What does a Lyme flare-up feel like? Ask the Lyme Doc.
Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness that can lead to unpredictable disease flare-ups and remissions. The best know flare-up is called a Herxheimer reaction. A Herxheimer reaction was first identified in patients with syphilis and occurs when the body reacts to endotoxin-like products released by the death of bacteria in the body after starting an antibiotic. A flare-up may occur following a trigger or as part of the illness.
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
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Frances
10/21/2023 (7:26 am)
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.
ryan prescott
10/16/2023 (1:42 am)
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.
Dr. Daniel Cameron
10/16/2023 (8:04 am)
I advise my patient to be evaluated for a Lyme disease infection or relapse while also ruling out other illnesses.
Greg
10/03/2023 (4:30 pm)
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
Dr. Daniel Cameron
10/04/2023 (7:50 am)
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.
Greg
10/04/2023 (8:26 am)
I appreciate your response. Are my episodes related to the original lyme, and what would you recommend?
Dr. Daniel Cameron
10/05/2023 (7:29 am)
I have patients with new infections and what appears to be a relapse. I have had to individualize my treatment.
Faith
09/29/2023 (10:38 pm)
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?
Faith
09/29/2023 (10:39 pm)
I have also never got antibiotics when this did occur.
Dr. Daniel Cameron
09/30/2023 (7:57 am)
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.
Donna Oswalt
09/11/2023 (4:36 pm)
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
Dr. Daniel Cameron
09/12/2023 (7:42 am)
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.