I have been on a 7+ year battle with Lyme and suspected bartonella and babesia. following my long term oral antibiotic treatment for about a year and a half I’m am physically feeling a lot better but my anxiety and depression has been through the roof. I ended up in the er with severe depression and my sister and I decided to check me into the psych unit at the hospital. I was put on new meds for anxiety and depression but still struggling bad with both esp anxiety this week.

I tried eating some foods I have avoided in the past due to flare ups and had a pretty bad flare physics over the weekend but bounced back after a couple days. I have been diagnosed with PTSD. I’m now on a homeopathic regimen for the Lyme but the anxiety and depression is unrelenting. I used Xanax in the past and have had 2 bad experiences with antidepressants. I’m on Wellbutrin gabapentin and Atarx now but the Atarx does not seem to help so I’ve taken Xanax a few times to help with anxiety.

I’m at a loss of what to do. I’m in counseling now twice a week and trying to readjust to feeling better. I thought it would be easy with the physical symptoms calmed down but the mental are just as bad if not worse. I’m having frequent crying spells and have had to take a lot of time off work for this. I’m frustrated and don’t understand if it’s a herx or just ptsd from all the hell the Lyme has put me through.

Any suggestions or experiences would be helpful I’ve tried a lot of things for my anxiety but nothing has helped well so far.

Thanks for reading

I do think I have some PTSD from this disease....but it has improved lately.


I think the counseling is a good idea...I also went to a counsellor - before I was diagnosed...and it was my safe place to let it all out...and cry.

Like goshawk, my psyche stuff did subside with treatment....and with time.

This disease made me fearful...and it has taken time for that to subside as well.

Hope you feel better soon!

I stab a needle in my chest every week and have stung myself with over 3000 bees so I know ptsd from other life experiences however there is a chemical component....my gut stopped making dopamine. ..use mucuna bean extract ,it took only a day to make the cloud lift ...also the anxiety is bart and vasodilation /constriction imo....i would take holy basil until treatment is complete. ...remember its the bugs not you

When i was debating the port install, I had this counseler who still had lyme but had been thru iv abx with dr martz . She help me realize my suffering is not in vain but for the glory of the creator. Whos bigger plan we cant begin to fathom.read joni earikson
Best of luck try herbs let go the meds gaba will make u cray cray...try kratom for pain ,st johns wort, u can use flower esseces for specific emotions . They helped with tapping in panic attacks

Post Edited (bluelyme) : 8/17/2018 12:23:10 PM (GMT-6)

I call it treatment fatigue... been treating now for over eight years. I know the feeing.... just glad I have no immediate or extended family to worry about or make my situation worse.

To know which one to treat, you can test out herbs and see what symptoms they provoke.

Most use houttuynia or A-Bart to check for bart.

Artemesia, cryptolepis, or A-Bab to check for babesia.

I just discovered that Chinese skullcap improves mood and psych symptoms. I just read up on it again today, and Buhner said it only works 3-4 hours, so you need to dose it based on that, especially if you're taking it for psych stuff.

There's lots of herbs Buhner recommends for psych symptoms. I've found kudzu root to be helpful, too.

Understand the emotional issues. They are some of the hardest to deal with.

Since upping treatment for babesia, I have noticed slight improvement in anxiety/depression issues. It's too early to tell if it will "stick," but seems something has changed a little. It's a shame we resort to guessing game, but I've learned trial and error is part of it.

But I don't discount the PTSD aspect. I know I have health anxiety after years of this, and if a doctor mentions something new, I will feel the symptoms until tests prove otherwise. Then they are gone.

It’s definitely the bartonella. I took lymogen which is an herbal treatment for Lyme and after 2 doses I felt much clearer mentally. My psychiatrist thinks my symptoms are bipolar but I really think now that it’s the Bart. I started with a low dose and having a lot of fatigue and head pressure but mentally I can relax now and haven’t even needed to take anything for anxiety. Pretty scary what this stuff can do.
Has anyone had success getting rid of Bart completely?
And has anyone been able to treat babesia and Bart to keep them both at bay? I last treated for babs and so now Bart had time to gain ground...but they keep alternating and it’s just exhausting. I’m not sure what to do except keep on the lymogen and neuro antiox and see my doc next week