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

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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.”

Frances

10/21/2023

Thanks for being here ! You are correct in everything you say about ‘flares’, it is just great to see it in print. Lyme disease survivor 29 years and going.

Reply
ryan prescott

10/16/2023

hello i’m an 18 year old who had Lyme when I was about 11 and so on I took the antibiotics. Nothing worked. It got so bad that I got a PICC line in my arm to spread medicine though out my body. It seemed to of worked.
Years later I’m experiencing brain fog, fatigue, loss of sleep, and do not feel motivated to do anything. Something’s wrong and it pray it’s not long term affects of Lyme cause it’s not curable.

Reply
1. Dr. Daniel Cameron
  
  10/16/2023
  
  I advise my patient to be evaluated for a Lyme disease infection or relapse while also ruling out other illnesses.
  
  Reply
Greg

10/03/2023

I had Lyme about 3 years ago. I was treated immediately with doxycycline once I noticed the classic bullseye on my thigh. Symptoms were severe fatigue and joint pain initially (pre-treatment), but once I started taking the doxycycline the flu like symptoms and excruciating painful chills and hyper sensitivity to cool temperatures were unbearable for a couple days. The symptoms then faded. Every few months I have a night where the excruciating painful chills return for several hours and I get soaked in sweat. This has gone on every few months for 3 years. I am wondering if it is still the result of the lyme disease, even though I was treated with Doxycycline. Any feedback would be appreciated. The chills are different. It’s like my nerve endings are on fire.

Greg

Reply
1. Dr. Daniel Cameron
  
  10/04/2023
  
  I have had patients who have improved with re-treatment. I have had patients with Babesia, a tick borne parasite, that can lead to sweats. Doxycycline is not effective for Babesia. Some doctors disagree with retreatment.
  
  Reply
  1. Greg
    
    10/04/2023
    
    I appreciate your response. Are my episodes related to the original lyme, and what would you recommend?
    
    Reply
    1. Dr. Daniel Cameron
      
      10/05/2023
      
      I have patients with new infections and what appears to be a relapse. I have had to individualize my treatment.
      
      Reply
Faith

09/29/2023

I had my 2nd round of lymes about 11 years ago. I have suffered a lot of pain. When I get sick my whole entire body hurts so bad. I have such bad aches. Gets hard to walk. Chills and then sweat so much. My docotors have never taken me serious when I bring up my lymes. They refuse to test me for it. But living like this is awful. My body is in so much pain. Even when I’m not sick my body just doesn’t function like I want it to. What should I do?

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1. Faith
  
  09/29/2023
  
  I have also never got antibiotics when this did occur.
  
  Reply
2. Dr. Daniel Cameron
  
  09/30/2023
  
  I have patients who were not able to get treated for Lyme disease until they were seen by a doctor with experience treating chronic manifestations. I have seen patients who were never treated for the tick borne illness, Babesia.
  
  Reply
Donna Oswalt

09/11/2023

I have recently been diagnosed with Lyme disease and I’m on short-term disability now my hands I have renoids or rain noise I don’t know how to pronounce it poor circulation hands and feet is now I put my hands are cramping up so bad and they hurt so bad and like if I’m driving on the road I got to pull over like fast because I don’t know it’s like somebody’s tearing my hands apart my nurse practitioner do I have not yet seen a doctor she keeps telling me I can go back to work I can go back to work listen I have to use my hands I would love to go back to work like right now what should I do about getting a second opinion and will that work for my short-term disability because I’m hoping to get stronger and better I’m sure they will eventually just they’re not ready yet with the rain noise on top of the lines disease I don’t know if anybody’s ever had this it is very painful very very painful plus yeah I mean losing my vision and confusion and all that stuff they only gave me 14 days of supply of antibiotics for Lyme disease to get paid because this nurse practitioner keeps messing up my paperwork what should I do cuz I don’t have the money to get she gave me another 14 days or 21 days of antibiotics and she told me that there was a prescription and she gave me for my rain noise okay great I didn’t know there was one that they told me there was nothing they could do for it before I don’t know what to do here and she’s saying I can go back to work on the 14th that’s just one this Wednesday that’s two days away and there’s no way there’s no way I can’t I’m going to lose my job because this lady doesn’t want to listen to me she hasn’t even made eye contact let alone look at my hands and I’m confused on what to do here I don’t want to lose my job I drive 2 hours away everyday 2 hours one way if my hands cramped up on my drive I’m going to have to pull over I’m going to be late for work boom fired that alone I’m fine to top it off I put art on material there’s no way I’m going to be able to do that that consists of using your hands all day long

Reply
1. Dr. Daniel Cameron
  
  09/12/2023
  
  I hope you can work out a solution. BTW Goodrx is an example of a way to reduce drug cost for some of the meds.
  
  Reply