A man from Whiteley says he feels “vindicated” after turning to artificial intelligence to help identify the cause of his deteriorating health, following years of inconclusive medical consultations. Oliver Moazzezi, an IT consultant, was eventually diagnosed with Lyme disease after a private test, a discovery he says might never have happened without technology — though medical experts warn against relying on AI for self-diagnosis.
Moazzezi’s health problems began three years ago with ringing in his ears, followed by high blood pressure, severe fatigue, and painful muscle spasms. Despite numerous visits to doctors, he was repeatedly told his symptoms were caused by anxiety or hearing loss. Frustrated and desperate for answers, he decided to input his symptoms — including a tick bite he received after his cat brought one in from nearby woods — into an AI tool.
“I felt like I was being a hypochondriac,” Moazzezi said. “No one actually wanted to understand or look at all the things I was trying to explain. If I hadn’t persisted, I hate to think where I would have been left.”
Using his professional experience with Microsoft 365, Moazzezi instructed the AI system to search verified medical sources. “I didn’t tell it Lyme disease — it told me,” he said. Afterward, he consulted a private doctor, who ordered an antibody test confirming the diagnosis.
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection spread to humans through tick bites. Early signs can include a circular rash around the bite, but symptoms often resemble other conditions, making diagnosis difficult. If untreated, it can lead to chronic fatigue, nerve pain, and severe neurological problems.
After beginning treatment, Moazzezi says some of his symptoms — including tinnitus — have eased. “I can hear the wind rustling and the birds again,” he said. “You don’t realize how awful it is to miss those sounds.” Still, he expressed frustration at what he describes as a lack of support from healthcare professionals. “I got a worse service for being proactive,” he said.
The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Integrated Care Board responded, saying: “We are sorry to hear that this person feels let down by the care they received. Lyme disease is a complex condition, but our clinicians are trained to recognise symptoms and refer for specialist help or treatment in line with national guidance.”
Experts caution that while AI can help patients research symptoms, it should not replace medical advice. Georgia Tuckey, a tick-borne disease specialist in Worthing, said NHS testing standards often miss cases of Lyme disease. “We have a particular way of understanding symptom presentation, but that isn’t generally looked for in NHS investigations,” she explained.
There are around 1,500 confirmed cases of Lyme disease each year in England and Wales, though experts believe the real number may exceed 4,000. The UK Health Security Agency said it is updating national data to better understand the growing incidence of the disease.
