15 year old daughter with chronic lyme and now suicidal...help.

Hi, our daughter was diagnosed with lyme seven years ago. She's seen the leading doctors and local naturopaths and LLMD's...she's been on and off antibiotics.
She's developed anxiety, social anxiety, depression, voices...etc.
She started thinking about suicide. She's been hospitalized twice in two months. She's only been able to get through one week of sophomore year.
She's home now and drew a bath tonight to try to drown herself. She didn't. She thought about taking her own medicine, the whole bottle, but didn't.
We don't know what to do, send her back to the psych ward? She was finally so happy last time she was there, she cried.
We don't have trauma. There has been no big stressor in our home. We are looking at alternative schooling. We eat good foods and support her. She talks to us, thank God. She is loved by so many.
Please let me know if you have been through something like this, I am so scared she might find a way to do this...for no good reason. She's stopped herself before because of us, her friends, her religion...but what if she goes through with it? We have to work and keep an income coming in.
Luckily, somewhat, I own a local business owner and my husband can work from home.
Anyway, just any insight on hope you might share? Ideas that have worked for you?
Thank you. Scared mom.

I am so sorry lovingmama -

This must be so hard for you and the family.

Depression is probably something everyone with Lyme experiences on some level. It was extreme for me after starting abx.

Sx like depression are due to neurotransmitter imbalances, which can be caused by multiple problems, primarily neurotoxins that reach the brain--sometimes through the blood stream.

Is your daughter doing anything to detox? If she is, what is she doing?

Is she currently using any antimicrobial right now?

Does she have any GI issues?

Is she on any psych meds?

I'm glad you found us - there are MANY great members here who have a lot of experience and we'll help however we can.

You're not new to Lyme but we do have a lot of resources listed in the "New to Lyme?" tread at the top of the page that you might be interested in.

-p

FORUM MODERATOR

OK - thanks for your responses.

So - she's not currently on any antimicrobial?

I think you should try three things - one at a time, very small steps and increase as you go as long as she seems to be handling everything. Might take awhile to see results. Your ND will likely be a great resource for this:

DETOX
Incorporate a comprehensive detox protocol and try to cover all her bases: GI, brain, skin, lymph and liver/kidneys.

- GI detox is really important because it's possible her prior Lyme tx might have created a gut microbiome imbalance. Toxins and imbalance in the GI can create her digestion issues but due blood vessels that go from gut to brain, neurotoxins in her GI can also reach her brain and cause the nuerological-psychological issues with neurotransmitter imbalances. Depending on how her GI reacts to what she takes and eats and what imbalance is going on, this could create the mood swings she's experiencing. Antibiotic use can create a yeast/fungal overgrowth in the GI, which can create neurotoxins like ethanol and acetaldehyde. Implementing a good GI binder can help keep imbalance a little better managed, remove toxins and debris and might even help regulate bowel movement.

Try OTC products like activated charcoal, bentonite clay, psyllium husk, modified citrus pectin. Always provide 2 hr buffers before and after taking the binder - before resuming consumption of any food, meds/supplements. And always drink a lot of water before, during and after binders.

- Brain detox can be supported with herbal tinctures made by Nutramedix called Pinella and Burbur. Many of us have good success with 10 drops twice/day ea.

- Skin is the largest detox organ - detox soaks are a great way to help draw toxins out of the body. Try experimenting with epsom salts, sea salts, hydrogen peroxide, her favorite essential oil, heat and duration. Start VERY slowly with only one "ingredient/variable" at very low doses, slowly work up to optimal doses, heat and length of soak and frequency. Sweating through very light exercise or sauna also helps but again - easy does it.

- toxins can get backed up in the lymph nodes (we have over 700 in our bodies!) which can interfere with or by poor circulation. I like taking red root and dry brushing is easy and helpful (look for directions online - there is a specific protocol).

- protect her liver/kidneys with support like milk thistle seed, burdock root. Rx drugs can overtax the liver as can pathogen load and toxins.

