Has anyone here experienced a period of super high uncontrollable libido like hypersexuality that lasted two years or so while they had stiff neck and/or shaky vision?
What about extreme euphoria and depression, going back and forth?
Has anyone gotten a period of one year where they had adrenaline rush all the time and were worked up very easily?
Is there any list of the more unusual symptoms of borreliosis and records of people who had that, what order etc?
Posted by Tracy9 (Member # 7521) on :
There is an article about lyme and hypersexuality. I don't recall who wrote it, but it is a symptom in some people.
Posted by Lymeorsomething (Member # 16359) on :
Yeah, Dr. B. in Jersey has discussed this briefly in some of his written pieces.
It can go the other way too. Many have their libido crash as the HPTA gets disrupted.
I'd be happy to be hypersexual at this point but unfortunately I've been dealing with a slackened libido.
So there can definitely be sexual symptoms with lyme.
Some also point to rage as a lyme symptom. There may be a hormonal aspect to that as well.
Lyme can almost cause any symptom depending on what body systems are involved.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- What you describe is actually not as uncommon as you might think. You'll find several links just waiting for you with a cross-search at Google:
Deliberations of a psychiatrist who evaluates and possibly diagnoses Lyme and other tick-borne diseases of the mind, sharing case histories . . . . -
Posted by lpkayak (Member # 5230) on :
ditto to the comments on hyper sexuality
regarding:
"What about extreme euphoria and depression, going back and forth?"
there also is a a lot of bi-polar and other psyc stuff: anxiety, depression, ocd...
the above docs write about it all
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
Treat Lyme, support adrenals/endocrine and these things will correct.
Posted by seekhelp (Member # 15067) on :
sure as hell not here. lol.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- In addition to addressing infections, and supporting the liver to help you body move out the toxins . . .
ADRENAL LINKS to consider: --------------------------
Many good basic articles about Adrenal Dysfunction:
Curcumin Prevents Some Stress-Related Changes (By CP Staff)
Excerpts:
A recently published study investigated the effects of curcumin, a constituent of the botanical turmeric, on changes in cognition and memory caused by stress. . . .
. . . In this new study, researchers investigated the effect of curcumin supplementation on stress-induced learning defects in mice. . . .
. . . In addition, curcumin reversed the stress-induced increase in the levels of serum corticosterone, the primary hormone secreted during the stress response. . . .
. . . The researchers concluded, ``Thus, curcumin may be an effective therapeutic for learning and memory disturbances as was seen within these stress models, and
its neuroprotective effect was mediated in part by normalizing the corticosterone response, resulting in down-regulating of the phosphorylated calcium/calmodulin kinase II and glutamate receptor levels.'' -
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
Sounds like bipolar tendencies. You may be Bipolar I, or Bipolar NOS (not otherwise specified).
I would say Lyme can cause it, but if it were me, I would treat those symptoms with psych drugs as well, during the time I am treating the Lyme.
I would encourage you to see a good psychiatrist (an MD that can prescribe meds, not a therapist) to get evaluated.
I took the mood stabalizer Lamictal for my bipolar, and it changed my life drastically for the better. I am now off psych meds because I am doing so much better.
Please get treatment for whatever you are going through.....in bipolar, actual damage is being done to your brain everytime you have a swing of mood....it is like mini-seizures in the brain. If you treat it with the meds, it will prevent harm to your brain. The sooner you treat, the better.
Good luck to you!
Posted by Hoosiers51 (Member # 15759) on :
Basic info about Bipolar disorder. You certainly have the symptoms of cycling between moods.
If you feel worked up all the time, I am not sure if that is mania or not because I'm not sure, by definition, how long mania lasts. It could also just be some kind of chronic anxiety in addition to bipolar. Please see a doctor about this!
I have had this Symptom in between Herx's. Unfortunately, my wife left me during my illness as the "in sickness and in health" part of our vows didn't hold up on her end.
This has left me in a bad place when my sexuality is heightened, so I might as well be Herxing, if you know what I mean. :-)
I'm not kidding either, but to truly answer your question, I believe that when the infection is in your brain, depending on where it is, it can cause the symptoms that the area of the brain infected is meant to do.
i.e. Some experience body temperature changes, which indicates the Hypothalamus is infected.
Depression is thought to come from the pre-frontal cortex and I believe the Amygdala although this symptom is debated amongst scientists.
Laughter is thought to come from the hippocampus and the amygdala. The HPA axis is responsible for many emotions and body functions as you can see.
Sexuality comes from both the Pituitary and Hypothalamus as well, so I would think this area would be infected which could either increase or decrease sexuality depending on if it is impeding the function or causing excitability which would increase ones' sexuality.
Of course, this is just my own theory, but I have stated time and time again that my opinion on this disease is that the areas in the brain that are infected determines ones symptoms throughout the body, since the brain is our computer or hard drive if you will that controls the entire body from pain to emotions, body temp, breathing, heart function, etc.
Hope this helps...............
Posted by Starfall1969 (Member # 17353) on :
After I had over a year of absolutely no libido--could barely SAY sex, let alone do it--a few months ago things turned completely around and I just wanted it ALL THE TIME.
