My friend called today - said yesterday she had a bad episode...
She described it as feeling like someone hitting her on the head with baseball bat while someone else shook her brain.
She yelled for her husband as soon as it started and by the time he got there she was standing up. She didn't black out but she couldn't talk while it was happening.
It didn't last long. She was very pale, even her lips were white. Her husband isn't easily frightened, but this episode scared him.
She felt tired afterwards and her muscles were tight and her gut felt like it had tightened up.
A few minutes before she had eaten some chicken. She does have food sensitivities and has to be very careful what she eats / takes in supplements. She had recently started taking grapefruit seed extract.
Her LLMD was able to work her in today - she got an Myerscocktail IV and says she feels better. But doesn't know what her next plan of action is....
What could have caused it? How does she prevent it happening again? Is this a common thing for Lyme???
Her doc did give her the name of a neurologist/brain specialist to see.
[ 10-01-2014, 09:46 PM: Message edited by: MannaMe ]
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
Bart+lyme+babesia can cause all sorts of strange phenomena with our brain and nervous system.
As long as her doc ruled out possible non-related causes for the brain to do this (stroke etc), then it is probably safe to say it is one or more of the three above causing it.
I hope the neurologist is lyme-friendly, if not lyme literate...
When first treating I had a few incidents which I call seizures, but I was conscious for. Could not commuicate or control my body. Felt like I was 4 X 4 ing down a really bumpy dirt road...only I would be laying or sitting.
The skin around my lips would go blue, my fingers and toes would be affected also.
Not sure if this even helps, but as long as your friends doc has ruled out a non lyme reason for this.
Hope she feels better.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
She's currently not treating with abx. She was doing really good without symptoms for the past year.
She decided to stop the grapefruit seed extract!
Greta, thanks for sharing - I'm sure it will make her feel better to know others have had crazy head stuff happen also.
Early in the start of her Lyme symptoms she had an episode where she did pass out and was checked for stroke. Nothing.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
So she's not on ANY meds???
It can really mess you up if you are taking any medications!
Posted by seibertneurolyme (Member # 6416) on :
LymeToo,
I do not believe grapefruit seed extract has the same effects on meds that the actual fruit does.
I would be checking for hypercoagulation.
Lumbrokinase or high dose niacin could possibly be beneficial.
Does not really sound like a true seizure, but more like a bloodflow issue to me. But there is of course some overlap of symptoms.
Does the person have high blood pressure or elevated cholesterol? Need to consider cardiovascular causes of TIA's as well as tickborne infection causes.
Bea Seibert
Posted by MannaMe (Member # 33330) on :
No high blood pressure currently.... She did have some issues with it just before she had her baby back in May.
Cholesterol - I don't know - I don't recall her ever saying anything about it.
No, she's not on any meds at this time. Her body is VERY sensitive to meds so has to go very cautiously.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Bea,
She didn't say GSE, she said "grapefruit extract"... so I took that (literally) to mean "grapefruit."
Manna... Keep us posted on what the doctors find out.
Posted by MannaMe (Member # 33330) on :
Lymetoo, sorry, I meant to say grapefruit seed extract. I did go back and edit it.
They are looking into further testing - not sure yet what all they will be checking.
She did ask for prayers - its rather scary not knowing if it could happen again.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I would imagine so! Very scary!! Posted by delljen (Member # 25090) on :
This is just an idea....
You wrote " She didn't black out but she couldn't talk while it was happening."
She may want to look into:
1. Simple Partial Seizures : Simple partial seizures usually start suddenly and are very brief, typically lasting 60 to 120 seconds.[7]
While awake some common symptoms of simple partial seizures are:[5]
*preserved consciousness *sudden and inexplicable feelings of fear, anger, sadness, *happiness or nausea *sensations of falling or movement *experiencing of unusual feelings or sensations *altered sense of hearing, smelling, tasting, seeing, and tactile *perception (sensory illusions or hallucinations), or feeling as though the environment is not real (derealization) or dissociation *from the environment or self (depersonalization) *a sense of spatial distortion—things close by may appear to be at a distance. *laboured speech or inability to speak at all *usually the event is remembered in detail
2. Absence Seizures. The hallmark of the absence seizures is abrupt and sudden-onset impairment of consciousness, interruption of ongoing activities, a blank stare, possibly a brief upward rotation of the eyes. If the patient is speaking, speech is slowed or interrupted;
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