My mom called me today and told me she was watching a special on lyme disease and they were saying that people can get aggressive and have "lyme rage".
Well literally for the past year or more I've been so irritable and get so agitated so fast. I'm normally a very calm, patient person... but not anymore. I know I am being this way but I can't control it sometimes. I hate it.
I always just thought it was from stress. But now I'm wondering if I have "lyme Rage"?
What causes it and how can it be treated? It's actually quite frustrating and I feel horrible for my behavior. I take a lot out on my husband and children. I'm such a grouch.
Please help.
Posted by hope4sofia (Member # 20577) on :
I take cymbalta for it. It helps a lot.
The Lyme rage is very disturbing for me.
I can tell when I am more brittle and will let my husband know so he can buffer me and the kids a bit.
It's like, when I'm agitated, every little noise they make just sets me off.
Posted by kareamber (Member # 20110) on :
I would like to try an antidepressant for this if it helps. But I've tried them in the past and I'm very sensitive to them. Even the lowest dosages make me feel crazy.
I'm the same way with me kids... when I'm feeling out of sorts every tiny noise gets to me. When I get feeling like this I try me best to stay calm and spend some time alone.
What causes "lyme rage?" is it an inbalance in the brain or what?
Posted by Leelee (Member # 19112) on :
You might be having anxiety brought on by Lyme. I seems that if you acted out violently while enraged you would have "Lyme Rage". If you mean you yell at your kids for teensy noises, I think that is Lyme anxiety.
I take Lexapro and Trazodone for anxiety and depression. This week my therapist added Pristiq b/c he thinks it will help control my anxiety that comes on every afternoon.
Sorry, I don't know the cause of either.
Posted by lymeHerx001 (Member # 6215) on :
they make me kinda crazy too,
just lower the dosage by one tenth if you have too!
Thats what I do.
Never been able to stick to an ATD for longer then a benzo though. Benzos get me through.
They others make my anxiety much worse.
I really believe in the HPA axis theory,.
Posted by Starfall1969 (Member # 17353) on :
I have similar issues too, and I've always wondered.
But before my Lyme dx, the doctors kept putting me on this and that anti-depressant/anti-anxiety, and they all made me either crazy, sick or suicidal.
I am unwilling to try any more of them.
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
I can't take AD's either. I have horrible reactions to them. I take Xanax for my anxiety and it helps.
Posted by Ivy (Member # 18365) on :
I have read Lyme affects hormone levels. If hormones were off - I think irritability would be a symptom.
Might be worth checking out hormones levels before taking anti-depressant drugs.
Posted by lymetwister (Member # 19590) on :
Google 5-HTP, it's a direct precursor to Serotonin and works very similar if not better than Anti Depressants without the nasty side effects.
Also, you might want to look into Lithium Orotate, which should help calm you down.
Not to be confused with Lithium Carbonate, as they are similar, but Orotate is way less potent and sold over the counter.
Many take this to relax and it's not designed for bipolar.
Google Lithium Orotate and Revolution Health and you will see the user reviews. You can do the same for 5-HTP. I say natural is the best approach.
Serenity is a brand of Lithium Orotate and they offer a free 90 capsule trial at their site. You just pay the shipping. I think it helps alot combined with the 5-HTP.
For what it's worth, I can't tolerate AD's either, but I can tolerate the above with great ease and success.
LT
Posted by lymeinhell (Member # 4622) on :
Could also be Bartonella rage.
Rhodiola works wonders on this. Taken on an empty stomach to get full effects. I swear by it and have recommended it to non-lymies and have also gotten very positive feedback.
Posted by Kreynolds (Member # 15117) on :
I guess I got the worst Lyme/Bart Rage....
I have really bad anxiety and have to take 10mg/2x day Valium and 1mg Klonopin/day to subside my anxiety.
The irritabilty is REAL bad. I don't deal well with Anti-Depressants. They make me feel sick.
Some days it gets so bad that I look for confrontations......