This is topic Does SSRI medications or stuff like Lyrica have effect on lyme? in forum Medical Questions at LymeNet Flash.


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Posted by swedish lyme sufferer (Member # 14579) on :
 
I don�t know if this is a really stupid quiestion.

These meds have lots of side-effects,
every time I try to start one for depression and enxiety I get soooo bad, almost like a herx...

Thus the strange question.
 
Posted by lymewreck36 (Member # 4395) on :
 
I don't believe it has an effect on lyme, having been on several. But I do think, from experience, that the mix can stir up some side effects.

That is a tough call to make, I know, so I'll just say that was my experience.

If you need the antidepressent or pain medication, I'm in favor of the relief, so experiment until you find a good fit.

Best of luck,
Mary
 
Posted by Dancer (Member # 11039) on :
 
You might be interested in this thread on antidepressants:

http://flash.lymenet.org/ubb/ultimatebb.php/topic/1/85964#000032

I typed out a few of the slides from a 2007 ILADS conference presentation by a Lyme literate psychiatrist. He noted that psychotropics "are sometimes antimicrobial" and "can be immune modulators", among other things.
[Smile]
 
Posted by Amanda (Member # 14107) on :
 
Lyrica really helps me. It decreases some of my pain, and it helps me stay asleep (insomnia is an issue for me)
 
Posted by Rumigirl (Member # 15091) on :
 
Wow, Dancer, that is great! Thank you! He is terrific.
 
Posted by Caseyk (Member # 23404) on :
 
I have tried lyrica and found that it didn't help me but I got really bad side effects from it. I am currently taking cymbalta but don't know if it is really helping or not
 
Posted by swedish lyme sufferer (Member # 14579) on :
 
Thank you all for you in-put!
I knew tere was some connection lyme & SSRI's,
lets hope combination treatment will work for all of us in need for it!
I will give it a try!

Thank you again for GREAT info!

Everything that gives hope is great!
 
Posted by AnnaL (Member # 18464) on :
 
Some anti-depressants can help reduce pain. Medications like Lyrica, Cymbalta, and amitriptyline (and old SNRI) are also supposed to help with pain.

Of course, all of these medications can have side effects and some will work for one person but not for another.

I was in treatment for OCD before I was dx'ed with Lyme, and it took some trial and error (with the help of my wonderful psychiatrist) to find what would help me with the least (or no) side effects. In the end, Zoloft was perfect for me.

I'm still taking Zoloft. It helps manage the OCD still, though cognitive-behavioral therapy has gotten me to the point that I think I'm on a "normal" baseline. (Also, I think that treating bartonella has also helped with the OCD.)

Zoloft has, I believe, helped support me during the highly emotional ups and downs of Lyme disease and treatment. It's a tough disease, and I'm greatful for all the help I can get.

I think the key element is finding a REALLY GOOD psychiatrist who knows how drugs interact and affect the brain and body. Who will be willing to give you their attention and concern. Not someone who sees you for 10 minutes and then kicks you out the door. Not a primary care doctor or LLMD, who might be great otherwise but just doesn't have the expertise that a specialist would have.

And of course, finding a psychiatrist who is tolerant of Lyme treatment, even if they are not Lyme-friendly or Lyme-literate.
 
Posted by back2game (Member # 23927) on :
 
My combination of Lyrica and Tramadol are the meds that have allowed me to sleep thru the night and relieve some of the night time pain. It was originally prescribed for Fibro, though.

The bad thing is that I cannot stop taking it because it causes unbearable, unlivable, bed ridden type pain. Been on it going on 4 years I think.
 
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
 
I was on Lyrica for a good while. It helped to dull the pain and helped slightly with sleep, along with Xanax.

I have never been able to take antidepressants. It was actually an antidepressant that triggered my symptoms of LD.
 
Posted by n.northernlights (Member # 17934) on :
 
I ahve seen another thread here last year about the subject, that antidepressants can act onlyme in some way, marnie I think was in the tread and there was talk about calcium channels or something.
 


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