I don't feel like i can do this anymore

I wrote here recently about severe pressure in the head after going on minocycline. I spoke to my doctor who said he thought it may be a herx and we tried multiple things (ibuprofen, benadryl with no relief). I have been to the ER twice now with no relief. A ct scan was done which was normal, all medication i am given for headaches doesn't work....and the head pressure continues. I heard about possible intracranial hypertension and went to an opthalmologist. They did extensive eye testing which was all fine. They said that usually with the hypertension the optic nerves swell, but mine are fine. However, i find it a hell of a coincidence that minocycline can cause this and it started after i started this medication. The opthalmologist recommended i go to a neurologist who i saw today. She said the same thing...that optic nerve swelling usually happens and so she wants to do an MRI and sent me away with yet more pills that do not relieve the pressure. I seriously feel at the end of my rope with this. I currently live with my parents as my husband and i separated. I have insurance through our marriage until we divorce, but no income currently. I feel constantly spaced out as it is (this has always been one of the worst symptoms of mine). I felt like i could handle a part time job before this head pressure started, but it is so debilitating that i can barely function and i am in pain and i feel like no one listens to me. It has been a week now since i stopped the medication and i have not had any relief. I also have no emotional support from my family. They get annoyed at me for not having a job and i don't think they truly understand this disease. I just don't know what to do next. I just want all the suffering to stop and i feel too far gone to ever feel better. I know many people probably won't be able to offer much help, but i just needed to vent

Hi tol89.

I am so sorry you're struggling like this. It was very smart of you to post… lots of good resources here and tons of support, both which are critical to successful treatment.

I get these incredibly pressurized headaches, which feel like someone hit my head w/ a 2x4 or it's in a vice. It feels like I am lying on a cinder block when I lay my head down on a pillow.

After a lot of trial and error, I determined this was from yeast/fungal overgrowth, which produces neurotoxins in the brain and either the sensation of inflammation or inflammation itself, as it is growing and during die off. Neurotoxins also make you feel sluggish, spacey, disconnected, brain fog…

You say you've stopped the medication but have not had relief, do you mean you've stopped the minocycline? Even one dose of abx kill all the good bacteria in the gut, which is there for many reasons but also to help keep yeast/fungus in balance. So many of us who are taking abx are also on antifungals and probiotics to replace good bacteria.

What anti fungal and detox protocol have you implemented?

p

I had head pressure like what you describe and it was driving me crazy. It seems its a common Babesia symptom where you get head pressure but without a bad headache.

I took some anti-Babesia / protozoa herbs and the constant pressure went away over a few months. Artemisinin seemed to be the most effective for me but you build up a tolerance to it quickly so you need to cycle it on and off. The Buhner anti-Babesia herbs seemed to work too.

The thing is that the pressure gets worse while you're herxing, and minocycline is used to kill protozoa including Malaria and Babesia. For me the key was consistent detoxing. Regular sauna use really helped.

Hi TiredofLyme, welcome to the forum!

What member Pirouette said above I have found to be correct as well. Its from yeast overgrowth from the antibiotics. If your gut is already impaired, it doesnt take much for it to happen. There were sometimes I thought babesia was the cause but everytime I get that "head pressure" it is from systemic yeast (yeast thats went in the bloodstream). Literally every time I treat yeast when having the head pressure, it would go away. It would even get better when I would cut a couple slices from a clove of raw garlic and chew it...I would feel relief. This is how I KNOW its from that and could very well be the cause for you.

I feel your pain. The head pressure really stinks to cope with. I have always described it as like a balloon on the inside of my head trying to be blown up. Lots of pressure.

The pressure happens alot for me with Doxycyline which is in the same family as your minocycline. I mainly got the dizziness side effect when I was on Mino. Dizziness is known with mino but it does subside once you have adjusted to the med in case you are having any dizziness.

What dose of Mino are you on btw? 100mg? 200mg? Mino is formed in a less mg compared to Doxy.

If you are not taking any anti-fungals or probiotics you may certainly want to get some of both asap. There is the natural stuff such as the raw garlic I mentioned that helps too. Keeping the yeast down is a whole another job that we have to do along with fighting the lyme/co's. We cant win for losing I swear.

So many people get the head pressure symptom and do not realize its from yeast overgrowth from the meds.

Its sad that your family is not very supportive. Lyme sucks in so many ways and people just dont get *it* as we normally look "okay" despite feeling terrible.

It WILL get better though. Its a long road and will take alot of strength but getting your life back is worth it.

I recall I used to sit there with the head pressure going on trying to talk to my sister in law and I could barely follow what she was saying....would feel so spaced out.

Anytime you feel you need to vent or need assistance with what you dealing with come to the forum. We all have been through the ringer with this illness and likely know some methods to whatever madness your dealing with, especially the veteran members who have been here a while.


