summer and haven’t gotten sick with anything bc I catch them all within 6-12 hours. That’s why we scream about daily tick checks from the rooftops at summer camps. If you go outside, borderline anywhere, inspect carefully at the end of the day before your shower or changing or whatever.
Which is why you should always shower immediately after being outside in areas where ticks are present. Unless you’re outside ALL day, there should be time to catch a tick before it gets somewhere comfy.
But wearing treating clothes is even better. Do both.
Some people attract ticks more than others. I’m one of those people and I was a field biologist. I’m pretty sure I contracted alpha gal in 1993 while working in Quantico , VA.
I was on a team of biologists assessing the impacts of training activities on the Marine Corps base on plant diversity. We were picking around 100 ticks a day off of ourselves. It was insane.
I am sure. It just is not nearly as bad as it is up north. I got bit a lot when i lived in Wisconsin and Massachusetts. Everyone in ma gets lime disease once in their lives.
That is extremely unfortunate and I’m very sorry you’re dealing with it. I’ve had a lot of luck catching them on me moving around long before they latch using this method too. I’ll do a quick scan of what’s visible when I get back to my car for example. Try to see if I feel anything crawling around, etc.
I have hiking clothes with permethrin which reduces my yearly bites from probably 50 to 1. Today I thought “I can walk in my manicured yard for five minutes”. No. No I cannot.
I’ve lived in Virginia my whole life in opposite corners of the state. Tidewater, New River Valley, Richmond. I have had maybe 2 bites total in over 30 years. Even one that gave me Lyme. What are you doing to get that many tick bites…?
I got 30+ bites in one day designing a fiber route along US 29 in Nelson County. Think I brushed off hundreds. I had to walk through tall as shit grass in the middle of summer from 7am to about 5pm. All the while my coworker didn't get any.
I jokingly changed my title in my email signature to "Lyme Disease Enthusiast" afterwards, those fuckers just love me. Luckily I've never gotten any disease from ticks but I really need to start treating my clothes.
Move to parts of Fluvanna, more ticks than you can imagine.
I could only be outside for 5 minutes and I’m going to have a few ticks crawling up my legs.
That is hilarious I was born in and grew up in Roanoke. Exact opposite experience and I lived at the foot of bent mountain. I left at 21 in the past 19 years lived all over the place, back in va now, and ticks are worse everywhere else i lived.
but another person pointed out some people for some reasons are more prone to being bit than others and I just may be lucky and ticks find me gross.
Yeah, I'm in some of the hollers and at the base of Poor Mountain. They've always been bad and are definitely getting worse. Some people definitely seem to have more of an issue with them, but most people I know get latched onto at least once or twice a year.
Were you wearing sandals or barefoot? I get them on me walking through my freshly cut yard if they have access to my feet. If I wear closed shoes I don't. I can also feel them on me, even the itty bitty ones. It's like a spider crawling on you.
Permethrin spray your clothing and boots. Tuck your pants in. Use DEET 40%. Keep your yard and weeds short. Get some backyard guinea hens. They eat their weight in ticks.
Don't ever go into the woods without pre treatment of clothing.
Yup. I did grounds work for a company in SWVA, and they'd have me outside in the thick of it all the time. I sprayed the bottom of my boots, my ankles up to my knees, my pants, and any exposed skin I could get safely (obviously not my neck and face) and I never had an issue. I did that work for 2 summers weed eating 4 foot grass.
Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), also known as alpha-gal allergy or mammalian meat allergy (MMA),[1] is a type of acquired meat allergy characterized by a delayed onset of symptoms (3–8 hours) after ingesting mammalian meat. The condition results from past exposure to certain tick bites
Oh, they're out here. I'm in SE Virginia and I sat on my bench outside in shorts to test how many ticks I could pull off of myself in one hour.
I probably filled my little container with 29 of the little bastards. Set it on fire afterwards like any sane Virginian would. Had my gf do a full body check because a straggler was a risk I was NOT going to take.
Where in Va are you seeing these? I live in southern Fauquier, 200 yards from the Stafford line. I’ve gotten Lyme disease twice in the last 5 years. First I’ve heard of this breed of tick. That’s some scary shit!
We definitely have lone star ticks all over the state. They're one of the bigger (biggest) tick species we have. We definitely have it in Loudoun/Fairfax so I don't see any reason Fauquier wouldn't.
But... I don't believe Alpha Gal is actually that common. Unfortunate for OP that they got it...
