posted
Chronic ongoing stress is what reactivated EBV for me. I'm doing a little bit better but I know that there's no way I'm going to resume a normal life without getting stress/depression under control.
I just don't see how natural supplements are going to work in my case so I'm wondering what antidepressants have been helpful for you guys?
I am concerned about antidepressants making symptoms worse I have read they can make you feel worse.
are some antidepressants better than others 4 lyme?
Posts: 85 | From somewhere over the rainbow | Registered: Jan 2012
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posted
Still really struggling with this. No one else successfully using antidepressants?
Posts: 85 | From somewhere over the rainbow | Registered: Jan 2012
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posted
Major stress is key for me. Can't do much to manage it at this point and I had gotten to feeling quite hopeless. I became withdrawn from everyone and everything, which is no way to live.
My mood turned around amazingly, and pretty swiftly, with low dose of Zoloft. Long before I knew I had Lyme I went through many, many meds for anxiety and depression, experiencing little to no benefit. I've been treating Lyme+cos for two years, losing or greatly reducing most of the psych sx in the process.
I think if you have a good hold on the tbd sx and you think you need something to help your body deal with stress better, there's a good chance something could work for you. For myself, remaining open to trying an antidepressant has made a world of difference.
Posts: 474 | From US | Registered: May 2014
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bluelyme
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posted
Trying inositol ,lith orate ,l dopa ,holy basil and essential oils and flower essences ...dont wanna mess with serotonin
-------------------- Blue Posts: 1539 | From southwest | Registered: Dec 2015
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posted
Took half a lithium orotate and felt physically crappie and no mood change guess it takes longer than that to work but I have read others say they felt immediate effects.
Tired of buying supplements that may or may not work. Not that a pharmaceutical is guaranteed by any means. Very concerned about possible side effects.
So frustrated. If i knew the afterlife existed and was pleasant i would be gone.
Posts: 85 | From somewhere over the rainbow | Registered: Jan 2012
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me
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Member # 45475
posted
Tommyboy, I sent you a PM. Keep hanging on and fighting. I hope you find relief very soon.
-------------------- Just sharing my experiences, opinions, and what I've read and learned. Not medical advice. Posts: 1431 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2015
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posted
Tommyboy, I'm pretty depressed and anxious too. For me, when I take just a tiny bit of supplemental iodine, it makes me feel so much better. At one point I was on clonazepam. I much prefer the iodine, but I can only handle a tiny amount. If I take too much it makes me too happy.
I don't know if it would work for you but it seems to work for me. I was very glad to find iodine. It's my favorite supplement now. I hope and pray you can find relief from this terrible mess.
Posts: 748 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2015
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MannaMe
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 33330
posted
Are you taking omega 3's (fish oil)?
Our health care professional said around 80% of depression is caused by not enough omega 3's.
He had my hubby taking omega 3's and depression hasn't been an issue. Anxiety, yes. But depression, no.
Posts: 2253 | From USA | Registered: Aug 2011
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Rumigirl
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Member # 15091
posted
Lots of people need to go on antidepressants for the stress of TBD's. It's much better to do that than to suffer! We suffer enough as it is.
Yes, you can try all of the natural things, but that isn't always enough. I've had to do it some recently, and before in the past.
Please don't hesitate to do it. An LLMD psychiatrist says that they are neuro-protective for TBD patients.
Of course, I would much prefer not to have to do it, but, well, nothing about my situation is ideal. I sometimes feel they are blunt instruments, but all of the natural things aren't enough, so . . . I have to take something. So can you.
Posts: 3771 | From around | Registered: Mar 2008
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I don't want anything that could exacerbate heart issue that has finally got a little better
Posts: 85 | From somewhere over the rainbow | Registered: Jan 2012
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posted
At my sickest I did about 3 months of a very small dosage of Zoloft then went to SAM-e for some months and finally juicing fixed my mood.
Posts: 697 | From CA | Registered: Dec 2011
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posted
No one can tell you which antidepressants will work for you, since everyone's physiology is so different. Many people require more than one at a time, also.
It's best to work with a psychiatrist rather than a PCP -- even better if you can find a psychopharmacologist, because they have additional training in how various meds interact with each other (all meds, not just psych meds).
Every new med any doc prescribes for me gets run by my psychopharmacologist before I fill the Rx to make sure it's going to work ok with the other things I'm on. Having a doc who's able to track all of that for me is such a relief.
It can take up to 6 weeks for the concentration of a psych med to build up to it's full effect; even a couple of weeks, much less just a few days, isn't enough to know how any of them will work for you.
Also, you may have side effects at the very beginning that will wear off over a couple of weeks or so, so don't give up on a med because of early side effects unless it's something you really can't tolerate.
It can take a good amount of trial and error for some people (speaking from personal experience...lots of personal experience), so if you do decide to go the pharmaceutical route, don't give up too quickly if the first couple of meds you try don't work.
Posts: 112 | From USA | Registered: May 2016
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me
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posted
quote:Originally posted by SLH516: No one can tell you which antidepressants will work for you, since everyone's physiology is so different. Many people require more than one at a time, also.
