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Fans of “The Bachelor” remember Ryan Sutter as the firefighter who ignited the heart of the ABC franchise’s first bachelorette, Trista Rehn (now Sutter). Sutter is still fighting fires, but he is also fighting a debilitating illness: Lyme Disease.
Ryan and Trista Sutter have been married almost 19 years. They will celebrate that anniversary in December. The couple opened up to People magazine on June 29, 2022 about Ryan’s struggles with Lyme disease, and the unorthodox methods he uses to combat it.
The Disease ‘Took Over’ Sutter’s Life
Ryan, 47, first started experiencing symptoms around two years ago, but he had no idea why. Sutter told People, “My body hurt, I had zero energy and even getting up from the couch seemed impossible. And then, it just started spiraling rapidly.”
On a 2021 podcast with wife, Trista, Ryan revealed, “My body would just itch for no reason, severe headaches, swollen lymph nodes, nausea, night sweats, fevers, really deep bone aches, and muscle aches and joint aches, periods of extreme fatigue, almost paralyzing fatigue.”
The typically energetic father of two teenagers was thrown for a loop. “For so long, I was only thinking about how to survive the day,” he confided to People.
For nearly a year, Sutter’s illness remained undiagnosed. After visiting specialist after specialist, he was finally diagnosed with Lyme Disease. In a May 2021 People article, the firefighter explained, “It seems to be that…my immune system was weakened through exposures to toxins and especially to mold.”
He continued, “There are other people in the fire academy that probably had the same exposures who aren’t dealing with these exposures because their genetics are stronger, they’re able to get rid of the toxins easier.”
The Treatments Are Bizarre But Effective
For the first time in a long time, Ryan feels like he has hope. He told People in June 2022, “I feel like my life is coming back. And that’s been really encouraging.”
The reason for this optimism is based on two unorthodox treatments. The first is infrared sauna therapy, which is supposed to detoxify his system. According Everyday Health, infrared sauna therapy is all the rage among celebrities, including Cindy Crawford, Selena Gomez and Emma Roberts. However, these celebrities are not using it to fight Lyme disease. They are using it to support heart health, enhance exercise benefits, lower stress and reduce pain. Research is still being done on the legitimacy of these health benefits.
Sutter’s second form of unconventional treatment is more radical. According to People, Ryan uses “bee venom therapy, in which he stings himself with honeybees three times every other day. Ryan’s physician, Dr. Jill Carnahan, MD, explains that “The bee venom weakens the bacteria.”
The New York Times elucidates, “Efforts to tease apart the vast swarm of proteins in venom — a field called venomics — have burgeoned in recent years.” The outlet also reports that “rock musician Steve Ludwin claims to have routinely injected himself with diluted venom, believing it to be a tonic that builds his immune system and boosts his energy.”
Ryan and Trista seem to believe strongly in the therapy and its effects. Ryan feels like “The tide is turning” and Trista conveys, “Ryan is so strong. And I know we can get through anything,” People reports.
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