WOuld anti depressant work with a mind that is so messed up from lyme?
barb
Posts: 167 | From USA | Registered: Jul 2008
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
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For brain fog, I don't know.
Some find help with them for depression, but my concern is that this classification of drug can be toxic for the liver. And that can actually increase brain fog and anxiety.
When infections are cleared, so is the brain. But, as this is a long process and you want to think clearly now, if you are looking to wake up the brain a bit without taxing your liver further, you might consider Gotu Kola
at the bottom of this page, you can see a video of Dr. Perlmutter on an "Oprah" program. David Perlmutter, MD, FACN is a Board-Certified Neurologist and Fellow of the American College of Nutrition . . .
Dr. Perlmutter was awarded the 2002 Linus Pauling Award for his pioneering work in innovative approaches to neurological disorders. . . .
* Coenzyme Q-10 measurably increases the efficiency of cellular energy production, as demonstrated in studies performed at the Massachusetts General Hospital.1
In addition, it serves as a potent brain antioxidant. These effects explain why major institutions worldwide are vigorously evaluating coenzyme Q10 as a therapeutic aid in brain disorders.
* Alpha Lipoic Acid provides powerful antioxidant action and regenerates other important brain antioxidants including vitamins E, C, and glutathione.
Unlike other antioxidants, alpha lipoic acid is both fat- and water-soluble, greatly enhancing its ability to be absorbed from the gut and penetrate into the brain.2
* N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine (NAC) dramatically increases the body's production of glutathione, one of the brain's most important antioxidants. NAC itself is a potent antioxidant shown to reduce formation of nitric oxide, a free radical implicated for a causative role in Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and other neurodegenerative disorders.3
* Acetyl-L-Carnitine, like coenzyme Q-10, enhances neuronal energy production by transporting fuel sources into the mitochondria -- the energy producing machinery of the neuron. This particularly benefits damaged brain neurons, which are characterized by decreased energy production.
In addition, acetyl-L-carnitine acts as an effective antioxidant and been demonstrated to protect laboratory animals from developing parkinsonism when they are exposed to chemicals known to induce the condition.4
A report in a recent issue of Neurology found that acetyl-L-carnitine profoundly reduces the rate of progression of Alzheimer's disease in younger patients.5
* Vitamin E exhibits profound ability to limit free radical damage in the brain -- the likely explanation of why it outperformed a highly touted "Alzheimer's drug" in clinical trials reported in the New England Journal of Medicine.6
Diets rich in Vitamin E have been shown to reduce the risk of Parkinson's disease by an incredible 61%,7 and to dramatically slow disease progression in already-diagnosed patients when supplemented with vitamin C.8
* Gingko biloba, one of the most extensively studied nutritional supplements for neurodegenerative conditions, directly improves brain metabolism, increases brain blood flow, and provides antioxidant action.
In a placebo-controlled, double-blind randomized trial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, Gingko biloba not only stabilized Alzheimer's disease, but in addition, many subjects demonstrated an actual improvement noted in various standardized psychological tests.9
* Vitamin D may have even greater ability than vitamin E to quench brain free radicals, as described in several reports. Deficiencies of vitamin D have been found in cases of Parkinson's Disease, Alzheimer's Disease, and Multiple Sclerosis.10
* Vitamin B12 (Methylcobalamin) is critical for maintaining myelin, the protective coat surrounding each neuron. As with Vitamin D, Vitamin B12 deficiency is associated with neurodegenerative conditions.
* Phosphatidylserine produces marked memory and learning improvements in demented patients, according to research conducted at Stanford University.11 Like acetyl-L-carnitine and coenzyme Q-10, phosphatidylserine plays an important role in neuronal energy production and chemical communication.
has a new kind of CoQ10 - in their current newsletter.
they also have many good articles you can search in the upper right hand corner of their home page. Although they do sell products, I find their research top notch, always with many great citations to back up what they say.
posted
In my opinion, no, i have severe psychiatric symptoms and years of antidepressant therapy did not help in the slightest. That was before i knew i had Lyme big time. Now i'm detoxing.
Posts: 3 | From Ireland | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
I just want to stop crying. I just can't get a grip on it? I am ok now with the confusion etc., and willing to go out and do some things but
can't go out crying all the time?
