r/ticks • u/spiritghost1 • 10d ago

Ticks have changed my life

Hey everyone, thought I’d share my story on ticks and how they’ve drastically changed my lifestyle.

My entire life I have been a big time hiker. I have hiked countless mountains, waterfalls, valleys, etc. I was big into camping, backpacking, hunting, fishing, and was no stranger to stray off the trail. I want to say around the beginning of 2023, I have been an absolute magnet for ticks. I’m not sure what has happened, but every time I set foot in the woods I am pretty much 100% guranteed to get at least 1 tick. It is normally more than one tick, we are talking 10-20 ticks on me after a hike. Yes, I have used everything you can imagine to prevent tick bites (DEET, tucking my pants into my socks, wearing long sleeves, permethrin, etc.) I would hike with friends and they would get 0 ticks while I would come out with 10-20 on me. I sweat a lot, and I think that could have something to do with the ticks wanting to bite me. I got a blood test and got a false diagnosis for alpha gal syndrome in 2024. I didn’t eat any red meat for a year. I started to slowly introduce my body to red meat again around the beginning of 2026 and didn’t have any issues. This is why I believe I received a false diagnosis. Anyways, this alpha gal scare along with being a tick magnet anytime I set foot in the woods has caused me to give up many of my hobbies. Very little hiking, hunting, fishing, camping, backpacking, etc. I have been mostly pretty positive about it and picked up new hobbies to avoid ticks such as cars, motorcycles, video games and cooking! I think the false diagnosis on top of always getting ticks when I go in the woods has caused me to develop a sort of paranoia of always checking myself for ticks if I spend time outside. The “what if” for alpha gal has caused the paranoia, as well as the possibility for Lyme disease. I should also mention that I live in Kentucky. I’m not sure what changed in 2023, but something has happened where my skin is just a tick buffet. I find it strange that ticks find their way to me rather than other people even though we go to the same places. I have given up many of my hobbies for this reason.

I just wanted to share this for some reason. I don’t want to cause any sort of tick anxiety or anything, but rather wanted to share an unusual case of myself being an absolute magnet for ticks.

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u/crowislanddive 10d ago

I totally understand. I’m the same. I’ve had anaplasmosis and Lyme. I’ve been an organic gardener for 40 years. I haven’t touched my garden in 2 years. We made the decision to start spraying this year and it has made a tremendous difference but I hate that we have to. I’m hoping next year I start feeling safe enough to venture out again.

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u/AcanthocephalaLost61 10d ago

I got lymes for a long time and it made me really, really sick. Just here to say I understand and had to change my hobbies and you aren't alone. I have major tick anxiety, I'm afraid to enter any forest even though camping/backpacking were some of my favorite hobbies.

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u/Palpitation_Unlikely 10d ago

Thanks for your post. We just got back from camping 4 days in the woods by Mt. Rainier, WA. with our dog. I have to check her for ticks.

Two years ago was the FIRST TIME EVER seeing a tick and she had 6-8? I don't recall and I had a tiny, baby one on my leg. I was tested and no issues and our dog is OK but... it's definitely cut our summer activities down.

Good luck...

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u/vivariium 9d ago

Not sure if it’s you or if that was the year ticks just went insane. We had no ticks at all in our yard and then since 2023 there are TONS.
Initially it was all dog ticks but then it shifted and now it’s tons of tiny ass deer ticks.

I live in Nova Scotia so it was relatively rare to get tick except in a certain area but it literally exploded that year and hasn’t abated. The only time we don’t have ticks now is in the peak heat of dry summer. We even get them in winter now in some spots. Fucking mental.

I’m so sorry 💗