Bugged out! Mosquito bite leaves British dad in Tourette’s grip
A British father’s dream holiday in Thailand took a nightmarish twist after a vicious mosquito bite not only gave him Tourette’s syndrome, but set off a series of bizarre, life-altering health issues.
Ross Constable returned from a family holiday to Phuket, never expecting a simple insect bite to transform his life in the most shocking way.
The 48 year old from Timperley, Cheshire, a secondary school art teacher, initially thought nothing of the bite. However, upon returning home, he began to feel unwell.
“I felt like I’d been hit with the worst flu of my life.”
Suffering from extreme fatigue, aches, high fever, and a peculiar sense of malaise, Constable soon found himself bedridden and battling a plethora of disturbing symptoms.
As his condition worsened, he consulted doctors who initially dismissed his symptoms as a mere flight-related bug. But the British Man‘s condition only deteriorated further. He experienced severe dehydration, a surreal sensation of his body turning to jelly, and alarming internal pains that particularly affected his vision.
The father-of-one recounted his harrowing experience to the Manchester Evening News.
“I was really thirsty, sleeping a lot, and in and out of consciousness.”
With bleeding gums and muscle spasms to boot, his health nosedived, leaving him two stones lighter and at times, struggling to recognise even his closest loved ones. He said the hallucinations were terrifying.
“I felt like I was taller than buildings and my arms stretched across car parks.”
After countless visits to the doctor and a battery of tests, a diagnosis finally emerged: dengue fever, a mosquito-borne viral disease notorious in tropical climes.
Another specialist feared he might also have Japanese encephalitis, a serious brain infection, also transmitted by mosquitoes.
Despite finally putting a name to his affliction, Constable’s ordeal was far from over. Medical experts were baffled as new, confusing symptoms emerged.
The aftermath of the fever saw Constable develop Tourette’s syndrome, leaving him with severe tics that dramatically impacted his social life.
“At times I’d hit myself out of sheer frustration.”
While dengue fever doesn’t directly cause Tourette’s, it can trigger neurological complications. Constable’s tale is a stark reminder that mosquitoes can truly bug you in unexpected ways.
Adding to the toll were severe mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, and PTSD-like symptoms. Although prescribed medication offered some relief for the tics, Constable decided to stop taking it after feeling emotionally detached. Instead, he leaned on the “hugely beneficial” support from family and friends.
The physical symptoms of dengue and Japanese encephalitis may have subsided but Constable remains haunted by Tourette’s syndrome, accepting it might be a lifelong companion. Yet, he remains optimistic.
“I feel lucky to be alive.”
He credits nature, art, and the unwavering support from loved ones with playing a vital role in his ongoing recovery.
Constable is now channeling his journey into a beacon of hope. His upcoming art exhibit at Hepplestone Art Gallery in Wilmslow on May 8 aims to showcase the healing power of support, nature, and self-acceptance. I
t’s a testament to how strength can spring from the most unexpected of places, even from the bite of a blood-thirsty beast!
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