A Glasgow father-of-three who has lived with Lyme disease for the past 12 years said the condition "completely floored" him.
Rico Franchi first contacted Lyme disease in 2010, when he began experiencing symptoms including extreme fatigue and joint pain. He was diagnosed around two years later, and the disease continues to impact his day-to-day life.
Now, he encourages people to be aware of the early signs and seek medical advice early if concerned and is backing a Scottish Government campaign to raise awareness of tick bites and the symptoms.
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A new survey revealed over half of people in Scotland (54 per cent) don’t know what to do when bitten by a tick, and the campaign drives home the importance of acting quickly if a tick is found on the body.
The research also highlighted how common tick bites are, with almost two-thirds of people in Scotland (64 per cent) having been bitten by a tick, or knowing someone who has been bitten.
Forty-year-old singer and vocal coach Rico said: “Rewind to 2010, I was super healthy, super fit, I was always in the gym, or playing football or practicing martial arts. But in the space of a couple of weeks, I started to develop headaches, muscle aches, and severe fatigue.
“It completely floored me, and my lifestyle changed completely. I basically had to conserve all my energy for work, and even then, I struggled. For over two years I searched for a diagnosis, which was frustrating, as it was hard trying to explain how I was feeling. Eventually, a friend’s dad who was a doctor suggested I get tested for Lyme Disease. Six weeks later my results came back positive.
“Like many sufferers, I can’t recall where I got bitten. Ticks are incredibly hard to spot so it could have been years before, even when I was a child, with symptoms only occurring years later.
“One of the worst things about Lyme disease is not knowing how you’re going to feel when you wake up in the morning, if it’s going to be a good day or a bad day. I play a lot of gigs and sing at lots of weddings, meaning late nights and long days, it’s quite an intense job. It’s challenging putting on a brave face most days, but when you’re self-employed, you must, and ultimately, it’s usually my family that suffers my complaints.
“I have my three kids, my wife and I love my job, so I am still able to live a happy life. I am fortunate because a lot of others with Lyme disease can’t. However, I would love to be able to do sport again, or just go for a big walk without feeling completely out of breath, and not always have to ration my energy.
“At the time I got infected with Lyme disease, myself and my parents didn’t know anything about Lyme disease or what to look out for. If we’d known, we might have caught it early and had it treated.
“So many people still have no idea what this invisible illness is. I hope this campaign helps create awareness of Lyme disease and associated symptoms and encourages more people to take precautions against tick bites when spending time outdoors, so they don’t have to go through what I did.”
Two-thirds of people in Scotland (66 per cent) aren’t aware of the earliest and most common symptoms of Lyme disease, which include a red circular rash on the skin, often described as looking like a bullseye on a dart board. People can also experience cold or flu-like symptoms such as tiredness, headaches, and muscle or joint pain.
Ticks can be found throughout Scotland in wooded and grassy areas, so preventative measures when outdoors, such as sticking to pathways instead of going through long grass, using a repellent spray on clothing and not exposing skin can help reduce the risk of being bitten.
According to data, Scotland has 25% of UK cases of Lyme disease, and Professor of Molecular Microbiology for the University of Glasgow, Tom Evans, reinforced that prevention is key to reducing the risk of serious infection: “Ticks are in peak season in summer, and with people spending more time outdoors it’s important that they take steps to prevent becoming ill from Lyme disease.
“If you do get bitten, you should remove the tick as soon as possible to prevent infection. Using fine-tipped tweezers to gently grip the tick as close to the skin as possible, pull it steadily away from the skin without twisting or crushing it. Special tick removers are also available from most pharmacies. You should wash the area with water and soap afterward and apply an antiseptic cream.
“Lyme disease can be difficult to detect, and while most cases are mild, if not found early it can have serious and lifelong side effects. Therefore it’s really important to be aware of any symptoms in the weeks following a tick bite so it can be effectively treated.”
Dr Emilia Crighton, Interim Director of Public Health for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: “As long as you are diligent when out and about this summer, you should be ok. Being careful to check yourself for ticks after a trip to the countryside is really important and means if you’ve been bitten, you’ll be able to spot and remove the tick quickly, which help minimize the chances of Lyme disease. Otherwise, be aware of the common symptoms, particularly if you have been out in the countryside recently.”
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “We definitely want people to spend time in Scotland’s beautiful outdoors, but with tick populations especially high in the summer months, we also want to make sure people do so safely.
“Ticks can be found all over Scotland so wherever you are spending time outdoors this summer, taking measures to prevent bites, knowing what to do if you are bitten, and being able to recognise the signs of Lyme disease will help avoid infection.
“More information about ticks and Lyme disease is available at NHS inform, and we’ve also placed information posters in pharmacies across Scotland where you can go for more advice about ticks.”
For more information about ticks visit nhsinform.scot/lyme-disease .
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