British actress Miranda Hart, best known for her eponymous BBC sitcom “Miranda,” has detailed her experience battling Lyme disease, a debilitating bacterial infection the comedian contracted as a teenager, which went undiagnosed for more than 30 years.
“I really was unable to work and was basically bedbound and housebound,” she explained. “My body was telling me, ‘I’m not physically right.’”
Symptoms of the bacterial infection, which is prevalent in the upper Midwest, Northeast, and mid-Atlantic states as well as parts of Europe and Canada, can vary from one person to the next but generally develop in stages.
The first stage is commonly marked by the appearance of a rash, typically within 30 days of a tick bite. In the second stage, which usually manifests between 3 to 10 weeks after the bite, symptoms may include weakness of the facial muscles, pain or numbness in the hands and feet, and neck discomfort.
The final stage, which typically occurs 2 to 12 months after the bite, often leads to arthritis. Damage to the joints, nerves, and brain may also occur.
After previously being misdiagnosed, Hart said doctors finally discovered the cause of her fatigue toward the start of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020.
“We joined the docs with my symptomology and my history and realized that probably when I was about 14 or 15, I got a tick-borne illness in the form of Lyme disease, and that’s when my symptoms started,” she said.
Battling Lyme Disease
The “Call the Midwife” star recounts her struggles with the bacterial infection in her new book, “I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest with You,” out Oct. 10.Earlier this year, the actress took to Instagram to discuss her new novel, telling her followers that the book chronicles all of the tests and trials she has had to overcome in life, including her battle with Lyme disease.
“But I’m here; I’m intact. I got through it. So I’m sharing the treasures that I learnt in darkness and the things that help me to live and feel like I am free and joyful and peaceful and physically recovered in a way I never thought possible,” she shared.
“There’s always hope, I suppose. Whatever you may be going through at this time—none of us go through life without some testing or trials, do we?”
Hart began acting in the aughts, appearing in various television series, including “The Vicar of Dibley,” “Nighty Night,” “Lead Balloon,” “Roman’s Empire,” “Hyperdrive,” “Monday,” and “Not Going Out.”
The comedian landed her breakthrough role in 2009, playing the titular character in the BBC sitcom “Miranda” until the show’s conclusion in 2015. During that time, Hart also appeared in the British period drama television series “Call the Midwife,” which aired from 2012 to 2015.
In 2015, Hart starred alongside Melissa McCarthy and Jason Statham in the comedy action film “Spy.” Five years later, she played Miss Bates in “Emma,” a romance comedy starring Mia Goth, Johnny Flynn, and Anya Taylor-Joy.
Speaking with Radio 4, Hart said she is excited to return to work but admitted it’s been quite an adjustment. “I have to be careful how much I say yes to and how much I say no to,” the actress offered.
“At the moment, I still deal with the ghastly fatigue from time to time, but in a much more accepting and calm way,” she said, noting that she is well on her way to recovery.
“Emotionally, I feel very well, and I feel,” she said. “Physically, I think there’s just a little way to go to get my full energy back.”
