I went to the hairdressers today to get my hair cut and colored since it hasn't been done in over 9 months. The more she touched, rubbed my hair, I could feel my eyes rolling like I was going to pass out. I had taken .05 Ativan like an hour before I went. Why would I have this reaction to this? I cried all the way home. I just want to live normal like everyone else.
Posted by Bartenderbonnie (Member # 49177) on :
I remember the first time I went to the salon after Lyme diagnosis. My first haircut in over a year. Absolute sheer TERROR ! Every second, every minute was excruciating ! I didn't think I was gonna make it, ready to call an ambulance. Thank God I had gum in my purse. Kept repeating "You can do this !" I couldn't wait until it was over and out of that chair. Didn't go back until 6 months later.
Try not to rush things. You are not well enough for ANY kind of stress just yet. This is your new normal for the time-being. Lyme takes patience. Let it go. Follow your protocol. Baby your body. Relax. Allow yourself time to heal. Limit your exposure with the public. Breathe. We are rooting for you Linda. 💚
Posted by lindadanis (Member # 51204) on :
thank you so much for replying because honestly I feel like I am about to lose my mind. My head felt so weird, just touching it and it was making me so panicky.
I also think this Ativan is not working anymore and I am thinking about going to a detox program to get off of it. I cannot tell what lyme, babesia, Ativan issues/increased anxiety until I get off of it.
I never can relax, that's the problem. I cannot watch tv., no concentration, cannot read, eye issues. everything is just so hard for the past year but I am certainly worse since starting lyme treatment for sure.
I kept looking at myself in the mirror thinking how awful I look. My face is all sunk in and I look sick. I was getting anxiety just looking at myself. I know this is normal for lyme patients but I just need reassurance I guess.
(breaking this up for easier reading for many here)
[ 07-29-2018, 05:20 PM: Message edited by: Robin123 ]
Posted by lindadanis (Member # 51204) on :
I live alone which makes things so much worse. There is no one for me to call to come by and sit with me. My family doesn't understand it although like I have said, my daughter had it 15 years ago and now is living with her boyfriend and has her own life now. I have very different symptoms than her, yet she did not have babesia. I am just so scared at times.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I certainly understand it, Linda!!
I agree that the ativan is really complicating things. I thought you were already reducing it? I KNOW that can cause lots of trouble, so you are really in a bind right now.
Posted by lindadanis (Member # 51204) on :
I keep trying to reduce it and I do ok for a few days then I am right back to the three a day. its so addicting. I want to get off of it completely to see how I feel without it.
I started Ativan eight years ago when my husband got stage four cancer and I cared for him for 11 months and he passed away and my mom passed away one week after him. I got down to .05 once a day after they passed for almost 7 years.
Then last year I woke up with terrible anxiety and started asking for more and more. I was up to 3 mg. per day and now I am down to 1.5 mg. per day but seem to be stuck there. It is definitely complicating things for me.
I am scared to be off of them because I have major anxiety but I think it also may be the cause for this anxiety too.
You can get rebound anxiety from Ativan because it doesn't stay in our system long and we become very addicted to the doses, therefore, our bodies are screaming for more and more.
I wish I never started taking it eight years ago. Now I have lyme and babesia and who knows what else on top of the Ativan issues.
(breaking up the post for easier reading for many here)
[ 07-29-2018, 05:21 PM: Message edited by: Robin123 ]
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
It can definitely CAUSE anxiety, but getting off is so so hard and can take years.
They had a news clip about it today. One thing they said and I AGREE is that even doctors do not realize how addicting it is.
(actually, the news clip was about Xanax)
One little tip I thought of today is to drink alkaline water each day. It should help you detox. If you can afford it, drink Essential water or Penta.
Posted by lindadanis (Member # 51204) on :
thank you. I will order some of that water today. I hate this drunk feeling that I have 24/7. It is my worst symptom by far which is why I am having all this anxiety.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
What about candida? Is it under control? It can make you feel drunk.
