“The Bachelor” star and social media influencer Daisy Kent, 25, continues coping with her diagnoses of Meniere’s disease and Lyme disease. She now uses her diagnosis to inspire other people living with a health condition or cancer. More recently, she’s sharing her story with children through her nonprofit.
Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that causes severe dizziness (vertigo), ringing in the ears (tinnitus), hearing loss, and a feeling of fullness or congestion in the ear.
Lyme disease impacts people bitten by infected black-legged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migraines. If left untreated, an infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system.
“From an ontological (science of the ear and its diseases) standpoint, Lyme disease can manifest itself as Ménière’s disease,” according to researchers who studied Meniere’s and Lyme diseases in the peer-reviewed medical journal Acta Oto-Laryngologica.
When “The Bachelor” star Daisy Kent, 25, isn’t on the popular reality TV show, she spends some time talking about her health journey to others, hoping to inspire them. In a new social media post, she shares how good it made her feel speaking to a group of kids about her cochlear implant – a hearing device that helps her hear better. She told the kids it makes her “unique.”
Kent was diagnosed with Meniere’s disease, a disorder that affected her hearing when she was a teenager. The diagnosis came a few years before she was also diagnosed with Lyme disease.
Lyme disease is caused by the “bacterium Borrelia burgdorferi and rarely, Borrelia mayonii,” according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). People are infected with Lyme disease after being bitten by black-legged ticks.
“From an ontological (science of the ear and its diseases) standpoint, Lyme disease can manifest itself as Ménière’s disease,” according to researchers who studied Meniere’s and Lyme diseases in the peer-reviewed medical journal Acta Oto-Laryngologica.
“I think it’s important for kids to see these types of things and have conversations about it and feel comfortable asking questions and know everybody has things that make them unique,” Kent said in an Instagram video.
Kent said while reading her book to the children for her nonprofit, she looked forward to her cochlear implant affixed on her right ear, sparking added conversation. Although the reality TV star is growing more comfortable talking openly about her condition, she admitted that still sometimes discussing Meniere’s disease and Lyme disease makes her “uncomfortable.”
“In the past, I’ve felt very different about it, but I’m doing a good job breaking down that wall…and it’s made my life a lot easier since I’ve started being more open about it.”
Helping You Cope with a Diagnosis and Manage Your Mental Health
Meniere’s disease is a “disorder of the inner ear that causes severe dizziness (vertigo), ringing in the ears (tinnitus), hearing loss, and a feeling of fullness or congestion in the ear,” the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders says.
Lyme disease impacts people bitten by infected black-legged ticks. Typical symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue, and a characteristic skin rash called erythema migraines. If left untreated, an infection can spread to joints, the heart, and the nervous system. Lyme disease is diagnosed based on symptoms, physical findings (e.g., rash), and the possibility of exposure to infected ticks,” the CDC explains.
If the disease goes untreated, it can enter the nervous system.
A 2021 study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine found that “hearing loss and tinnitus (ringing sound) were symptoms which frequently accompanied vertigo.” Some of the patients participating in the study had symptoms resembling Meniere’s disease.
Photo: Instagram/DaisyyKent
Kent was 17 years old when she was diagnosed with Meniere’s disease, according to CBS News. At age 21, tests revealed she also had Lyme disease. Kent told the news outlet she believes her Meniere’s disease was likely caused by Lyme disease.
“It started as a lot of high-pitched ringing and then just progressively got worse, and I couldn’t understand speech very well,” Kent said.
Difficulty with hearing caused Kent to become socially isolated.
“When you’re going through something like that, you do feel alone in ways because it’s your way to communicate with people and express yourself,” she said.
Coping with an Emotional Diagnosis
Kent’s vulnerability on social media detailing her journey through Meriere’s disease and Lyme disease also taps into the impact her diagnosis had on her mental health.
Photo: Instagram/DaisyyKent
Psychiatrist Dr. Lori Plutchik told SurvivorNet that the patient or person going through a stressful event should accept that emotions will be fluid.
“The patient or person going through the stressful event should accept that emotions will be fluid. You may feel fine one day and then feel a massive wave of stress the next. It’s also important for those you look to for support, whether that’s a therapist, friends, and family, or both, to understand the fluidity of stress-related emotions,” Dr. Plutchik said.
Some tips to help you cope may include seeking a therapist to help improve your mental health. The mental health professional can provide talk therapy and medications or guide you toward lifestyle changes such as exercise and eating habits.
Another important thing to do when faced with a diagnosis is to tap into your support group. Your support group can be made up of loved ones like family and friends. These groups can also comprise people facing a similar disease who can offer first-hand coping mechanisms. Cancer Care provides support groups, one-on-one counseling, and financial guidance in person (when possible) or by phone.
