When Lyme Hides: A Lyme Awareness Month Reflection on Hope, Healing, and Finding Answers
By Cara Lederer
April 16, 2026
May is Lyme Awareness Month, and this is a topic that is very close to my heart—both personally and professionally.
Ticks are becoming more common in many parts of the country, and with them, Lyme disease and other tick-borne infections are also on the rise. And yet, what makes Lyme especially challenging is not just how it begins… but how quietly it can continue.
Lyme disease is often called “The Great Imitator.”
Why?
Because it doesn’t always show up the way people expect.
Instead, it can look like:
- Chronic fatigue that doesn’t improve with rest
- Brain fog and difficulty concentrating
- Anxiety, mood shifts, depression, or feeling “on edge”
- Joint and muscle pain that seems to move around
- Muscle fatigue like you just worked out hard, but you didn’t
- Feeling like you’re going to black out
- Hormone imbalances
- Digestive issues
- Sleep disturbances
- And a long list of other seemingly unrelated symptoms
For many, it becomes a confusing and discouraging journey—trying to connect dots that don’t seem to line up.
The Part Most People Miss: What Happens After the Bite
One of the most important things we can do is know what to do immediately after a tick bite—and just as importantly, what to watch for in the weeks and months that follow.
Because here’s the reality:
Not everyone who is bitten by a tick develops chronic symptoms…
But for those who do, it is often because something deeper is going on beneath the surface.
In a recent blog post, I walk through:
- What to do if you find a tick
- First aid steps after a tick bite
- Symptoms to watch for
- Why some people don’t recover fully
- A functional health perspective on Lyme and chronic illness
- Where to find help and testing
(If this is something you’re navigating right now, I would really encourage you to take a few minutes to read through that guide.)
Why Some People Don’t Fully Recover
This is where my heart really comes in—not just as a practitioner, but as someone who has lived this.
There was a season in my life where I was:
- Extremely fatigued
- Struggling with brain fog
- Dealing with sleep issues and anxiety
- And carrying a number of symptoms without clear answers
And if you’ve been there, you know…
It’s not just physical. It’s emotional. It’s mental. It can even feel spiritual.
You start to wonder:
Why can’t I figure this out? Why am I not getting better?
What I’ve come to understand—both personally and through my work—is this:
Chronic illness is rarely caused by just one thing.
That was my story…
A Functional Approach: Looking Beneath the Surface
From a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition (FDN) perspective, we look at the body as an integrated system—not isolated symptoms.
We consider what we call the H.I.D.D.E.N. stressors:
- Hormonal imbalances
- Immune challenges (like infections—Lyme and co-infections included)
- Digestive dysfunction
- Detoxification issues
- Energy production (mitochondrial health)
- Nervous system dysregulation
What we often find is that Lyme is not the only issue—it’s part of a larger picture.
For example:
- A stressed or dysregulated nervous system (hello vagus nerve) can impair healing
- Gut dysfunction can weaken immune resilience
- Mold exposure or toxin overload can burden detox pathways
- Hormone imbalances can amplify fatigue and mood symptoms
So instead of chasing symptoms, we begin to ask:
???? What is the body trying to tell us?
???? Where are the underlying imbalances?
???? What needs to be supported so the body can do what it was designed to do—heal?
Healing Is a Process—Not a Quick Fix
Through functional lab testing and a root-cause approach, we begin to:
- Identify stressors
- Reduce the burden on the body
- Rebuild foundational systems
This is where the D.R.E.S.S. protocol comes in:
- Diet
- Rest
- Exercise
- Stress reduction
- Supplementation
Step by step. Layer by layer.
Not chasing quick fixes… but building true resilience and restoration.
A Gentle Reminder for the Heart
If you are walking through symptoms right now—whether diagnosed or still searching for answers—I want to gently remind you:
You are not crazy.
Your symptoms are not random.
And your body is not broken.
It may be overwhelmed.
It may be burdened.
But it was fearfully and wonderfully made—with an incredible capacity to heal when given the right support.
Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. – Isaiah 41:10
Healing doesn’t always happen overnight.
But it does happen—often in ways that are steady, layered, and deeply restoring.
As I can attest to, ‘deep crying out to deep,’ in those long moments of suffering – God upholds with His very presence, leads and strengthens in our weakness.
When to Lean In and Look Deeper
If you:
- Spend time outdoors
- Have kids or pets
- Live in a high-tick area
- Or are dealing with ongoing symptoms like fatigue, brain fog, hormone imbalance, gut issues, or unexplained health struggles
…it may be worth taking a deeper look.
Sometimes the answers aren’t obvious on the surface.
Sometimes they require a different lens.
You Don’t Have to Figure This Out Alone
If you’ve recently been bitten by a tick and want to know:
- Where to send it for testing
- What next steps to take
- Or how to support your body early
Please don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m always happy to help point you in the right direction.
And if you’re further along in your journey—feeling stuck or searching for answers—I would be honored to walk alongside you.
Through functional lab testing and a personalized, root-cause approach, we can begin to uncover what’s really going on and create a plan that supports your body, mind, and soul.
There Is Hope
There are answers.
There is a path forward.
And sometimes… we just need someone to help us start looking in the right places.
Thank you for being here.
And thank you for caring for your health—and your family’s health—in such an intentional way.
