Hi everyone. It looks like I am prob going to be headed to a facility soon to deal w/ my depression and self-injury.
I may be put on meds while I am there. I have tried Prozac, Luvox, Zoloft and Wellbutrin (which gave me a seizure) and the side effects were rough so I never continued.
Are there any psych meds that actually make Lyme worse...i.e. with cognition and tremors etc, that I should refuse to try? Lithium, for example? Or are most psych meds "ok" to take even w/ TBD?
Thanks in advance.
Posted by poppy (Member # 5355) on :
A lyme literate psychiatrist will know this answer, and it may depend on individual response.
Posted by jessicabooklover (Member # 39427) on :
Any one of the places where I am going will not have LL psychs, so I am just curious. Thanks.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- I tried more than half a dozen and they all made me so much worse, even suicidal. I did far better off of them.
Depression was so much worse with each one I tried - over the span of years.
Now, some may need a certain one but please be aware that, for some people the very drugs that are supposed to help (and may help) others can be a disaster and make depression so much worse.
It was that way for me and that has also been the experience of many others.
For myself, there were so many other issues causing the depression and mood swings. Lyme, indeed, being one of those (and other infections) but also gluten, food additives, lack of magnesium and B-vitamins.
I did very well with an herbalist but it took time.
I am still very ill (never had access to a LL doctor for long) but am not depressed, really. I'm not thrilled with my limitations but I must say that the nutrient focus has nearly cured me of depression.
And I was suicidal for years. Any pysch drug just made that worse. I nearly lost my life due to low dose xanax and regular dose effexor.
Before those, I got terrible reactions to prozac, paxil, wellbutrin, doxypin, zoloft, every cousin to amitryptyline, and probably a few others.
ADRENAL dysfunction was probably a huge key, too. That had been ignored by doctors and I never heard of it. Once I was able to support adrenals, my mood improved dramatically.
I have hesitated posting detail about myself in all your past threads on this topic but I just can't say quiet any longer. As you have tried so many, it may be that your body is just one of those that does not do well with this kind of drug.
Or, maybe the right combination has not been found. But it is important to consider that pharmacology may not hold your winning ticket.
I can't say for sure if your body needs a certain drug or not. But it's important to consider that some of these do have very serious paradoxical reactions for many. So you can proceed from there.
[Paradoxical reaction: opposite of what is expected. Worse from a drug rather than better.]
Still, there are other ways to be very proactive about this. -
Posted by jessicabooklover (Member # 39427) on :
Thanks so much Keebler.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Have you ever been assessed for PORPHYRIA?
For anyone with paradoxical reactions to medicines, it's really important to consider that.
As it turned out, finally, I was diagnosed with porphyria. That explained my reactions to all those psych drugs.
Topic: what type of M.D. tests for PORPHYRIA -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Also know that may psych drugs are very hard on the liver. Liver support is essential when taking any of them.
But no hospital that I know of will acknowledge some of the herbs used for liver support - however, they may acknowledge and let you take NAC or magnesium. And the very best nutrition for food matters all the more.
A stressed liver can cause depression, even suicidial impulses. Lyme, even alone, can damage the liver so it's really vital to consider this.
[ 06-26-2013, 04:42 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- LITHIUM
You asked about lithium. I was given the therapeutic dose of that, as Rx, too. It made me worse, with tremors. Because it was not the right kind or dose for my body.
Your body may be different.
Howver, there is a different form of Lithium that has been a help for some with lyme. OROTATE. It made me too tired but I've read of others who have done very well with it.
LITHIUM OROTATE -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- I mentioned the adrenal exhaustion as being a major contributor to deep depression that I experienced, and that support made all the difference in my mood.
I recall ASHWAGANDHA turning my life around within a few days. I felt lighter, like there was hope because there was hope. There is always hope.
IV MAGNESIUM also made a huge difference, along with other nutrients in the mix.
it's best to have professional guidance from a LL ND or at least a ND (naturopathic doctor) for nutritional approaches listed above.
----------------
Still, psychological counseling is also VERY important for your situation - emergency care to avert injury behavior is the utmost consideration at this time. -
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I agree on the magnesium. It could be that you have a severe mag deficiency. Most of the drugs you mention deplete mag. So.. that would make you feel worse.
I wish they would give you mag supplements along with any meds. And don't expect them to find your deficiency with a test. There IS one test called a mag RBC.. I'll see if I can get a link for you.
I recently found a product called ReMag. It works better than ANY mag supplement I've ever taken.
Posted by poppy (Member # 5355) on :
Lithium can make hypothyroidism worse. That may be why it appeared to cause fatigue.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Thanks, poppy. Hypothyroid is in my mix. Even if in retrospect, it's nice to learn of such variables. At that time, I had no ND to guide me. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- You likely won't be able to call ahead and set up IV Magnesium - or even after admitted to a hospital ward.
LymeToo makes a good point: "Don't expect any regular doctor to find a magnesium deficiency with a test". (end paraphrase).
They often do the wrong test. It requires an INTRACELLULAR TEST with specific parameters and some labs are not as good as others with this.
And it may take days or week to get the test back.
As pharmaceutical industry funds medical schools and hospitals, the use of magnesium is not likely to be as available as (I think) it should.
So much of this is stuff that we pretty much have to do on our own, finding the doctors who have stepped out of the mainstream, or naturopathic doctors.
Still, if you can show them the links, you might have a chance. IF deficient, insurance may cover the IV. But you don't have to be hospitalized to do this.
In the magnesium links set, is detail about testing. Any good ND would know, too. They would not have to be a LL ND.
Of course, in the meantime, a supplement could be a big help - along with FOOD, glorious food: protein, complex carbohydrates and good fatty acids.
Protein really helps my mood stay stable. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- To clarify your original question:
"Any Psych Drugs That Make Lyme WORSE?"
This is not about lyme, as just your body. I can't say that any of these drugs made lyme worse for me but they made ME worse, for various reasons.
They made HAVING lyme much harder, if they make you feel worse. [There have been some people with lyme that did well with certain psych drugs, though.]
So, if you talk to non-LL professionals about your reactions to these drugs, I would not say that they make lyme worse. Not everything is lyme.
Of course, for someone with lyme, anything that does not help and, certainly anything that makes us feel worse can make lyme success all that more elusive -- and the liver stress is certianly going to make lyme treatment harder.
Still, it is best to not include lyme in this particular discussion with new-to-you psychiatrists or therapists.
Best to just say you have serious reactions, detail those symptoms but leave lyme out of it.
The psych drugs are not like steroids which can, indeed, make lyme worse, by allowing the infection to blossom.
Of course, we don't know all about any of these drugs. So much yet to be determined and so much information is not available even to the prescribing doctor. -
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Lymetoo, I've had the magnesium RBC test endless times and always normal to high normal. Still though, some insist here it doesn't tell the story. Not sure what to make of that.
Posted by ktkdommer (Member # 29020) on :
Just saying I am so sorry! There doesn't seem to be any easy answers with mental health issues and Lyme. My son has reacted to about everything. He did OK on effexor until it stopped working. Now he is trying remeron along with abilify. I hate to do it but what are the choices. Hospital was not helpful. I am holding out hope that bart meds will soon clear things up. He was so much better after IV rocephin. I hope to get him back.
He is being tested for KPU right now. Just sent it off with UPS air today. It would make sense.
Best wishes!
Posted by lululymemom (Member # 26405) on :
If you are very malnourished, you may well be anemic. Anemia causes depression. Something to consider.