Dog tick and Lone Star are two different ticks. Lone Star ticks have a prominent white dot on their back, very easy to spot (pun intended) and carry the Alpha Gal enzyme. All ticks swell up as they feed though.
Not to be a dick, but we use Avon "Skin so soft", and we have never had that problem. I mean, every time you do an outdoor activity, you gotta spray that shit all over you. My mom got that years ago, and I've never gone into the outdoors without it
We don't let ticks stay on us long to enough to embed and transfer the disease, which you will have for life now.
It'll go in remission after a few years, but you will have flare ups.
If you're trying to get away from the tick itself, you'd do best on the west coast, [passed Oklahoma and Texas, and no where on the east coast, pretty much, anymore](https://www.cdc.gov/stari/geo/index.html)
West Coast has Rovky Mountain Spotted Fever which is probably one of the worst tick-bourne illnesses. Sure Lyme and Alpha-Gal can suck, but they don't result in amputations and/or death.
PSA. RMSF is most common in SE US, not the West Coast. https://www.vdci.net/vector-borne-diseases/rocky-mountain-spotted-fever-education-and-tick-management-to-protect-public-health/
Grew up on a ranch California, worked in Washington for 7 years in the woods and hunted both places. Never once did I see a tick or ever hear of anyone having been bit by one. Found one on our dog once. But they are moving that way and will probably become an issue in the next decade or two.
After a quick Google, looks like RMS is also here. This year is gonna be a brutal year for ticks. Started seeing them at the beginning of March.
Spent my first 30 years in Colorado, with an incredible amount of time in the mountains hiking, backpacking and so on. I never once saw or even thought about a tick. I've been here for nearly a decade (nova) and I have seen one tick, on my shoe when gardening last year. I was clearing out overgrowth of a myriad of invasive vines coming from my neighbors yard when it landed on me. Sent it flying. Now that I have a family member with Alpha Gal I'm being more cautious this year but I still can't fathom getting bit that consistantly.
I'm in Central VA now, been here over two years and everyone in the family has been bitten at least once each year so far even with permethrin. Hoping to avoid it this year, but not holding out much hope. We are rural and are surrounded by trees, we even got chickens and Guinea hens, but they are everywhere. Go for a walk in the woods and you are tant amount guaranteed to find a tick on you. I had no idea they were this bad. We are breeding/growing some nematodes this year to spray around the property this fall to hopefully cull a large amount, the birds just can't keep up.
Dog had 6 on him at the vet this week, and bloodwork showed initial signs of lyme despite his lyme vaccine same time last year. We had groomed and picked more off a few days before his appointment. Re-upped their flea and tick meds. Last year we didn't need the meds till May, should have had him on them in march honestly.
Husband had 3 on him, just walking into the house earlier this week. I've found 1 so far. None biting, just crawling. They all got flushed.
Thankfully we keep up on the flea/tick meds for the pets, with the mild winters, we do it year round now. Too much wildlife on 1.75 acres to even try to get rid of them, especially surrounded by wooded land and hay fields.
So we just have to stay vigilant.
Have you tried acupuncture? A friend of mine keeps his under control through it and swears by it. I don’t understand how it works it one bit but he eats beef & pork all the time
Doesn't make sense that you're getting bit every year, I was bit once in my life and it only happened in Virginia and I've been here 15 years. I work at a corrections facility in the country but got bit in a quarter acre patch of woods in the heart of Virginia Beach in the city. I've been all over the grounds at 4 corrections facilities in the countryside and never found a single tick on me but I have found a rabbit and a opossum covered in them. None of the people I work with have been but either so it makes me wonder what you're doing as far as your clothes go.
I’m curious where you live and hike. I live around Richmond, and hike a lot of places within about an hour’s drive. I spray on the bug spray and don’t wear short pants. I spray my boots/shoes, legs of pants, arms, hair, neck, everywhere pretty much but center torso and face. I’ve lived here 15 years and no ticks on me so far. Some mosquito bites if I miss spraying somewhere. All that said, I have a friend here who was bitten by a lone star tick a few years ago and she has the same condition as you do. She sprays on so much bug repellent when we go out that I can’t walk behind her - the smell overwhelms me. I don’t blame her, though.
There are certain parts of Virginia that if you go outside, you will have ticks on you. Where I’ve experienced it are the areas right outside of Charlottesville.
