Ashley Olsen: Lyme Disease Symptoms Reportedly Have Worsened

Actress Ashley Olsen is reportedly suffering more from Lyme disease than ever before, according to a new report.

Radar Online reported on Wednesday that the 28-year-old former child star’s symptoms have not improved. On the contrary, according to what an inside source reportedly told InTouch magazine, her condition has actually worsened.

“Her symptoms have gotten worse. She’s had to take a step back from her business. She used to be in the office all the time, but lately she’s often just not well, so she rests a lot at home. She’s really having a difficult time.”

The insider further explained that Ashley Olsen’s struggle with her physical pain and related symptoms has also affected her mood swings.

“She’s really struggling, and it comes out in anger — she’s at the point where she’s having a hard time dealing. She just seems all-around cranky.”

The Radar reports that Ashley Olsen is currently striving to keep the disease under control and management by focusing on regular physical therapy sessions and exercise.

According to the Mirror, Ashley Olsen was apparently diagnosed with Lyme disease in its late stages, so she was not able to benefit from any early detection measures.

Singer Avril Lavigne, who was also diagnosed with Lyme disease, admitted in an interview with People that her symptoms kept her in bed for several months. She even got to a point where she thought that she was dying.

“I could barely eat, and when we went to the pool, I had to leave and go lie in bed… My friends asked, ‘What’s wrong?’ I didn’t know. I thought I was dying… I felt like I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t talk and I couldn’t move.”

Lavigne also admitted that her symptoms got to a point where she was no longer even able to take a shower for an entire week due to not being fully able to stand.

In the United States, Lyme disease is the most commonly reported vectorborne illness. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that the number of confirmed cases from 1995 to 2013 was at its highest point in 2009, with 29,959 confirmed cases of the disease. The disease is caused by a specific type of bacteria that is contracted through tick bites.

Along with Ashley Olsen and Avril Lavigne, many other celebrities have struggled with Lyme disease — including reality star Yolanda Foster, former U.S. President George W. Bush and actor Alec Baldwin.

[Image Credit: Charley Gallay / Getty Images]