I hope you find some relief soon

-Courtney

My daughter had intracranial hypertension a few years ago. It's caused by too much spinal fluid. With it the headache changes dramatically when you lay down versus get up. One way is tolerable, the other way is insanely painful. I don't remember which is which and she didn't answer her phone. My daughter had double vision which is a tell tale sign.
The ophthalmic specialist was very concerned her eyes would sustain permanent damage. If their saying your eyes are ok it's not this.

I think that Pirouette is on target. She's really knowledgeable and very helpful on the subject. Let her help you. That's what people on this board do. We help each other.

Janet

Thank you. At this point i will try anything to see if it works. Could a yeast issue cause constant head pressure? I need some form of income too to pay for all my treatment. I would ideally like something easy from home, but know this can't always be possible. I am just concerned it is hypertension seems i read minocycline is known to cause it. I was on 100mg twice a day, but i stopped a week ago now. My neck is also severely achy, also base of skull. Feels like i was staring up at a movie theater screen for hours. That sort of ache. I am also having clicking on one side of my jaw. Not sure if related or a TMJ issue. I only noticed this tonight. Just seems to be so much going on, it's too overwhelming

Thank you. I do not get any relief from the detox methods i have tried, but not sure if it is too soon. I just took a diflucan pill. I have maybe a week or so worth of them.

ALSO… sorry, I just remembered:

If you can get your hands on some Pinella tincture, it helps with brain detox and might help move the neurotoxins from the brain. I also take Japanese Knotweed for inflammation, which usually works great.

p

Hey Tiredoflyme, okay so 100mg x2 a day is pretty standard of mino. I was just wondering how high of a dose you were on because that would def intensify things i.e. yeast factor & hence the head pressure.

Aw man, see I experienced the base of neck achy thing too alot around the time when I would have the head pressure! How ironic. This was all in the first year of my getting all this crap that I experienced those things the most. At that time I have to admit I was so naive... I was eating lots of Yoplait yogurt thinking I was doing things right with getting probiotics in my system! Sheesh, I dont even go near anything with sugar like that anymore!

At least you said your diet is good and clean though. Sometimes thats not enough though depending on how your gut handles the abx.

The neck thing I would always describe as if your head was a big egg, the very base of the egg where it sits on the neck is where it hurts. Sorry, Ive got all these silly metaphors that I have used along the way to describe things! lol. Essentially, I just want to let you know that what youre feeling can be related to and youre not alone dealing with this stuff.

Maybe in the mean time at the very least, you can at least get a bulb of fresh raw garlic from the grocery store. This will help only *some* though and may not be totally curative. I never cared for the pre-packaged garlic bulbs...I like the fresh from the store ones they have sitting out. Try taking a one clove off the garlic and slicing just a "lil" chunk or two off the small clove. I would sometimes either eat it by itself or put it on toast with butter to make like a garlic bread. Its easier on your stomach to eat with something. It has to be raw though. Do not cook and eat it promptly after cutting so it does not lose its medicinal properties.

I have heard of some people eating a whole clove or two but I am not that hardcore! It can really burn too much at one time so please just try a tiny piece to start off(like the size of a half of pea even lets say).

Or, a new method I love is adding the garlic to a green juice. I put in a nutri ninja with some other greens and it mixes it really well and I really dont get a burn when I do that. Doesnt taste so hot but in the name of health right.

All in all, the garlic is just something you can try and its very cheap. Less than a dollar for the whole bulb. If you find some relief after chewing a little piece then its def yeast youre dealing with.


On the other note, if what youre dealing with does turn out to be intracranial pressure from the mino then I have heard of drug from a friend who has lyme & babesia and dealt with this. The pressure was from the untreated babesia because the babs meds could not be tolerated. I will leave that at that but the med he got the med prescribed called Diamox. I dont know how I remembered that but just to make sure I googled 'diamox head pressure lyme' and lots of posts did come up so that was it.


I really think its from the yeast though. BUT, I am not a doctor. I just post what I know from personal experience and honestly its funny that your having the ache at the base of your skull too. I think thats from the lyme/co's though.

Does your neck go stiff in the back too? That used to happen to me alot too when I would experience those other symptoms but has lessend alot with treatment. Also, you dont have a white coating on your tongue do you? That would be an indication of yeast overgrowth also.


Hang in there TiredofLyme89

((Hugs))
-Courtney

Post Edited (orchid_rain) : 7/17/2015 9:44:51 PM (GMT-6)

I was typing while P was replying so just read her post and your last one, but there ya go....if you just took a pill of Diflucan then that should be telling if its yeast thats your prob or not. Def ideal as she mentioned to start off slow with the Diflucan as its pretty strong and you dont need alot. Also has a good half-life. Annnd she said it....lots of water with Diflucan. I remember my doc telling me that when he first prescribed it.


:)-Courtney

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p