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Posted 10/19/2017 7:11 PM (GMT 0)
Hello,

I just went to my first therapist visit in years and spent so much time talking about lyme and how it has been such a loss for me in terms of ... everything... but mostly my health. I am curious because my doctor thinks there is some biological influences of having lyme but that mostly I am depressed/anxious because I have lost my health. I am going to be doing CBT to retrain my brain.

While I do believe her, I can't deny that my depression flares up when I am herxing or around my period, etc. Usually it is not bad. But then again, I am herxing quiet often and feel bad pretty often....

How many people on here are depressed? What do you think is going on? I feel like I have PTSD every time I start feeling bad again, as crazy as it sounds...
Posted 10/19/2017 7:33 PM (GMT 0)
gaby - I know my depression was caused by the infections. It came on very early within a few months of initial symptoms...

It left a few months later - on it's own...even though my symptoms were getting worse and I was starting to get worried about my health.

I do get sad at times and cry...but it's not the same as the bouts of depression I had. The depression was like a dark cloud..and I was so low...it was horrible.

i think I might have a low level PTSD going on though. When I think back to the dark days....it does upset me.
Posted 10/19/2017 7:47 PM (GMT 0)

Girlie said...
gaby - I know my depression was caused by the infections. It came on very early within a few months of initial symptoms...

It left a few months later - on it's own...even though my symptoms were getting worse and I was starting to get worried about my health.

I do get sad at times and cry...but it's not the same as the bouts of depression I had. The depression was like a dark cloud..and I was so low...it was horrible.

i think I might have a low level PTSD going on though. When I think back to the dark days....it does upset me.

Thanks for sharing girlie, that's kind of how I feel but no one seems to really understand that its a combination of the literal disease itself AND the effects of being so isolated while having it.
Posted 10/19/2017 7:53 PM (GMT 0)
I am convinced that depression was a symptom of my infection. I cried literally every day for more than a year. I had reasons for it (death in the family and heading for divorce) but it got so bad it felt like a physical thing in my chest that I was becoming desperate to escape. After I went on doxy, it lightened and I felt much better. It was a huge difference. Now I have anxiety instead, haha.
Posted 10/19/2017 10:29 PM (GMT 0)
Both for me. Depressed because I'm ill but other times it's definitely lyme.

It feels different and it happens for no reason. The "no reason" part is how I know it's lyme.

Depressed, moody, irritable, extra sensitive where little things make me tear up.

I mean the slightest things can make me get teary eyed. Even good things.

I was never this way before lyme.
Posted 10/20/2017 1:30 AM (GMT 0)

Dahlias said...
I am convinced that depression was a symptom of my infection. I cried literally every day for more than a year. I had reasons for it (death in the family and heading for divorce) but it got so bad it felt like a physical thing in my chest that I was becoming desperate to escape. After I went on doxy, it lightened and I felt much better. It was a huge difference. Now I have anxiety instead, haha.

I also cried everyday - for almost two years.

My father died during this time...too.

And, my son moved out on his own...

Talk about us getting hit when we're already down.... cry
Posted 10/20/2017 12:22 PM (GMT 0)

Girlie said...
I also cried everyday - for almost two years.

My father died during this time...too.

And, my son moved out on his own...

Talk about us getting hit when we're already down.... cry

Aw, Girlie. It was my father who died as well. I'm sorry. I also have two teenagers, so I can imagine how hard it must have been when your son moved out. Tough times.
Posted 10/22/2017 3:44 AM (GMT 0)
That has been my major symptom. After coming down with flu symptoms and feeling awful for a month. I literally woke up severly depressed and have had emotional symptoms ever since. Besides this, I also have PTSD not just because of Lyme, but since I got sick my entire life has been a mess and I lost basically everything. So this just makes things worse.

I am so sick of doctors and psychiatrists.... for something reason everyone I go to do not want to take lyme seriously and just tell me it is all in my head. On top of this, I get no support from my family and I get the same treatment from them. Now I completely understand why people with lyme kill themselves. It is so frustrating when you feel like crap physically and everyone is telling you it is all in your head. I just want to scream out in frustration.
Posted 10/22/2017 11:47 AM (GMT 0)

chrisespo said...
That has been my major symptom. After coming down with flu symptoms and feeling awful for a month. I literally woke up severly depressed and have had emotional symptoms ever since. Besides this, I also have PTSD not just because of Lyme, but since I got sick my entire life has been a mess and I lost basically everything. So this just makes things worse.

I am so sick of doctors and psychiatrists.... for something reason everyone I go to do not want to take lyme seriously and just tell me it is all in my head. On top of this, I get no support from my family and I get the same treatment from them. Now I completely understand why people with lyme kill themselves. It is so frustrating when you feel like crap physically and everyone is telling you it is all in your head. I just want to scream out in frustration.

This is exactly how I felt for a long time...before I finally began getting the support from my family that I needed and finally found a good ND that treats lyme. This disease is SO AWFUL. Why aren't the psychiatric manifestations talked about as much?????? It seems like so many people have them. F THIS ILLNESS
Posted 10/22/2017 1:14 PM (GMT 0)
I know what you mean. I am so upset... If I was going to know this was going to happen to me this year I would have never returned to this country. I was living abroad for 8 years and first moved to LA. I was working then I got sick. I had to return home. My family have not been supportive at all and there is nothing but fighting....I am just told I am lazy and it is all in my head...which just makes me worse. On top of that my girlfriend was not supportive and gave me hell this year and broke up with me....so I am just a mess. I could go on and on. I just feel I am being punished for something and living in the twilight zone. I am on the verge of having a nervous breakdown and being homeless. I get so frustrated. If I was not such a coward, I would just off myself. This is all a bad dream. At least now your family supports you.

