What happens when you have ocd, am taking ocd meds for years and are having reactions to antibiotics or stress or both to override the meds with constant what if thoughts that would cause extreme anxiety except you're on xanax to calm down ? Any ocd'ers any ideas? thanks
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
What you are describing may or may not be OCD.
Having a lot of "what if's?" isn't necessarily OCD....it can be just bad anxiety.
I have had OCD since childhood. Anyways, when I first went on antibiotics, my OCD got REALLY bad...I was doing a lot of compulsions like washing my hands until they would bleed, flicking light switches on and off, spending an hour before bed arranging things, thinking people would go to hell if I didn't do things, etc.
So antibiotics/herxes can bring out those tendencies. OCD can also just be obsessive thoughts without the behaviors, I *think*, but I'm not sure what you are describing exactly....it sounds more like "anxiety" so far, so maybe you could elaborate some on what you are feeling/thinking/worried about?
I'm not trying to say what's what....I would just need a little better description of what you're going through before giving you any advice.
[ 04-07-2010, 02:25 AM: Message edited by: Hoosiers51 ]
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
Hi, are you taking magnesium? The Lyme bacteria use up the mag in our cells. Low mag causes us depression, anxiety, OCD.
You might be able to ease some of your symptoms.
The additional anxiety may be part of your herx. Supplements that help the liver to make glutathione will help to clear the neurotoxins.
Magnesium is important for this. Also fish oil.
Carol
Posted by lyme in Putnam (Member # 11561) on :
Just feeling like I'm in a mindlock that I can't get back to myself and I don't remember what myself was before this nightmare. Taking fish oil. thanks for the replies.
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
Herxing can cause stuff like this to get worse.
If you think it's going to last awhile, or be an on-going thing while you treat Lyme, you'll definitely want to be sure you're seeing a good psychiatrist (MD). Mine was able to help me a lot as I went through treatment. I am no longer on psych meds and no longer seeing him, so don't ever think you'll be dealing with this forever.
If the psych meds you are on now aren't helping the symptoms, I'd talk to your psychiatrist about changing things up and finding something that will work.
There is no reason to have to suffer like that...that is what I believe. Life becomes easier when your brain isn't getting in your way and making things harder than they already are.
Just know you are not alone...this happens to a lot of Lyme patients....the best thing you can do is treat the symptoms in the mean time with appropriate psych meds and take good care of yourself.
Good luck and hang in there!
Posted by lyme in Putnam (Member # 11561) on :
thanks so much. Day 2 of bactrim, maybe there's hope?? My hands won't stop shaking and my thoughts aren't "stable" . My doc thinks I had lyme 20-25 y ears and we'r coming down to another layer. Wish I understood this stuff. I was the idiot to get off orals in April when I felt well an thought I was cured. Back with a vengeance in December. Thanks again for your advice.
Posted by laurisabelle222 (Member # 16591) on :
I remember bactrim causing some major emotional issues for me when I tried it last yr. Maybe its a herx and if thats the case, they all say that detoxing is a way to reduce the symptoms.
![[confused]](graemlins/confused.gif)
? Any ocd'ers any ideas? thanks