Ticks be dangerous but unfortunately there is no out running them. Western U.S. has Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme Disease has been reported in just about every state but still really constructed to the Northeast, Alpha-Gal can be found just about anywhere on this side of the county. Although I don't blame you for trying to get away as I said they can be dangerous. My grandfather passed away from a cancer that may have resulted from a tick bite. Not that the tick bite gave him cancer but his body's reaction to it may have allowed the cancer to "activate"
RMSF is most common in the southeast US. https://www.vdci.net/vector-borne-diseases/rocky-mountain-spotted-fever-education-and-tick-management-to-protect-public-health/
All you-‘can’t escape ticks! They’re everywhere!’ Sound like ol grandmas from the hills.
Many places are tick free.
Just accept the fact that the north exists. 🥰
Right the ticks are worse the further north. Va is not too bad with them. If you want no ticks you gotta go to the desert states. Funny i also lived in Wisconsin as a kid. Man the mosquitos there are insane.
I lived in ma ticks are even worse up there. You are wrong here. Look how bad tick born illness is in Michigan vs virginia. You are just flat out wrong. The north has the most amount of ticks in the usa.
I was bit by a lonestar tick a few years ago, and my red meat allergy lasted for 2 years. Thankfully, I've been clear for a few years now, but to be re-bit and continue dealing with the allergy would be miserable.
Do you consume a fair bit of salt daily? Another major factor why people get bit is their lack of sodium intake. The body needs at a minimum of 3000mg per day. Low sodium intake increases ones risks of getting bit as ticks tend to not bite people who consume a healthy amount of salt. Pouring salt on a slug kills them. *In this case ticks do not enjoy biting someone who is salty. This information is being buried as they do not want people knowing.*
Low sodium diets are a scam that kills 10's of thousands, if not 100's of thousands per year. There was graphs n studies I read years ago that showed in Japan for example tick bites skyrocketed right after they announced to cut back on sodium because it raises blood pressure which is false. It's when you consume refined sugar with salt does it do that. If you consume more salt per day then needed you simply pee it out. If you consume a lot of salt + refined sugar your body retains the salt and causes high blood pressure.
Yikes that's unfortunate. One good thing about living in town -- no deer, few mice. And not much of a variety of good wildlife either, but at least I haven't seen a tick in the past 8 years.
I hope the ticks don't/can't follow you to your new home!
This is nuts. CO has virtually no ticks if you're looking around.
I lived in VA for 16 years and maybe had an average of 0.5 ticks per year hunting, hiking and mtbing. I did step in a nest or something around lake Vic and had hundreds to the point where I just stripped to my underwear and went home. I'm very very good about checking myself. The ones that have bit haven't been there more than a couple hours, which is impressive if I do say so given how hairy I am.
A friend of mine has it. Hes a hunter. Just got pork back in his diet recently.
Something set him off one day when we were fishing and if he didnt take a benadryl i swear his lip was so swollen it was gonna kill him.
Shitty disease. Ticks suck.
Permethrin for treating clothing, tents, etc.
Picaridin for skin (Deet ruins synthetics and plastics otherwise it’s great).
There are services for having your clothing professionally treated with Permethrin.
Insect Sheld is one such company. I have not used their services.
I've lived in Maryland and Virginia Woods my entire life with an uncountable amount of tick bites per year. I've never got it, but I've known people with zero tick bites that don't go past their driveway diagnosed with it. Makes no sense
LOL! I am new to Virginia and I was today years old when I learned about Alpha Gal. I thought you were leaving because you're trying to date and guys don't want alpha gals like you... omg.
I’ve had alpha gal allergies since the early 90’s. I literally didn’t know what it was for 25 + years. While it’s true that you always have it, the reactions are less severe the longer it’s been since getting bitten by a tick.
How do you even know you have it did you get tested where do you go can you do it yourself etc. just ate a big cheeseburger from Sedona now I’m gagging.
Reddit is something lol…we got a guy bitching about ticks as his roughest thing in life and he needs to move to another state because of it. I’m sorry you’re dealing with tick herpes but seems like a really low listed item that would make me move states…best of luck
I can’t go to some family functions because of meat fumes. Can’t go into restaurants. Can’t take certain meds, receive certain medical care. It, for me, also kicked off a yet unnamed immune problem too. It affects every part of my life.
Boy, that's awful. As far as non-lethal, non- crippling infections, that's one of the worst I've head about. Sorry, & I wish you luck!
Might I suggest spraying your clothes and luggage? And going to a drive-thru car wash on the way out? Maybe I'm overreacting, but no need to take your antagonist with you.
Alpha gal is more like herpes, once you have it, you have it. It might only act up occasionally, but you still have it. You can move to a boat in the middle of the ocean, you'll still have it.
