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Amid criticisms of lackluster performances, Justin Timberlake reveals he has been living with Lyme disease and suffering ‘massive amount of nerve pain or, just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness’ on stage
MANILA, Philippines – Justin Timberlake revealed he had been diagnosed with Lyme disease after wrapping up his Forget Tomorrow world tour.
“I was faced with a personal decision. Stop touring? Or, keep going and figure it out. I decided the joy that performing brings me far outweighs the fleeting stress my body was feeling. I’m so glad I kept going,” Timberlake posted on Instagram on Thursday, July 31.
The 44-year-old singer, who had been criticized online for lackluster performances, admitted to feeling “massive amount of nerve pain or, just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness” on stage.
“As many of you know, I’m a pretty private person. But as I’m reflecting on the tour and festival tour — I want to tell you a little bit about what’s going on with me,” Timberlake said.
“Among other things, I’ve been battling some health issues, and was diagnosed with Lyme disease — which I don’t say so you feel bad for me — but to shed some light on what I’ve been up against behind the scenes. If you’ve experienced this disease or know someone who has — then you’re aware: living with this can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically.”
Early signs and symptoms of Lyme disease include skin rashes, muscle and joint aches, chills, and headaches, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
It’s a bacterial infection that can be spread to humans by infected ticks, and late-stage symptoms include facial palsy, severe joint pain and swelling, nerve pain, and shortness of breath.
“When I first got the diagnosis I was shocked for sure,” Timberlake said. “But, at least I could understand why I would be onstage and in a massive amount of nerve pain or, just feeling crazy fatigue or sickness.”
The pop star admitted he was hesitant to share his condition, but eventually realized that he needed to share “what’s going on with me.”
“Not only did I prove my mental tenacity to myself but, I now have so many special moments with all of you that I will never forget,” he said.
“I was reluctant to talk about this because I was always raised to keep something like this to yourself. But I am trying to be more transparent about my struggles so that they aren’t misinterpreted.”
Timberlake rose to fame as the lead of the massively popular boy band ‘NSync. He went solo in 2002 and became a consistently chart-topping artist in the 2000s. – Rappler.com