GI HEALTH
It's great that you eat healthy - that's half the battle. Making sure she's getting good nutrition is critical - it's important to rule out damage to her Gi, which can make it hard for her to properly absorb nutrients, supplements and medications. Also, 70% of our immune functions within our GI so her GI trouble could indicate some absorption and immune issues - I'm not familiar with her dx.

One thing that has worked with me and quite a few other people is to give the GI a little break and eat only liquid/pureed foods. Breaking down the diet and limiting foods for a few weeks (this is also kind of like an "elimination diet") might reveal food sensitivities that can help you rule out damage. GI damage can lead to "leaky gut" where undigested food particles, fecal matter, toxins, and pathogens can leak through damaged areas and into the blood stream. This is another way toxins can affect behavior.

Baby foods is an easy option - and organic if you can. Try concentrating on fruits and veggies, complex carbs. Avoid dairy and grains for awhile if you can and certainly any processed foods and sugar, which can be hard on the GI and contribute to imbalance and neurotransmitter imbalances.

NEUROTRANSMITTER LEVELS
Ask the ND to administer a 4 or 5-sample 24-hr saliva test with urine sample for cortisol to measure neurotransmitter function. Based on results she can also help rebalance with herbal support, which might work better than psych meds. But if you can get the psych meds to work, let them work.

HPA AXIS
Teens have a bigger challenge than the rest of us because their hormones are already changing and doing their puberty thing, when often Lyme & Coinfections can also cause disruption. I would ask the ND to also test for thyroid and adrenal functions to make sure these are balanced - everything is connected so an HPA (hypothalmus, pituitary, adrenals) imbalance can trigger a neurotransmitter imbalance, which can affect digestion and immune function. So it's good to get a full picture.

COINFECTIONS
It's rare that someone is infected with a tick and contracts ONLY Lyme. There are a couple of coinfections common with Lyme that also produce the neurological-psychological symptoms your daughter is experiencing, like Bartonella and Babesia. The tests for these are not very good but you can try treating with one of several very good herbal protocols that are available. Just keep in mind to start VERY slowly, incorporating only one thing at a time at very low doses and detox every step of the way.

I hope this is helpful - if not, just keep asking questions. Take things one step at a time.

-p
FORUM MODERATOR

Post Edited (Pirouette) : 10/18/2017 9:23:54 PM (GMT-6)

OK - well, I think you should find someone to partner with. Quite honestly, I think the energetic and reiki healing is a little premature. She's in an acute state right now and might benefit from detoxing and some diagnostics, which might also help the healers with that phase.

If she has untreated Lyme and Coinfections, those infections might also still be causing problems and an ND can help with an herbal approach if you can't get her to an LLMD.

I would guess she has already seen or is seeing a psychiatrist? It's great that you are able to monitor her very closely.

Stay in touch and let us know how things are going. Hopefully, more parents will chime in.

-p
FORUM MODERATOR

Hi lovingmama - so sorry your daughter has been suffering for so long. You mentioned Dr. J. in CT . Was your daughter being treated by him? And isn't anymore?




What is the program in the Boston area? Are the Dr.'s Lyme Literate?

Sorry for all the questions...but my concern is that she needs to be treating these infections...because they are causing the psyche symptoms she has.

Depression and suicidal thoughts were my worst problem before and at the beginning of Lyme.

The cycle of antidepressants working and not working was too much for me- I struggled 15 years, and finally saw a Naturopath to help me through the withdrawal. Turns out the pills were just masking then exacerbating nutritional/chemical imbalances. As was mentioned, the pills can CAUSE the suicidal tendencies they claim to alleviate.

What helped me was:
-High quality EPA/DHA fish oil (3000 mg / day)
-High quality complex of B-vitamins
-Vitamin D
-Dietary changes: everyone would benefit from removing sugar (in all its forms) and processed food from their diet. I kept a food journal and found that corn and dairy set off my depression and mood swing! Since seriously cutting them out, I have been a new person!
-5-HTP
-Tyrosine- when I changed supplements between one that includes tyrosine and one that didn’t, it was also like an on/off switch. I have just found a supplement with all B vitamins + Tyrosine and I hope that closes my last chemical imbalance gap.

