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Antidepressants and Lyme treatment

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Posted 5/31/2013 10:36 PM (GMT 0)
I am finding anxiety to be my number one issue - I have Bartonella as doctor suspects along with general lyme symptoms. I am struggling with Lyme and my doctor suggested Prozac (Lovan) which I have started in the last 3 weeks. I have found good and bad results with the antidepressant so far but I am able to restart my doxycycline treatment and hope to get back on rifampin and then plaquenil. Has anyone treated their lyme successfully while on antidepressants or do you find it is another complication to treatment. I am thinking of getting off the lovan and just putting up with the anxiety. Any ideas?
Posted 5/31/2013 11:26 PM (GMT 0)
I've been on zoloft for four years and just got the lyme dx'd 8 months ago. I'm using essential oils to treat the lyme+ b/c I'm allergic to antibiotics.

I haven't noticed any complications from being on the zoloft while treating the lyme+. In fact, I'm confident in saying that if it weren't for the zoloft, I wouldn't have lived long enough to get the lyme+ dx'd, much less treated.

I see antidepressants as a tool in the toolbox. If it buys you the time that you need to get the underlying issues solved, then so be it. At least you're alive !
Posted 6/1/2013 4:55 AM (GMT 0)
I agree with skynight- (I also have Bartonella). Talk about anxiety!!!!!!! I'm taking Viibryd (the "new Lexapro"). It helps but I also have to take a clonopin-sp? Every morning and still suffer from debilitating anxiety due to the Bart! Try anything to stay afloat for the treatment to kick in.
Posted 6/1/2013 5:25 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your ideas, I probably will stick with the lovan for a short while and see how my treatment progresses.

sknight can you describe which essential oils you use as I'd like to combine some natural elements in my treatment.
Posted 6/1/2013 6:23 PM (GMT 0)
Check out my post, about 2/3 of the way down in this thread... it's easy to find, there's one paragraph that is "red" in color.

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=2746041
Posted 6/1/2013 10:28 PM (GMT 0)
I was talking to my childhood friend yesterday. She drove an hour to come to see me yesterday evening cause she's sensing that I'm really really down, and feeling like things are growing taller than me...

She tried to convince me to take an antidepressant. She's a severe diabetic, and knows all about depression, and she told me that it's time... more than time... My dr though is against it. Maybe sometimes the end justifies the means. I'll talk him about it...
Posted 6/2/2013 4:59 AM (GMT 0)
I suffered with severe depression for four years before finally taking the advice of three good, long term friends... I asked my pharmacist (who's also a good friend) if she could recommend a psychiatrist. Psychiatrists know way more about antidepressants than general practitioners. Pharmacist recommended a psych doc, I made an appt. Psych doc said it might take 4-6 weeks to feel a positive difference. Fortunately, in this case, I am SO sensitive to pharmaceutical meds that I felt a HUGE positive change in only 48 hours !

48 hours on zoloft and my body physically relaxed, the suicidal arguments in my head didn't just get "easier", they disappeared completely, the stupid things that people say began to slide off like water on a duck's back, and I became a more empathetic friend to those that I'm close to.

A few years later, the lyme symptoms hit hard... then the lyme dx... then the failed treatment attempts... then the successful treatment and the hard herxing. I wouldn't have made it through all that without the zoloft.

Someday, when I have my health back and the lyme+ is a thing of the past... I'll think about coming off the zoloft. For now, that's a bridge that I'll cross when I get to it.

Antidepressants are just another tool in the toolbox. That's how you have to looks at.
Posted 6/2/2013 8:33 AM (GMT 0)
sknight what you are saying makes a lot of sense, especially for my situation as I have two young children to look after. I will stick with the antidepressant for a little while until my treatment kicks in again.

I have looked at your essential oil regime and I think I will start slowly with Thieves oil and move my way up to a few more oils.
Posted 6/2/2013 5:19 PM (GMT 0)
Good for you cammym....! It's so hard to learn to put oneself first on the priority list. For years, I made everyone else a priority, while I allowed myself to become an "option".

You do whatever you have to, to take care of yourself.... because, sadly, no one else can/will do it for you. It may feel selfish at first but, that will pass. Life is hard enough all on it's own... why complicate it with severe anxiety.

BTW, do you get the foot pain with Bartonella...? For 20-some years, I had such bad foot pain, always worse first thing in the morning. It was "bone pain".... every step I took felt as though I was slamming the bare bones of my feet into concrete. It's much improved now but, was excruciatingly bad for a long time.

Please keep us updated on how you're doing.


ps ~ if the Thieves oil works for you, and you get the terrible herxing that I got.... please remember, coffee enemas are awesome at getting those die-off toxins out of your body! :)

Post Edited (sknight) : 6/2/2013 8:45:18 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/3/2013 1:48 AM (GMT 0)
Cammym- with Bart the anxiety is the worst. I started a small dose of clonopin daily, it's mellow and helps with anxiety.... The antidepressant with Bart just isn't enough for me. You can always taper off once the treatment starts working. That's my plan anyway.
Posted 6/3/2013 9:49 AM (GMT 0)
thanks for your advice all, my bart symptoms seemed to be going away and then I had a mega herx and the leg, arm, back and shoulder aches came back dramatically. They have tapered off a bit since restarting the doxy. I have soon realised to take it slow and do more detoxing!
Posted 6/3/2013 1:58 PM (GMT 0)
I have to say that I attribute getting well to the antidepressants.  I could not deal with the anxiety and depression.  The level of stress in your body affects your body's ability to heal.  Being able to see the light at the end of the tunnel is crucial to getting there.  Your mind is an imperative part of healing.  My husband also relapsed horribly when he tried to come off the antidepressants. 

I tell people if you don't want to go on the antidepressants, try something like xanax so your body can at least relax a bit including your muscles, joints, etc. 

Hope today is a good day for you.

Posted 6/3/2013 3:47 PM (GMT 0)
I am starting my 9th month of treatment after being misdiagnosed for 12 years. My anxiety had become so bad I thought I was going to "snap." I did not sleep, was trying to work full time as a nurse plus be a wife and mom to 2 teenage boys. I have Bartonella as well. I am on Celexa and medication for sleep plus Xanax if I really need it. It has helped so much. Not sure where I would be without it right now. If you can't sleep because of severe anxiety you can't heal in my opinion.
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