Keebler, I will try NAC.
thank you, barb
Posts: 167 | From USA | Registered: Jul 2008
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
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Barbara,
Around '94 when my unemployment ended, I lost my car and had to move into a room in a downtown druggie hotel (and I've never been a druggie but it was the cheapest room I could rent) . . . well, I was falling and passing out all the time, too.
And . . . crying a lot. At the drop of a hat. I could not control it.
I tried many antidepressants and they all made me suicidal. Even at VERY TINY DOSES. I called the hotline so often that they told me to quit calling.
I have no idea how I got through that time - but I did have an acupuncture clinic that I could hobble to a few blocks from my room. That saved my life. The herbal formulas helped.
It was not enough, though, and I would not know until '97 that I had three TBD. Even then, I never really got treatment.
However, one thing I learned from naturopathic medicine is that if the liver is overloaded, depression is one result.
If the liver is overloaded with toxins, many things can go wrong and the brain is literally soaking in chemicals.
As you treat the infection, as you support your liver, this can get better.
Nutritional support is vital, too. Alan Gaby is just one doctor how has written much about depression being a nutritional deficiency, in many cases.
And, yes, there are some cases where antidepressants have saved lives. A former colleague of mine is a prime example and she could sell a million prosac with her smile. But, she does not have lyme. Her liver seems to handle it.
When you first posted, you asked only in relation to brain fog.
I tried prosac in the early 90's - just for energy. I had read that those who used it got more energy. Three weeks in I was jumping out of my skin - even on a 1/3 of a capsule.
Same with effexor - and that is what started the sound sensitivity. It has never let up.
Doxepin, amitryp, wellbutrin, paxil, and probably one or two others, including xanax . . . I simply could not tolerate any of them more than a few weeks and the doctor would switch me to another with worse side-effects.
I don't want to scare you, and it's still a toss-up. Might help. Might not. Might hurt. But if you decide to try, please research thoroughly.
Is there anyway you can get massage ? That may be very helpful to calm your nervous system and help your body filter out stuff.
Whatever you do, I hope you have a LLMD to discuss this with.
The body of a person with lyme is not the same as one without in regard to how drugs are metabolized.
Oh, becoming gluten-free helped lift depression for me, too. It's amazing how much that helped. Far less brain fog (although there is still lots).
And BE sure you are getting you B vitamins. They are essential to lift mood, as is fish oil and, yes, DARK chocolate. 73% or higher. In the 80's is best.
The very best of luck to you as you find your path.
So far I am on: lyme nosode colostrum immuno vit smilax natural abxs
I appreciate all your support and sharing of info.
barb
Posts: 167 | From USA | Registered: Jul 2008
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
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Good, he sounds like he knows lyme. So many say they do but have not really done research.
I will say that when I did lyme nosode - where I'd take a vial under my tongue of different strenght (Desseret) . . . I got extreme reactions.
Have you discussed this symptom with him ? A few times when I was very depressed my ND gave me a homepathic with gold in it. Aurum, I think. Depression lifted right then.
Take care,
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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groovy2
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
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Hi All
I have had 2 friends Flip Out Big Time exactly one month after stopping depression meds- was scary -Jay-
Posts: 2999 | From Austin tx USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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The facts are that for many people with chronic illnesses, many types mind you, not just Lyme, SSRI drugs do help. They are commonly prescribed to people with chronic illness for 2 reasons: 1) to help with the constant anxiety caused by mentally battling your own thoughts and 2) to help with sleep. Sleep is critical for healing and restoration. SSRIs often help people reach Phase 4 sleep which is something that is tough to get to unless you can really amp down your mind. Many of us cannot do that. Interestingly, new research on alzheimer's patients shows that those given SSRIs do better. It's thought that the SSRIs in some way help to rework the brain, NOT JUST inhibit the re-uptake of seratonin. This has also been modeled in mice who's eyes had reduced vision (amblyopia). Given this drug, the mouse's eye sight improved implying that SSRIs can help to rewire the brain. More tests to come....
To answer the fog question, lexapro has helped my fog.....on it's own. I'm off ABX currently to test it. A low dose has lifted some fog, actually today, I didn't really have much, and has added energy. If it quiets my brain's anxiety, it stands to reason that it can help my fog. I'm not unconvinced (in my own case) that my brain's anxiety isn't contributing to some of my symptoms.
Stay tuned.
BT
Posts: 299 | From New Hampshire | Registered: Jul 2007
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