Post Edited (chrisespo) : 10/22/2017 7:28:45 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/22/2017 2:56 PM (GMT 0)
Depression has been a symptom for me for sure. Although I struggled with it some before due to childhood family stress. But that’s the problem is that people just assume it’s all in your head and your just depressed. But the the depression is only a tiny part of the whole disease. Mine is much better than it use to be but when it’s bad it’s so awful. I use to cry almost everyday as well and felt so out of control.

Sometimes I had no idea why I was crying but I just assume it was just past things I had been through. But since going through treatment I now see it was for sure a symptom. And it so easy for the depression to take over bc there is so much loss that happens with Lyme and no one really understands what your going through. The isolation just feeds the depression but it’s not like you can really help that. I wish that there was more of a spotlight on Lyme. It’s insane that it is not getting the recognition that it deserves so that those of us suffering from it can get some help and feel validated.
Posted 10/22/2017 3:33 PM (GMT 0)
Sarah Jane I completely understand. Last year I had my life, a good job, fiance etc.... I left that country to be closer to my daughter. What a mistake it has been. What lyme does it find every weakness we have. I am a type of guy who is prone to anxiety. So Lyme just magnifies any preexisting issues you have. If I was rich (I was a teacher) things would be alot easier.

This disease is expensive. I just don't know why the CDC does not want to acknowledge this disease. It has been around the same time as HIV. It is an epidemic. Why does this government want to cover this up! What is going on? If they made all these advancements with HIV why not Lyme. Doctors just do not recognize it and brush it under the rug. This is what got me in trouble with my family. I took 3 weeks of Doxy and they told me and my family I was cured and there is no such thing as chronic lyme. I am just praying to get back what I lost.

Post Edited (chrisespo) : 10/22/2017 10:17:07 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 10/22/2017 3:45 PM (GMT 0)

gabybee said...
I am curious because my doctor thinks there is some biological influences of having lyme ..

yes I believe this.

my theory is that the lyme neuro toxin, BBtox1, supresses Acetylcholine which is an important neurotransmitter, It plays a critical part in the formation of memories, verbal and logical reasoning, and the ability to concentrate. those are thing lyme patients often complain of.

there is also a link between low levels Acetylcholine and depression.

this is just a theory right now, we are discussing a protocol to address it here

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=3928795
Posted 10/22/2017 3:52 PM (GMT 0)

Lapis_29 said...

gabybee said...
I am curious because my doctor thinks there is some biological influences of having lyme ..

yes I believe this.

my theory is that the lyme neuro toxin, BBtox1, supresses Acetylcholine which is an important neurotransmitter, It plays a critical part in the formation of memories, verbal and logical reasoning, and the ability to concentrate. those are thing lyme patients often complain of.

there is also a link between low levels Acetylcholine and depression.

this is just a theory right now, we are discussing a protocol to address it here

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=3928795

Interesting you mention this Lapis. As I proceed with our CNS lyme protocol. I felt an elevation in positive mood about an hour after.

I don't know if this was a coincidence or "placebo". But I'll continue to make note of this going forward to see if it's consistent.
Posted 10/22/2017 4:58 PM (GMT 0)
be careful with treating depression-this can start you down a path that most really don't want to go. Cure the infection and almost always the depression goes away. It doesn't work the other way-treat depression wont cure infection.
Posted 10/22/2017 5:01 PM (GMT 0)
Do some research on what happens mentally when you have a chronic disease. You will find so many articles. Just having a change in sleep patterns can affect you mentally. Not feeling well for days on end has a huge effect.

I had to go talk to someone and she told me that is it extremely hard for a vibrant healthy person to get ill and not be mentally impacted. She made so much sense and I was able to understand the why's and how's that I was going through.

It made it a bit easier.

I found that staying busy distracted me from the bad depression. I also found that exercise distracted me. Not lifting weights or running. All I could barely do was walk around the perimeter of our house. But it helped.

Sitting on my back porch steps breathing in fresh air and listening to the birds was such therapy. I also found being around water was a huge help. Whether it was a stream, lake or ocean. I felt better being around water.

I hope you find what helps you. I really had to search and try all kinds of things. Things that didn't cure it, but made it easier to handle.

And Magoo is absolutely correct, treatment and a lessening of symptoms and you will see the depression slowly go away.
Posted 10/22/2017 6:13 PM (GMT 0)
I agree that isolation contributes. I'm feeling the depression creeping back this week. I'm on leave from the place where I worked for 6 years. A friend from work contacted me and asked to come visit today, and I was so happy. And then she changed her mind. Must be time to go back to bed.
Posted 10/22/2017 9:48 PM (GMT 0)
I completely agree chrisespo the whole thing is such a big cover up and so many are suffering and being mistreated by docs and esp family members bc of all the misinformation out there. It’s so messed up.
Hang in there dahlias the isolation is so hard and the depression just feeds on that.
Posted 10/22/2017 9:55 PM (GMT 0)

Dahlias said...
I agree that isolation contributes. I'm feeling the depression creeping back this week. I'm on leave from the place where I worked for 6 years. A friend from work contacted me and asked to come visit today, and I was so happy. And then she changed her mind. Must be time to go back to bed.

Aww...so sorry. That's a disappointment you didn't need.
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