Western Blot explanation: http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/022767.html
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oops! Lymetutu
Obviously my case is unique and many here may indeed have lyme - I would encourage everyone who has not seen a psychiatrist to do so just in case.
I wish you all the best in getting better.
Dougie
If it is not, read on...
Of course I hope you do not have Lyme, and that you are cured. However, anxiety and depression are big time Lyme symptoms. Let me ask you, what is the cause of your symptoms?
Go ahead and take zoloft and xanax and valium and all the psychiatric stuff and let it mask your illness, and drag you deeper into denial.
WAke up!
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Lyme Disease Help
http://www.wildcondor.com
[This message has been edited by WildCondor (edited 25 April 2004).]
I did learn that you suspect that you acquired LD during a trip back to NJ. However, your LD test showed only the #41 WB band, although I didn't pay attention to how soon after your suspected infection it was before you were tested because that could make a difference in whether it was too early for enough antibodies to show up or not.
So, yes, it is indeed possible that you don't have Bb, but what about the other tick-borne co-infections? If you start to relapse quickly after going off abx, then please be sure to check into those (Ehrlichia, Babesia, Bartonella), if you haven't done so already. Sometimes, it's necessary to test several times before they show up, so if in doubt, be diligent about asking to be re-tested for each of those.
If time permits, I'll try to review some more of your previous posts to see if I can pick up any more clues which might be helpful.
BTW, keep in mind that there are other infections besides tick-borne pathogens which can cause symptoms of "reactive arthritis". Chlamydia trachomatis come to mind, but it's not the only one. There are some STDs which can do so, too, if I'm not mistaken.
You might want to become familiar with the iinfo at the following two websites:
www.rheumatic.org
www.roadback.org
They have a doctor referral list in case you find that you want to check into this later, depending on how you do after you discontinue abx treatment. These doctors use a less intensive form of long-term abx therapy which is very effective for persons who have primarily arthritic symptoms as their main complaint.
I must be honest that it worries me that you might be jumping from the frying pan into the fire. Personally, I am very leary of the long-term effects of taking anti-depressants, so be careful that you study up on all the side-effects and try not to become dependent on any Rx med which is known to have addictive properties, if you can possibly avoid it.
It's great if you've found your problem, and don't really have Lyme. Lord knows, it will save you millions of dollars. But believe me, I'd pay that financial price many times over to get back the last four years of my life. Please, don't throw away your precious time and energy just to help a supposed medical expert avoid being humble in the face of something he or she may not understand.
http://www.thearthritiscenter.com/arthritis_info.htm
After looking over the list of pathogens on this webpage, be sure to click on the other webpages on that website. The doctor is a rheumatologist who is keenly aware of the infectious origin of rheumatic diseases.
PS - Don't forget to consider the possiblity of a toxic root canal tooth, in case that might be a problem for you. Here's a website with info about this.
[This message has been edited by TX Lyme Mom (edited 25 April 2004).]
Be careful,
DawnE
I had the same thing told to me when I was urinating blood and spurting nose bleeds like Old Faithful.
if its just anxiety and depression in me, slap my on my behind and call me Sally!
No really, are you being sarcastic? If you're not, keep this in mind.
41 is specific for lyme. Only way to get that band is exposure.
Lyme, anxiety and depression run hand in hand.
There is no ONE known cause for anxiety or depression but it *may* *may* be a chemical imbalance in the brain ( ever listen real close to Zoloft commercials?) Nah, try
infection, yeast, etc.
Antidepressants, antianxiety meds most of them contain chemicals that can actually SUPRESS headaches and inflammation associated with lyme thus giving you an "oh my god Im cured " effect.
I know, I lived it. I started on zoloft the same DAY I started on abx. I was out mowing the LAWN the same week. I stopped the zoloft and symptoms rushed back in.
Sorry, Id rather not mask my own symptoms.
Good luck! You'll need it if you are going to fall for what your duck says.
Western Blot explanation: http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/022767.html
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oops!
Lymetutu
[This message has been edited by Lymetoo (edited 25 April 2004).]
You're taxonomically challenged. Get a shrink who can assign (invent) a name for whatever he/you thinks you've got.
Who do you think you're kidding??
Not Me 
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It was quite shocking for me to have all my aches and pains (really they were pretty bad!) magically go away with some of these antidepressants.
As for herxing? Well for me it turned out that I am somewhat manic depressive and that I would assosiate a herx with a depressive episode.
But the majority of us are not bipolar (my kingdom for one manic episode) and your experience does not apply.
We have an infection, and for some of us, hearing one more time that it's all in our head is one cowpie too many.
Antidepressants may help your pain levels by changing your brain chemicals -- a nice side effect, but not the cure for people with lyme.
Good luck.
D-
It sounds like you're loved alot.............
At first it sounded like hand slapping, but I think people really care. They don't want to see you miss any boats. Just be sure to keep a calender of how your feeling. I'm assuming your off antibiotics. The log may come in handy in the future. Be sure to measure temperature in late afternoon during any sag time.
Also, I can't really stand up and clap over the WB tests, even those from Igenex, but periodically do PCR's. Take PCR's from MDL and Igenex for Lyme and co-infections.
What I mean is, stay on it..........don't dismiss it or forget about it.
Heaven knows, you wouldn't wanta be back hear with us loving Lymies any longer than you have to be...........
Smiles, hugs to all--
Grett
Suddenly, on the word of one, you are ready to reject all of the previous doctors diagnoses. I can understand wanting this to be true. However, you need to do more homework.
I had seen a psychiatrist years ago for panic attacks. As time went by he added bi-polar and then ADHD. As more time went by I learned about LD and shared with him. 15 years later!
He has since diagnosed another psychologist in the office w/LD and the pshycologists wife and kids. He has diagnosed his own wife w/LD. His is diagnosing patients in his practice and they continue to show up at our Lyme education and support group. He currently is very up to date on his lyme information DUE TO ME.
He is aware this bacteria can pass our protective blood brain barrier and do damage a psychiatrist would typically never suspect unless he is educated about LD, damage usually associated with syphyllis, the cousin to lyme disease
He understands this is transmitted the same way as syphyllis and that's why it runs in families. Is your psychiatrist lyme literate? Is he/she well read on the topic? And I mean WELL READ, not just what you've "said", but written, documented articles such as When to Suspecy Lyme Disease.
Any "specialist" such as a psychiatrist must be shown data to support such claims we make before they would consider LD as a possible cause. Otherwise their job is a slam dunk w/a diagnoses of depression and anxiety. BTW, what is the cause of this depression and anxiety???
Additionally, I have been working on another psychiatrist who is SLOWLY 'gettting' it. Her partner's are already aware of lyme sx crossing over w/mental.
As Tom Brokow reported "experts say many people wandering the streets in a state of psychosis may simply be undiagnosed Lyme Disease".
As you should know, a symptom does not have to be as extreme. Depression or psychoses, you have a positive band 41. Have a Bowen test done unless you simply don't want to deal with your LD until it deals with you.
If I had seen this was post #2 or 3 from you I'd have said "troll alert". I wish it were that easy. Consider doing a Bowen, it's not all in your head, especially the band #41.
It has been found that many people with fibromyalgia have a reduced amount of seratonin and increased amount of Substance P. Substance P is basically the neurotransmitter that tells your brain you are in pain.
Many people believe that the neurotransmitter issue with fibro is a symptom, not a cause. In that case, it could accompany people who have lyme or other disorders characterized by widespread pain.
If you are feeling better, physically and mentally, than I am happy for you. Sometimes all we need is to be at peace with ourselves and our illnesses.
But if you are just giving up because this seems easier, than I urge you to find another doctor to talk to and to research why antidepressants help reduce pain.
Stress, poor diets, AND certain pathogens can deplete the vits. and minerals that keep us healthy.
No wonder so many Americans have Mg deficiency symptoms and they are so varied. Look at the list of lyme symptoms (40+). We are a "stressed out" nation.
I think it may be time to add yet another supplement into our foods.
Our foods used to be healthier. But along came pesticide use which depletes many nutrients. Yea, I know...need to make more food for more people, but that puts us at risk.
We manage to mess up a lot of things that are really good for us.
We don't like the "taste"/smell of well water which is full of nutrients, so we treat it...
The list goes on.
