Topic: Crisis: Need your help immediately...mean bart symptoms and irrational behavior???
Dekrator48
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18239
posted
Please help....
Someone close to me has lyme.
They have not been treated yet for various reasons that cannot be helped right now....even though we all know everyone should be treated now.
I believe this person has Bart and maybe babesia.
They have had trouble with depression for 3 years and have been on antidepressants which seemed to help to some degree.
Some of the antidepressants were not tolerated due to extreme lethargy/drowsiness and she needs to be able to function somewhat.
She is taking Cymbalta.
Recently she has become more difficult to deal with, very defensive, very untrusting...almost paranoid...very angry all the time....irrational and doing things to destroy her family.
Sounds like bart, right?
She sees a counselor who cannot prescribe meds. I think the counselor works with her PCP to prescribe them.
I am thinking about trying to get her to talk to her PCP about worsening depression, anxiety, etc.
I have to tread lightly because she is really angry with me...but this is someone I cannot cut off communication with... I need to help them.
Right now she is ruining her entire life....her marriage....everything.
I also want her to talk to her Dr about testing for bart and babesia...she is Igenex positive for lyme.
Which labs and which tests do insurance pay for for bart and babesia....I just can't do all the searching for the info right now.
Which tests would be better? She can't really do the Igenex prepay for coinfection testing.
I thought maybe if she was bart positive, I could get her PCP to try to treat her for it.
She also needs further psych evaluation right now with further medication to get her (and all of us) through this.
She has tried other meds. Which meds have helped people with bart to get through the anger, paranoia, depression and defensiveness?
She also has the extreme fatigue, so she needs some testing for maybe B12 and Vit D, etc...any suggestions?
I know this is alot of questions, but please be patient and help me if you can....this is a real crisis.
Please pray too.....thanks.
-------------------- The fibromyalgia I've had for 32 years was an undiagnosed Lyme symptom.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". -Jeremiah 29:11 Posts: 6076 | From Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
tick battler
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 21113
posted
I think the best drug besides Levaquin would be Rifampin. It has done wonders for the anger in one of my 5 year old twins. The other did better getting rid of bart with Bactrim.
Dr. J in CT uses Specialty labs to test for bart hensalea. It has picked it up in all three of my children. The test is around $135 and might even be covered to some extent by insurance. The hard part is that your doc needs to register with them or something. I think they may be owned by Quest, so it may also be possible to get it done through quest labs (ask for Specialty to have the test done), but am not sure about this.
merrygirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12041
posted
I dont think I have a lot of answers for y ou , but one medication I take in addition to cymbalta is abilify. It helps with a lot of things.
I sure hope this person gets well soon, you sound like a great friend.
melissa
Posts: 3905 | From USA | Registered: May 2007
| IP: Logged |
Dekrator48
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18239
posted
Tickbattler,
Thanks for your advice....I appreciate it...I could use a real miracle here.
merrygirl,
Thanks, maybe she can ask about the Abilify also.
-------------------- The fibromyalgia I've had for 32 years was an undiagnosed Lyme symptom.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". -Jeremiah 29:11 Posts: 6076 | From Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
seekhelp
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 15067
posted
Sadly, I think pushing TBI self-diagnosis on friends/family is a ticket to losing them. The trush is if someone is ill enough, they'll come around. Until then, nothing you can do.
Posts: 7545 | From The 5th Dimension - The Twilight Zone | Registered: Mar 2008
| IP: Logged |
Dekrator48
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18239
posted
Maybe true, Seekhelp, but I already know she has lyme and so does she....hoping she sees the light about Bart.
-------------------- The fibromyalgia I've had for 32 years was an undiagnosed Lyme symptom.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". -Jeremiah 29:11 Posts: 6076 | From Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
Did she just start Cymbalta? Cymbalta can cause depression, mood swings, anger, etc. in some people.
-------------------- The advice I give, should not be considered medical advice. My opinion comes from years of research and experience. Posts: 233 | From Somewhere | Registered: Sep 2009
| IP: Logged |
Dekrator48
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18239
posted
lymedout,
No she's been on Cymbalta for awhile...thanks.