It's best to work with a psychiatrist rather than a PCP -- even better if you can find a psychopharmacologist, because they have additional training in how various meds interact with each other (all meds, not just psych meds).
Every new med any doc prescribes for me gets run by my psychopharmacologist before I fill the Rx to make sure it's going to work ok with the other things I'm on. Having a doc who's able to track all of that for me is such a relief.
It can take up to 6 weeks for the concentration of a psych med to build up to it's full effect; even a couple of weeks, much less just a few days, isn't enough to know how any of them will work for you.
Also, you may have side effects at the very beginning that will wear off over a couple of weeks or so, so don't give up on a med because of early side effects unless it's something you really can't tolerate.
It can take a good amount of trial and error for some people (speaking from personal experience...lots of personal experience), so if you do decide to go the pharmaceutical route, don't give up too quickly if the first couple of meds you try don't work.
EXCELLENT advice. I completely agree. Remember, it often takes a lot of trial and error bc everyone's physiology is so different. Don't give up on trying, and it is extremely important you go to a psychiatrist rather than a PCP.
-------------------- Just sharing my experiences, opinions, and what I've read and learned. Not medical advice. Posts: 1431 | From USA | Registered: Mar 2015
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Keebler
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posted
- A LL psychiatrist is best for any Rx advice. If they don't know about lyme - and about the ways the liver is affected - they can't help you as well as a truly LL doctor can.
A good LL psychiatrist - while they may prescribe a mood Rx - should also consider the fact that inflammation has a great deal to do with mood issues for those who deal with lyme and they should have some consideration for that in their advice, too - maybe even a LL ND they can recommend.
A LL psychologist / counselor / therapist might be helpful to talk things out - that really does matter.
A LL ND (naturopathic doctor) might be best to consult for the physical parts - as to the causes of the depression and specifics in addressing.
INFLAMMATION is likely the number one consideration (yet addressing all the causes of that is rather involved but can start with something like BERBERINE).
CHLORRELA is also very nice for my mood / outlook.
Aurum homeopathic lifted me out of some deep states, along with going gluten free and adding in some key nutrients that were dangerously deficient - and liver support that worked best for my body.
If possible, massage is also a very good therapeutic tool that can help lift depression for so many reasons.
The music of Mozart, too, has some particular happiness for the brain. It's been shown in brain scans, actually.
Day light (not sun light but just DAY light) into the eyes for 20 minutes first thing in the morning, too. SAD LIGHTS might be considered as well. -
[ 08-07-2016, 03:20 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Vinyl shower curtain? A new vinyl (or chemical coated textiles). Even aired out for days, years ago an new vinyl shower curtain was finally found to be a direct cause to a new low I had, and once removed, my mood lifted back to my normal again.
Vinyl off-gasses forever even if we don't notice the smell, it can clobber brain function. Best to avoid. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- If you have ever had any head injuries at all, you might connect with the top advocate groups for mild brain injury. Detail here, whether you have ever had an actual concussion or any bumps to the head:
posted
I went off antidepressants for a while but I just went back on. Starting with Prozac. I just really got so depressed that it wasn't helping me get better. My doc and me decided on trying it for about 9 months than reevaluating.
I tried everything to not go this route but it's time.
There is also a company that will take a cheek swab and then you get a report back on his your body metabolizes medications and what psychiatric meds might work best for you.
Posts: 133 | From North Shore | Registered: Sep 2015
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posted
I don't know if this will help anybody but antidepressants didn't work for me at all and actually gave me the jitters. Cat's Claw got rid of my depression. I don't think Cat's Claw is traditionally used for depression. But, it certainly destroyed the cause of my depression - Borrelia.
Posts: 653 | From Northern Virginia | Registered: Oct 2014
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ktkdommer
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 29020
posted
Celexa has been my blessing. No side effects. Cheap generic drug.
-------------------- Things are never dull. After 3 fighting Lyme, 2 are in remission. Youngest is still sick, age 22. He has new diagnosed Chiari Malformation and Ehlers Danlos Syndrome. Posts: 1366 | From Perrysburg, Ohio | Registered: Nov 2010
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
A GOOD chiropractor can make a VERY simple adjustment and get rid of depression almost instantly.
Doubting Tincup here could hardly believe that would be true, but it worked for me and I've since seen it work for many others.
Even my chiropractor would get adjusted by another chiropractor to help himself with depression issues.
The trick is, you must TELL the chiropractor you are depressed. I went for years getting helped for everything under the sun and never mentioned it.
Finally I did one day as I was leaving. He said "Oh, get back on the table."
I did, it took 5 seconds, and depression was gone totally. I still can't believe it, but it worked amazingly.
Prior to the adjustment no drugs worked and nothing helped- and have not been depressed since. I can't believe I was too embarrassed to mention it and sorry now that I didn't any sooner.
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Tommyboy, I sent you a PM. Keep hanging on and fighting. I hope you find relief very soon.
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