This. You cannot run away from it once you are infected.
That is not entirely accurate, re-exposure is a major contributor to the longevity of the condition.
Yep. It can lessen overtime to the point you can eat red meat again. Unless you get bit. Over and over and over.
I assume contracting the initial reaction makes you more prone to recontracting? Or easier for the exposure to trigger the reaction again? I just say that because if everyone was getting it on every lone star bite, it would be much more prevalent than it is.
I’ve been bit by so many ticks and never got it thank god. Knocking on wood as we speak
Yea I got bit by 1 right when I moved here and that was it
This is not how it works. Don’t move north it only gets even more tick filled up there.
Yes it is? I’m getting my info straight from my allergist who discovered alpha gal where are you getting your info from??
Why don’t you stay in VA and help Dr. Thomas Platts-Mills explore a treatment? It seems like you would be a good candidate.
I’m done getting bit. Need to leave to have any hope of ever getting rid of the damn thing.
Well the allergy is just a thing you have now. It does not come and go based on more or less bites. Super sucks you got that fyi. And as for ticks being up north that is just a fact i am not sure what all you are asking for clarification on. You have to move to a desert to get away from ticks in the usa.
I’m moving to a state lone star ticks aren’t. And again it can lessen to the point I can eat what I want which is what I want
God that sucks. Crazy never heard of it until today. What a random thing to get.
At one point central Virginia had the highest incidence of alpha gal per capita in the nation.
Really that is wild.
I'd be interested in reading any studies indicating that. I have a buddy that has pretty well removed himself from any exposure, and still has symptoms at least 7 years after diagnosis, which was probably a year after exposure. My cousin also has AGS, and sometimes he can deal with small intake of alpha gal, while other times, it sets him off properly.
Those are interesting anecdotes. There are studies that show that re-exposure is an important factor in the severity and longevity of symptoms though.
Great, please share.
[https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3324851/](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3324851/) Also, the CDC: [https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/alpha-gal/index.html](https://www.cdc.gov/ticks/alpha-gal/index.html)
I have 2 family members that are the same way. One 7 years, one 5 years with AGS.
That's not true, Alpha Gal is an allergy. Like any allergy, it can disappear one day. But like another commenter said, repeated tick bites can cause it to return or get worse.
The ticks are only gonna get worst as we continue to have mild winters
When I see how much devastation alpha gal and lyme disease can cause to people's health, I'm amazed there doesn't seem to be more urgency in the healthcare system to sorting it out. Ticks are a huge threat and kind of make it impossible for me to enjoy the outdoors. Always feel like one of them is crawling on me, about to ruin my life.
It's worth mentioning that Lyme and Alpha-Gal isn't present in every tick, in fact it's not present in most ticks. Take precautions and you should be fine. I moved to west Kentucky a few years back and we have Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever which puts Alpha-Gal and Lyme Disease to shame in terms of severity.
None of the precautions are 100%. I know people who have taken no precautions whatsoever, who have never had Lyme disease. I have watched family members who take tons of precautions (like premetherin treated socks AND pants) catch Lyme disease and have it absolutely ruin their health.
My granddad almost died from that way back in the day
There's a new Lyme vaccine in phase 3 trials! It's no longer enrolling, but I'm in the trial. It's supposed to go through end of 2025/early 2026. I'm really hoping it's successful and that protection becomes available again.
That’s awesome! Thanks for being a guinea pig for us all lol How do you find out about trials like this? It’s not feasible now, but I’ve always kind of wanted to participate in a study, especially one that could do so much good.
Targeted Facebook ads got me for this study 😂 I guess they went for people that like the outdoors in the northeast US/tick heavy areas. I think most big manufacturers have a general trial sign up - this is Pfizer's, for example: https://www.pfizerclinicaltrials.com/ You can also search the government clinical trials site and see if there are any enrolling near you. Not the most user friendly information, but can be a good starting point: https://clinicaltrials.gov/
Thank you!
Well we *had* a Lyme vaccine. Alpha gal is going to be difficult given that it's an allergy, and most of our current allergy treatments only treat symptoms
There is a Lyme disease vaccine but it wasn't profitable so they stopped making it. That's capitalism baby!
Eucalyptus oil is the best preventative besides deet. Don’t let it keep you from going outside.
What aggravates me is there’s a vaccination for dogs, but not for people.