-------------------- The fibromyalgia I've had for 32 years was an undiagnosed Lyme symptom.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". -Jeremiah 29:11 Posts: 6076 | From Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
posted
This is a tough situation. I've been through
something similar with a friend whose son died
suddenly at 9 yrs old. About 2 months after his
death, when she was very, very angry and also
suicidal, I made an appt. for her with my PCP,
who is very compassionate. I called my friend
the night before and told her where we were
going and when I would pick her up. She didn't
resist at all. I went in the exam room with her
and told the dr. how concerned I was and that I
really wanted to help my friend. The dr. shared
with us that her sister's child had died at 14
and she helped her sister through it. She told
my friend that she would get through this and
that she (the dr.) would help her do it. The dr.
gave my friend a B-12 shot and scheduled her to
come in every week for several weeks for the
shots. I'm sure the dr. did this to help my
friend feel cared for and supported. Eventually,
my friend agreed to take an anti-depressant.
Can you make an appt. for your friend and take
her to a dr.? I would not recommend bringing up
TBI's on the first appt., but stay focused on
her mental health and what can be done to help
her THAT day. Something like Xanax or Ativan
might be necessary in the short-term. Then, you
or her family can work on finding an LLMD, etc.
Also, the Cymbalta may need to be discontinued.
People can have strange reaction to anti-
depressants, including anger and agitation.
Good luck. You are true friend!
-------------------- Misdiagnosed with CFS for 7 yrs. Diagnosed by LLMD in 2009. Aggressive treatment for 3 years with minimum improvement. Posts: 120 | From FL | Registered: Jun 2009
| IP: Logged |
Jane2904
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15917
posted
I agree with Tick Battler, Rifampin has done wonders for our teenage daughter.
I hope you are able to get the help that this person needs. I thought some of the difficulties we had with our daughter were just related to her age, but now I feel it was maybe from Bartonella.
Bart, seems to cause alot of anxiety, etc.
Wishing you all the bets in your journey.
Posts: 1357 | From Massachusetts | Registered: Jun 2008
| IP: Logged |
Dekrator48
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18239
posted
KimDC,
Thanks for sharing that story.
My friend has a Dr appt tomorrow with her PCP who has been on maternity leave.
I went with her once before to explain why I thought she had lyme and to order the testing from Igenex for it.....she is Igenex positive.
We have discussed TBI's many times.
She can't seem to connect her "unhappiness" though to the possibility that an infection is contributing to it.
She seems to he unhappy with everything and everybody in her life...but can't see that it is her and not everyone else that is the problem.
I would absolutlely go to her Dr appt again, but I think she is too angry that people are telling her she is having psych problems.
I am hoping that she will at least take my advice and ask her Dr for some testing, a referral to a marriage counselor and discuss her depression, etc to see about med changes.
This PCP is open minded....she took all the ILADS info and guidelines that I offered and read them, but I don't think she really feels comfortable treating her according to those guidelines.
Everything has just gone down hill in the last 3 years since this friend delivered her 2nd child and the postpartum depression hit.....which I think was the lyme/bart.
Thanks for your help.
-------------------- The fibromyalgia I've had for 32 years was an undiagnosed Lyme symptom.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". -Jeremiah 29:11 Posts: 6076 | From Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
Dekrator48
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18239
posted
Jane,
Thanks for relating your experience with this.
I feel certain it is bart.
I wish everyone else around me had read all the lyme/bart info that I have...or even cared to.
Thanks again.
-------------------- The fibromyalgia I've had for 32 years was an undiagnosed Lyme symptom.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". -Jeremiah 29:11 Posts: 6076 | From Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
Dekrator, I experienced anger and mood swings bad when I tried increasing my Cymbalta dosages.
What dosage is she on? Has she been increasing?
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6495 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
| IP: Logged |
Dekrator48
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 18239
posted
Pam,
I am not sure of her dosage. I don't think she has been increasing, but I will have to try to find out.
Thanks!
-------------------- The fibromyalgia I've had for 32 years was an undiagnosed Lyme symptom.
"For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future". -Jeremiah 29:11 Posts: 6076 | From Pennsylvania, USA | Registered: Nov 2008
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic