JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Imagine being bitten by a tick and your life changing because of it, well that happens more than you may think.
In 2019, we told you about a man who was bitten by a tick and went into cardiac arrest.
Since that story aired, another Columbia County couple is sharing their story.
“I was standing in a ditch the day before and something as simple as that can cause a very life changing issue to happen,” said Keith Hatcher, bitten by tick.
Hatcher says he was bitten by a Lonestar tick and developed an allergy to red meat. It’s called Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS).
“Everywhere I go, I have to look for something like chicken or fish and I’ve got to make sure I don’t eat dairy products, no milk and no butter,” said Hatcher.
Hatcher was bitten in April but hasn’t had any severe symptoms of Alpha-gal.
He credits his friend, Raymond Peeler, who shared his story with First Coast News in 2019 with helping him get a quick diagnosis.
“Things he was going through were all alarming to me because they were life threatening, he flatlined several times, he was on a ventilator and he went undiagnosed for six years,” said Hatcher.
Peeler, was finally diagnosed with Alpha-gal syndrome.
His story alerted more people in Columbia County to pay attention to tick bites. Hatcher says when he found this tick on his back, he immediately had a blood test.
“We are just so incredibly grateful that people share their stories to prevent happenings that can be really ending up in a horrible way,” said Karla Hatcher, Keith’s wife.
Doctors are still studying the syndrome and say the key to a healthy life with Alpha-gal is to be tested after a tick bite.
It has made a healthy difference for the Hatchers.
“They can do different testing and they would have to do a detailed exam and if you have a history of a tick bite especially from a STARI tick, those are some of the things to look for,” said Dr. M. Reza.
“I’m just grateful that we’re on this side of the situation instead of having a reaction,” said Karla.