Firstly, I told him everything, i.e., that I'm seeing another LLMD, that I'm being treated for Lyme, that I don't have a positive test for Lyme but have all the symptoms of neuroLyme.

He quickly dismissed me as having Lyme.

I told him that some of the WB bands came back positive which indicates Lyme. He said, that the antibody test is known to have high false positives. What a surprise???

Later during our conversation I mentioned that I occasionally get depressed. After that there was no turning back.

He said, "You'd be surprised how many people walk in here with depression and who have all your symptoms, including numbness."

I said, "But what's causing the depression? Couldn't it be Lyme?"

He said, "Lyme is just a scape goat."

I then asked him to test my hormone levels of Estradiol, Progesterone, DHEAS, Testosterone and Cortisol cause I had heard that it could cause a number of the symptoms I have and that I was abnormally late in my puberty.

He would only do that last two. And even that took some persuading.

He took several other blood tests, but generally assured me that if all these tests come back normal, that he wants to put me on an anti-depressant for 4-6 weeks.

As to the question about what's causing it, he didn't want to speculate. He did say though that being generally depressed just even once or twice every month is abnormal, and that that in itself could cause all my neuro symptoms and that maybe I should see a psychiatrist.

I don't know if I should believe him.

I don't know if I should take the anti-depressants, if that becomes an option.

Are any of your taking anti-depressants?

Guess Im just psycho,

btw the anti-depressants didnt help me at all,

5htp helped the severe parinoia and anxiety attacks

wellbutrin made me angry, made things more colorfull but I lost sleep, and I had blood pressure problems on it.

Smokin dope... sounds like that duck is smoking something!

I guess if I were a diabetic and I mentioned I was a bit depressed..

He would have me stop my insulin and only feed me antidepressants?

Or if I had cancer...

Would he withhold the chemo and only give me anti-depressants?

WHAT A STINKING SKUNK he is!

Toss him in the alligator pits!

Given to me by my LLMD.

Because I have Lyme.

Which causes terrible pain (among other things).

Which has diminished my quality of life.

Which makes me depressed.

I am currently taking an antidepressant also, 25 mgs of Elavil before bedtime. It helps me with aleep and pain.
I sure hope you find a LLMD soon, that doc sounds like a duck.

On the adult lael is not listed the same info like on adolescent/pediatric: "Use of this antidepressant can cause severe suisidal idealization"

At least 5% of adults become suicidal on an antidepressant finishing on a psych ward for suicidal watch.

Then the unqualified ducs increase the dose - over 30% of suicides are a side effect of an antidepressant!!! But most reports say that the patient had too small dose.

But not all antidepressant are the same and a lot work well on pain, miigraines and deprssion. No other duck is allowed to prescribe it than one certified bu the board of psyciatry. Or you go with a doc you trust will listen to your side effects (like scary or just strange dreams starting several days after first dose).

I don't want to scare you, just informe you about the facts. Always ask for free samples (dr. have full cubbord of them) till you find the right one - they are expensive.

tj

Dealing with pain is another matter. My daughter tried a few antidepressants for a headache that was present constantly, for 2 1/2 years, and bad enough to keep her out of school.

I used to advocate that antidepressants at least be an option to be considered, but our recent experiences have turned me against them.

With a couple of anti-depressants, my daughter experienced diahhrea three times daily, GI pain and burning which continued after stopping the drug, extreme and rapid weight gain, fluid retention, an inability to eat, extreme weakness and fatigue, other mysterious lab results such as kidney inflammation, I could go on. Doctors wouldn't listen. I took her off and presto- no diahhrea! GI pain and other symptoms have lingered but slowly improve.

Also, doctors don't seem to know much about withdrawal from anti-depressants, which can be brutal and last for months. My daughter had electric brain zaps, commonly described by others, and seizure-like experiences getting off one of these drugs.

Now the mainstream doctors want to blame her inability to eat on psychology!
Luckily, as I said, I saw the light and took her off myself, slowly and carefully- but she still had problems.

The ignorance of your PCP makes me want to sprinkle zoloft on his toast and paxil in his cereal.