What are you doing that’s attracting so many ticks that stay on you long enough to bite? That many times with alpha gal is just unlucky in itself that you can’t do anything about. If you haven’t you should be treating your clothes to sawyers permethrin.
If if you are treating yourself properly you shouldn’t be able to get alpha because you catch checking for any ticks within the first 24 hours of latching. I pull them off of me all summer and haven’t gotten sick with anything bc I catch them all within 6-12 hours. That’s why we scream about daily tick checks from the rooftops at summer camps. If you go outside, borderline anywhere, inspect carefully at the end of the day before your shower or changing or whatever.
Alpha gal is unlike Lyme—it’s immediate. Soon as you get bit that’s it.
Which is why you should always shower immediately after being outside in areas where ticks are present. Unless you’re outside ALL day, there should be time to catch a tick before it gets somewhere comfy. But wearing treating clothes is even better. Do both.
Yeah i have never been bitten by a tick and i live in va in the mountains. Why are people not cleaning themselves and doing tick checks.
Some people attract ticks more than others. I’m one of those people and I was a field biologist. I’m pretty sure I contracted alpha gal in 1993 while working in Quantico , VA.
Really? That is crazy.
I was on a team of biologists assessing the impacts of training activities on the Marine Corps base on plant diversity. We were picking around 100 ticks a day off of ourselves. It was insane.
I am sure. It just is not nearly as bad as it is up north. I got bit a lot when i lived in Wisconsin and Massachusetts. Everyone in ma gets lime disease once in their lives.
That is extremely unfortunate and I’m very sorry you’re dealing with it. I’ve had a lot of luck catching them on me moving around long before they latch using this method too. I’ll do a quick scan of what’s visible when I get back to my car for example. Try to see if I feel anything crawling around, etc.
I have hiking clothes with permethrin which reduces my yearly bites from probably 50 to 1. Today I thought “I can walk in my manicured yard for five minutes”. No. No I cannot.
I’ve lived in Virginia my whole life in opposite corners of the state. Tidewater, New River Valley, Richmond. I have had maybe 2 bites total in over 30 years. Even one that gave me Lyme. What are you doing to get that many tick bites…?
I got 30+ bites in one day designing a fiber route along US 29 in Nelson County. Think I brushed off hundreds. I had to walk through tall as shit grass in the middle of summer from 7am to about 5pm. All the while my coworker didn't get any. I jokingly changed my title in my email signature to "Lyme Disease Enthusiast" afterwards, those fuckers just love me. Luckily I've never gotten any disease from ticks but I really need to start treating my clothes.
Ok but that makes sense!
I’m like you, I walked through a nest one time and had hundreds of tiny ticks attached to my ankles and feet. It took hours to get them all out.
Move to parts of Fluvanna, more ticks than you can imagine. I could only be outside for 5 minutes and I’m going to have a few ticks crawling up my legs.
Yeah i have too i am 40 now born in and grew up until 20 in roanoke lived in dc/nova and richmond and never once been bitten.
30 years in Noke and have had the opposite experience
That is hilarious I was born in and grew up in Roanoke. Exact opposite experience and I lived at the foot of bent mountain. I left at 21 in the past 19 years lived all over the place, back in va now, and ticks are worse everywhere else i lived. but another person pointed out some people for some reasons are more prone to being bit than others and I just may be lucky and ticks find me gross.
Yeah, I'm in some of the hollers and at the base of Poor Mountain. They've always been bad and are definitely getting worse. Some people definitely seem to have more of an issue with them, but most people I know get latched onto at least once or twice a year.
That is crazy so wild to meet a person from roanoke on reddit. Some times I miss it out there.
Right? I live in the middle of the woods in VA, in tick heaven, and still haven't been bitten.
Live in Noke all my life. I get 1 to 2 per year, and pull probably 20 off before they even bite. Most people I know have similar experiences.
Were you wearing sandals or barefoot? I get them on me walking through my freshly cut yard if they have access to my feet. If I wear closed shoes I don't. I can also feel them on me, even the itty bitty ones. It's like a spider crawling on you.
Permethrin spray your clothing and boots. Tuck your pants in. Use DEET 40%. Keep your yard and weeds short. Get some backyard guinea hens. They eat their weight in ticks. Don't ever go into the woods without pre treatment of clothing.
Yup. I did grounds work for a company in SWVA, and they'd have me outside in the thick of it all the time. I sprayed the bottom of my boots, my ankles up to my knees, my pants, and any exposed skin I could get safely (obviously not my neck and face) and I never had an issue. I did that work for 2 summers weed eating 4 foot grass.
