Psychosis?

OK, no exaggerations here, please. Many of you have helped me here before w/ the unbearable depression and anxiety that comes packing a whallop.(as Steve Irwin would have said....)

It's getting so bad, I feel psychotic -- no schiz stuff, but feeling out of my mind, wanting to go bezerk, feeling bezerk.  I can't seem to get a grip on these feelings, not even w/ positive thinking or actions. 

I had some driving around to do on Sat, all places in my area that I know. But I stayed confused and couldn't figure out which ways to go. I was outside of my body and my body was a blur.  Kind of felt like I was having some of those partial temperal (or frontal?) lobe seizures, only the confusion would resolve within a few minutes.

I remained confused all day at work yesterday and lost hours, going back to find and fix my mistakes, which were out of left field.

I think I need a little FMLA.  I can't take this crap anymore. And the people I work with only make things worse.  I do not quite have 2 weeks of time off saved.  

Would my best approach be going to the ER when I'm feeling the out of control depression/anxiety and psychotic feelings, even tho I have a psych who prescribes my antidepressants and xanax?  This psyche is pretty looney, but he gives me my meds and that is all.

Or should I approach my LLMD who is nearly impossible to get into.

If I already HAD depression and some anxiety issues, but which did not worsen until my tick bite, is this depression something I need to get addressed at the ER or another Dr?  I know that ER can't do anything, but they would connect me to a therapist who would decide if I needed a little FMLA -- a relative just did this and did intensive therapy and group therapy every day for about 2 weeks.

But she does not have Lyme. She had depression and anxiety issues that got out of control because of her job.

DOES ANYONE ELSE FEEL PSYCHOTIC??  Again, no exaggerations, please.

Hey Lyme,

I am sorry that you are still going through this. If it were me, I'd let my LLMD know and if it got bad enough, I would go to the ER. They might be able to give you something stronger than xanex to calm you down. I had to go to the ER a few times myself when all of this first started for me. It is definitely time something gets done to help you. I would make those doctors listen and run tests until they figured out what was going on. It may be something other than Lyme. Your adrenals and hormones can do this too.

+Lyme,

I'm really sorry to hear you're having such a hard time and struggling psychologically. I think many (if not most) of us have been there, at least temporarily, at some point during our illness and/or treatment. I know I have. It seems to come in cycles for me, maybe a couple of days a month when I really feel that terrible in my mind...and I think the only thing that's gotten me through is knowing it's going to pass and I *will* feel better eventually. I don't know if you've been experiencing "episodes," or more of a longer-term depression...either way it probably wouldn't hurt to see a therapist if you are able to get yourself there (sometimes you may even be able to find one that can come to your home). You certainly don't need to subject yourself to the emergency room to do this - in fact (and I think we've talked about this before), I would use caution with mental health services through the E.R., UNLESS you're feeling suicidal or at the point of having a nervous breakdown. It just scares me that ON TOP OF their ignorance regarding Lyme, they have SO much power over patients who express symptoms of mental illness (even if it's just a short-term episode of "losing it")...next thing you know you're facing being locked up being evaluated and drugged...not something that would have ever been beneficial to me!

I would ABSOLUTELY consult your LLMD with the mental health issues...see what s/he suggests and ask about therapists (or even psychiatrists if you want to go that route, especially since you're dealing with anxiety and have already been prescribed Xanax) who are familiar with Lyme disease.

I've dealt with anxiety for years and learned different ways to cope with it as time goes by. I always ask myself, "what's the worst that can happen?" or "what is it exactly that I'm worried about happening?" I use distractions, like getting off the couch where I'm sitting there worrying about whatever it is...and going to wash some dishes or going out to get the mail. I talk to friends, even though sometimes it seems easier to try and pretend the problem isn't there by not talking about it. And something else that may help, which has also been mentioned on the forum here, is making a list of the things that make you feel better. It really does help me a lot to journal about how terrible I was feeling, how depressed I was, and how worried I was...AND THEN HOW it got better and how much better I felt! That way I have hard evidence that "this too shall pass."

This disease has the potential to make us feel insane in our minds - but I can attest that it CAN get better! Focus on the basics: sleep/rest, good food, medicine, etc. Those are the things you need to worry about right now.

Rachel

Jeminij--

Thank you-- You said it all so well, your description of your experience with Lyme is pretty much where I am physically and emotionally at this time. I have two preschoolers and my incapacitated state doesn't let me be with them the way I want to be. It is so hard, thanks for your reminder to take it one day at a time.