When experienced hillwalker Jan Knurek noticed a small red bite on his thigh, he assumed it was nothing. But, within days, the Warwickshire Search and Rescue volunteer was battling flu‑like symptoms, crippling fatigue, and a bullseye rash that signalled something far more serious. This is his first‑person account of contracting Lyme disease, how he recognised the signs, how close he came to long‑term illness, and why he now urges others to stay vigilant outdoors.
by Jan Knurek
Realising something was wrong…
TWO weeks after a weekend away, I realised something wasn’t right. What began as a small, itchy red rash – the sort of thing I’d normally dismiss as a summer insect bite – slowly grew larger and more irritated. At the same time, I started to feel flu‑like: lethargic, aching muscles and joints, and a constant headache. I later learned this was my immune system being steadily attacked.
When the rash began to resemble a bullseye, I started to suspect Lyme disease. I tried to piece together when and how it might have happened, and the more I thought about it, the more likely it seemed. I knew I needed to see a doctor immediately.
I rang my local surgery and booked an appointment. I rarely visit a GP, so the fact I was going made me anxious – not about the appointment, but about the possibility that I really did have Lyme disease. In hindsight, I should have stressed the urgency, but I accepted the appointment four days later. As the days passed, I felt increasingly unwell. Getting out of bed became a struggle.
When the day finally came, I sat in the waiting room feeling worse than ever. Once called in, I explained everything – the symptoms, the rash, and my suspicions. I lowered my jeans to show the bullseye on my thigh (I took the picture on the right as a record and used my forefinger to give it scale).
The doctor’s expression changed immediately. He asked how long ago it had happened. By then, it had been nearly three weeks since the suspected bite.
He consulted a reference book, then looked at me and said: “I want you to listen to me. You do have Lyme disease. I’m going to prescribe you a course of antibiotics which you must take every day.”
He gave me a two‑week course and told me to book a follow‑up appointment. “Do not fail to attend.”
The recovery from Lyme Disease
I started the antibiotics straight away. Even after the first day, I noticed a difference. After three days, I couldn’t believe how well I felt. I hadn’t realised how ill I’d become until I started to recover.
Lyme disease is unlike anything I’ve experienced. It attacks so slowly that you don’t notice how bad things are getting. But day-by-day, the symptoms faded – the aches, the headaches, the exhaustion. Soon, I felt completely normal again.
At my follow‑up appointment, the doctor was visibly pleased. He told me I’d been lucky to recognise the symptoms when I did. Earlier would have been better, but we’d caught it in time.
Piecing together what happened
Looking back at the photo data, the bite happened in May 2017. I’d been away in Eryri (Snowdonia), probably doing some of the Welsh 3000s. After a long day on the hill, I returned to my campsite at Gwern Gof Uchaf in the Ogwen Valley – a place I’d stayed many times.
I remember getting into my tent, having a nap, making tea, then settling in for the night. At some point, half‑asleep, I felt an itch on my thigh. When I scratched it, I felt a small nodule – the tick I’d knocked off. It must have been attached for hours, long enough to gorge itself.
Reflections and advice
Since then, I’ve changed my habits. I never wear shorts while walking. I carry tick removers in every rucksack, keep one in the car, and always check my grandchildren after time outdoors.
Ticks are more common than ever. Milder winters mean they’re active year‑round. On a recent SARDA Wales training weekend, lying in long grass as a dogsbody, I watched ticks climbing stems all around me. Several were found on the dogs that weekend.
You can remove a tick and send it for analysis through the UK Tick Surveillance Scheme.
I was very lucky
Not all ticks carry Lyme disease, but I was unlucky enough to encounter one that did, but also lucky enough to recognise the signs. Others aren’t so fortunate. I’ve read and heard stories of people who weren’t diagnosed in time, including a young, fit 28‑year‑old runner who went years without answers. By the time she was diagnosed, the damage was irreversible. She now struggles with daily life and can’t do the things she once did with her children.
That’s why I share my experience. Awareness matters. Knowing what to look for matters. Lyme Disease can be treated effectively – but only if it’s caught early.
Stay safe, stay vigilant, and check yourself and your loved ones after time outdoors. It’s a small habit that can make a life‑changing difference.
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Sorry you had to go through this, but thank you for sharing your experience. Can’t imagine what you must of being going through.