Lyme disease, if not initially treated with antibiotics, can cause facial palsy, severe headaches, swelling in large joints, shooting pains, and changes in heartbeat, much like the symptoms Spector experienced.

What are the worst symptoms of Lyme disease?

Intermittent pain in tendons, muscles, joints, and bones.Heart palpitations or an irregular heart beat (Lyme carditis)Episodes of dizziness or shortness of breath.Inflammation of the brain and spinal cord.Nerve pain.Shooting pains, numbness, or tingling in the hands or feet.More items

How fatal is Lyme disease?

Lyme disease appears to rarely be fatal. Many of the fatal cases reported have been in patients co-infected with other tick-borne pathogens such as Ehrlichia species and B microti, and in Europe, tick-borne encephalitis.

Has Lyme disease killed anyone?

Reuters cites CDC research that found that between 1999 and 2003, there were 114 recorded deaths attributed to Lyme disease in the U.S. That includes one case in which long-term effects of Lyme on the patients central nervous system led to acute respiratory failure that caused their death.

Is Lyme disease considered a disability?

Lyme disease has a complex set of symptoms that can become disabling. If you have Lyme disease and your symptoms significantly limit your ability to work you may file a claim for Social Security Disability benefits.

Does Lyme disease stay with you for life?

Most people diagnosed with Lyme do very well after taking a prescribed course of antibiotics. They can go on with their lives, and they never have any long-term complications. However, doctors noticed a subset of patients who develop symptoms that can last for months and even years after treatment.

Does Lyme disease shorten your life?

The good news is that Lyme disease is curable. Most people feel better quickly with treatment. A small portion of people, despite treatment, go on to experience persistent symptoms such as fatigue and subjective cognitive slowing. These symptoms improve with time, although it can take months and sometimes years.

Can Lyme disease ever go away?

If treated, Lyme disease does not last for years. However, for some people, the after-effects of the disease can linger for months and sometimes even years.

Can you live a long life with Lyme disease?

Feb. 1, 2000 (Washington) -- People afflicted with Lyme disease go on to lead normal lives, plagued by the same nettlesome but rarely serious problems that are reported by most people, according to the largest study on the long-term effects of the tick-borne illness.