Avril Lavigne celebrated her 30th birthday in October by heading to Las Vegas with her girlfriends. But the singer did not feel like partying.

Lavigne had been feeling sick for months, but both she and her doctors could not figure out what was making her feel that way.

"I could barely eat, and when we went to the pool, I had to leave and go lie in bed," she told People Magazine in an exclusive story. "My friends asked, 'What's wrong?' I didn't know."

After the trip to Las Vegas, Lavigne was tired of feeling lethargic and lightheaded and visited another doctor. The doctor gave her a diagnosis of a severe case of Lyme disease.

"I had no idea a bug bite could do this," Lavigne said. The singer thinks she was bit by a tick last spring. "I was bedridden for five months."

Lavigne has been recovering at her home in Ontario. She spends time with family, watches movies and interacts with fans on social media sites.

"I felt like I couldn't breathe, I couldn't talk and I couldn't move," she says. "I thought I was dying."

Lavigne's mom moved in to help take care of her daughter. Lavigne's husband, Chad Kroeger, has been helping as well when he can get a break in his tour with his band Nickelback.

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

Lavigne has appreciated the support of her fans who have waited for her to get better and sent her get-well messages.

"They were asking about me since I was [gone], so I mentioned to one fan directly that I wasn't feeling good," Lavigne said.

Lavigne is feeling better, but still not 100 percent, explaining she's more at "80 percent" capacity. She plans to continue recording music and releasing new material. Her new single "Fly" will be released this month to support the 2015 Special Olympics.

"This was a wake-up call," Lavigne said. "I really just want to enjoy life from here on out."

What do you think of the news of Lavigne having Lyme disease?

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