Latest news with #Lyme
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Record
Man's life 'ended' after one tick bite as he's forced to pay £150,000 for private care
Steven Williams was living a "normal" active lifestyle, exercising regularly, working as a civil servant and playing in a rock band - but one week in March 2021, he felt a sudden change A man debilitated by a Lyme disease tick bite has revealed he's had to fork out nearly £150,000 on private medical care just to feel "4 out of 10". Steven Williams, 39, from Bridgend, South Wales, was leading a "normal" active life, regularly exercising, working as a civil servant and playing in a rock band – until one week in March 2021 - he experienced a drastic change. He began suffering from severe heart palpitations, fatigue, and crippling anxiety and depression, alongside food intolerances and gastrointestinal issues – all symptoms which were new to him. Previously known as the "steady one in the group", Steven suddenly found himself unable to carry out basic tasks. This included things like taking the bins out, watching television or even washing himself - all due to the overwhelming intensity of his anxiety and depression. After 7 months of visiting the GP and trying various ineffective medications, it was finally revealed that he had Lyme disease, a bacterial infection transmitted by infected ticks. Since his diagnosis in October 2021, he has spent close to £150,000 on private healthcare across the globe, having to remortgage his home to afford it. Despite the expense, Steven has only seen minor improvements in his condition and is forced to live a restricted life, eating a limited range of plain foods and engaging in very few activities just to function. He shared with PA Real LIfe: "I just want to regain some of my old quality of life. Since March 2021, although my symptoms have waxed and waned, I've never felt better than a 4 out of 10. It's small things like being able to meet friends for a meal, listen to music and do exercise." He appreciates the NHS and his GP's support but feels let down as only a two-week course of Doxycycline was offered. "For people who fall between the cracks, the system is too rigid." Ticks that may carry Lyme disease are widespread across the UK, with grassy and wooded areas in southern England and the Scottish Highlands being high-risk zones, according to the NHS. Steven doesn't recall when he was bitten and didn't develop the "bullseye rash". This rash is often associated with Lyme disease but actually appears in only a minority of cases, as stated by Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Research Centre. Residing in South Wales, he frequently walked in the mountains and forests with his dog, Jarvis, and suspects he might have been bitten there - though it could have occurred at any point before his symptoms emerged. Recalling the events in March 2021 and when life as he knew it came to an abrupt halt, he said he was hit with sudden, severe bouts of depression and anxiety, along with heart palpitations. He also became highly intolerant to many food types, suffered significant gastrointestinal issues, and found himself easily overstimulated, unable to watch TV, socialise or even listen to music. "It's very hard to explain but, as someone who used to play in a rock band, that's a hard pill to swallow. I knew something was not right and that my symptoms weren't characteristic of me. It was terrifying," he shared. Upon diagnosis, he thought: "I'd heard of the term Lyme disease but when I found out I had it, I thought, 'Great, now I can treat it and be well'." However, he soon realised, "Lo and behold, it wasn't that simple." Steven explored a vast array of remedies - pharmaceutical, herbal, and holistic - and has travelled globally to seek them out. In February 2022, he visited a clinic in Bavaria, Germany, for intravenous antibiotics and whole-body hyperthermia treatment, which involves using heat to elevate body temperature and stimulate the immune system. While the treatment successfully eradicated the Borrelia bacteria responsible for Lyme disease, he reports that it had no effect on the Babesia parasite, which invades red blood cells and causes flu-like symptoms. Upon returning to Wales after his treatment in March 2022, Steven recounted that he unfortunately caught Covid-19. With a weakened immune system, he experienced severe effects from the virus and was left with long Covid, which caused fatigue, thickened his blood, and further impeded his recovery. Following this, Steven said he has sought several other remedies – he visited Mexico to receive stem cell therapy and flew to New York on several occasions to work with Lyme disease specialist Dr Richard Horowitz. He also tried extended fasting and herbal remedies and, in February 2025, he said he flew to India to receive Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIg) therapy, a treatment which uses immunoglobulins, a type of protein that contain antibodies, which are taken from human blood. Although this treatment positively affected his food intolerances, he admits he is still far from fully healthy, battling sleep issues and adhering to a strict, simple lifestyle. "I have to live such a robotic life, just to feel semi-normal," he laments. Steven estimates that his quest for health solutions has cost him close to £150,000. He disclosed that his treatment in Germany amounted to around £35,000, while the IVIg therapy in India set him back £20,000. Steven said he was forced to remortgage his house to pay for them but he is determined to continue searching for an effective remedy. His friend Alecs Donovan has therefore set up a GoFundMe page to help him fund the next round of treatment in Germany, which he said will thin his blood and reduce the effects of long Covid. "Alecs has been absolutely amazing," Steven expressed. "She's such a wonderful person, always trying to help others. Health really is wealth so I'm so grateful to everyone who has donated. I just hope I can get my normal life back." A spokesperson for Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board said: "While it is not appropriate for us to comment on the care received by individuals, we encourage Mr Williams to get in touch with our concerns team directly so that we can explore his concerns further." The NHS says not all ticks in England carry the bacteria that cause Lyme disease but it is still important to be aware of ticks and to safely remove them as soon as possible. To donate or find out more, visit Steven's GoFundMe page here.
