Hey, I'm still not well. This past Monday I was playing basketball and start feeling very spacey in between games.
As some of you may know I'm a runner and in pretty decent shape. I just couldn't shake the anxious feelings so I pulled myself out of the game and went outside to get some fresh air. That didn't cut it either and I had my neighbor drive me home thinking a hot shower and laying down would do it.
Not so. The anxiety/panic wasn't subsiding and I was jerking and on the verge of totally losing it.
My wife drove me to the ER where they took my vitals and had me do some lung tests (they did this after I told them that I had a blood clot and some minor pulmonary embolisms about 5 years ago.
Naturally all of this checks out and my blood pressure starts descending to 120/80 - resting heart rate of 54 (which is normal for me). I was given some lorazepham and that certainly helped.
The only out of range blood test was my bun/creatine numbers which have historically been slightly high. Could this be the key to something? I probably should see an endocrinologist?
Anyway, its been three days since then and I still feel totally out of it and on the verge of another attack. I
'm plodding along here at work doing my best to seem normal.
I am praying it's a herx and I'll weather the storm but it's super tough right now. I've felt like this a few other times in my life before and after dx with lyme so I guess we'll see where I am in about a week which is how long it's taken before to get me feeling better.
I switched my protocol recently from Biaxin/Mino (500mgs/100 mgs) 2x daily to include alternating days of Biaxin/Zithromax (my suggestion from Schaller's advice on the treatment of Bart). I began taking Flagyl/Omnicef for 2 days during the week.
And I'm taking some of Cowden stuff.
I have taken Flagyl before and it has made me herx but I can't remember if panic/anxiety is a part of it. In general would those be symptoms of a herx?
I am here at work now trying not to reach into my pocket for a lorazapham.
Let me know what folks have done to cope with severe anxiety/panicky feelings.
Chris
Posted by Myco (Member # 9536) on :
Exercise provokes panic attacks with me. Depleted electrolytes and something to do with the liver. Protein powder shakes help alot as does sea salt in water and Emergen-C.
Posted by glm1111 (Member # 16556) on :
I agree with Myco on this...
.also sea salt and vit C support the adrenal glands which can be further taxed with excersize
Posted by nenet (Member # 13174) on :
I don't know of course, and I am not a Doctor, but it sounds very similar to when I have the before-hand "aura" of a seizure, which for me is usually a sense of disquiet, anxiety, or panic, and then the actual seizure (when you were jerking around).
You can have fully conscious seizures. And of course if you are not aware of what is happening, or even sometimes when you are, it can make your anxiety even worse and send you into a panic attack or tachycardia, etc., on top of the seizure.
My seizures and anxiety are always brought on by exhaustion (lack of sleep, or Lyme symptoms flare or a Herx), by hypoglycemia, or by physical over-exertion - all of these lead to physical and emotional stress for me, and then sometimes I will get a seizure as a result. Some very strong, some very mild, but I never lose conciousness (yet).
Have you read about this particular Lyme symptom, or looked into it?
Posted by mrpotto (Member # 15123) on :
Thanks guys. I think it could be electrolyte related as my bun/creatine has historically been elevated (I've been told that this could be due to being dehydrated). I'll try the Sea Salt and Emergen C.
Nenet: I don't think I technically have had seizure but jusy some jerkiness related to this panic attack and trying to catch my breath in my own mind. Definitely feel thast lack of sleep, herxing and stress contributes.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
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Magnesium is my best help - with fish oil - even to help avoid seizures as nenet describes.
Seizure or not, the NMDA excitatory nerve stuff can go off the charts with lyme and when feeling of panic kick in - it is really on the seizure spectrum, but just not all the way to the top.
Adrenal support is vital, too. More about that here:
This book, by an ILADS member LLMD, holds great information about treatments options and support measures:
I recently added IV Zithro to my protocol which coincided with a good deal of anxiety and very uncomfortable jumping out of my skin feelings that are all new. I am not able to find any information that the IV Zithro may be the cause, but I sure plan to ask my LLMD next week. Do you think it could possibly be the addition of the Zithro?
Posted by Jason21 (Member # 16393) on :
It is my understanding Herx reactions usually start within 1 to 3 days after beginning abx therapy.
If you start having symptoms more than a week later, I think there is a good chance the problems may be related to side effects of the medications.
I have had the same Herx v. medication side-effects issue.
I had a course of biaxin and flagyl early in my treatment and felt about 80% better.
After a few months of doxycycline and zithromax, I cycled back onto biaxin and generic flagyl. About a week later, I started having sleep disturbance and anxiety.
I kept trying to "tough out the Herx." After another 10-14 days of steadily worsening sleep distubance and anxiety, it occured to me that maybe the flagyl was to blame. I was only getting 1-2 hours of sleep per night at this point.
Sure enough, the day after I stopped the flagyl, my sleep improved tremendously and the anxiety was gone.
I tried flagyl again a few months later, and the same thing happened - sleep disturbance and anxiety. Again, I stopped taking flagyl, and my insomnia and anxiety went away.
I remember reading on an LD forum that some patients were having more problems with generic flagyl, and at least one LLMD would only prescribe the name-brand Flagyl.
Posted by mrpotto (Member # 15123) on :
Garunner:
I taken Zith before and it wasn't a new med for me. The Biaxin/Zith combo was new (I had taken each of these individually or with other abx just not together before).
Jason21: I am taking generic Flagyl so I'll look into that. I'm only taking Flagyl two times a week though. The panic attack occurred 4 days after first restarting Flagyl. Not sure if there would be that kind of delay.
Keebler: I also recently stopped taking mag so maybe I'll restart taking that. I am being treated by Dr. S the author of the LD Solution. He thought it was a herx but who knows.
Thanks everyone for the responses.
Chris
Posted by SoSublyme (Member # 15185) on :
Chris,
I just went through the exact same thing...overwhelming anxiety, heart racing, tingling of extremities. It got so bad I went to the ER too.
Everything checked out okay. I am pretty sure it is related to just starting Biaxin. I have been in treatment for over a year and have never herxed as bad as this.
Hope you are doing better.
Posted by Bitrex (Member # 13103) on :
I had severe anxiety on Biaxin that I'm almost positive wasn't related to a herx reaction - I'm convinced that medication messes with the GABA receptors in the brain.
Posted by cjnelson (Member # 12928) on :
I had that too...I think it could be a herx but I wouldnt overlook anything else...have it checked out and start drinking more water, huh!?
Posted by bettyg (Member # 6147) on :
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