HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — May is Lyme Disease Awareness month, and a St. Petersburg woman is sharing her battle with the disease in hopes that it helps someone else.
Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness, and doctors say if it goes untreated, it can become detrimental to your health.
WATCH: How you can protect your children from ticks
That's exactly what happened to Brianne Postlmayer. She was just 24 years old when she started experiencing symptoms.
“I started getting right-sided numbness and weakness in my face, and it actually ended up extending to the whole right side of my body,” Postlmayer said.
The illness quickly progressed, and Postlmayer said she spent most of her twenties housebound. After years of treatment and battling this disease, the good news is that she feels better.
“I feel good. Now I feel good,” Postlmayer said. She is hoping her story can help someone else. Melissa Bell is weighing in on the prevention side. She is the President of the Florida Lyme Disease Association.
Bell said Lyme disease is present in Florida and that early treatment is key. That's why she is reminding families to be on the lookout for ticks on their skin as we head into the summer months.
“Once you come inside, you want to promptly do a tick check, so the best place to do that is the shower, so you can wash away any unattached ticks.”
If you do find a tick, she said, use fine-tip tweezers to pull it directly out, then call a doctor.
While not every case is as severe as Postlmayer's, she wants everyone to be aware of what Lyme disease can turn into if not treated properly.
“One tick can devastate and change and take away someone’s life,” Postlmyer said.
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