I am having some horrible symptoms lately... I need to know does your brain fog or is your brain fog capable of:
*causing dizziness and vertigo or accompanying it
*causing mental confusion, or accompanying mental confusion where you cannot finish sentences well or need to close your eyes to think hard about something or what your saying
*does your brain fog ever accompany a headache/splitting headache
*does your brain fog ever make you feel so zoned out that you listen to talk radio or television and can't even remember one thing you heard in the last half hour when you think about it
Some days my head and thought are clear. On the bad days that fog feeing has these things with it.
I wonder if it is due to die off or killing stuff; or because I have stuff affecting my central nervous system (my LLMD can tell this).
Hoping to get any and all feedback from others. It is disabling
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Yes to the following 2:
*causing mental confusion, or accompanying mental confusion where you cannot finish sentences well or need to close your eyes to think hard about something or what your saying
*does your brain fog ever make you feel so zoned out that you listen to talk radio or television and can't even remember one thing you heard in the last half hour when you think about it
Lyme makes it difficult to think and therefore to talk. It also makes it difficult to remember.
Here is how Burrascano describes it on page 9:
Confusion, difficulty thinking
Difficulty with concentration, reading, problem absorbing new information
Word search, name block
Forgetfulness, poor short term memory, poor attention
Disorientation: getting lost, going to wrong places
Speech errors- wrong word, misspeaking
When he says "word search, name block" that means that the word you want to say will not come to mind and the name of a person will also not come to mind.
I had these 2 problems quite a bit. Plus memory problems.
But, you can have any and all in the list. And, I have not listed the mood problems.
This is all from inflammation caused by these diseases which gives you less than optimal blood flow to the brain.
It is all reversible with good treatment as long as you don't become a total zombie (dumber than a 2 year old, unable to talk on your own, etc.)
I suggest you try some turmeric (a spice) because it has good anti-inflammatory properties. Try any good herbal anti-inflammatory combination and see if it helps you.
You can fill empty capsules with turmeric that you buy in bulk. Or, just start out buying turmeric capsules. Take about 4 per day and see if you notice any difference. If so, you can then continue the turmeric. To save money, buy it in bulk and buy empty capsules and fill them yourself. Buy the biggest capsules you can find.
All of this is available at any good health food store (meaning a store that sells organic food and also supplements).
Posted by Clint31 (Member # 16420) on :
Freaking out that my brain fog has dizziness and vertigo and room spinning with it; hoping this is not out of the norm and would like to hear someone else say they have that
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Maybe the vertigo is from allergies or a sinus condition? It IS the fall and that brings sinus problems. My husband gets vertigo when his sinuses are messed up.
Posted by Clint31 (Member # 16420) on :
So brain fog cannot accompany dizziness ? Or vice Versa
Posted by ilovedogs (Member # 48866) on :
Unfortunately, it is not out of the norm with lyme and co. I had awful brain fog years ago. It is gone now thanks to treatment.
As TF said, it is reversible with treatment. I understand though how challenging it can be when you are experiencing it
Posted by Clint31 (Member # 16420) on :
Ive been treating for years and years. It's worse now than ever. Been on every antibiotic combo under the sun.
My lyme and babesia is somewhat under control with the testing we have looked at, my epstein barr is not.
Posted by Bartenderbonnie (Member # 49177) on :
You have active Lyme symptoms. This is not die off. I say this because I live in the world you describe. 1. Dizziness and vertigo - I went to the Cleveland clinic because my dizziness was so debilitating. I couldn't even stand while showering. No success. Went to physical therapy. No success. Medications, no success.
2. Brain fog - Some days I'm good, some days not.
3. Splititing headache over right eye. I had reiki and it worked. I'm a believer. No more headache pain !
4. Zoned out ? You betcha... I now lose time. I keep track of minutes lost. 40 minutes is the most time I somehow misplaced.
I was first treated for chronic Neuro Lyme (undiagnosied 3 years) with a 28 day doxy. It was like night and day. I smiled for the first time in over 6 months. My skin was smooth and glowing. Had a twinkle in my eye. Had energy and smart !
When antibiotics were gone, so was my cure. Now my spinal cord is non stop vibrating,constant vertigo and dizziness,wide spread pain,feeling like bugs are crawling on my legs,seeing shadows.REAL NEURO STUFF.
If I had to go by my experiences, I wouldn't think it's a die off but a condition that hasn't been addressed.
I am constantly learning new things. I think you might be interested in a new therapy I just read about. It's a new medication called ibudilast. It somehow decreases viruses in the vagus nerve. Many mention it to your LLMD.
