Are there any illnesses that share the same symptoms of lyme disease?

Yes, many: Some people who live or visit areas with lyme disease may be diagnosed with lyme disease on the basis of the characteristic lyme rash. In the absence of that rash, other lyme symptoms may appear similar to many other diseases including: lupus, rheumatic fever, rheumatoid arthritis, rocky mountain spotted fever, ehrlichiosis, babesiosis, meningitis, chronic fatigue syndrome or fibromyalgia.

It depends: Occasionally symptoms of lyme disease could mimic those of a medication reaction or allergy, contact dermatitis or other non-infectious problem like clinical depression. Generally a physician who specializes in infectious diseases would be required in order to distinguish lyme disease from these other disorders. Also, late stages of lyme disease need to be distinguished from earlier stages of lyme.