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Posted 12/12/2022 2:57 AM (GMT 0)
I'm sorry..I know there are other posts about anxiety, but I'm struggling just to not hyperventilate & can't concentrate enough to read them all. The universe is kicking my ass, & I don't know how much of this anxiety is due to possible chronic lyme, my concussion, or the stress from dealing with the WORST neurologist in the world & needing my whole shower ripped out due to black mold. The neurologist won't give me anything to help, the earliest psychiatrist appt I could get is 1/9, & I have an appt on 12/20 for additional lyme tests, but nothing that can help right now.. if anything could even help right now. I feel like I'm going to crawl out of my skin. My chest feels tight.. like I'm not getting enough air in even when I breathe deep.. & I know some of it is due to my heart not beating right the last few months. I guess I'm wanting to know if lyme can cause this level of panic.. & if there's any suggestions to help me not feel like I'm having a heart attack.
Posted 12/12/2022 7:42 AM (GMT 0)
I had something similar to panic attacks when I had lyme/bartonella. You could try breathing exercises to help you deal with the anxiety. I ended up going to the ER for some of mine but doctors would mostly blame it on anxiety anyway. Spoiler alert. It wasn't anxiety.
Posted 12/12/2022 7:51 PM (GMT 0)
Mold sounds like by far the most likely reason for your symptoms. Get out of there ASAP and try not to bring belongings with you. If you are suffering from mold toxicity (anxiety, panic, chest tightness, crawling out of skin, air hunger, heart palpitations and other cardiac symptoms are all very common mold symptoms) then you will not feel better while you still live in that space.
Posted 12/12/2022 9:26 PM (GMT 0)
Yes these infections can cause that.

For several months I would wake in the night every few hours - in a panic and sweating, horrible times!
Posted 12/12/2022 11:33 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Tmoosky, I'm so very sorry that you are living with this.

As Seraeli said, this really sounds like mold infection issues. Do you have somewhere safe (without mold) you can go stay? It would do two things - confirm it's from where you live, and help ease your symptoms if it is mold infections that you are living with right now.

Can you get your hands on the book (e-book version is also available) on "Mold and Mycotoxins" or the book "Toxic", both by Dr. Neil Nathan?
https://www.amazon.com/mold-mycotoxins-current-evaluation-treatment-ebook/dp/b09ns23yrq

https://www.amazon.com/toxic-toxicity-multiple-sensitivities-environmental/dp/1628603119

As others have already said as well, the tick-borne infections can also cause these issues, but moving out of mold will only help if you have mold issues, so look at staying with someone/staying somewhere else as a test to see if you feel any better. It will only take a few nights away for you to feel a difference, if you have a mold infection.

Also, as Saraeli said, you can't really take any of your belongings with you if you decide to go somewhere else for a few nights, you will just take the mold toxins with you on those belongings.

I hope you find some relief quickly though!
Posted 12/13/2022 3:25 AM (GMT 0)
I agree with saraeli 100%. Go stay with your parents, friends, or other relatives if they don’t have mold. I also agree about not taking anything with you. Mold behind a shower is most likely Stachybotrys - one of the worst kinds. Mold can make you go absolutely crazy.
Posted 12/14/2022 11:28 PM (GMT 0)
holy basil and rescue remedy literally saved my life . i did nibble on some xanax when it got bad but didn't like the way it made me feel . i believe most of the anxiety was blood vessel constriction induced by bartonella,(feeling like being strangled from the inside ) some was adrenal spasms starting fight or flight . bart and borrelia treatment , loads of magnesium (transdermally) and vitamin c infusions seemed to help.

mold is no joke it will disable a lot of systems. get on a good binder asap with loads of water . also be very liberal with a strong essential oils while you are still exposed , were a particulate mask when trying to remediate.

Post Edited (bluelyme) : 12/14/2022 3:32:06 PM (GMT-8)

Posted 12/15/2022 8:05 PM (GMT 0)
my ex fiancé had very severe panic attacks which would sometimes tip over into rage - all caused by these infections

here is a thread that describes some things that helped - one of them were surprisingly effective if i could get her to do it.
https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=30&m=4244489
Posted 12/15/2022 8:38 PM (GMT 0)
Clonazepam helps me significantly when I'm having bad flare-ups and I get the feeling of impending doom along with bad POTS/ANS, chest pain/palpitations, shortness of breath, body stick in fight or flight symptoms. Of course, the problem with that drug is the potential withdrawal effects can be nasty so I try to take it only when I feel like I'm in crisis mode. As you successfully treat these crises should subside. Stress reduction techniques like mindfulness/meditation are helpful as well, but, when I'm really in a bad way nothing helps like Clonazepam.
Posted 12/15/2022 9:41 PM (GMT 0)
I would also add that recently I have found that some strands of weed help me relax and make me tired. Often I will fall asleep after ingesting and wake up feeling better. The problem is other strands seem to make my anxiety worse. I am not a cannabis connoisseur so I can't say why any of this happens.
Posted 12/15/2022 10:06 PM (GMT 0)