BTW...B6 is needed to make serotonin, dopamine and melatonin. Mg is needed for serotonin UPTAKE.
Maybe this guy is right and the antidepressants are the ticket and he will feel well on them and not have too many side effects. In such case, quality of life is what counts.
If he finds over time that he relapses or the symptoms come back, then he can reconsider.
Everybody is individual.
I really and truly believe that the SYMPTOMS of Lyme CAUSE anxiety - NOT anxiety CAUSES the symptoms!!!!!!
I've had several doctors feed me that BS many times before. You're just anxious, take these pills and your twitching will stop. Take these pills and your vision problems will stop. Take these pills and your muscle spasms and muscle cramps and rib soreness and lung soreness and joint aches and stiffness and headaches and short-term memory problems and long-term memories problems and your concentration problems and slurred speech and the problems you have with name/word finding and sore breasts and flu-like achiness and IBS symptoms and tremors and exhaustion and night vision problems and floaters and stomach spasms/twitches AND everything else will ALL GO AWAY MIRACUOUSLY WITH ONE PILL!!!! IT'S REALLY ONLY ANXIETY.
Anxiety MY ASS!!!!
If that were true, if every one of us were really just anxious or depressed and we could take a anti-depressant or anti-anxiety drug and be CURED - WE'D ALL BE TAKING THAT PILL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Deep down inside you know whether you are/were/am really depressed or anxious.
It's SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much easier believing the doctors. It's so much easier to believe that maybe you are a little crazy in the head and taking a drug will cure it all. It's so nice to be able to put your trust in doctors - to let THEM handle it instead of you having to handle it. It's so much easier thinking it's anxiety or depression vs. wondering what the heck is wrong with you.
And it's SO very easy to believe the doctor vs. yourself. It's hard not to doubt yourself because it's a "doctor" telling you all this. I mean, who are you compared to a doctor who went to school all those years, etc.
I once started thinking that, hey, maybe the docs are right. Maybe this IS all in my head. Maybe I am imaging or creating all this. And I took pill after pill after pill. I took all the different side effects that came with the pill. I became paranoid, had panic attacks and became anxious ON the medication prescribed to me - I had never been this way before. When I told the doctor, ummmmmmmmm - I'm having panic attacks now on this medication - the answer was LET'S ADD NERVE PILLS!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't doubt yourself. Just because doctors keep telling you something doesn't mean you have to believe them. Noone knows you or your body or your mind better than yourself.
Self Doubt is a very bad thing. You will eventually pay a price for doubting yourself.
Don't fall into that trap!
This easily could be the reason you think you're getting better...
Glad you are feeling better!!! 
~LymeBrat
I also agree wholeheartedly that a case of Lyme may not be the root of his problem
The 41 band can also be caused by cross-reactivity to other pathogens(EBV for one) and has been indicated as making a appearance amoung those who are dealing with cetain types of dental infections
But to furthermore confuse this gentleman--yes, a 41 band can mean infection--or exposure at some point in his life to this pathogen(you did not mention if this was a 41 band IgG--which in *theory*, is a sign of past exposure--or is it a 41 IgM band---which is a signal of active infection) A total *picture*of your syptomology would also be needed to help the doctor along with a clinical DX of Lyme
Just keep it in the back of your mind to check in with your old LLMD if you do not see signs of improvement that are lasting
Best of luck to you
Lyme is NOT necessarily the cause of anxiety/depression and pain! Before I ever got lyme disease, I suffered from these things.
Lyme disease can certainly initiate anxiety and depression in those who have not had it before, but if you are a person like me (and possibly Dougie?), you're predisposed to these emotional upheavals, and attributing it to a physiological effect of lyme can be problematic.
I find that the anxiety and depression CAN exacerbate any pain I am feeling. If I take an anti-anxiety pill.. oddly, the pain is often reduced! Imagine that!
So... understandably many of you have secondary emotional problems due to lyme... but let's try not to assume that 100% of emotional problems are due to physiological problems like lyme (or magnesium deficiency) that can just be cured with Abx or a supplement. Some of us were born with the predisposition for depression and the source is buried in our brains!
Karyn
[disclaimer: not having followed Dougie's full history, I don't necessarily apply anything I've said here to him.]