Avril Lavigne has opened up about a recent battle with Lyme disease which left her lethargic and bedridden for five months. The singer, who still hasn't fully recovered from the illness, first started to feel unwell while celebrating her 30th birthday with friends in Las Vegas in October.
"I could barely eat, and when we went to the pool, I had to leave and go lie in bed," she told People magazine. "My friends asked, 'What's wrong?' I didn't know."
Shortly after the Girlfriend singer was diagnosed with a serious case of Lyme disease, which she believes was the result of getting bitten by a tick earlier in 2014.
© Photo: Getty ImagesAvril Lavigne has been battling Lyme disease
"I had no idea a bug bite could do this. I was bedridden for five months," Avril revealed.
With symptoms including lethargy and feeling lightheaded, Avril had no choice but to try and recuperate at home. The 30-year-old's mother moved in to look after her while her husband Chad Kroeger also helped out when he had breaks during his tour with Nickelback.
"I felt like I couldn't breathe, I couldn't talk and I couldn't move. I thought I was dying," she said. "There were definitely times I couldn't shower for a full week because I could barely stand. It felt like having all your life sucked out of you."
© Photo: Getty ImagesAvril's husband Chad Kroeger has been supporting her through the illness
Fans soon noticed that the singer had been quiet on her social media channels, with many tweeting her out of concern. Avril replied to one directly to say that she wasn't feeling well, leading to a surge of get well messages which she admitted she was "touched so deeply by".
After a long recovery process Avril says she is now feeling 80 percent better and described the illness as a "wake up call".
The star's illness came amid rumours that she had split from her husband Chad, however the Nickelback frontman has since said there is no truth to the reports.
