'I've got Lyme disease like Justin Timberlake - it's hell to live with'

A mum battling Lyme disease has shared what life could be like for Justin Timberlake as he grapples with the "relentlessly debilitating" condition. Former pageant queen Kirstie Haysman, 36, found herself housebound in 2015 after being struck down by the bacterial infection - transmitted to humans via infected ticks.

The disease is notorious for triggering high temperatures, fever, headaches, muscle and joint pain, exhaustion and energy depletion. Justin revealed on his Instagram page on Thursday that he's been battling Lyme disease throughout his tour.

Kirstie's daughter, Harriet, 13, underwent testing for the condition in 2023 - receiving a positive result in July 2024. The secondary school pupil now endures "seizure-like" blackouts and severe fatigue.

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Kirstie, who can no longer work, from Watford, Hertfordshire, said: "[Lyme disease] is a devastating diagnosis and our hearts really do go out to him. I'm sure Justin is realising now that it affects everything - it's your nervous system, your joints and chronic fatigue.

"The chronic fatigue especially is something you can't even fathom until you're in it. Justin's gone very viral within one of my Lyme disease support groups - I'm sure a lot of people within the group will be reaching out to him with words of support."

Kirstie first noticed symptoms of what she now recognises as Lyme disease in 2015. Her health took a turn for the worse after an initial diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, and Kirstie says her hands became 'disfigured', causing painful swollen joints and making it difficult to pick things up.

After further tests, she was informed that long-term steroid use had led to her bones deteriorating – with a rheumatologist telling her she had "the bones of a 70-year-old". In January 2023, someone suggested she might be suffering from Lyme disease, prompting Kirstie to research the condition.

She arranged to travel to Mexico for blood tests specifically for Lyme disease in February and was stunned when the results came back positive. Upon returning to the UK with her diagnosis, Kirstie says she was prescribed three different antibiotics for a 12-month course and has also tried herbal remedies to fight the illness.

Concerned about potentially passing the disease onto Harriet, Kirstie decided to have her tested - but in July 2024, the results came back positive. Online reports state "Lyme disease cannot be inherited".

MedlinePlus, a part of the National Library of Medicine, states "the risk of certain complications of the condition may be influenced by inherited genetic factors, but the inheritance pattern is unknown".

"It's hellish, to be honest," Kirstie admitted. "Once you've got Lyme disease chronically, you have to live with it for the rest of your life - it doesn't go away.

"My daughter has it now - two months ago, further tests showed it's caused deficiencies in iron and folic acid. It affects us differently - while mine has left me in a wheelchair, Harriet's is very neurological.

"She experiences blackouts, almost like seizures, and migraines, which means she often has to sit in a dark room in school to recover. If she has something like sports day, she'll be bedridden for days afterwards."

Pop star Timberlake shared on Instagram: "As many of you know, I'm a pretty private person. But as I'm reflecting on the tour and festival tour – I want to tell you a little bit about what's going on with me.

"Among other things, I've been battling some health issues, and was diagnosed with Lyme disease - which I don't say so you feel bad for me, but to shed some light on what I've been up against behind the scenes.

"If you've experienced this disease or know someone who has - then you're aware: living with this can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically.

"When I first got the diagnosis I was shocked for sure. But, at least I could understand why I would be onstage and in a massive amount of nerve pain or just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness."

Kirstie shared: "It's devastating for him and we're heartbroken. There's no positive spin - it's a terrible thing to live with."