North Wales Live
2 days ago
- Health
- North Wales Live
'Normal and active' Welsh man struck down after tick bite 'changed everything'
A man incapacitated by a tick bite causing Lyme disease has revealed he's forked out close to £150,000 on private treatment just to feel "four out of 10". Steven Williams, 39, from Bridgend, was once leading an active life, regularly exercising, holding down a civil service job and playing in a rock band – until a drastic shift occurred one week in March 2021. He recounted the onset of severe heart palpitations, fatigue, and crippling anxiety and depression, along with new food intolerances and gastrointestinal problems. The man who used to be the "steady one in the group" suddenly found himself struggling with basic activities like taking out the rubbish, watching telly or even bathing due to overwhelming mental health issues. After seven months of ineffective treatments prescribed by his GP, it was finally identified that he had Lyme disease, a bacterial infection transmitted by infected ticks. He argued that the NHS's standard two-week antibiotic treatment wouldn't touch the sides at his stage of the illness, leading him since his diagnosis in October 2021 to spend roughly £150,000 on international private healthcare, even remortgaging his home to cover the costs. Despite spending a fortune on treatment, Steven has only seen marginal improvements in his health and is stuck living a monotonous, restricted life, subsisting on a few bland foods and engaging in minimal activities just to get by. "I just want to regain some of my old quality of life," he confided to PA Real Life. "It's small things like being able to meet friends for a meal, listen to music and do exercise.", reports Wales Online. "Since March 2021, although my symptoms have waxed and waned, I've never felt better than a four out of 10. The NHS is an amazing institution, and my GP has been so supportive, but a two-week course of Doxycycline is all they've been able to offer. For people who fall between the cracks, the system is too rigid." Ticks that may cause Lyme disease are found all over the UK but high-risk places include grassy and wooded areas in southern England and the Scottish Highlands, the NHS says. Steven said he does not know when exactly he was bitten and he did not get a "bullseye rash", a typical tell-tale mark surrounding the bite. But despite common belief, the rash is only present in a minority of Lyme disease patients, according to Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Research Centre. Living in South Wales, Steven spent long hours walking in the mountains and forests with his dog, Jarvis, and suspects he may have been bitten there, though he believes it could have been any number of days, weeks or even years before his symptoms first showed. In March 2021, he said his life as he knew it ended abruptly as he was struck with sudden, severe bouts of depression and anxiety, as well as heart palpitations. He said he also suddenly became highly intolerant to many food types and experienced significant gastrointestinal issues, and he found he was easily overstimulated, meaning he was unable to watch TV, socialise or even listen to music. "It's very hard to explain but, as someone who used to play in a rock band, that's a hard pill to swallow," he said. Steven visited a GP in March 2021 but said it was not until October that he was diagnosed with Lyme disease. "I knew something was not right and that my symptoms weren't characteristic of me. It was terrifying," he said. "I'd heard of the term Lyme disease but when I found out I had it, I thought, 'Great, now I can treat it and be well'. Lo and behold, it wasn't that simple." Steven said it was too late for the NHS-prescribed Doxycycline to be effective, so he was left to find his own remedies. He claims he has tried a huge range – pharmaceutical, herbal and holistic – and has travelled all over the world to do so. In February 2022, he said he visited a clinic in Bavaria, Germany, to receive intravenous antibiotics and whole-body hyperthermia, a treatment that uses heat to raise the body temperature, stimulating the immune response. While this successfully killed the Borrelia bacteria that cause Lyme disease, he says, it did not impact the Babesia parasite, which infects red blood cells, causing flu-like symptoms. Returning to Wales after his treatment in March 2022, Steven said he unfortunately contracted Covid-19. Since his immune system was compromised, he said the effects of this were severe and he was left with long Covid, causing fatigue, thickening his blood and further hindering his progress. Following this, Steven said he has sought several other remedies – he visited Mexico to receive stem cell therapy and flew to New York on several occasions to work with Lyme disease specialist Dr Richard Horowitz. He also tried extended fasting and herbal remedies and, in February 2025, he said he flew to India to receive Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIg) therapy, a treatment which uses immunoglobulins, a type of protein that contain antibodies, which are taken from human blood. While this had a positive impact on his food intolerances, he says, he remains well below full health, struggling with sleep and forced to live a strict, simple lifestyle. "I have to live such a robotic life, just to feel semi-normal," he says. Overall, Steven thinks he