Topic: In your experience which is brain fog associated with?
lymebytes
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11830
posted
Ok, trying to determine symptom-relation.
Severe bouts (comes and goes) of brain fog, with tremors, feelings of insanity, anxiety and warm (to the touch)face and forhead and even sometimes leg weakness and nausea.
In your experiences of treatment was it Lyme or Babesia? Or something else entirely?
Haley
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 22008
posted
Hi Lymebytes,
It's me again.
Brain fog is my worst symptom. I told my LLMD if he can get rid of my brain fog that is all I care about.
I am beginning to believe that mine is related to Babesia or something that responds to anti-malarials. Mepron hits my scalp/head symptoms and I notice that I am able to converse with people in a way that is almost bordering on normal.
I also have Bartonella and I have not really treated that co-infection thoroughly so it could be a combination of both.
Hoosiers51
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Member # 15759
posted
For me, I think it was Bart. Zith with Plaquenil helped the psych aspect of my Bart, and Bactrim DS with Zith helped me feel like I was intelligent again and could think again. So I would say the Bactrim/Zith was when my brain first started to clear.
I'm not sure what causes the fog exactly, but I think it's Bart mostly, and maybe some forms of fog can be Lyme, like more of the fatigued/"fried" brain fog.
But the short answer is that it's probably Bart.
If you are SURE you don't have Bart....like really sure....it could be yeast or Lyme.
Posts: 4590 | From Midwest | Registered: Jun 2008
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sutherngrl
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posted
I lean toward lyme or bart on the brain fog!
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Sammi
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posted
For me, leg weakness, nausea, and feeling warm were from Babesiosis. I think brain fog can be from Lyme and/or Babesiosis. When I have progressed with Babs treatment, my brain fog improved.
I do not have Bartonella, but I believe it can cause anxiety.
Do you have any co-infections?
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lyme in Putnam
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Member # 11561
posted
Lyme, bart and anxiety make a mix for insanity.
-------------------- He took u to it, He'll you through Posts: 2837 | From NE. | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
I am in remission almost 1 year now and I still bouts of brain fog and for me it's either yeast and or heavy metals mercury and lead which I am slowly working on.
I'm finding the Detoxamin suppositories are helping me think clearer and giving me more energy.
-------------------- Bart Henslea 1976 Fibro/CFS/arthritis 2004 Lyme diagnosed 2007 3 1/2 years treatment with oral combos, Cowden, IV roc. BW herbs. Off all abx in 12/10. Feeling good. Posts: 647 | From NY | Registered: Dec 2007
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-------------------- "We must be willing to get rid of the life we've planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us" - e.m. forster Posts: 921 | From PA | Registered: Jan 2004
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lymebytes
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Member # 11830
posted
Wow, interesting answers.
Hoosiers - your post caught my attention when you said "fried/fatigued", yes that fits, but I also feel shaky, warm face, cold hands, tremory,anxiety all at the same time.
I have treated the co's of which I had positive tests and am sure Bart is gone and Ehrlichia.
Every time I am tested, I am ALWAYS Lyme positive every time. Lyme has never once been negative.
The symptoms in my first post emerged after a round of Artemisinin last summer that never left - well they come and go, but they come on as a "package", all at the same time. It lasts a few days, then it goes.
I sort of wondered if the medications could cause it, because it is worse on Biaxin and/or Bicillin. It feels "toxic", like I am poisoned - like a bad die off, butI am only treating Lyme, could a lyme die-off cause this?
I have another post going and am suspecting the zillion negative babs tests I have had may be wrong.
One LLMd told me Lyme can cause these symptoms - he believes I am co-infection free after working on them the past 3.5 years, but I never really hit babs because he says I don't have it.
Another LLMd says cognitive is always Babesia.
Bactrim/Septra - interesting post, that drug hits both Bart and Babs.
The most consistent symptom for me is pain, widespread nerve pain. Then the fog rolls in.
Yeast - I haven't treated.
Parasites - I haven't treated. Wonder if they could cause these symptoms?
I am desperate to make progress...this has become a joke and not a fun one.
Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- Brain fog can also come from liver toxicity so be sure to keep up with liver support.
A Gluten-Free diet often helps clear the brain (as well as the stomach) to a nice degree. -
Posts: 48021 | From Tree House | Registered: Jul 2007
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posted
For hubby his Parkinsonian tremors and myoclonus and dystonia and seizure like episodes all seem to be from bartonella. And it only took me about 5 years or so of treatment to figure that out.
His docs always said that lyme or babesia or bartonella could cause tremors. We think the babs is finally gone and have been treating bartonella for 2 1/2 years but think it is still there.
I would suggest you get a blood smear from Clongen lab -- cheaper than the one from Fry lab. It could show either bart or babs or whatever the unknown pathogen is that many seem to have.
Hubby called Clongen today and the test is only $100. His last test from them was in 11/08 and then he still had a positive test from Fry in 6/09. This time we are going to do the new Galaxy Lab test for bartonella at the same time as we repeat the Clongen bloodslide.
