A Newport woman is learning to smile again after a crippling disease, misdiagnosed several times, left half her face paralysed.
Leanne Upchurch, aged 38, who lives in Downfields, was diagnosed with Lyme disease last August after being bitten by a tic.
She is certain it was contracted locally while she was out running around Newport.
Leanne, who owns fitness business, Funky Monkey Fit, said her ordeal has been a living nightmare after her chemist, optician and a doctor all misdiagnosed her illness.
“This has all been, and still is, a nightmare for me,” said Leanne.
“I do feel let down my the NHS, but I don’t want to knock them. I just want people to realise the danger in late or mis-diagnosis
“I had to double my antibiotic medication but if I hadn’t pushed the Shrop Doc to look at my rash, and treat me for Lyme’s, I would have been none the wiser. Nobody seemed to really care, and I felt that nobody seemed to know too much about what I was to expect. “
Leanne’s worries started with an itchy rash and a small red spot on her lower back. Within a week she was suffering from intense headaches.
Flu-like symptoms later developed and she visited her doctor – where she was diagnosed with a viral infection and prescribed painkillers.
But after little more than a week, Leanne developed a painful swollen eye and consulted an optician – where she was told she had a sinus infection.
Major alarm bells rang when she started dribbling and woke one morning with the right side of her face completed paralysed.
Leanne added: “By this stage I thought that I was having a stroke, and was very scared.
“The Shrop Doc explained that I probably had Bells Palsy, and I should get a prescription for steroids.
“I was sent for blood tests and booked in for physiotherapy and I immediately started the medication.
“I did some research on the internet and it brought my attention to Lyme disease with pictures of rashes very similar to mine.
“I did everything I was told to do, and tried to make the best of a difficult and frightening situation. I couldn’t eat or drink properly, looked awful, and felt terrible.
“My disease is now under control. I am lucky enough to feel fit and healthy again.”
Anyone interested in Funky Monkey Fit can phone 07866 748250.