Lyme Science Blog

Patients sometimes come to my office using the phrase “end-stage Lyme disease.” It is a powerful term, and it reflects how profoundly ill they feel. However, late-stage Lyme disease is not a formal medical diagnosis. Most often, patients are using this language to describe severe, persistent illness consistent with post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS) or

What Is Alpha-gal Syndrome? Many patients diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome immediately worry they have developed another chronic illness. That fear is understandable—especially for individuals with a history of tick exposure or Lyme disease. But when managed correctly, alpha-gal syndrome is a tick-borne food allergy that does not typically become chronic or progressive. But when managed

Shania Twain, the global country-pop icon known for hits like “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” and “You’re Still the One,” faced a deeply personal and unexpected challenge that nearly ended her singing career: Lyme disease. Her story is one of resilience, heartbreak, and adaptation—and it sheds light on how Lyme disease can manifest in

The ethical challenges of post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome (PTLDS) often begin at the moment symptoms persist after treatment. Patients may do everything right—receive a timely diagnosis, complete recommended antibiotics, and follow medical advice—yet continue to worsen. This is not simply a clinical dilemma. It is an ethical one. Why This Matters Clinically These ethical challenges

If your digestion has slowed and nothing seems to help, you’re not alone. Many patients with Lyme disease develop gastrointestinal symptoms that persist despite dietary changes, fiber supplementation, hydration, or normal testing. These symptoms may include constipation, bloating, early satiety, nausea, abdominal discomfort, or a constant sense that digestion is not moving forward properly. This

When Pain Persists Beyond Infection Some patients with Lyme disease experience pain that spreads, fluctuates, or intensifies long after the acute infection has been treated. Symptoms may worsen with stress, sleep disruption, or physical exertion and often seem disproportionate to findings on examination or testing. When conventional explanations fall short, it becomes necessary to consider

Exhausted despite sleeping in Lyme disease Many patients with Lyme disease describe the same experience: they sleep through the night yet wake feeling depleted. This article focuses on biologic fatigue and impaired recovery, not sleep duration alone. Feeling exhausted despite sleeping reflects non-restorative sleep, a state in which sleep occurs but the body does not

Many patients with Lyme disease describe a frustrating and often frightening experience: they can no longer think the way they used to. Concentration is harder. Words feel just out of reach. Tasks that once felt automatic now require intense effort. This constellation of symptoms is commonly referred to as brain fog in Lyme disease. While

Pediatric Lyme screening is rarely part of routine medical care, even in regions where tick exposure is common. When early Lyme disease is not recognized, diagnosis and treatment are often delayed until symptoms become more complex and disruptive. In children, missed or delayed pediatric Lyme screening can have lasting consequences, affecting learning, behavior, and long-term