has spent nearly £150,000 seeking treatments. He said his course in Germany was in the region of £35,000 and his IVIg treatment in India cost £20,000. Steven said he was forced to remortgage his house to pay for them but he is determined to continue searching for an effective remedy. His friend Alecs Donovan has therefore set up a GoFundMe page to help him fund the next round of treatment in Germany, which he said will thin his blood and reduce the effects of long Covid. "Alecs has been absolutely amazing," he says. "She's such a wonderful person, always trying to help others. "Health really is wealth, so I'm so grateful to everyone who has donated. I just hope I can get my normal life back." A spokesperson for Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board said: "While it is not appropriate for us to comment on the care received by individuals, we encourage Mr Williams to get in touch with our concerns team directly so that we can explore his concerns further." To donate or find out more, visit Steven's GoFundMe page. The NHS says not all ticks carry the bacteria that cause Lyme disease, but it is still important to be aware of ticks and to safely remove them as soon as possible. For more information, visit
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
'I went for a dog walk - it left me with a debilitating disease that's cost me £150,000'
Steven Williams, 39, was living a normal active lifestyle, exercising regularly, working as a civil servant and playing in a rock band A man left incapacitated by a tick bite causing Lyme disease has revealed he's spent close to £150,000 on private healthcare just to feel "four out of 10". Steven Williams, 39, from Bridgend, South Wales, was once leading an active life, hitting the gym, working as a civil servant and jamming with his rock band – until one fateful week in March 2021 when everything took a turn for the worse. He recounted how he suddenly started suffering from intense heart palpitations, fatigue and crippling anxiety and depression, alongside food intolerances and gastrointestinal problems – all new symptoms for him. Despite being known as the "steady one in the group", Steven found himself struggling with basic activities like taking the bins out, watching TV or even bathing due to overwhelming anxiety and depression. After seven months of fruitless GP visits and ineffective prescriptions, it was finally identified that he had Lyme disease, a bacterial infection transmitted by infected ticks. He claims that the NHS's standard two-week antibiotic treatment would not have touched the sides at his stage of the disease, leading him to spend around £150,000 on international private treatments since his diagnosis in October 2021, even remortgaging his home to cover the costs. Despite shelling out a fortune, Steven has only seen marginal improvements in his health and finds himself leading a monotonous, restricted existence. He subsists on a limited diet and minimises activities just to get by. "I just want to regain some of my old quality of life," he said. "It's small things like being able to meet friends for a meal, listen to music and do exercise. "Since March 2021, although my symptoms have waxed and waned, I've never felt better than a four out of 10. The NHS is an amazing institution, and my GP has been so supportive, but a two-week course of Doxycycline is all they've been able to offer. For people who fall between the cracks, the system is too rigid." Ticks, which are potential carriers of Lyme disease, are widespread across the UK, with grassy and wooded areas in southern England and the Scottish Highlands being particularly high-risk zones, according to the NHS. Steven admits he's unsure when he was bitten and didn't develop the "bullseye rash", often considered a classic sign of a tick bite. However, contrary to popular belief, this rash appears in only a minority of Lyme disease cases, as stated by Johns Hopkins Lyme Disease Research Centre. Living in South Wales, Steven frequently hiked in the mountains and woodlands with his dog, Jarvis, and suspects that's where he might have been bitten. But he acknowledges it could have happened at any point – days, weeks, or even years before he first noticed symptoms. In March 2021, he revealed his world was turned upside down when he was suddenly hit with severe episodes of depression and anxiety, alongside heart palpitations. He explained that he also developed an acute intolerance to numerous foods and suffered from substantial digestive problems, whilst becoming easily overwhelmed by stimulation - rendering him unable to watch television, socialise or even enjoy music. "It's very hard to explain but, as someone who used to play in a rock band, that's a hard pill to swallow," he said. Steven consulted a GP in March 2021 but revealed it wasn't until October that he received a Lyme disease diagnosis. "I knew something was not right and that my symptoms weren't characteristic of me. It was terrifying," he said. "I'd heard of the term Lyme disease but when I found out I had it, I thought, 'Great, now I can treat it and be well'. Lo and behold, it wasn't that simple." Steven explained it was too late for the NHS-prescribed Doxycycline to prove effective, leaving him to seek alternative treatments. He says he has experimented with an enormous variety of approaches - pharmaceutical, herbal and holistic - and has journeyed