-Adrenal test and natural treatment for low cortisol.
-Hormone test and natural treatment for low progesterone/high estrogen (I got off birth control- turns out they caused depression too but my antidepressants were masking it)

-Using the above methods to get off pharmaceutical antidepressants. I know they help in an emergency, but if you can find a ND who uses science, labs, and natural medicine, they can implement those changes BEFORE getting off AD’s and make the withdrawal easier.

My journey’s been 2 years so far and I feel like I’ve been raised from the dead. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I could “cure” my depression, and certainly not feel amazing in the midst of something as awful as Lyme!

With all that said, Lyme and especially coinfections cause mood swings and depression, unwanted thoughts, and hallucinations. Getting all those treated has greatly reduced those for me. However, since you said you’re seeing the best LLMDs I assume coinfections have been addressed. If for some reason not, definitely get aggressive with treatment. For that, I’m all about the antibiotics, rather than natural remedies. They work well for me. I think the natural stuff is what’s helping me through Lyme, but not curing it.

I highly recommend a medical-approach ND (I have one in PA if you’re interested) who will explain to you exactly how your hormones and neurotransmitters are formed and used, and will show you exactly what step of that process they are helping with each supplement. Mine draws diagrams and explains everything like a textbook. She puts all my puzzle pieces together and comes up with a plan for my needs.

But you have to test and find out those needs; just adding random supplements could shoot too high, too low, or be very wrong for your situation. Also, almost every supplement you find in a store is going to be the wrong form that’s not absorbable, full of fillers and additives, possibly allergens, and weak potency (the best indicator of something being weak and ineffective is the claim that is “super!” or “high potency!” Fish oil is an especially over-marketed and under-potent scam). Find out your ND’s trusted brands and ask, if you can find an alternative, what aspects you should look for (eg “you can buy any fish oil, but make sure the content is all DHA and EPA- bottles will say 1,000 mg but only contains 360 mg of actual DHA and EPA!” Or “get any B12 brand you want but make sure it’s METHYLcobalamin, not another form”)

I hope you and your daughter are able to find solutions. I’ve been there, and my ND saved my life. It also helps to hear that IT IS POSSIBLE. You do NOT have to struggle forever! I wanted so badly to end the pain, but there was such JOY waiting for me after the storm! Don’t give up!

Our daughter's psychological state improved greatly after she was treated for Babesia. That in itself was difficult to get through, as the main medicines for it are known to cause depression, sometimes severe. A really frightening time for us.

After the Babesia treatment, we focused directly on Lyme, with months on oral medication, and months of IV.

She is not in treatment right now, but is still struggling with depression and serious social anxiety. Our LLMD feels she has PTSD, common for people who experience a severe, chronic illness. This kind of thing is especially difficult for children to sort through. PTSD can lead to further psychological illness, so it's really important to deal with it. These kids are living in fear, overwhelmed, and too young to handle it.

It's good your daughter is seeing a psychiatrist to help her sort through all this. And it's really good she's talking to you, not hiding. Our daughter is older than yours, and wants so much to be living her own life and separate from us, so she's not always open about what she's feeling.

I wanted to tell you that in over a year on antibiotics, my daughter did not experience intestinal distress. I think this is due to the fact that I made kefir for her every day. It's much better than probiotic pills, and better than the store bought kefir. Maybe you've read about the importance of a healthy intestinal biome for mental health? There is apparently a strong connection, literally, between our gut flora and the brain.

You tube has short clips on how to make kefir. A chore, yes, but not hard. The starter "grains" can be bought on line (better than the powdered starter), or maybe there's a farmer near you who has them.

Hang in there.

Post Edited (B99) : 10/19/2017 9:51:07 AM (GMT-6)

Hello:

When our daughter had her baby she too had a bad bout of depression.