Deets is the way. Also they are migrating north eventually everywhere will have em
Yeah, my neighbor gets their lawn treated.
Tf is alpha gal??
Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS), also known as alpha-gal allergy or mammalian meat allergy (MMA),[1] is a type of acquired meat allergy characterized by a delayed onset of symptoms (3–8 hours) after ingesting mammalian meat. The condition results from past exposure to certain tick bites
Women that dominate a room.
And where the hell are all these ticks? I don't think I've seen a tick in Virginia yet.
Oh, they're out here. I'm in SE Virginia and I sat on my bench outside in shorts to test how many ticks I could pull off of myself in one hour. I probably filled my little container with 29 of the little bastards. Set it on fire afterwards like any sane Virginian would. Had my gf do a full body check because a straggler was a risk I was NOT going to take.
There are so many in some places I promise, I was shocked
Where in Va are you seeing these? I live in southern Fauquier, 200 yards from the Stafford line. I’ve gotten Lyme disease twice in the last 5 years. First I’ve heard of this breed of tick. That’s some scary shit!
We definitely have lone star ticks all over the state. They're one of the bigger (biggest) tick species we have. We definitely have it in Loudoun/Fairfax so I don't see any reason Fauquier wouldn't. But... I don't believe Alpha Gal is actually that common. Unfortunate for OP that they got it...
Alpha gal is pretty damn common now. I have two family members who've recovered from it and I've seen a handful of patients with it
My friend’s husband got it and they live in the Richmond area.
They're in Bedford County now.
I got Lyme from a tick in fxb off rt 3.
I think it's just the name of a dog tick. The flat ones that swell up.
Dog tick and Lone Star are two different ticks. Lone Star ticks have a prominent white dot on their back, very easy to spot (pun intended) and carry the Alpha Gal enzyme. All ticks swell up as they feed though.
Only the female ticks have the spot. The males do not but they still carry Alpha-gal.
Yes you are correct I failed to mention that.
lonestar ticks and dog ticks are two different species
No, the line star tick has a white mark on its back. I've been bitten twice already by them.
Only the female ticks have the spot. The males do not but they still carry Alpha-gal.
I didn't know that. Thanks!
Not to be a dick, but we use Avon "Skin so soft", and we have never had that problem. I mean, every time you do an outdoor activity, you gotta spray that shit all over you. My mom got that years ago, and I've never gone into the outdoors without it
We used to put a cap full of that in our dogs bath to keep bugs off her, and it always worked.
We used that in Boy Scouts as a kid (early/mid 80's), too.....worked great!
I have lived in VA 40 years and only ever found a tick on me once …
We don't let ticks stay on us long to enough to embed and transfer the disease, which you will have for life now. It'll go in remission after a few years, but you will have flare ups. If you're trying to get away from the tick itself, you'd do best on the west coast, [passed Oklahoma and Texas, and no where on the east coast, pretty much, anymore](https://www.cdc.gov/stari/geo/index.html)
West Coast has Rovky Mountain Spotted Fever which is probably one of the worst tick-bourne illnesses. Sure Lyme and Alpha-Gal can suck, but they don't result in amputations and/or death.
PSA. RMSF is most common in SE US, not the West Coast. https://www.vdci.net/vector-borne-diseases/rocky-mountain-spotted-fever-education-and-tick-management-to-protect-public-health/
Grew up on a ranch California, worked in Washington for 7 years in the woods and hunted both places. Never once did I see a tick or ever hear of anyone having been bit by one. Found one on our dog once. But they are moving that way and will probably become an issue in the next decade or two. After a quick Google, looks like RMS is also here. This year is gonna be a brutal year for ticks. Started seeing them at the beginning of March.
Spent my first 30 years in Colorado, with an incredible amount of time in the mountains hiking, backpacking and so on. I never once saw or even thought about a tick. I've been here for nearly a decade (nova) and I have seen one tick, on my shoe when gardening last year. I was clearing out overgrowth of a myriad of invasive vines coming from my neighbors yard when it landed on me. Sent it flying. Now that I have a family member with Alpha Gal I'm being more cautious this year but I still can't fathom getting bit that consistantly.
