Billie Shepherd, the 35-year-old TV personality, has revealed she was diagnosed with Lyme disease earlier this year after months of debilitating symptoms that left her bed bound. The former TOWIE star described the experience as a 'nightmare', struggling with agonising pain and extreme fatigue.
Speaking to The Mirror, Shepherd said: 'Some mornings I couldn’t even get out of bed. I would have to crawl, going to the toilet, I was in bits, I was hysterical, crying, because I was in so much pain. It was hard for me to sit on the toilet without Greg helping me. It was so scary.' She relied on her husband Greg for basic tasks.
Doctors took weeks to diagnose the condition, with Shepherd undergoing numerous blood tests. She said: 'I had so many blood tests but no one could figure it out. One doctor said she’d never seen anything like it. This went on for about two months before we learnt it was Lyme.' Medics believe she was bitten by an infected tick up to three years ago, with the infection lying dormant.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread by ticks, causing flu-like symptoms that can persist for years in some patients. Shepherd was prescribed antibiotics and steroids but did not respond well; she credits a holistic doctor and natural medicines for her improvement. She joins a list of celebrities including Justin Timberlake, Justin Bieber, Bella Hadid and Miranda Hart who have spoken about their battles with the condition.
