posted
My son was diagnosed with Lyme a couple of weeks ago. He has a lot of things on his plate right now - not the least of which is his health and medical bills, pain, no sleep, etc. But he just doesn't seem to be handling any of it very well. He is extremely stressed/ overwhelmed/ and sometimes almost manic stressed - if there is such a thing. He is emotional and perhaps depressed as well.
He has always been Mr. Cool, laid back, the guy everyone wants to be around. It's very concerning to me to see him over react to things and seem to be on the verge of crumbling.
Is this something that might be related to Lyme? Are there psychiatrists that are LLMD's? Any tests to run to see if he has brain involvement?
Posts: 132 | From Texas | Registered: Apr 2012
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And yes there are psychiatrists that are Lyme Literate...
Understand that there is A LOT that is going on in his body...
How long do you think he has had it?
Constant pain can drive a person to the edge of madness...been there done that...its awful...
One thing I can suggest...is that he needs to learn to change how he reacts to what he is feeling...
When we feel this awful pain...especially when it is for no reason...we tend to have a series of negative reactions...Fight or Flight response kicks in...
We get angry, tense, clench, fight, scared...the list goes on...
But when we stop ourselves...and accept that this is something our body needs to go through...and we control our physical and mental reactions...less negative reactions...
Remaining calm, breathing...slow and steady...reminding ourselves that this too shall pass...
Staying calm is essential...it is not admitting defeat...it is simply a way to get your body to process these episodes calm way...
And by doing this...some of what Lyme has done can be reversed...what I am referring to is the rewiring of the brain when we have chronic pain and illness...it really does help...
You can see if your Library may have a book called..."A Day Without Pain" by Mel Pohl...he explains this in detail...and it works...
-------------------- We each have a right to be healthy, and no one has the right to jeopardize that! Take Charge of your health - and your life you are the only one who will! I know what I am & I know what I am not I know what I HAVE & I know what I HAVE not Posts: 33 | From co | Registered: Aug 2008
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posted
Has he been evaluated for coinfections? Bartonella is supposed to manifest in those types of symptoms. But then I have heard of Lyme rage also.
Posts: 312 | From Utah | Registered: Nov 2010
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posted
It's hard to say how long he has had Lyme. It's possible, since he was in the womb. But I think he has at least had it for 10 years. That's when he started having worse symptoms.
He does have a lot on his plate. It's like juggling. I have been diagnosed with CFIDS & Fibro and I am not working. If I was doing all that he is doing, being a newly wed, taking care of his wife who has epilepsy, being in the hospital every few months for the last three or four years; dealing with a mold infected apartment, some business deals that were sabotaged, one 20 year old truck between the two of them; having huge medical bills, student loan bills and resulting bad credit where they are having trouble moving from mold apartment. His wife has epilepsy and he wants to take care of her. My health concerns him, my mother has Alzheimer's which is very hard on my son. He is trying to get his career of the ground and has run into one obstacle after another.
I am blessed in that I don't work and I don't have a lot on my plate. I still can't get too tired or over do it, or I will begin to get irritable and stressed. Can't imagine having to deal with all he has on his plate.
He knows he needs to trust God. He works out at gym several days a week to lower his stress. He eats pretty healthy. He tries to cope with things in a rational way, but he just starts coming apart at the seams.
Posts: 132 | From Texas | Registered: Apr 2012
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posted
He's overwhelmed and manic now because he doesn't know what's happening to his brain/body.
He is only feeling this way because of infection, once addressed, he will return to normal...he has to know that.
I have been in treatment for 8 months and severe mental breakdown last summer, like my brain broke. It soon spread to my body but the mental aspects of this disease can be just as debilitating.
He needs to stop any bad habits if he has them. I was a drinker, that absolutely made everything worse. If he doesn't, he has a leg up.
He needs to prep his body and get it ready for treatment, that's the only way out of this hole.