Posted by lindadanis (Member # 51204) on :
what is that Lymetoo? My llmd never mentioned this to me. thanks so much.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I went on and off Ativan four times when I didn't know I had Lyme. I think it was my family who found out the 4th time and told me to stop it, so I did.
I do not think Ativan is the solution for us because it is addicting and really hard to come off of. I would encourage you to keep chatting here and figure out other alternatives.
When you talk about wanting to be normal, we understand! It hits me everyday, wanting to be normal. But I'm not normal. I have special needs and need to manage them.
And we need to find out how to manage our needs. It will be a matter of finding out what we tolerate and what we don't tolerate. Then do more of what we tolerate and less of what we don't tolerate.
I think, for me, if I figure out what I tolerate, I'm going to have more of a functional life. So that's the goal, I'd say, is finding out HOW to do the things we want to do.
And that's different for each of us.
Couple more things - you mentioned eye issues. I drink mangosteen juice and that stops all Lyme eye symptoms for me. It's an anti-inflam juice. I get it at the healthfood store, drink around an ounce a day.
Re being alone and not able to read now, what about reaching out to area support groups to find folks to chat with over the phone?
Posted by Brussels (Member # 13480) on :
What kind of hair color you all use? For me, even in my healthy days, I sort of feel like puking when I smell the toxic dies...
My head spins, and I know I will not allow anyone to put that toxic paste on my hair.
During lyme, I could not color my hair for lack of energy. I was just trying to survive, coloring my hair was really at the end of the list of the day.
I was happy if I could take a shower...
It's nice you are already thinking about your looks! But really, take care with toxic products.
When lyme went away, I could color with natural Indian powders.
Now I use a less natural solution, but still expensive less poisonous products (German)...
During lyme, I would not have dared....
I hope you find a solution to get off drugs, Linda.
I fortunately never rarely touched any drugs as I've grown seeing my grandmother and parents slowly getting sicker and sicker from drugs.
I decided never to take drugs UNLESS I find nothing else.
Try herbs, homeopathy, PEMFs, massage, acupuncture, anything, but leave the damn drugs away. They may seem like a short term solution, but they will only add to problems, long term....
If I were you, I would do an homeopathic dilution of the drug that is causing problems. It could give you some of the effects, without the chemical side effects. Not for long term, but just for the passage to freedom (!!?). Just an idea...
Posted by lindadanis (Member # 51204) on :
thank you so much for the suggestions. No I will not color my hair again for a while. Its funny you mentioned smells because most smells bother me a lot since I got sick. My llmd wants me to go on lamictal, its a mood stabilizer drug and I refuse to take it. I want to be off all these drugs and I will figure it out.
Posted by WPinVA (Member # 33581) on :
Yes I think the chemicals in the coloring could be to blame.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Linda .. Did you check out info on candida? If you aren't taking probiotics, then you must have intestinal yeast. It's a very common thing with lyme even if you ARE taking probiotics.
Posted by LisaK (Member # 41384) on :
linda, I am a hairdresser, so cutting and doiong color were up to me forever because #1- I never trusted anyone else to do it . this was mostly from early on coworker mess ups or the fact I hate paying TONS of $$ when I can do it my self!
but- my niece decided she wants to do hair. something told my spider senses to not go to the school to give her practice . they do that for cheap to earn poionts for graduation, and to get real client experience, etc.
I went the week before she graduated. I regretted t immediately. I felt like a caged animal and wanted to run out screaming as soon as she tilted my head back into the bowl. the entire time I felt insane , but held it all in and kept telling myself it would be over soon.
Posted by Lyme248 (Member # 51011) on :
I get the same kind of symptoms, when I go out places sometimes, even when toxic chemicals are not involved. It only happens when I go certain places, and all I can think is that I'm reacting to something as though it was a toxic chemical.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Those chemicals are so dangerous.
Lyme248 .. Toxic chemicals are everywhere in our stores.