- The first bachelorette winner, Ryan Sutter, revealed he has Lyme disease on Tuesday.
- Sutter also tested positive for COVID-19 and Epstein-Barr virus.
- Sutter is making dietary changes to deal with the diagnosis.
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After a year of dealing with mysterious symptoms, Ryan Sutter, the first 'Bachelorette' winner, said he has Lyme disease.
Lyme disease is a tick-borne illness that can cause fatigue, a bull's-eye pattern rash, and other symptoms.
"It seems to be that what happened is that my immune system was weakened through exposures to toxins and especially to mold," Sutter said on his wife Trista Sutter's podcast, according to People. As a firefighter, Sutter is regularly exposed to mold.
Sutter also tested positive for COVID-19 and Epstein-Barr virus.
Sutter said it took a year to find an accurate diagnosis
Throughout the past year, Sutter said he felt exhausted and thought he might have lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. At one point, he got tested for lymphoma.
After months of not getting answers, Sutter and his wife took to social media to talk about his symptoms.
"I am experiencing a battery of symptoms which include: fatigue - sometimes almost paralyzing, deep body and muscle aches, fevers, night sweats, full body itching with no rash, headaches, neck and throat swelling, congestion, light headedness, nausea, and just general all around not feeling good," Sutter said in the post.
Trista said the overwhelming response helped find the medical team that came up with an accurate diagnosis.
Lyme disease is often treated with antibiotics, but Sutter is making changes to his diet instead and avoiding gluten, dairy, and refined sugars.