‘Lyme disease ruined my life – I was misdiagnosed with hypochondria and depression for over 20 years’
Frédéric Roscop, 49, contracted Lyme disease aged five years old but wasn’t diagnosed with it until his mid-thirties. He tells Charlotte Cripps about his lifelong battle with the disease, along with co-infections and associated mental health challenges, and how he found his way to a normal life
As a child, I was raised in the French countryside in the Dordogne. From around the age of five, I’d help local farmers by collecting eggs and herding cows in the fields. I was also naturally curious and adventurous and would go exploring in the bushes. I’d often end up covered in ticks and an old lady at the farm would put me in an iron bath and brush them off me. This is not the right way of removing them, which is to pull them out of the skin, as soon as possible, to prevent the transmission of disease. It should often befollowed by a course of antibiotics.
The next day, I’d be covered in bruising and red marks, which we now call a “bullmark”, or the “bulls-eye” rash, medically known as Erythema migrans, a hallmark symptom of Lyme disease. My mum was always horrified and took me to the doctor, who thought it was an allergic reaction to a bite and prescribed me an antihistamine. But due to a lack of awareness years ago, nobody ever mentioned Lyme disease.
Looking back, I suffered years of mild symptoms. I had a delayed puberty because my body was not functioning properly; weight gain due to factors known to be caused by Lyme disease, such as gastrointestinal issues and hormonal imbalances; and I craved sugar because my body was stressed.
As much as I was exhausted, I was also hyper – Lyme disease can cause symptoms that mimic or contribute to ADHD – and I was also hyper-sensitive. I couldn’t switch off. By the age of eight, I was already seeing a psychotherapist who recommended more exercise to exhaust me. (See link for article)
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**Comment**
A very dismissive article & video on Lyme disease appeared recently dissing celebrities who have the courage to share their battle with it. Yet, because of these celebrities speaking out, more have become aware of Lyme/MSIDS.
You know it’s bad when you have to learn about a severe medical condition from a celebrity. But, there it is….. The truth is, it’s easier to get medical assisted death than treatment for chronic Lyme disease, which is what the man in this article had.
Whenever I see articles on how ‘things are getting better’ in Lymeland, I remember that probably every day someone just like the man in this article is being misdiagnosed and sent on a wild goose chase – maybe for years.
No, my friends – it ain’t getting better. Not by a long shot. To date, the best chance a patient has is to bump into someone who will educate them about this, OR read an article about a celebrity who shares their story.
And this is where we’ve been for a long, long time.
For more:
- https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2020/09/25/why-should-we-care-about-lyme-disease-a-colorful-tale-of-government-conflicts-of-interest-probable-bioweaponization-and-pathogen-complexity/
- https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2022/03/25/the-old-political-does-borrelia-persist-debate/
- https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2025/08/26/timberlake-ticks-and-the-truth-about-lyme/
- https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2021/03/04/yolanda-hadid-on-her-battle-with-lyme-disease-being-in-remission-is-an-everyday-blessing/
- https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2025/10/17/coach-sidelined-with-lyme-hadid-battling-depression-and-anxiety/
- https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/04/20/pga-golfer-jimmy-walker-has-lyme-disease/
- https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2018/01/26/pga-golfers-wife-now-has-lyme/ Another topic besides chronic Lyme that isn’t discussed is sexual transmission. It’s simply denied even though there isn’t ONE study disproving it. I believe this is how I was infected:
- https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2017/02/24/pcos-lyme-my-story/
- https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2025/12/31/irish-woman-shines-light-on-lyme-disease/
- https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2022/09/29/22-year-old-chronic-lyme-patient-commits-suicide/
- https://madisonarealymesupportgroup.com/2024/01/09/woman-battling-lyme-disease-seeks-medical-assistance-in-dying/
The stories are endless and continue. These stories touch people and like it or not, are for some the only way they will learn about this dreadful illness. The medical and research establishments haven’t helped one iota.
I’ve always said, and I stand by it, the only way this needle is going to move is when enough people are infected with it.
Madison Area Lyme Support Group 