across the globe in pursuit of a cure. In February 2022, he recounted his visit to a clinic in Bavaria, Germany, where he underwent intravenous antibiotics and whole-body hyperthermia, a technique designed to elevate body temperature and boost the immune system. This approach successfully eradicated the Borrelia bacteria responsible for Lyme disease, he claims, but left the Babesia parasite, which invades red blood cells and causes flu-like symptoms, unaffected. Upon returning to Wales after his treatment in March 2022, Steven said that he unfortunately caught Covid-19. With his immune system already weakened, he described the impact as severe, resulting in long Covid that caused fatigue, blood thickening, and impeded his recovery. Subsequently, Steven pursued various alternative treatments – he travelled to Mexico for stem cell therapy and made multiple trips to New York to consult with Lyme disease expert Dr Richard Horowitz. He experimented with prolonged fasting and herbal remedies and, in February 2025, he mentioned flying to India to undergo Intravenous Immunoglobulin (IVIg) therapy, which involves using immunoglobulins, antibody-containing proteins sourced from human blood. Although this had a beneficial effect on his food sensitivities, he admits he is still far from fully healthy, battling sleep issues and adhering to a rigid, simplistic routine. "I have to live such a robotic life, just to feel semi-normal," he laments. Steven estimates that he has shelled out close to £150,000 in his quest for treatments. He shared that his stint in Germany cost around £35,000 and the IVIg treatment he underwent in India set him back £20,000. He was compelled to remortgage his home to cover these expenses but remains resolute in his pursuit of an effective cure. To aid in financing his next treatment in Germany, which he hopes will alleviate his long Covid symptoms by thinning his blood, his mate Alecs Donovan has launched a GoFundMe campaign. "Alecs has been absolutely amazing," he expressed. "She's such a wonderful person, always trying to help others. "Health really is wealth, so I'm so grateful to everyone who has donated. I just hope I can get my normal life back." A spokesperson for Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board said: "While it is not appropriate for us to comment on the care received by individuals, we encourage Mr Williams to get in touch with our concerns team directly so that we can explore his concerns further." To support or learn more, you can visit Steven's GoFundMe page. The NHS advises that although not all ticks are carriers of Lyme disease bacteria, it's crucial to be tick-aware and remove them safely at the earliest opportunity. For additional details, head over to
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Why are tick bites sending so many people to the emergency room this summer?
While working as a youth camp doctor in upstate New York earlier this summer, Dr. Matt Harris noticed he was removing a dozen ticks from campers each day, more than in years prior. Harris, an emergency medicine doctor at Northwell Medicine, said summer camp isn't the only place seeing a surge of tick bites: He and other doctors have been seeing more people coming into the ER because of ticks. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this July has seen more ER visits for tick bites so far than the past eight Julys. Tick-related hospital visits typically peak in May. This May, tick bites accounted for 134 out of every 100,000 ER visits, the highest level since 2019, the CDC says. Rates were highest in the Northeast and the Midwest. Harris and other doctors said this rise in ER visits may be due to increased awareness about ticks. 'I think because there's so much out there in the media about this, people are coming in before they get engorged,' Harris said. 'So they're coming in when the tick is small.' Thomas Mather, an entomologist at the University of Rhode Island who researches ticks, attributed the trend to the migration of ticks to more heavily populated areas. Warmer temperatures and more intense humidity mean that ticks are found in a wider geographic area and tick season lasts longer. Tick bites tend to happen more in the spring, summer and fall, when people are outdoors. May and June are the most troublesome months, Mather said. Although everyone is susceptible to tick bites, small children account for the greatest proportion of ER visits. Mather and Harris both said this is because kids are more likely to be in outdoor environments where ticks are present. What diseases do ticks cause? Different species of ticks carry different diseases. The most common tick-borne illness is Lyme disease, Mather said. The infection — which can cause a bull's-eye rash — is spread by the black-legged deer tick and caused by Borrelia bacteria. Nearly half a million people are diagnosed or treated for Lyme disease each year, according to the CDC. Other diseases spread by ticks include the heartland virus and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Not all tick bites result in infections. The longer a tick stays latched to skin, the higher chance that harmful bacteria can lead to infection, said Dr. Daniel Solomon, an infectious disease doctor at Brigham and Woman's Hospital in Boston. But doctors say that people are often seeking care because of the tick itself, not because of any symptoms of illness. Dr. Meredith Porter, medical director at Inova-GoHealth Urgent Care in Virginia, said she commonly sees patients without any symptoms come in with the tick still attached. 