BB
The primary sexual organ is...?
Tut tut, you make me blush! That's not the primary sexual organ!
The brain is.
And here is a fact completely overlooked in all the medical monographs:
Your brain is trying to run away from home.
Well, who can blame it. It's awash in endotoxins, under seige by who knows how many spirochetes, piroplasms, micoplasms, bugs and bogeymen.
So those signals for intimate moment-type responses are struggling through heavy fog, crossed wires, bandits, orcs -- in general, they're trying to get through the mines of Moria on a 3-legged pony walking backwards.
And if they do get through, who's there to receive them? What with your brain trying to catch the first flight that it can from planet Hell .
But seriously, that sense of depersonalization and anhedonia are well-documented (by Bransfield and Fallon, among others) symptoms of LD, as is the loss of libido.
Recognize that it is a symptom, just like the headache etc. You can use it as an indicator of progress, as it goes away. But you can't force it, just like you can't stand on a broken leg just by force of will.
There are some things that might help -- Trout reports that Samento had a lovely side effect on him, the sly dog. SAME-e works for depression and neural stimulation for some. Growth hormone, in some cases. Anti-depressants for the depression, but they usually depress the libido. Taking care of yeast. For me, I think the the cholestyramine tx for endotoxins really pushed me forward. But the main thing is getting rid of bugs.
At 3 months, you're just getting to the good part; it'll probably be a while before you get much of an upswing.
It's awful, I know. Truly, I've been there --life is like watching some boring foreign movie with subtitles with no character development, no plot, and no breaks for commercials. I mean, really, it's the last indignity of an ignoble disease. And it's impossible to explain to someone who hasn't experienced it.
But just think of how happy you and your brain will be to see each other when your brain decides it's safe to come home. To say nothing of how happy those unmentionable secondary organs will feel.
Oh and PS: Posts are a lot easier to read if you break them into paragraphs of 3-4 lines or less, with a double space between.
[This message has been edited by minoucat (edited 12 September 2004).]
I wish I would have found out about this website earlier on. DocDave, I too experience fits of this rage. It comes on like this unbearable feeling to just freak out about the littlest unimportant things. I gives me the strongest desire to just SCREAM and then break something, but I don't know why?? I am currently being treated for lyme depression because I have a very lyme literate doctor(Finally) who understands most of what I am going through. 150m of wellbutrin which seems to work, although I can tell the difference between a chemical happy, and just happy.
BarelyBreathin, I am also taking many many vitamins one of which is the Omega-three fatty acid oils. On top of these I am also taking Rhodiola Rosea to increase neural activity and give me energy. I defintely notice a difference if I do not take that. I become more sluggish, less motivated. My main problem know though isn't energy, it is being able to have a normal conversation with someone and not having my brain short out and my nerves become agitated. Meetings are an absolute living nightmare for me. I used to be quite a good public speaker before this happened to me. Now I am nervous about talking one on one with someone that I don't know, because of the feelings of unreasonable anxiety that I get. When the meeting is over I am completely drained because it takes all that I have to stay focused on what is taking place right in front of me. This is so unlike me. I WAS a type A personality before I was infected. Now, I shy away from people and avoid conversation. It is so frustrating I can't take it. This feels so good to just vent....
Minoucat, I think you hit the nail right on the head with what you had said. Nicely put. How can I expect to be intimate with someone when I can't even have a conversation with them??? This disease sucks. Give me a broken appendage any day, give me pain, give me a limp. This mental sh-t is torture. I just want my mind back. I am going to try Samento and see what happens. I am not expecting a miracle. And you are completely right about trying to explain what is going on inside you to healthy people. They think you're CRAZY. Hell, I thought I was losing my mind. Has anyone been cured of all of their ailments or is that not every going to happen? I mean am I going to have to deal with this for the rest of my life. I really don't think I could do that. Not in my present state anyway. Are there any success stories out there. All I seem to find are nightmares.