What I did was raise her Vit D level by both vitamins and exposure to sunlight.

Also raised her calcium levels. about two weeks she was back to her normal self.

There are people who are being treated for SAD (seasonal affected depression) by lack of sunlight. So they have bright light that they sit under for a few minutes aday. My nephew also had this happen to him, so sent him a "special light".

His Lyme ruined his life. He is unable to eat red meat along with all of the other problems.

Try raising her vit d levels, get some sunlight, and raise the calcium intake.

God Bless Claude

Hi lovingmama, sorry to hear about your daughter's experience. My college-age daughter was diagnosed earlier this year with Lyme, Bab, Bart, & mycoplasma. At school, in Jan very depressed, mood swings, brain fog, etc. Negative & dark thoughts became big problem. She asked for a weighted blanket, which has been great, & her ND recommended a sunlight/mood lamp for her room, put her on vit D, increased omega 3 & weekly B-12 injections in addition to her antibiotics & supplements, and that all seemed to help a lot with mood, thoughts, overall outlook. She also tries to do some yoga or pilates daily and when she goes several days without, her sx and feeling of wellness get worse. More recently, she has started some energy healing sessions that have helped. Being a teenager is so tough these days even for healthy young adults, so having health issues makes it so much tougher. Journaling daily also helps to see possible triggers & patterns in diet, activity, sx, etc. And finally, a big thing for my daughter was to not focus so much on having lyme etc, as she did not want to be defined or identified by Lyme or have it take over her conversations & relationships all the time -- teens' sense of self & who they are is so important. Hang in there, continue your care and support of your daughter, help her find strength and people & good support. Sending prayers your way.

Hi Jerseygirlmama - welcome to our community!


Thank you for sharing what has helped your daughter....

I had not heard of the weighted blanket before. I'm thinking it might be something I should try.
I wake up in the morning and am shivering under the blankets even though I'm warm. My nervous system is greatly affected by these infections.

Big hugs coming your way, Lovingmama -

My daughter and your daughter have very similar stories.

My daughter is 14. She has been on and off treatment. 1.5 years ago she stopped treatment due to intense stomach pain. Lyme joint pains had stopped. We thought it was gone we focused on the stomach.

Since then, voices, anxiety, depression have all emerged. Mild anxiety was there before. She couldn't attend school (she now attends a virtual school). She tinkered with scratching her skin. She begged to die.

She was hospitalized. Tried on different meds. She was okay for a while. Just recently her moods have been VERY up and down. She was placed on bipolar meds... they really didn't help.

4 weeks ago. She threatened to jump out of my moving car. I called her Naturopath. She was placed back on antibiotics. She was pulled off of the bipolar med.

Now she is clearly herxing. I also see a dramatic shift in her mood for the better. We have decided to start back at square one for lyme and co treatment.

She is being seen by a pshyciatrist. I don't know if he is online about the whole Lyme thing. That is a challenge.

If you want to pm me on the side. I am glad to chat. When the symptoms go mental it is so very scary. You have to keep telling yourself you are doing the best you can. That is all you can do.

Big hugs -


Peppermint Tea

Lovingmama,

Not sure if this will help but I know quite a few of us are using a good quality CBD oil that has helped greatly with anxiety , depression , seizures, GI issues and the list goes on. I myself just started it a month ago. I can tell a slight difference already but I think it takes 2-3 months sometimes to really do it's thing. It has help with creating a sense of calm. Definitely do a lot of detoxing, lost of water w/ lemon (I do about a gallon a day and can tell I feel better when I do), I use an Infrared sauna anywhere from 1-3 times a week to help detox, epsom salt baths, use a good binder. I love my portable Infrared sauna and it was only about $200-300. I am even considering going to Germany for treatment there to do the hyperthermic treatments & herbs. Of course that's an expensive one but I am hearing good things with them. Talking with others with the illness could be of great support to her. There may be other teens who use this forum.