I have been suffering with Lyme Disease since April 2022 after many misdiagnoses. I believe I was bitten in Tenerife, Canary Islands, around the start of April. After successfully receiving treatment via a private specialist following countless failed GP and hospital visits, I’d like to spread awareness of symptoms to look for so that people don’t go through the same dilemma and suffer as much as myself.
I’ve just finished 5 months of antibiotics, when it could have originally been 3 weeks, having also lost my job in the process in addition to spending roughly £3,000 for private treatment, which should have been avoided!
The symptoms can be debilitating such as heart pain, bacterial meningitis and over 25 other symptoms including:
- Severe headaches
- Fever
- Blurred vision
- Palpitations
- Weight loss
- Muscle atrophy
- Muscle aches
- Muscle weakness
- Facial palsy
- Joint pain
- Meningitis
- Brain fog
It is getting to that time of year now where ticks are more rife so people need to know the signs so they can be treated early with antibiotics.
Please be aware that you may still carry Lyme Disease even with a normal red rash like mine below like mine below, that does not resemble the typical bull’s-eye that GPs look for.
Not everyone has a rash and be aware that symptoms can present themselves much earlier than the rash (4 months in my situation!).
Unfortunately my rash was initially misdiagnosed. Following this I was not listened to as my full blood count from A&E returned as normal even after my symptoms persisted, therefore no more antibiotics were issued and I became more and more unwell.
Listen to Tom speaking about his journey with Lyme disease on La Vida Liverpool Live with Justin Hopper on New Brighton Radio. (Interview begins at 8:00mins)