Desperately worried

I'm sorry you're going through this. What helps me most is just knowing that this is a symptom and I just have to hunker down when it's at its worst and ride it out and it will get better. You are treating, right? Detoxing too? Have you been tested for deficiencies in vitamins like B and D?

LilaJ,

The coinfections bartonella and babesia can cause the worst of the anxiety and personality issues. Babesia can cause lots of anxiety, especially in conjunction with air hunger and autonomic dysfunction that can affect breathing, swallowing, heartrate.

Bartonella can cause sensitivity to light, sound, motion, mood swings, personality changes, rage, etc.

Neuroborreliosis (Lyme) causes neurological symptoms also.

It's hard to know for certain which infections are causing which symptoms, as some symptoms overlap among the infections. That said, there seems to be a general belief that the coinfections cause worse symptoms than the Lyme (borrelia). That's one reason why it's important to address ALL the infections and not just Lyme.

Stephen Buhner has suggested numerous herbs to help with the various symptoms, in addition to full herbal protocols to treat each of these infections. If you would like more information about this, just let us know.

Also, I have found these symptom descriptions of bartonella and babesia helpful. Please know that there are varying opinions among the Lyme experts regarding which symptoms are caused by which infections, and our personal experiences often vary from these type descriptions as well. I personally do not agree with everything in these articles, but I have found it helpful. If you compare this with Buhner's and other experts' descriptions, you will likely identify with one or more coinfections.


http://www.gordonmedical.com/unravelling-complex-chronic-illness/bartonella-like-organisms-blo-consideration-signs-and-symptoms

www.gordonmedical.com/unravelling-complex-chronic-illness/babesia-like-organisms-bablo-consideration-signs-and-symptoms/

Lila,

I posted more info above. This is to more directly answer your question. From the specific symptoms you described, it sounds like bartonella. Treating bartonella should help those symptoms go away, but it may take some time. I had all those symptoms. They have gotten better but my progress has been very up and down. I'm doing Buhner's full bartonella protocol as outlined in his bartonella book. When I added the IHA formula, I had some improvements with neuro/psych symptoms. I also take Gou-teng for neuroborreliosis, lions mane for neural healing, danshen/Chinese skullcap combo for cytokine remodulation, cat's claw for Lyme, and some other herbs.

Buhner recommends a number of herbs for various neuro symptoms, but I haven't really tried those except lions mane. I can't say I noticed anything in particular from lions mane, but when I did taste tests in the beginning when I started the herbs, I had an overwhelmingly positive response to the lions mane. I took that as an indication that my body would respond well to it.

WalkingbyFaith said...
Lila,

I posted more info above. This is to more directly answer your question. From the specific symptoms you described, it sounds like bartonella. Treating bartonella should help those symptoms go away, but it may take some time. I had all those symptoms. They have gotten better but my progress has been very up and down. I'm doing Buhner's full bartonella protocol as outlined in his bartonella book. When I added the IHA formula, I had some improvements with neuro/psych symptoms. I also take Gou-teng for neuroborreliosis, lions mane for neural healing, danshen/Chinese skullcap combo for cytokine remodulation, cat's claw for Lyme, and some other herbs.

Buhner recommends a number of herbs for various neuro symptoms, but I haven't really tried those except lions mane. I can't say I noticed anything in particular from lions mane, but when I did taste tests in the beginning when I started the herbs, I had an overwhelmingly positive response to the lions mane. I took that as an indication that my body would respond well to it.

Lion's mane will work very slowly to repair the myelin sheath, it will be hard to recognize the benefits for a while, as nerves heal so very slowly!!! I've been taking Lion's mane for nearly a year now (I think, lol!), and it took months before I noticed that there were some areas of my skin that were no longer consistently numb, and my toes and fingers quit burning and tingling constantly.

But - I've also herxed on Lion's mane, and boy that was no fun!!! Every single one of my nerves (at least that's what it felt like) was either on fire, tingling or trying to jump!! Of course, I backed my dose down and it all eased back up, and I worked my doses up to full doses more slowly.

LOL! I had to go look!!!

I've been using Samsura herbs (samsaraherbs.com/) - but do be careful with their herbs!!! They are highly concentrated - but that's why I like them, it only takes very small amounts!! Much easier when you take a lot of things! LOL!

Dahlias said...
I'm sorry you're going through this. What helps me most is just knowing that this is a symptom and I just have to hunker down when it's at its worst and ride it out and it will get better. You are treating, right? Detoxing too? Have you been tested for deficiencies in vitamins like B and D?

I agree. The mood herxing passes if you treat properly and detox. I too hunker down and just wait for the anxiety and/or depression to pass. And then it's like a swtich is flipped and the anxiety and/or depression lifts.

I even have to let my family know sometimes when they keep asking me "what's wrong". They don't fully understand, I just tell them it's lyme not me, it will fade away later.

But the main point is remember it's not you it's lyme.

I would announce to the family "I'm lymie today." Just so they would know why I was different and not my cheery self.