Avril Lavigne, Canadian pop star, reveals tough battle with Lyme disease

Avril Lavignesays she thought she was dyingafter contractinga severe case ofLyme disease, theCanadian pop star revealedin an exclusive interview published Wednesday byPeople magazine.

"I had no idea a bug bite could do this," saidtheSk8er Boisinger, whosuspectsshe was bitten by a tick in spring 2014.

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"I felt like I couldn't breathe, I couldn't talk and I couldn't move," said Lavigne who is recuperating from the bacterial infection at home in Ontario. "I thought I was dying."

"There were definitely times I couldn't shower for a full week because I could barely stand," said the30-year-oldNapaneenative. "It felt like having all your life sucked out of you."

Cared for by family

She has beencared for by her mother and husband, Nickelback singer Chad Kroeger, while theillness left her bedridden for 5 months, the singer said.

Fans have been sending their well wishes to the pop rocker after she told a fan she was suffering from health problems in December.

"I'm not feeling well," wrote the typically private starin adirect message toaLavigne Twitter fan account. "I'm having some health issues. So please keep me in your prayers."

• AvrilLavignetells fans she has 'health issues,' asks for prayers

The request triggered an outpouring of support after the fan shared the exchange publicly.

"The get-well messages and videos they sent touched me so deeply,"Lavigne told People, revealing that she's now feeling "80 percent better."

The full interview will be available when the April 13th edition of the magazine hits newsstands.

Making new music

Despite her health problems,Lavignerevealed that she'd written a new single called Flyearlier this year.

The song,benefiting the upcoming 2015 Special Olympics, is due out later this month.

The Canadian singer enjoyed ameteoric riseto fame in2002 with her breakout hitComplicated, buther most recent album release,Hello Kitty,waswidely panned by critics.

Billboard calledthe single's Japanese-themedvideo an "embarrassment in any language."

While the People article paints Lavigne as a star ready to reclaim the spotlight,herofficial website hasn't been updated since April 2014, and there are no upcoming events planned.