'That's why going to get the tick off early on with recognition is important,' Harris said. 'It's not a 2 o'clock in the morning emergency, but it's within the next couple of hours.' What to do if you get a tick bite Symptoms vary depending on the type of tick, but markers for many tick-borne illnesses include flu-like symptoms like a fever and body aches. These symptoms can take several days to weeks to manifest. Solomon said that for people without symptoms, a trip to the emergency room is not necessary. Visiting urgent care or even a simple phone call to a doctor will suffice, he said. 'This is not a 911 emergency — we should be really clear,' Harris said. 'Do not call the ambulance for this.' To prevent tick bites, use bug spray and wear long pants and long sleeves, especially in grassy or wooded areas. After spending time in an area where ticks are found, people should do a self-check for any ticks attached to their skin. Ticks should be removed as soon as possible. Porter recommends using tweezers to gently grasp the tick close to the skin. Harris said to avoid squeezing the tick tightly during removal, because it may increase the risk of infection. This article was originally published on Solve the daily Crossword
NBC News
3 days ago
- Health
- NBC News
Why are tick bites sending so many people to the emergency room this summer?
While working as a youth camp doctor in upstate New York earlier this summer, Dr. Matt Harris noticed he was removing a dozen ticks from campers each day, more than in years prior. Harris, an emergency medicine doctor at Northwell Medicine, said summer camp isn't the only place seeing a surge of tick bites: He and other doctors have been seeing more people coming into the ER because of ticks. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this July has seen more ER visits for tick bites so far than the past eight Julys. Tick-related hospital visits typically peak in May. This May, tick bites accounted for 134 out of every 100,000 ER visits, the highest level since 2019, the CDC says. Rates were highest in the Northeast and the Midwest. Harris and other doctors said this rise in ER visits may be due to increased awareness about ticks. 'I think because there's so much out there in the media about this, people are coming in before they get engorged,' Harris said. 'So they're coming in when the tick is small.' Thomas Mather, an entomologist at the University of Rhode Island who researches ticks, attributed the trend to the migration of ticks to more heavily populated areas. Warmer temperatures and more intense humidity mean that ticks are found in a wider geographic area and tick season lasts longer. Tick bites tend to happen more in the spring, summer and fall, when people are outdoors. May and June are the most troublesome months, Mather said. Although everyone is susceptible to tick bites, small children account for the greatest proportion of ER visits. Mather and Harris both said this is because kids are more likely to be in outdoor environments where ticks are present. What diseases do ticks cause? Different species of ticks carry different diseases. The most common tick-borne illness is Lyme disease, Mather said. The infection — which can cause a bull's-eye rash — is spread by theblack-legged deer tick and caused by Borrelia bacteria. Nearly half a million people are diagnosed or treated for Lyme disease each year, according to the CDC. Other diseases spread by ticks include the heartland virus and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Not all tick bites result in infections. The longer a tick stays latched to skin, the higher chance that harmful bacteria can lead to infection, said Dr. Daniel Solomon, an infectious disease doctor at Brigham and Woman's Hospital in Boston. But doctors say that people are often seeking care because of the tick itself, not because of any symptoms of illness. Dr. Meredith Porter, medical director at Inova-GoHealth Urgent Care in Virginia, said she commonly sees patients without any symptoms come in with the tick still attached. 'That's why going to get the tick off early on with recognition is important,' Harris said. 'It's not a 2 o'clock in the morning emergency, but it's within the next couple of hours.' What to do if you get a tick bite Symptoms vary depending on the type of tick, but markers for many tick-borne illnesses include flu-like symptoms like a fever and body aches. These symptoms can take several days to weeks to manifest. Solomon said that for people without symptoms, a trip to the emergency room is not necessary. Visiting urgent care or even a simple phone call to a doctor will suffice, he said. 'This is not a 911 emergency — we should be really clear,' Harris said. 'Do not call the ambulance for this.' To prevent tick bites, use bug spray and wear long pants and long sleeves, especially in grassy or wooded areas. After spending time in an area where ticks are found, people should do a self-check for any ticks attached to their skin. Ticks should be removed as soon as possible. Porter recommends using tweezers to gently grasp the tick close to the skin. Harris said to avoid squeezing the tick tightly during removal, because it may increase the risk of infection.