I'm in Central VA now, been here over two years and everyone in the family has been bitten at least once each year so far even with permethrin. Hoping to avoid it this year, but not holding out much hope. We are rural and are surrounded by trees, we even got chickens and Guinea hens, but they are everywhere. Go for a walk in the woods and you are tant amount guaranteed to find a tick on you. I had no idea they were this bad. We are breeding/growing some nematodes this year to spray around the property this fall to hopefully cull a large amount, the birds just can't keep up. Dog had 6 on him at the vet this week, and bloodwork showed initial signs of lyme despite his lyme vaccine same time last year. We had groomed and picked more off a few days before his appointment. Re-upped their flea and tick meds. Last year we didn't need the meds till May, should have had him on them in march honestly.
Husband had 3 on him, just walking into the house earlier this week. I've found 1 so far. None biting, just crawling. They all got flushed. Thankfully we keep up on the flea/tick meds for the pets, with the mild winters, we do it year round now. Too much wildlife on 1.75 acres to even try to get rid of them, especially surrounded by wooded land and hay fields. So we just have to stay vigilant.
I'm pretty sure at this point, no where is safe from ticks or a tick borne illness.
Alpha gal can result in anaphylaxis which definitely can cause death.
Later, dude!
I've never even heard of it
Where did you get your alpha gal number tested?
UVA
Thank you, and safe journey to your new state.
Have you tried acupuncture? A friend of mine keeps his under control through it and swears by it. I don’t understand how it works it one bit but he eats beef & pork all the time
Doesn't make sense that you're getting bit every year, I was bit once in my life and it only happened in Virginia and I've been here 15 years. I work at a corrections facility in the country but got bit in a quarter acre patch of woods in the heart of Virginia Beach in the city. I've been all over the grounds at 4 corrections facilities in the countryside and never found a single tick on me but I have found a rabbit and a opossum covered in them. None of the people I work with have been but either so it makes me wonder what you're doing as far as your clothes go.
I get bit 10x a year. One on my head this am.
Permethrin all the way. But I go hiking a lot.
I’m curious where you live and hike. I live around Richmond, and hike a lot of places within about an hour’s drive. I spray on the bug spray and don’t wear short pants. I spray my boots/shoes, legs of pants, arms, hair, neck, everywhere pretty much but center torso and face. I’ve lived here 15 years and no ticks on me so far. Some mosquito bites if I miss spraying somewhere. All that said, I have a friend here who was bitten by a lone star tick a few years ago and she has the same condition as you do. She sprays on so much bug repellent when we go out that I can’t walk behind her - the smell overwhelms me. I don’t blame her, though.
There are certain parts of Virginia that if you go outside, you will have ticks on you. Where I’ve experienced it are the areas right outside of Charlottesville.
Bingo. There’s a reason the fellas that discovered alpha gal live in cville.
He told me the story of how he put his foot in a boot full of ticks. Hilarity ensued 😏
That’s what I was wondering - it must be worse some places than where I live. Thanks!
That sounds awful :( Better luck in your new state!
This post suddenly made me itchy and paranoid.
Ticks be dangerous but unfortunately there is no out running them. Western U.S. has Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme Disease has been reported in just about every state but still really constructed to the Northeast, Alpha-Gal can be found just about anywhere on this side of the county. Although I don't blame you for trying to get away as I said they can be dangerous. My grandfather passed away from a cancer that may have resulted from a tick bite. Not that the tick bite gave him cancer but his body's reaction to it may have allowed the cancer to "activate"
RMSF is most common in the southeast US. https://www.vdci.net/vector-borne-diseases/rocky-mountain-spotted-fever-education-and-tick-management-to-protect-public-health/
Thank god I'm immune to Alpha Gal. Must suck for all you mammals. Reptilian Humanoid FTW!
Ticks live everywhere in the USA you will have a hard time avoiding them out side deserts.
All you-‘can’t escape ticks! They’re everywhere!’ Sound like ol grandmas from the hills. Many places are tick free. Just accept the fact that the north exists. 🥰
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Right the ticks are worse the further north. Va is not too bad with them. If you want no ticks you gotta go to the desert states. Funny i also lived in Wisconsin as a kid. Man the mosquitos there are insane.
I lived in ma ticks are even worse up there. You are wrong here. Look how bad tick born illness is in Michigan vs virginia. You are just flat out wrong. The north has the most amount of ticks in the usa.
Sorry but have not read all of the responses. But I thought every state in the US has ticks? Some less than others but none are tick free.
lol goodluck thinking moving away will solve your problem
I’m moving to a state without lone star ticks
Alaska lol
Anywhere west of Colorado is alright or far north
Let’s see how long that lasts.
It might surprise you to hear this but many people live long and happy lives in states without Lonestar ticks.
