Overview

• On 16 August, Shepherd publicly confirmed her Lyme disease diagnosis following unexplained joint pain and extreme fatigue that began in January
• She describes severe reactive arthritis and exhaustion that left her bedbound and reliant on her husband for basic tasks
• Doctors took about two months and multiple GP appointments to diagnose the bacterial infection, which they link to a tick bite possibly years earlier
• She reports that prescribed antibiotic courses failed to relieve her symptoms and that she saw gradual improvement only after holistic treatment introduced by her sister
• Shepherd will share her journey on Sam And Billie: Sister Act airing 19 August on ITV2 as NHS guidance and UKHSA data underscore the challenges of recognising and diagnosing Lyme disease