DO NOT REMOVE TICS YOURSELF---GO TO YOUR GP
Sounds drastic but it seems as though a GP or Doctor needs to see an actual tic or the NHS wont fund any tests or treatment. At least that was what our GP told my partner this afternoon. He agreed that all the classic symptoms were correct for the later stages of Lymes Disease BUT "his hands were tied" and unless HE had seen a tic the NHS would not pay for any tests or treatment. Tests seem to only be done in Germany and cost £500 for the initial test that doesn't show much and £1000 to break the samples down to get a real result.
Neither of us have actually found a tic on our skin but of course get covered in bites and swellings from all sorts of flying/crawling critters while out and about. So remember this cautionary tale if you find a tic and remove it yourself hoping it hasn't already infected you. I've read the posts about removing tics and believe in self reliance but the NHS just seem hell bent on making the queues even longer at A&E departments or worming out of spending money on anything not on the current government target list.