Good luck, my friend
Posted by Clint31 (Member # 16420) on :
Can't mono active and Epstein Barr cause dizziness and brain fog and headache too though?
Posted by Bartenderbonnie (Member # 49177) on :
I don't know about mono, or Epstein Barr, or Lyme for that matter. Does anybody, really ?
I think it's all trial and error.
It's like chicken pox virus laying dormant for 30 years and then an agent reactivates it as shingles. My ex doctor told me everyone has Epstein Barr. Well that maybe so but there's a difference between dormant and active, right ?
I read that aspartame ( a sweetner equal ) can activate dormat herpes virus and Lyme . How ? Why doesn't someone put the pieces together about deviate cell activation ? And how the body just gives up the fight like turning off a light switch ?
Posted by Clint31 (Member # 16420) on :
You make good points. It's why I ask a family member weekly if I am dying at 34; although by looking at me I "look" healthy. I certainly feel as though I am dying.
Posted by Bartenderbonnie (Member # 49177) on :
Of coarse you feel that way. Look at all the scary, debilitating, never ending, strange, new, different, painful, day in and day out, no let-up merciless symptoms you have no choice but to put up with !!!
I even went to a dermatologist(Doctor number 19) begging for treatment because Lyme was eating my flesh, from the inside out. I said Lyme should be classified as a nectrolizing skin disease because I have hollow sunken parts on my deformed body. She refused. Referred me to infectious Doctor and we all know how that went...
Sounds like toture to me. I feel your pain, to be sure.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Look at pages 23 and 26 of Burrascano. Your vague dizziness and headache are likely babesiosis symptoms.
Nearly everyone with lyme also has babesiosis.
Headache is also extremely common with lyme disease itself, even if you don't have brain fog. I think I had a headache for months prior to my diagnosis.
People told me I looked great also. Meanwhile, I felt so sick that I believed I really should have been hospitalized.
I wonder if perhaps you have not studied the Burrascano Guidelines enough even though you have been on LymeNet since 2008. I strongly suggest you virtually memorize them.
The more you educate yourself about this disease and the coinfections and their symptoms, the more calm you will be about what is happening to you. You will know that it is all par for the course.
Look at the list on page 10 where vertigo and spinning and motion sickness are all listed as symptoms.
Posted by Silverwolf (Member # 9196) on :
Hi <<<<< Clint >>>>>,
It is my understanding that many of our Lyme Family have Reactivated Epstein Barr Virus, with Lyme and one of more Co's.
It seems to be common with LD and other CO's. my first Dx before finding out about Lyme and Co's was CFIDS, then FMS, and reactivated Epstein Barr [CEBV].
It also seems we suffer allergy sinus issues more often,and hearing issues. Sorry I can't think of the right word... [if Keebler was around she could tell us]... I think part of it is Vestibular issues??
Anyway,I have hearing aids now,because my hearing is so much worsened, and I have balance problems from it too. Lyme and other forms of Borrelia , can cause a whole lot of issues,throughout or bodies and brains.
I think you are describing many of us,and hope you find what works for you soon.
Jus' Silverwolfi here
Posted by Clint31 (Member # 16420) on :
quote:Originally posted by TF: Look at pages 23 and 26 of Burrascano. Your vague dizziness and headache are likely babesiosis symptoms.
Nearly everyone with lyme also has babesiosis.
Headache is also extremely common with lyme disease itself, even if you don't have brain fog. I think I had a headache for months prior to my diagnosis.
People told me I looked great also. Meanwhile, I felt so sick that I believed I really should have been hospitalized.
I wonder if perhaps you have not studied the Burrascano Guidelines enough even though you have been on LymeNet since 2008. I strongly suggest you virtually memorize them.
The more you educate yourself about this disease and the coinfections and their symptoms, the more calm you will be about what is happening to you. You will know that it is all par for the course.
Look at the list on page 10 where vertigo and spinning and motion sickness are all listed as symptoms.
I have been tested for; and told repeteadlt that my babesia was eradicated
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
When Burrascano spoke at lyme conferences, he often said that you can't get rid of one infection without getting rid of all of the others.
So, if you can't get rid of lyme, chances are that the lyme is enabling the babesiosis to stay in your body also.
The true test of whether a coinfection is gone is that the patient is symptom free.
Babs is extremely difficult to eradicate. You could try a course of good babs treatment and see if you get any reaction to it.
As long as you have lyme, you have a compromised immune system that cannot fight off any of these diseases.
I hope you are doing the Burrascano required one continuous hour of weightlifting every other day. Read about it in the Guidelines, starting on page 31.