And I'm doing so much better than I was, no longer depressed, my brain is soooooo much clearer. It's been the treatment for babesia that turned the corner for me. I'm a long term lymie too.
Don't forget that most of us here are the hard cases -- people who got well and moved on don't hang around here much.
I know what you mean about meeting hell. Have you had the lovely moment yet when someone asks about a topic you discussed this morning, and you can not only NOT remember the topic, you can't even remember having the meeting?
You can read more about the neuropsychiatric (see, 4 months ago I could never have spelled that! Really!) effects of LD (and bartonella and babs etc) at http://www.lymeinfo.net/psychbiblio.html
And there's a great talk by Dr. Sherr, who contracted LD, at www.lymediseaseaudio.com/sherr.htm
Dunno about you, but this stuff makes me feel less alone and helps keeps things manageable.
One thing I will say though, is don't get complacent or rely completely on your doctor, and keep investigating additional treatments -- like detoxing, treating for coinfections, etc. I made a big mistake by leaving it all up to a doc at one point -- well, heck, I got tired and brainfogged, but I shouldn't have, nonetheless, and I paid bigtime.
Sounds like you have a good grip on the supplement thing,and I'm interested in Rhodiola Rosea for me.
Oh, and you can get a significant herx on samento, which has abx properties, so tread softly with it. You can search in Medical for people's experience with it.
Welcome aboard. I regret the reason for you being here. I don't know if you've seen this yet but it's a rich resource: http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/Forum1/HTML/009342.html
[This message has been edited by minoucat (edited 12 September 2004).]
Neurological Lyme disease causes brain inflammation. It's like a continuous case of encephalitis or meningitis. And brain inflammation in the white matter, such as the frontal and temporal lobes (and hippocampus, affect your executive functions (temper, temper), and your state of happiness, anxiety, and sexual response.
But when the inflammation goes down, your brain will slowly repair itself and come out of its swollen shell, so to speak. Even when the inflammation goes down, it may be a while before your brain function returns. People with concussions have the same problem. It often takes them at least six months to get back closer to normal.
Before treatment, I was completely apathetic, no motivation to do anything. When someone threw a party for me, it just seemed overwhelming and I had no excitement, just dread that I had to act pleased and social. I was anxious all the time and became agoraphobic, unable to go outside unless I was with someone. I could not even cross the street alone.
It took about four months before I could organize things and make plans as simple as going to the store, buying food, and making toast. I finally had the energy to make the bed. I finally had the ability to think and organize my work. And I took pleasure in being with people. Occasionally, I still had rage at the slightest provocation, which shocked me when it happened.
Today, while I am not cured, I have come such a long way that I am amazed that I had once been so afraid all the time. I love having people over for dinner. I make plans to go hiking. I organize my day (well, one of those Palm PDAs with alarms help a lot, too, and I am enjoying life to its fullest.
So take heart. You will get better. Your emotions will return. Expect up and down days, and cheer for yourself when you see the slightest improvement. Those small ones will amount to big ones over time.
Pooch
quote:
Originally posted by minoucat:
Oh and PS: Posts are a lot easier to read if you break them into paragraphs of 3-4 lines or less, with a double space between.
I've had lots of abx, hormone treatment helped tremendously, and now a wonderful new product has taken me over the top with this. So hang in there and get proper treatment for the brain infection you must have.
Also, some abx can cause depression...so keep that in mind. Flagyl puts me in a deep dark well that I can't climb out of!
So, hang in there! It will get better!
------------------
oops!
Lymetutu
Hi and WELCOME! Get a LLMD or at least Dr that is willing to learn about lyme. Borrelia Burgdorferi is a clinical diagnosis, based on symptoms and on your response to treatment. Good Luck, bumpy road ahead.
Post for a LLMD in Seeking a Doctor. Ps remember I am not a Dr, just a fellow sufferer.
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See this ( . )thats the size of the larva stage tick...
Next nymph size... ( * )
Next is adult ( o ) to ( 0 )
Pretty small????? HUH
Marnies......... Ten Points Regarding Mg and Lyme Disease