For years I've been diagnosed with various pains and mental disorders, with no treatment ever being effective. After my mother was diagnosed with Lyme in the past couple months, pieces began falling into place. I do not have an official diagnosis yet (first appointment is on Tuesday) but it would be about the only thing that explains everything I've been experiencing.
In the past couple months things have crashed and burned. Joint aches, muscle pain and weakness, all the usual suspects...but what's most upsetting are the neuropsychological symptoms I've been experiencing. I have no patience, I am depressed or furious for little or even no reason, ...all without really realizing it, of course, and certainly unable to control it.
The worst, absolute worst part of this is that we were moving out of state at the end of this week. I quit my jobs, moved out of my house, and we moved all our stuff up there this past weekend. I am living out of a duffel bag in my father's house, and now it is an indefinite situation. I am destroyed, utterly. My boyfriend left for the new house this morning.
So I need to know...how long does treatment take to start working on neuropsychological symptoms? I know it's different for everybody, but if anyone has an answer I need to hear it. The physical pain I can handle...the complete hopelessness of my current situation I cannot. I need to get better...for myself and for my shattered relationship.
Thank you for your time, and for the replies I'm sure to get. I'm a now lost soul, just needing to get better so I can continue with the happy life I so nearly had in my grasp.
[ 03-20-2012, 10:21 AM: Message edited by: Lymetoo ]
Posted by beths (Member # 18864) on :
So sorry this is happening to you. Hopefully, the neuropsych will go away quickly.
Give your boyfriend some space. Perhaps if he comes with you to your first LLMD appt, it will help him understand this isn't "you".
Others will say if he loved you..he'd stick with you. But realistically, he sounds like he is also at his breaking point, and a little time apart may be a good thing.
Hope you getter better quickly-but is a rough road. You will get there, and this will just be a bad memory...
Posted by LWB (Member # 36686) on :
He understands it isn't "me," but unfortunately things have progressed far enough that I am not "me" about 50% of the time. Nasty stuff. I don't blame him for needing space.
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
Look into taking fish oil with a very high ratio of EPA. Aim for 2000 mg of EPA daily.
I've provided links to the iHerb site, as they have complete ingredient information and reviews, but you may find better prices at Amazon.com or other vendors.
I used Country Life Omega 3 Mood for a long time, but had a problem with loose stools after they changed suppliers. I also tried a "store brand" of high EPA, but it was not effective. I'm presently taking Minami MorEPA, four capsules daily.
High EPA will reduce inflammation. When the swelling in the capillaries goes down, the red blood cells can pass through easier, and the brain cells get more oxygen.
I do notice mental improvements, and I have less joint pain too.
Keebler has spoken of a study she saw, where New York City cab drivers took fish oil. After one week, they were able to deal with passengers much better!
Posted by manybites (Member # 33750) on :
I am afraid you have bartonella .That is making you to have neurological symtoms and being abusive to your partner.
Read about Bartonella symtoms.You need to be in treatment asap.Antibiotics and herbs in combo can help with bartonella .Read and do a search here and find learn as much as possible here in lymenet.
Posted by paulieinct (Member # 17514) on :
Sorry to hear of your troubles. Many of us here can relate. My own mother was a sweet, sensitive, shy gentle person who became a screaming banshee because of Lyme, I am convinced. Like you, I have put together the pieces of the puzzle and have come to realize that my whole family has Lyme. It killed my mother after destroying our family life.
Frequent rages are very characteristic of neuro-Lyme, and I'll bet that's what you have.
Treatment takes time, but you may find that the psychiatric manifestations are the first to improve. In the meantime, SSRI antidepressants may give you a lot of relief. They did for me and my mom. You will also find others on this board who disagree strongly on this.
Best of luck to you. -Paulie
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Trying to give you some idea of a timeframe....
I have seen people improve with these types of symptoms after 3 months of good treatment.
"Good treatment"--those are the key words. It would be best if you were treated for lyme, babesiosis, and bartonella all at the same time. Then, maybe, after 3 months of that, your personality would be more like normal.
To know what good treatment looks like, you need to read and STUDY the Burrascano Lyme Treatment Guidelines found here:
If your lyme doctor does not put you on the high dose combinations of antibiotics that Burrascano recommends,you can't expect much progress.
You need a doctor who is sophisticated enough to treat you for all the 3 main diseases at once. That saves time in getting well mentally.
So, you should get to a top notch lyme doctor if you want to have the best chance of getting to normal quickly.
Just understand that I am NOT saying you will be cured in 3 months. Rather, I am answering the question of how long it takes for treatment to start working on neuropsychological problems like yours.
I had undiagnosed lyme disease for at least 10 years before a doctor figured out that I had lyme. It is now 7 years since I completed my treatment (got rid of lyme, babesiosis, and bartonella) and I am still symptom-free, enjoying my life. The doc is the key to getting rid of this horrendous disease. Can't emphasize that enough. The doc is the key.
Posted by Garden (Member # 31671) on :
I'm going to suggest you go off gluten. It's hard, and you will need to go off gluten 100%. No cheating, no cross-contamination.
Gluten can actually cause all of those symptoms. I'm not suggesting you don't have Lyme, BUT if gluten is part of your problem, the treatment is something you can start now.
If gluten is a problem for you, and you don't address it, you will never fully heal, no matter how many drugs you take.
The nice thing about gluten-free is that it is something you can control. You don't need to wait for a doc appt, and you don't have to worry about insurance coverage, etc.