Lyme Disease Stories

“I developed debilitating neurological symptoms from chronic Lyme disease and multiple co-infections. I lost my memory, struggled to process simple conversations, couldn’t drive safely, battled relentless fatigue, anxiety, pain, and brain fog, and eventually wondered if I would ever feel like myself again.”

“My symptoms began after a surgical complication at 21 that triggered TMJ and widespread pain. I was told it was fibromyalgia, so I pushed through college, work, marriage, and motherhood while quietly fighting for my health.”

“Lyme disease has been affecting my quality of life for decades, but it was only a year ago that I was finally diagnosed with Borrelia, Bartonella, and Babesia, and began to receive treatment from a properly educated doctor.”

In January 2019, during a trip across Europe and Jordan, I started feeling weird. I had dizziness, light sensitivity, tachycardia, I was breathless, and I had pain in my forearms. Back in France, I saw a lot of doctors who said, ‘It's nothing except stress. You can take Xanax.’ Hell no. I was sure there was something strange in my body.”

"I am a 20-year-old college student. I love to make music and hang out with my friends. I was diagnosed with Lyme disease five years ago, and my health has been a rollercoaster ever since.​​​​​​​​”

"It seemed that, within a blink of an eye, my world was transformed. In 2021, I’d gone from an independent, straight-A, overachieving student and competitive vocalist to someone who spent more time in the hospital than in a classroom.”

“One of the hardest things about being chronically ill and living with Lyme disease is that most people find what you’re going through incomprehensible.”

“From the beginning of this illness I felt like an alien took over my body. The very first signs were swollen tonsils, dizzy spells, extreme fatigue, an inability to process sound or light, and intense pain. And then the truly scary stuff began.”

“Like many Lyme disease patients, I never had a bullseye rash and I never saw a tick bite. For years, I was told my bloodwork was normal, while close friends and family thought I was either a hypochondriac, anorexic (from weighing 90 pounds), or just flat out crazy.”

“Lyme disease was the hardest thing I have ever had to deal with. However, there is no doubt, that getting Lyme disease, was the greatest thing that ever happened to me. You will get through this, and you will be better for it.”

“I share my story to help raise awareness about late-stage Lyme. I did not know how devastating tick-borne illness was until I received my diagnosis and learned that treatment would be far more complicated than two weeks of Doxy.”

“This experience has made me understand the importance of taking action in my own health. I trusted, healed and learned that I was stronger than I thought.”