A few years back, Maia Pavey was actively managing a photography lab in Woolwich. Today, she finds herself confined to her bed, grappling with debilitating fatigue, numbness, limb pain, dizziness, and nausea.

“My independence has completely vanished. Being unable to move and do anything is tremendously hard, which leaves me feeling very down most of the time,” said Maia, who is 27.

“It’s even more difficult when I can’t find ways to uplift my spirits.”

In March 2022, she contracted Covid-19, which swiftly impacted her health and rendered her bedridden since August 2023.

For over a year, her family struggled to understand the source of her symptoms until she received a diagnosis of Lyme disease in December 2024. It’s believed that the Covid infection reactivated a dormant form of the disease that had been lying in wait for years.

Maia, originally from Erith in southeast London, has also been diagnosed with numerous complex and overlapping medical conditions in addition to Lyme disease.

These conditions include long Covid and postural tachycardia syndrome, which disrupts the normal operation of the nervous system.

Her mother, Helene, explained, “Covid-19 weakened her immune system, making it easier for any latent infections to resurface.”

As a result, Maia is unable to work or take care of herself, leading Helene to become her primary caregiver.

Upon receiving her diagnosis, Maia expressed feelings of shock and said she shed many tears.

“At that time, I struggled with basic tasks, and crying for just an hour left me exhausted for over a week,” she shared.

“Eventually, when I learned about the disease, everything in my life started to make sense. I realized I had been battling this for a long time.”

Her family believes that Maia was bitten by a tick during her teenage years while participating in the Scouts, spending long periods in wooded and grassy areas.

With no clear signs of illness, she continued her daily life.

“We never suspected anything—either Maia wasn’t showing symptoms then, or perhaps she had a mild flu or fever that we didn’t connect to anything significant,” Helene remarked.

Maia urges others to “learn about tick-borne diseases and how to protect yourself from them.”

“If you know someone suffering whose symptoms have been dismissed by doctors, consider consulting a specialist for Lyme disease,” she advised.

“And for anyone with friends dealing with chronic illnesses, check in on them regularly. They might be feeling quite isolated.”

While she is still confined to her bed, receiving antibiotics through an IV has brought some improvement to Maia’s condition, and she remains hopeful about managing her symptoms or even achieving remission in the future.

“There are tough days and even tougher days, but sometimes, there are manageable days. I cry often, but I have to push through,” she said.

According to the NHS, Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted to humans through infected ticks.

A characteristic circular or oval-shaped rash may appear around the site of a tick bite, potentially developing up to three months post-bite. This rash typically isn’t hot or itchy and can feature a darker or lighter center that resembles a bruise.

Ticks inhabit many regions across the UK, particularly in grassy and forested areas of southern England and the Scottish Highlands.

To minimize the risk of Lyme disease, it’s vital to avoid tick bites by taking precautions, and if bitten, promptly removing the tick with tweezers or a specialized tick-removal tool is crucial.