You will never get your immune system back to normal without doing this specific exercise. Do a full body workout (arms, chest, back, abs, buttocks, legs) each time. Use light weights and many repetitions.
Study the Burrascano Guidelines and mark all of the things that apply to you and whether or not you have done them. Be systematic in going through the document.
Then, at the end of that analysis, you should have marked a number of things you have yet to do or try.
Have you had someone look at your blood for blood parasites under a microscope? The lyme doc I recommend does that in-office. You can see babs in the blood if it is there. So, this is a direct test.
You want the lab tech to really take his time looking. Not just a quick look.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Clint .. was your babs test through Igenex?
Posted by me (Member # 45475) on :
Clint, all my blood tests were negative for babesia, even from igenex. However, my LLMD has a great lab guy that does blood smears and it showed up under the blood smear. Some of your symptoms sound very babesia-like.
Posted by bluelyme (Member # 47170) on :
quote:Originally posted by Bartenderbonnie: Of coarse you feel that way. Look at all the scary, debilitating, never ending, strange, new, different, painful, day in and day out, no let-up merciless symptoms you have no choice but to put up with !!!
I even went to a dermatologist(Doctor number 19) begging for treatment because Lyme was eating my flesh, from the inside out. I said Lyme should be classified as a nectrolizing skin disease because I have hollow sunken parts on my deformed body. She refused. Referred me to infectious Doctor and we all know how that went...
Sounds like toture to me. I feel your pain, to be sure.
I have that hollowed sunkin bs too! Omg ..did bart kill the nerves or isnit lyme ? Bvt helps the vertigo ...havent had the spins in 6 months ..just dizzy if i move too quik ..kinda just learned to be drunk
Posted by Clint31 (Member # 16420) on :
Can low thyroid cause these things that ail me
Posted by foxy loxy (Member # 47053) on :
Its worth checking into. YES!
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Depression as well, which can be a part of the thyroid issue.
Posted by Clint31 (Member # 16420) on :
Could the things I describe be due to a brain tumor, and not lyme?
Posted by foxy loxy (Member # 47053) on :
clint31,
I am NOT a Dr... nothing close, but I do think a brain tumor would exhibit other body symptoms, and would advance fairly quickly.
I say this, because I too have worried about a brain tumor before. If you have had this for years, you most likely would be dead by now as tumors usually grow fast.
Have you had an MRI? I know it put my mind at rest to know it was ok, even if it felt awful!
Blessings!
Posted by stork (Member # 24167) on :
I am interested as well in the thyroid / depression / brain fog connection. I think brain fog could be caused in part by depression and low quantities of related neurotransmitters (caused either by active lyme infection or persistent inflammation)
Anyway, I've struggled with this a whole lot myself, and am currently finding St. John's Wort to be incredibly helpful with Brain Fog and general mood/motivation
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
My brain fog turned out to be related to low thyroid, which I tested - ie hypo T3. I went on Armour thyroid and felt normal again - no more brain fog or dissociated feeling.
I get dizzy/vertigo when my C1 vertebra is subluxated, so that's something you could check on with a good neck chiropractor.
Also, I am treating my brain with anti-inflammatories, as a brain hormone, prolactin, a pituitary hormone, is steadily dropping back down to normal range.
My natural anti-inflams are mangosteen juice and turmeric powder on a daily basis, and noni juice and grapeseed extract sometimes.
I am particularly impressed with turmeric, because it seems every time I hear about it, it's got another good thing it does for the bod!
I get it in bulk at the health food store and dip empty 00-size capsules into it and take a couple a day. I can feel it reducing joint and muscle pain.
Posted by lauraclev (Member # 49339) on :
quote:Originally posted by stork: I am interested as well in the thyroid / depression / brain fog connection. I think brain fog could be caused in part by depression and low quantities of related neurotransmitters (caused either by active lyme infection or persistent inflammation)
Anyway, I've struggled with this a whole lot myself, and am currently finding St. John's Wort to be incredibly helpful with Brain Fog and general mood/motivation
Hi Stork -
I am trying to respond to your private message but it says your inbox is full.
Please delete some messages so I can respond!
Posted by tulips (Member # 44773) on :
I found Samento and Banderol to be very effective against Borrelia and brain fog. Samento is expensive so I ordered Cats Claw powder and fill my own capsules
and also make my own super powerful Cats Claw tincture. (Cats Claw crosses the blood/brain barrier.) I also take Artemisinin which is anti-spirochetal and crosses the blood/brain barrier and treats Babesia.
I've had brain fog; bumping into things, memory loss, etc and by taking these herbs no longer have it.