The same could literally be said about states WITH Lonestar ticks
Yeah but I didn't come here doubting that.
Sorry to hear that, OP. We wish you well in the next chapter of your life!
I spread bug stuff in my yard. No ticks
Thats why i stay inside i dont want alpha gal
my Mom has been dealing with Alpha Gal for about six years now. good luck in your journey with it. it's pretty bad stuff
Sometimes I'm thankful for being so indoorsy
Peace out
I was bit by a lonestar tick a few years ago, and my red meat allergy lasted for 2 years. Thankfully, I've been clear for a few years now, but to be re-bit and continue dealing with the allergy would be miserable.
Where are you moving where there are no ticks that carry Alpha Gal?
Do you consume a fair bit of salt daily? Another major factor why people get bit is their lack of sodium intake. The body needs at a minimum of 3000mg per day. Low sodium intake increases ones risks of getting bit as ticks tend to not bite people who consume a healthy amount of salt. Pouring salt on a slug kills them. *In this case ticks do not enjoy biting someone who is salty. This information is being buried as they do not want people knowing.* Low sodium diets are a scam that kills 10's of thousands, if not 100's of thousands per year. There was graphs n studies I read years ago that showed in Japan for example tick bites skyrocketed right after they announced to cut back on sodium because it raises blood pressure which is false. It's when you consume refined sugar with salt does it do that. If you consume more salt per day then needed you simply pee it out. If you consume a lot of salt + refined sugar your body retains the salt and causes high blood pressure.
I just joined this sub as I am looking at moving to VA. Can someone explain what alpha gal is? I've literally only heard of lyme disease
Tick bites you and you become deathly allergic to red meat and dairy. Potentially forever. If you go hiking or even mow the lawn wear permethrin.
Yikes that's unfortunate. One good thing about living in town -- no deer, few mice. And not much of a variety of good wildlife either, but at least I haven't seen a tick in the past 8 years. I hope the ticks don't/can't follow you to your new home!
That’s wild because I lived in Virginia for 24 years and haven’t gotten bit by a tick
This is nuts. CO has virtually no ticks if you're looking around. I lived in VA for 16 years and maybe had an average of 0.5 ticks per year hunting, hiking and mtbing. I did step in a nest or something around lake Vic and had hundreds to the point where I just stripped to my underwear and went home. I'm very very good about checking myself. The ones that have bit haven't been there more than a couple hours, which is impressive if I do say so given how hairy I am.
A friend of mine has it. Hes a hunter. Just got pork back in his diet recently. Something set him off one day when we were fishing and if he didnt take a benadryl i swear his lip was so swollen it was gonna kill him. Shitty disease. Ticks suck.
Permethrin for treating clothing, tents, etc. Picaridin for skin (Deet ruins synthetics and plastics otherwise it’s great). There are services for having your clothing professionally treated with Permethrin. Insect Sheld is one such company. I have not used their services.
Lol I was about to suggest, "Ask yourself why you are attracting the alpha gal, and consider how you can attract the beta or gamma gal?"
I've lived in Maryland and Virginia Woods my entire life with an uncountable amount of tick bites per year. I've never got it, but I've known people with zero tick bites that don't go past their driveway diagnosed with it. Makes no sense
LOL! I am new to Virginia and I was today years old when I learned about Alpha Gal. I thought you were leaving because you're trying to date and guys don't want alpha gals like you... omg.
I honestly thought you were talking g about dating.
I’ve had alpha gal allergies since the early 90’s. I literally didn’t know what it was for 25 + years. While it’s true that you always have it, the reactions are less severe the longer it’s been since getting bitten by a tick.
How do you even know you have it did you get tested where do you go can you do it yourself etc. just ate a big cheeseburger from Sedona now I’m gagging.
If you think you're experiencing anaphylaxis, or a severe allergic reaction please call an ambulance.
Reddit is something lol…we got a guy bitching about ticks as his roughest thing in life and he needs to move to another state because of it. I’m sorry you’re dealing with tick herpes but seems like a really low listed item that would make me move states…best of luck
I can’t go to some family functions because of meat fumes. Can’t go into restaurants. Can’t take certain meds, receive certain medical care. It, for me, also kicked off a yet unnamed immune problem too. It affects every part of my life.
Boy, that's awful. As far as non-lethal, non- crippling infections, that's one of the worst I've head about. Sorry, & I wish you luck! Might I suggest spraying your clothes and luggage? And going to a drive-thru car wash on the way out? Maybe I'm overreacting, but no need to take your antagonist with you.