posted
Hi All. I was taking Zithromax+Mycobutin for 4 months for my Lyme/Bart. Then I switched to Zithro+Bicillin+Bactrim for a month.
And then, for this last month I was doing Levaquin+Bactrim+Bicillin until it happened.
I know I wasn't supposed to stay on Bactrim but I felt something was working and was too afraid to stop it.
A week and a half ago however I started having some weird mental symptoms.
It started very suddenly. I started having exagerated awareness of shapes, colors, sounds; delayed reaction, trouble focusing combined with intense feeling of fear, depression and indifference to everything which is really not typical for me - I never had anything like this before.
Sometimes I have headache on the top of my head with this.
Also obsessive ideas that I don't seem to be able to stop.
It can be triggered very suddenly by different things like stress, intense emotion, meditation (specifically focusing on my breathing) and takes a long time to go away.
All of this might sound like not such a big deal but all these episodes are very intense and very scary.
Please let me know if you have any idea about what could have triggered it at this point (6th month into treatment!) and what is it related to - Lyme?
Or maybe some antibiotic sidefect, or interaction?
Any feedback would be greatly appreciated and please feel free to pm me!!!
Thanks,
Sing
Posts: 59 | From Boston | Registered: May 2008
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Hoosiers51
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15759
posted
I have also experienced strange psychological symptoms as a result of my tick borne diseases, things that go beyond the typical "depression" or "anxiety."
The "increased awareness of shapes, colors, sounds" sounds very interesting to me. I can relate to those sorts of feelings.
From what you describe, it does NOT sound like you meet the criteria for bipolar disorder at all.....however, these symptoms may be "hints" of a similar brain process that causes these weird manifestations you describe. This is just based on the way I am understanding your description.
I don't have your post in front of me while I'm replying, but you mentioned strange things happening while meditating. Maybe you should research "hypomania," not because I think you have it, but because you may identify with aspects of it. I think what you are experiencing may be at a lower-level than that, so I don't want to throw around terms that scare you or make you jump to conclusions. But what you describe reminds me of that whole, "heightened awareness" thing.
It seems that you have periods of being "down" and also periods of elation; or rather, times when your senses are overly stimulated. In some of these psychological issues, it can be a euphoric feeling, BUT it can also be a very annoyed, yet energetic sort of "not right" feeling. I've been through it and it IS scary...you feel like you have no control over your thoughts....you feel like you are a passenger and someone else is driving the car.
Bartonella can cause irritability, but babesia can cause rapid shifts in mood (though I'm not sure how well that is documented), but then again, I bet Bart would too.
Whatever it is, it is definitely a Herx. Definitely. It is likely either the Bartonella or a *possible* babesia infection dying off (Bactrim can treat babesia to a smaller extent). Bartonella is notorious for psychological problems, specifically anxiety I believe.
I know that babesia is associated with strange emotional responses, called "emotional lability." Your emotions can be unstable, or even inapporpriate (laughing when something is sad).
So you can decide which of those you feel you identify with more. I would think Bartonella is more likely, but of course it could just be plain old Lyme.
I think it is a good sign though, that your infection is dying off.
What you are experiencing is just a logical result of these infections, whatever they are, playing with your brain. I don't think your psychological manifestations are the most common ones seen, but they are possible. I have experienced OCD, and also elements of bipolar disorder throughout this journey.
I hope what I said made sense, though it was very wordy! It is hard going through this sort of thing. If you have any more questions, feel free to PM me, especially if you are thinking about trying medications for this (which i would not recommend yet if it's just a Herx), because I can give you some advice on what worked for me and what made it worse.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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posted
I can certainly relate to the "indifference to everything." I can't conjure up much interest in anything since I got these infections, but "indifference" never used to be a part of my life.
I think it could be a bartonella symptom, but then again perhaps Lyme.
Posts: 929 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Oct 2007
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