I have taken antidepressants, in fact, I was a huge fan of zoloft.

I might defer in my answer: There IS a good side to them ( SOME of them)

For me, Zoloft took AWAY my herx to a very tolerable level. My PCP and my LLMD both said it would and is capable of doing that.

BUt on the other side, some antidepressants are known to screw with the immune system.

It took me six months on zoloft to realize that the daily fever I had was coming FROM THE ZOLOFT. BUT, I didnt really herx too much and I did feel kinda normal.

The choice is up to you whether to take these or not, and its also your choice to listen to his uneducated diagnosis... but I honestly wouldnt.

First of all, NEVER tell a physician whom you don't know well and trust completely that you experience depression. There is a high probability that from that point onward anything you say will be perceived through that filter. They are trained to be certain, especially when they are not.

At this point, you might consider going ahead with the RIGHT antidepressant. Here's my logic.
1. If you refuse, you are now a resistant depresseded person, too depressed to realize how depressed you are and/or committed to staying depressed for the secondary gain.
2. Depression is a common companion of chronic illness in addition to neurolyme causing psychiatric symptoms.

However, the instances of negative sexual side effects is high in most antidepressants. One exception is Buproprion (Welbutrin). It is actually used to treat sexual dysfunction in men. Do your research on PubMed and take in abstracts.

Good luck in dealing with this duck. Remember, be strategic.

David

If you want to start all over again w/out this conversation about depression on your record, you can just switch doctors. Ask for your records from this current doctor if you like, and hand carry whatever you think is okay to pass on.

This might sound paranoid and extreme, but David is right: any doctor who gets your record w/a note about possible depression will see you through that "filter."

Trying to find a phych that will listen to you, respect you, and learn about lyme, is like finding a needle at the bottom of an ocean.

I feel I'm a pretty normal individual and I have great reluctance towards taking anti-depressants.

Frankly, I'm getting more upset with this new PCP.

After I told him about the depression, it was like his head lit up. No turning back after that.

Thanks for the advice about hand carrying the medical records so I can filter accordingly.

Guess I should look into the issue of whether depression by itself can cause most of these neuro symptoms. I doubt it, but I should have an open mind.

Again, thanks.

Sounds to me like you need to find another primary. One that is interested in getting you well.

I wouldn't rule out antidepressants. It seems it helps some and makes things worse for others.

I know they made things worse for me. Heads up so you know that this may happen.

Good luck finding a good primary doc. They seem to be few and far between.

I have lost count on how many I have seen during the first year or so of looking for answers.

I did finally find one that will work with my LLMD within that short period of time they allow for each patient.

quote:

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Originally posted by cmichaelo:
I just came away from my first [consultation] visit with my new PCP today (a non-LLMD.) And here's what he had to say.

Firstly, I told him everything, i.e., that I'm seeing another LLMD, that I'm being treated for Lyme, that I don't have a positive test for Lyme but have all the symptoms of neuroLyme.

He quickly dismissed me as having Lyme.

I told him that some of the WB bands came back positive which indicates Lyme. He said, that the antibody test is known to have high false positives. What a surprise???

Later during our conversation I mentioned that I occasionally get depressed. After that there was no turning back.

He said, "You'd be surprised how many people walk in here with depression and who have all your symptoms, including numbness."

I said, "But what's causing the depression? Couldn't it be Lyme?"

He said, "Lyme is just a scape goat."

I then asked him to test my hormone levels of Estradiol, Progesterone, DHEAS, Testosterone and Cortisol cause I had heard that it could cause a number of the symptoms I have and that I was abnormally late in my puberty.

He would only do that last two. And even that took some persuading.

He took several other blood tests, but generally assured me that if all these tests come back normal, that he wants to put me on an anti-depressant for 4-6 weeks.

As to the question about what's causing it, he didn't want to speculate. He did say though that being generally depressed just even once or twice every month is abnormal, and that that in itself could cause all my neuro symptoms and that maybe I should see a psychiatrist.

I don't know if I should believe him.

I don't know if I should take the anti-depressants, if that becomes an option.

Are any of your taking anti-depressants?

Michael

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