Hello all, I am a new for this group. We had a consultation with a new LLD recently. My daughter (22 year old, Lyme, Babesia, Abs for the last 2 years) has been not feeling well during the last 2 months (to say the least) - atypical depression, agitation, anxiety to a very extreme point. The LLD diagnosed her in addition to the above with Bartonella by 22 different features on her skin. Her main manifestations are psychological. We are regrouping now and planning to address the Bartonella with her LLD. I have a few questions:
1. Can somebody recommend from their experience how to control depression, mood swings and anxiety. She has started 2 times on antidepressants and anxiety medications and has become very suicidal so this may not be a way to go for us. Any suggestions are welcome - herbal etc. 2. I have found the following information on New Remedies For Bartonella. Any comments or experience? ....Zithromax and biaxin at 1250/mg per day with augmentin XR have helped some... . . . Houttuynia, or HH. This Chinese herb, apparently well-known amongst those who practice Modern Chinese Medicine, has been found to be quite effective for treating bartonella. Formulated for bartonella sufferers in the United States by Dr. C. Zhang, a Harvard-educated MD, Zhang has found that HH is good at killing bartonella attached to, or inside of, red blood cells. Dr. Schaller does not mention, however, how much of this stuff is needed to eradicate the infection, if in fact, it can do that. . . . clove bud essential oil, which he contends has been effective for ridding bartonella in a handful of his patients (who had tried it on their own). He advocates high doses of 75% diluted clove bud oil with olive, coconut or grape seed oil, although again, did not comment on what constitutes a "high dose." So you'll have to jump on some rabbit trails if you want the answer to that one. . . . treatments finished with others that have not worked, according to his experience...Ceftin, Omnicef, Levaquin, and Cipro. Shucks. -------------------------------------------------------- Thank you for your help.
Valentin
Posted by jkmom (Member # 14004) on :
My daughter (11 years old now) went through almost all of the SSRI's 2 years ago and had side effects to all of them.
She took Elavil for her headaches and that seemed to help her mood and anxiety. we stopped it because it wasn't helping her headaches any more.
She now takes Depakote for mood stability.
She also takes 1/4 of the dose (2.5 mg) of Lexapro and seems to do ok with that.
She takes Trazodone for sleep and Doxepin (a tricyclic a/d) for sleep and headache prevention. These also seem to help with her anxiety.
She sees a LL psychiatrist a plane ride away. Because she had the problems with the SSRI's before, I felt better about seeing someone who is used to dealing with patients with TBD. We saw him once but have talked with him on the phone since then, so travel isn't a big issue. PM me if you want his name.
Posted by Jane2904 (Member # 15917) on :
Rifampin has helped alot of symptoms for our daughter.
Anxiety is better since beginning the Rifampin for Bartonella.
Good luck to your daughter. sorry she is not feeling well.
Posted by tick battler (Member # 21113) on :
I agree with Jane...Rifampin worked very well for one of my boys. He had anger and tantrums and tested positive for bart. The Rifampin made it go away but Bactrim and zith and biaxin did not work for him. He is still taking it.
tickbattler
Posted by B4LYME (Member # 23222) on :
I have had much of what your daughter is experiencing. I dealt with lyme and company in 2001-2005 and with treatment they all went away. Within eight months of treatment I was off my occasional xanax and within a year or so I was off nortyptyline.
I took low dose of the nortyptyline a tricyclic drug to help with sleep and it helped some with the depression and anxiety.
While this won't make everything get better, it helps take the edge off while I wait for the abx treatment to work.
If I need more help, I may try small doses of Lexapro or Remeron. Each of our chemistries are different so what works for one may not work for another. I've tried a lot of natural things first like vitamins, minerals, sam-e, 5htp and l-theanine. The l-theanine helps calm me some, but not enough when it gets bad.
You may also want to chart the symptoms. Sometimes they occur in a cyclic pattern. Then you can tell yourself that in a little whille it will pass and that this is not your everyday reality. It helped me to get through the tougher days by just getting through.
I'm currently back in treatment from a relapse this summer and I'm trying klonopin and I think the low dose is helping me.
I hope this helps. There is great hope for healing. Hang in there.
B4
Posted by map1131 (Member # 2022) on :
Rila, you mentioned your daughter had 22 skin sx that doc said was bartonella. I'm really interested in the skin sx?
Please list them.
Pam
Posted by Rila (Member # 23413) on :
Thank you, for your replies. All the information about the manifestation of Bart on the skin is his book on Bartonella. Most of it are images. I am sorry that I can not remember many but some I remember are stretch marks (discolored, from the hips up), pimples, blood vessels seen throgh the skin. You have to find the book to see all of them. Regards, Valentin
Posted by LindaS (Member # 20251) on :