What does a Lyme flare-up feel like? Ask the Lyme Doc.

Feb 3, 2021

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When a Lyme disease flare occurs, patients will notice a return of the symptoms they have experienced before or a worsening of existing symptoms. Some patients may also develop new symptoms. A flare-up can come and go and vary in intensity. What does a Lyme flare-up feel like? The symptoms of a flare-up can include:

an increase in fatigue
problems with memory and concentration, sometimes referred to as ‘brain fog’
extreme sensitivity to bright lights, heat, cold, and noise
muscle stiffness
mood changes (including irritability)
poor quality sleep
dizziness
numbness or tingling in hands and feet
widespread muscle pain
blurred vision
general body pain

What triggers a flare-up?

One of the best ways to prevent a flare is to determine what might be causing it in the first place. These causes are called triggers. Triggers for Lyme disease vary by person, but they can include:

emotional stress (such as a divorce, death in the family, or accidents)
physical stress to the body (i.e., surgery, physical harm, concussion)
life stress or stressful events
infections, colds or viral illnesses
exhaustion
diets including processed sugars and alcohol
menstrual period
lack of sleep
traveling and/or changes in schedule
changes in treatment

How do you prevent a flare-up?

There are ways to help prevent a flare-up but most importantly, patients need to listen to their bodies and identify triggers that set off a flare in symptoms. Following are several ways to prevent a flare-up:

Treat your Lyme disease
Reduce your stress
Get enough rest and sleep
Stay away from foods that make you feel worse, including alcohol and processed sugars
Learn to pace yourself to avoid doing too much when you are feeling well
Keep up your health
Stay hydrated
Work with your doctor to get your symptoms under control
Some people find ‘positive thinking’ helpful
Try focusing on the things you can do, rather than those you can’t
You might find a mental health provider helpful

Editor’s note. What does a Lyme flare-up feel like? Ask the Lyme doc sponsored by Dr. Cameron

Herxheimer reaction in 13-year-old boy with Lyme disease

Can I consume simple sugar or alcohol if I have Lyme disease?

Clinical judgment leads to successful Lyme disease treatment in young child

Comments

233 responses to “What does a Lyme flare-up feel like? Ask the Lyme Doc.”

John

11/29/2022

I had Lyme disease in 1993 . I just started getting the symptoms the past 2 years. It can be debilitating at times but only last one day. I’m looking for suggestions on how to treat this disease.

Reply
1. Dr. Daniel Cameron
  
  11/30/2022
  
  My patients often have symptoms that vary over time. In some cases, they swing from crappy, crappier to crappiest. They “feel good” when their symptoms are no longer at their crappiest. I advise my patients to consult a doctor with experience treating Lyme disease.
  
  Reply
Lori Storer

11/05/2022

I myself was diagnosed with Lymes in 2020, after years of body pains, knees swelling, and fatigue. I even walked with a cane, my knees were so bad. After seeing different Drs over the years, for what I thought were just aches and pains, and arthritis, one orthopedic Dr. Decided to have me checked for Lymes. Lol and behold, I found out what was going on with me, but the damage was already done, as I have neurological Lymes. I had 30 days of PICC line antibiotics, that I had to have done at the hospital daily. Forward to June-July 2022. I was feeling extremely fatigued, run down. On July 4th, I could hardly move, I was so tired, with pain in my chest, just behind my rib cage. I went to the ER on July 5th, and after numerous tests, blood work, CT scan, etc , I was found to have Babesiosis. This nasty parasite had ravaged my red blood cells, and my white blood cell count was through the roof. I had a collapsed lung, pneumonia, and the pain I was having behind my left rib cage, was from my spleen working overtime, trying to fight of the parasite that was literally killing me. My spleen became necrotic, and was dying. I was in ICU for 5 days. I couldn’t go back to work until what was left of my spleen could heal, as too much strenuous activity could have caused it to rupture, and bleed out. As of now, I still have pain where my spleen is, and I have flare ups, where I become so fatigued I could fall asleep anywhere, at any time. I have brain fog still, and have dizzy spells, which is scary. I was told that I should apply for disability, as it is affecting my work. All this, from a tick, no bigger than a grain of sand.

Reply
1. Dr. Daniel Cameron
  
  11/06/2022
  
  I am sorry the doctors did not diagnose Babesia earlier. I advised my patients to look again for a persistent infection.
  
  Reply
  1. Stephanie
    
    11/29/2022
    
    I have been diagnosed again for 3rd time for having Lyme disease i hurt all over like I been beat with a baseball bat or something. The weird thing is I test positive for acute Lyme the western blot not the chronic which the doctor said is weird because I have already had it and been treated for it since 2021. So here I have to take doxycycline again and I was so sick the last time I took it in August of 2022 even though I ate before taking it. Any suggestions on how not to get sick this time I really was so miserable and on why I’m testing as acute Lyme and not chronic? Thank you
    
    Reply
    1. Dr. Daniel Cameron
      
      11/30/2022
      
      I have seen IgM recur even if there is no reinfection. I have had to use clinical judgement to make treatment decisions. I have advised my patients to eat with doxycycline to better tolerate the drug. I advise them to take their minerals away from the doxycycline. I have also found changing to another antibiotic or adding treatment for Babesia better tolerated and helpful.
      
      Reply
Gary

11/01/2022

My heart problems stopped when i completed eradicated all mammal products (look up alpha gal syndrome).

Reply
Lisa lilly

08/21/2022

So, when there’s a flare up, should you get back on doxycycline? Or what is suggested cuz I have just about all those symptoms at the top plus random hives and heart burn, etc.. I’m probably going to get back on the doxycycline either way because since my initial diagnosis I’ve had hundreds of different bites, ticks, mosquitos, bees, who knows what else, and my bites seem to itch for months!!

Reply
Chris

08/01/2022

My husband has pain and stiffness to the point of immobility in his shoulders. How every the thing we can’t figure out is that the immobility level will change daily and will pendulum back and forth between should. It’s so bad sometimes he has trouble brushing his teeth and things because his arms just don’t function. Could this be lymes?!
Any help is appreciated! This has been going on for a couple weeks now.

Reply
1. Dr. Daniel Cameron
  
  08/01/2022
  
  I advise my patients with atypical presentations to include a doctor experienced in treating Lyme disease in their evaluation. There are often other symptoms that help with the diagnosis. I also advise working with their primary to rule out other illnesses.
  
  Reply