Alexis Ohanian, the co-founder of social media site Reddit and husband of tennis legend Serena Williams, revealed on Tuesday that he’s been diagnosed with Lyme disease.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Ohanian said that he’d done “a full battery of health scans” when he learned of his diagnosis.
“Wild. No symptoms, thankfully, but gonna treat,” he wrote. “Good cholesterol is too low. Bad cholesterol is just OK. Gotta work on that.”
The tech entrepreneur, who resigned from Reddit’s board in 2020 and then launched the venture capital firm Seven Seven Six, shared in a follow-up post that he has a loved one who was successfully treated for the disease after being diagnosed years ago and exhibiting “tons” of symptoms.
“I spend so little time in the wilderness/northeast this was quite a surprise,” Ohanian continued.
“Anyway, gonna grab some antibiotics — can’t keep me down, tick!” he added in another tweet, before putting out a disclaimer that his followers should consult their doctors and not get their medical advice from him.
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people with Lyme disease — which is caused by bacteria transmitted to humans from infected ticks — “recover completely when treated with a 2- to 4-week course of oral antibiotics,” but “about 5-10% can have prolonged symptoms of fatigue, body aches, or difficulty thinking as a result of their infection.”
Celebrities like model Bella Hadid have been open about their struggles with Lyme disease.
Hadid was diagnosed with the disease over a decade ago, along with brother Anwar Hadid and mother Yolanda Hadid.
She shared with her Instagram followers in 2023 that she was “finally healthy,” after years of being “sad and sick” with health struggles that were “worsening with time.”
“I have so much gratitude for and perspective on life , this 100+ days of Lyme, chronic disease , co infection treatment, almost 15 years of invisible suffering, was all worth it if I’m able to, God willing, have a lifetime of spreading love from a full cup, and being able to truly be myself, For the first time ever,” she wrote in the caption for the post.