It was to the point it was getting too much for hubby, lol.
Things have kind of leveled off, but I still tend to go back and forth.
As for the adrenaline, my LLMD said that is very common in people who have had any kind of long term illness.
It throws off your system to the point where your body overinterprets everything as being a major threat, and you're in a constant state of adrenaline rush/panic/anxiety.
He told me he thinks that's why I can't take any of the Benzos that had been prescribed, because my body sees them as a threat, even at very low doses, and it overreacts trying to get rid of them.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Starfall,
Your doctor seems to be looking in the wrong direction with his analysis. He may think you are psychologically or emotionally reacting, that you want to somehow "stay in an anxious state"-- when, in fact, there are many physiological reasons for your body to reject benzos. Your body not only SEES them as a threat - they ARE a threat. It's real, not just your body's misinterpretation.
Benzos - benzodiazepines - (and many other drugs) can be very hard on the liver (stress the Cytochrome P-450 liver detox pathway and elevate porphyrins which, in excess, kill cells) and they are also toxic to the ears (see Bauman's book: "Ototoxic Drugs").
My body can't tolerate even a tiny amount but it's not due directly to my adrenals other than the ears detect toxins and rush in with stress hormones to handle the situation and that further taxes all systems of the body in many ways.
Rather than benzos, there are many other things that are calming and nourishing to the body at the same time. Turmeric/Curcumin is just a start. More are detailed in last two threads below.
=========================
First, see "Secondary Porphyria" - then, at the organization's charts, you can track which drugs are harder in the liver if someone has the C P450 pathway challenged (benzos are on that list).
You can look inside this book and read customer reviews here:
Ototoxic Drugs Exposed: Prescription Drugs and Other Chemicals That Can (and Do) Damage Our Ears
- by Neil G. Bauman
============================
As the ears are the first system to detect poison in the body, whether from toxic infection or from meds that are too much for a person or in the wrong category for their body to tolerate, when the inner ear gets overwhelmed, it does raise alarm in the adrenal system.
The list here explains so many functions that go haywire when the inner ear (vestibular) system is overwhelmed. Any of these stressors would also stress the adrenals to the max:
Topic: NATURAL SLEEP - Links to articles & supplements -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- Now, beyond the spirochetes and the toxic rush that pushes endocrine hormones and seems to highjack our common sense, when that whole system is revved, we may tend to become more "needy" - or need to find comfort in the arms of the closest warm body - ASAP. It may be good, sometimes and once in a while with the right person, but looking for love in all the wrong places (or with an overwhelming need) can clobber us - and those around us.
Absolutely, there is something very wonderful about nurturing touch (under the right circumstances) so, it's not a moral decision for our brains to want that. It's not unusual for many people to rush to find comfort in another's arms. I'm sure we've all at least cuddled out of that very basic need.
So, while it might start from a biochemical reaction, we can intercept and assess what is going on (well, better after some practice). It's very complex and a good psychotherapist can be of tremendous help. However, it's best if that therapist is also lyme literate (LL).
Also, there are other things that can cause hypersexuality. One's LLMD would be a good person to ask if a LL neurologist should be consulted. -
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
No hypersexuality here; but for sure major mood swings. One day I'm depressed and the next I feel on top of the world. It is actually very common to have mood disorders with LD.
You mentioned getting worked up for one year. I get what I refer to as "keyed up"; but it only last for a few hours, or a day at the most. Then its back to low depressed mood and sometimes a normal mood.
My mood swings got so bad that my LLMD is now treating me with the mood stabilizer Lamictal.
LD can effect the brain and change the brain chemistry and mess with the electrical wiring in your brain.
My doc says the psychiatric disorder must be treated along with Lyme Disease in order to "reset" or "rewire" the brain. If not you could have a permament psychiatric disorder.
There is a famous lyme literate psychiatrist, Dr F that has done studies to prove the need to treat both disorders.....LD and the psychiatric part. If you don't treat the psychiatric it is hard to tell where lyme ends and the mental stuff begins. PM me if you want his name.
Even though I still have symptoms of LD, treating the psychiatric side of it has helped greatly with the fatigue.
Switching back and forth with mood swings from depression to being keyed up, and just the stress of having LD can add immensly to the fatigue that you already have with LD.
For me reducing the fatigue has helped me so much in determining what is lyme and what is mental.
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
Here is a very informative site that will describe in detail the coorelation between lyme and psychiatric disorders.
If this site doesn't work, just PM me!
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- sutherngrl,
Thanks for that link to: Functional Brain Imaging and Neuropsychological Testing in Lyme Disease
It's an excellent article. -
Posted by sutherngrl (Member # 16270) on :
Keeb you are very welcome. This article practically saved my life. It is an awesome article.
It came to me at a time when I needed the reassurance that what I was experiencing was indeed lyme related and that I was not having a complete mental breakdown.
I hope it helps others like it helped me!
Posted by IckyTicky (Member # 21466) on :
In my case, it would have caused the opposite..I guess that would be hypo-sexuality. My poor husband *grin*
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
but unfortunately I've been dealing with a slackened libido.