Lyme Disease and Running

I am in the final month of my 5 month marathon training plan. I have been exhausted with the most extreme form of fatigue I have ever experienced.  My muscles have been very sore, and my joints achy. I have randomly spiked fevers over the past couple weeks, and just not been feeling great. I thought maybe I was over doing it? Maybe I wasn't fueling well enough? Then I started getting headaches, and migraines (which I have never experienced before and let me just say, they are terrible!!!). Long story short I was diagnosed with Lyme Disease. A few weeks ago I had got bit or stung by something on the back of my head. I get bit and stung often by spiders, bees, ect so I didn't think much of it. My neck has been stiff for over 2 weeks and it was getting worse not better.  My jaw line went pretty numb and my vision started getting blurry. I knew something else must be going on... I was laying on the couch  (so out of character) and I came across an article from Runners World Magazine about Lyme Disease (http://www.runnersworld.com/health/runners-and-lyme-disease) and was like "oh my gosh!" That's it!

I am now on 3 weeks of anti-biotics for it which make me feel super sick. I am still working and still training. I'm hoping the side effects go away sooner than later so I will feel refreshed and ready to go come Marathon Day (1 month from tomorrow!!!). The Dr said it can take several weeks to several months for the symptoms to be gone...  I'm hoping for weeks, or even days? I was glad to hear there was something going on and it wasn't me just being out of shape or something!

Anyway, I wanted to put my story out there, maybe I can help a fellow runner or friend who somewhere down the road develops these symptoms. Lyme disease is hard to test for so it's good to know the symptoms so you can get the treatment. The bulls eye ring they look for only shows up in  70% of cases, and doesn't appear on a larger scale until the disease starts progressing. Once it hits your nervous system (around 2 months) it can cause irreversible damage and permanent arthritis in your joints.

I would love to hear anyone else's experience with ticks and running or your experience living with Lyme disease and how it has or hasn't affected you.