Lyme disease ‘often chronic fatigue’

Most people in the UK who think they have Lyme disease “probably do not”, an expert has said.

Hundreds of patients seek diagnosis for the condition after they visit their GP with symptoms that could also match those of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

But because of the stigma attached to the syndrome they do not want to accept the diagnosis, or find that doctors shy away from telling them they have it, scientists explained.

Dr Sarah Logan, lead consultant at the Hospital for Tropical Disease, University College London Hospitals, said: “Most people who now think that they may have had Lyme disease, in fact have a syndrome that is more in keeping with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

“And because there is increased awareness about it, they are testing for Lyme Disease and then they are going on to various different Lyme disease forums on the internet and being told, ‘the UK tests are rubbish, but you need to send it off to Germany’.

“And then they are coming back with a test that is positive and saying ‘You doctors are all wrong and I don’t have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I have Chronic Lyme disease.’”

She did not think it was an issue of doctors not being able to diagnose chronic fatigue, but that the problem may lie in the “stigma” still attached to the condition.