Miranda Hart opens up about ME fatigue in new health update
The BBC star wrote about her diagnosis in her new memoir
Miranda Hart has given an update about living with Lyme disease, as she sends love to anyone else living with a chronic illness or ME (Myalgic encephalomyelitis) or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).
The 51-year-old actress opened up about her diagnosis in her new memoir I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest With You where she revealed that she has struggled with the debilitating fatigue, energy loss and aches throughout her adult life.
In a new Instagram Reel, Miranda spoke to her followers about the fatigue she had struggled with that day as she remembered the "days, months and years" when this was an everyday occurrence.
"I’m having a day where my body feels very fatigued and I’m being reminded of the days months and years when it was consistently and acutely fatigued," she said to the camera, "and whenever my body reminds me of those times, my heart goes out to any fellows ME sufferers or those with similar conditions conditions, so I’m just sending huge love today.
The Miranda creator and star went onto to say that she hopes anyone else living with a chronic condition feels understood, as this isn’t a "behaviour" or choice but a "physical, biological illness" that cannot be cured.
"I hope you feel seen and understood by somebody," she continued, "I know there is an awful long way to go and people still think ME is a behavioural condition, 'do I think it is so? No I do not.'
"I got a tick-born infection quite badly when I was a teenager which ended up being lyme disease and then other infections and that is what - as far as I understand it - causes ME so it is a physical, biological illness and needs to be recognised and treated as so."
"So this is me metaphorically being by your bedside and saying I see you, I understand, I love you and wish you all the love and luck in the world and here’s too recovery if we can!"
Later, Miranda added she was "heeding her own advice" and relying on her coping measures, which she outlines in her book to ensure she can find some joy on the more difficult days.
"I’m heeding my own advice today with my fatigue today with my treasures,” she said, “what I learnt and what I researched that’s in my book is that no, of course [the treasures] can’t cure this illness, but they really do help me to live with it. I find a meaning, sometimes even a joy, a fulfilment sometimes even a peace on difficult days."
"I hope some of my treasures help people whatever they’re going through whatever they’re going through."
Read more about Miranda Hart and chronic illness:
Miranda Hart reveals 'phone stopped ringing' after stopping work due to her Lyme disease (Independent, 2-min read)
What we know about Lyme disease in the UK as Miranda Hart reveals diagnosis (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
Miranda Hart addresses backlash to health information in her new book (Independent, 3-min read)