Note -- The Clongen requisition form is on their website. Need to write in the test "Wet mount/Blood Smear for bacteria, babesia and parasites. The lab can send test kit to either you or your doc, but a doc has to sign the requisition.
It really upsets me when I read that LLMD's won't treat coinfections without positive test results. Hubby only ever tested positive for babesia on a bloodslide (the old Bowen lab and Fry Lab) and he has some sort of bacteria on bloodslides from both Fry (3 times) and Clongen which is either bartonella or mycoplasma we think. And hubby never had a positive western Blot for Lyme either -- but he lucked out once and had one positive PCR test.
I do remember one point in treatment when hubby first tried rifampin -- think that was about 4 years into treatment. It woke up his brain. Before that he was just unusually quiet and didn't talk much. He couldn't tolerate that med then, but ever since then he has been more mentally alert.
Posts: 7306 | From Martinsville,VA,USA | Registered: Oct 2004
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Hoosiers51
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posted
I get the warm face and also warm neck (but face does not look more pink or red) too. I've gotten it a lot less lately. Most of the time, I get it in the evening.
I'm not sure what infection that is.
Bicillin/Biaxin.....the toxic feeling could be that the die off is too much, or it could be that the drug is making you feel toxic. Hard to know. I have a hard time telling the difference between the two. It is only in retrospect that I know....because once a symptom gets better, I realize it was die off. If the toxic feeling doesn't get better, and ends up getting worse, it usually means it was the drug making me toxic.
Bicillin for me is not very stressful on the body as a drug, so feeling crummy on Bicillin is die off for me.....that's my two cents. With Biaxin, harder to know.
Not sure any of this helped!
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lymebytes
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posted
Hoosiers, Same here, no reddness in my face, but just warm, really strange.
Bicillin is interesting drug for me. It can help some symptoms but nail me cognitively.
What a puzzle - 4 years of this and still putting the pieces together. Geez.....
lymebytes
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Member # 11830
posted
seibertneurolyme - thanks, good idea I am going to ask my LLMd asap for the tests you recommend. I know, the LLMd is very well known too..but he relies on test results very much. He believes most of my problem is Lyme since I am always highly lyme positive on every test. You think though I'd make progress. Thanks again.
Keebler - yes thank you...liver is good, thankfully and I am on milk thistle.
posted
Both Bb and Babs had elements of brain fog and tremors for me, but Babesia seems to be the bigger problem in my case. At least these symptoms didn't start to really clear up until after I started Babesia treatment.
Posts: 975 | From California | Registered: Apr 2007
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BoxerMom
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posted
Lymebytes - I responded to your other thread, but after reading this one, I really think you should treat for Babesia.
My husband tested negative for Babesia, but had tons of intracellular parasites in his Fry blood smear. After 16 months of treatment for Lyme and Bartonella (tested positive for both), he developed new symptoms: leg weakness, nausea, warm in the evening, feeling off-balance, ringing in the ears.
Our LLND has no problem treating based on symptoms, so she started him on Mepron, Malarone and Allinia. No more feeling off-balance. Now has day and night sweats. Still warm on face and forehead, esp in the evening. Wakes feeling fluish. Still has leg weakness and occasional ringing in the ears. Feels he is definitely herxing for Babesia.
BoxerMom
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Member # 25251
posted
I forgot to add: I tested positive for Babesia and treated for 1 year on various Mepron/Zith combos. I had severe brain fog that dissipated completely when I started Mepron. I added Resveratrol around the same time, so that could have contributed.
I had severe depression and anxiety while treating for Babs. I wouldn't call it insanity, but definitely panic attacks and suicidal ideation. Repeated thoughts, like brain OCD. (Hmmmm...sounding a little like insanity.) Gone now.
My husband's Babesia symptoms come and go. He calls them "episodes."
posted
For me it was Bart greater than lyme, and lyme greater than babs for causing brain fog. Dealt with lyme first though then Bart alone, now Bart and Babs. By the way regarding the Babs I am having some recurrence of night time hypervigilence/anxiety. I am doing a 12 hour mini-detox today to try to help with that. I was working on repairing my chain saw 2 days ago and had to dump out fuel to deal with broken fuel line. The gasoline vapors started me feeling sick and migraine aura stuff happened etc. So I am thinking Babs stresses the liver and that alcohol or petroleum vapors are more provocative for that reason.
Beachinit.
-------------------- Ideas not advice. Posts: 448 | From Downeast Maine | Registered: Jul 2009
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posted
I feel it's lyme. Treatment with rife clears brain fog instantly(doug coil). I also feel it is caused by toxic mold, fresh paint, fresh varnish and most forms of carpet cleaner. If you have lyme, pay very close attention to things you put in your home. DO NOT use standard cleaning chemicals. DO NOT get your car detailed. DO NOT buy antiques or enter old homes in humid areas if you can help it. All these thigns contribute to confusion and brain fog in many lyme patients.
Posts: 181 | From chicago | Registered: Jun 2002
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lymebytes
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