A growing epidemic and known as the great masquerader — Lyme produces a wide range of symptoms that resemble other conditions, which is why it is so frequently misdiagnosed.
Fatigue, joint pain, cognitive fog, mood changes, and neurological symptoms can all trace back to Lyme, and all have more common explanations that get considered first.
Standard antibody testing carries real limitations, particularly in longstanding cases. A negative result is often treated as a closed question when it should not be.
Dr. Kellman evaluates Lyme in the context of the whole system — immune function, inflammation, microbiome status, and co-infections that frequently travel alongside it.
Treatment is layered: addressing the infection and co-infections, calming the inflammatory response it provokes, and restoring the immune and microbiome function needed for the body to hold ground long term.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection, most often caused by Borrelia burgdorferi, spread by the bite of an infected blacklegged (deer) tick. It is common in New York State and the surrounding region, including the Hudson Valley, Long Island, Westchester, Connecticut and New Jersey.
Early symptoms, usually days to weeks after a bite:
Later symptoms, if the infection spreads:
Most people improve with antibiotic treatment, especially when it starts early. Some, however, have fatigue, pain or cognitive symptoms that last six months or more. This is often called post-treatment Lyme disease syndrome, and its causes are still debated. These patients deserve a careful evaluation rather than being told nothing more can be done.
Diagnosis relies on your history, possible tick exposure and symptoms, supported by a two-step blood antibody test. Antibody tests can be negative early in the infection, so timing matters when results are interpreted. Other tick-borne infections, such as Babesia and Anaplasma, may also need to be considered.
For ongoing symptoms, Dr. Kellman also looks at immune function, inflammation, sleep, thyroid status and the microbiome, since these can all affect recovery.
See a doctor soon after a tick bite if you develop a rash, fever or flu-like symptoms. Seek urgent care for facial drooping, chest pain, palpitations, fainting or severe headache with a stiff neck.
Standard serology can miss longstanding infection. Dr. Kellman weighs history, exposure, symptom pattern, and additional testing rather than treating a single negative result as definitive.
Ticks transmit more than Borrelia. Babesia, Bartonella, and others frequently accompany Lyme and each require their own consideration. Treating Lyme alone while a co-infection persists is a common reason patients plateau.
Yes. Lyme disease is common in New York State and the surrounding region, especially in wooded and grassy areas outside the city.
Yes. Many patients come after treatment elsewhere because symptoms have continued. Bring your past test results and a list of the treatments you've had.