I'd be more than happy to talk to him as I've been reading your posts and I can tell you that the story your telling about your son is almost identical to mine and I'm also his age. PM me if he wants talk, if not, I totally understand. I hated the world.
The fact is nobody really gets it unless they've gone through it. It can be an absolute living hell if you have other things to worry about ON TOP of this terrible illness.
Anyone with lyme that claims they haven't experienced at least mild depression is lying. Often some are severely depressed, and that's totally understandable.
Posts: 184 | From taking pills | Registered: Oct 2011
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posted
Perfectly agree with everything that has been said. I still have moments when I sit in my office and someone just comes in and opens a cupboard and it makes me so angry, I want to kill him. It is just pure rage that I can not explain.
Definetly your son needs treatment (for lyme) asap. Another problem I see is that he wants to manage everything and help others. Since people can not see how he is suffering, they may tend to overchallenge him. He himself may not be sure, or maybe even think that these symptoms are not real, or not as severe, but they are. That's lyme. In my opinion, you and other family members should take away the emotional stress to care. Rest is important.
Posts: 78 | From Germany | Registered: Feb 2012
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And it is wonderful that he wants to be able to care for his wife...but he can't do it if he doesn't care for himself...
Make sure he is detoxing properly...there are different ways...but one of the easiest is drinking enough water...half his weight in ounces daily...plain or quality mineral water...
He can also add some lemon or lime to the water to help with the detox and reduce acidity in the body...
Hopefully, he is eating well...if not...diet changes can also help greatly...
-------------------- We each have a right to be healthy, and no one has the right to jeopardize that! Take Charge of your health - and your life you are the only one who will! I know what I am & I know what I am not I know what I HAVE & I know what I HAVE not Posts: 33 | From co | Registered: Aug 2008
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posted
I sure hope they will put him on an antidepressant ASAP! It will help calm him down and help him sleep. Trazodone works for me.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96223 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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AuntyLynn
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 35938
posted
Proving brain involvement:
Spinal tap - If Bb is in the spinal fluid, it's in the brain
SPECT Scan - Used by a lot of LLMDs now
"Brain fog" short-term memory loss, panic attacks, difficulty finding words, wide mood swings - all symptomatic of neurological involvement.
One study I read said that Lyme can affect the brain even before a bulls-eye rash appears.
Posts: 1432 | From New Jersey | Registered: Jan 2012
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AuntyLynn
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 35938
posted
Here is the website of a Psychiatrist in SE Pennsylvania, who also had Lyme.
posted
Some Lyme experts are saying that Lyme ALWAYS goes to the brain.
Lyme-Rage is real, I had it myself. I finally figured out that my mother had Lyme and she died from it. She had extreme rage almost 24/7, even tho her basic nature was sweet, shy, and sensitive.
She also suffered from EPILEPSY, Parkinson's, early dementia, severe depression with psychotic episodes. I know now it was all LYME. All my siblings have it, altho two are in denial.
The brain is an organ; when it is infected with spirochetes, it screws up the various neurotransmitters (like serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine, etc.) that govern our mood and behavior. There is also brain inflammation going on which can cause havoc to mental functioning.
Add stress to the mix, and you have a recipe for serious mental illness. The mentally ill individual is no more in control of their feelings and actions than a person with a brain tumor is.
It is possible that your son's wife's epilepsy is a Lyme symptom. Lyme frequently affects entire families.
In my case, a good psychiatrist (who became LL under MY tutelage) and an SSRI antidepressent totally changed my life.
-------------------- Sick since at least age 6, now 67. Decades of misdiagnosis. Numerous arthritic, neuro, psych, vision, cardiac symptoms. Been treating for 7 years, incl 8 mos on IV. Bart was missed so now treating that. Posts: 765 | From nw ct | Registered: Sep 2008
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posted
Thanks everyone for such heartfelt, touching information and advice.
I've been under the weather and haven't been up to getting on the computer, but it's encouraging to find such a community of knowledge and empathy.
Posts: 132 | From Texas | Registered: Apr 2012
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