Lymie24 said...
I would also add that recently I have found that some strands of weed help me relax and make me tired. Often I will fall asleep after ingesting and wake up feeling better. The problem is other strands seem to make my anxiety worse. I am not a cannabis connoisseur so I can't say why any of this happens.

both the research and the underground "folk lore" link the more psychosis inducing effects to the high and very high concentrations of THC in most street bought cannabis

over the last few decades, through selective breeding, the THC content of most cannabis in circulation in the developed world has gone from low single digits percent by weight % to anything up to around 15% or more!
as this is what the producers thought their market wanted - as typified by the various "Skunk" strains

THC is a powerful psychotropic substance - the main one responsible for the state altering properties of cannabis

CBD on the other hand - which is the other main cannabinoid in the plant - and is not psychoactive - and counteracts the effects of THC to some degree - but as the plant can only divert so much resources towards producing cannabinoids and still grow - high THC plants tend to have lower CBD vs THC - and it is this low CBD with High THC.

thus the ratio of THC to CBD in the plant determines whether its effects will be more mind altering/psychedelic - or more relaxing.

as a result i would not recommend high THC strains to anyone who suffers from anxiety, panic or mania
Posted 12/16/2022 12:58 AM (GMT 0)
People have cultivated numerous strains of cannabis for medicinal and recreational use, all with varying properties, but they fall into two main categories: indica and sativa. Indica is sedating and sativa is energizing. (You can remember the difference this way: indica = "in da couch.") This might help you to find strains that make you feel the way you want.

You can learn a bit about strains on Leafly: https://www.leafly.com/strains/lists

THC is the psychoactive substance in cannabis, and can treat many illnesses, including depression and anxiety, if you have the right strain. You can purchase THC-only products, if all you want is the psychoactive component (which doesn't apply to most of us on this forum, who probably want the medicinal benefits of all the various cannabinoids and terpenes in cannabis!).

CBD is the substance in cannabis that is more likely to treat pain, modulate the immune system, and relax people. It is non-psychoactive and legal for adult use everywhere in the US and Canada (not sure about elsewhere). If you want to go about your day normally with less anxiety but no psychoactive component, then CBD is the way to go. CBD will relax you in terms of anxiety, but it should not make you sleepy.

If you are using cannabis to treat anxiety, then I would recommend using the most reputable source you can and starting slowly (one puff, a 5mg gummy, a few drops of tincture, etc.).
Posted 12/16/2022 9:38 AM (GMT 0)
I tried the CBD for several months and it didn’t do anything. It was good quality.
I was tempted to get some weed and smoke it - but didn’t…I don’t think marijuana was legal here at the time.
Posted 12/16/2022 8:40 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks y'all for the cannabis info.

I have tried CBD several times. I tried it again this year. I bought three of the 6,000mg bottles and worked my dosage up to where the bottle was only lasting me a couple weeks. I researched and found a reputable company that offered a huge 60% discount for veterans. I couldn't tell that it made any difference so I quit buying the CBD because even at 60% off I couldn't justify the purchases if they weren't clearly helping.

The marijuana I have on the other hand def helps me fall asleep. Though I have to be honest and admit it isn't some cure all for me like you will hear sometimes in personal anecdotes. it doesn't make me feel amazing or anything like that. It helps me fall asleep when I'm not feeling well and I can tell I'm going to be dealing with insomnia, but even then, it doesn't help as much as Klonopin. If I'm feeling really bad weed can help me fall asleep, but I will still have issues waking up around 4 a.m. with my fight or flight response going unable to fall back asleep. Klonopin will typically keep me asleep throughout the night.

Currently I'm vaping the weed. There seems to be pros and cons to that type of ingestion. I'm not a fan of smoking too much as I don't want to damage my lungs. On the pro side, smoking helps you manage the dosage and you can feel the effects pretty quickly after you take a puff or two.

Conversely, I took an edible last year and since those have to go through your gastrointestinal system the "high" part can sneak up and bite you out of nowhere 30-45 minutes after ingestion. Last year, my wife took a 10mg edible and didn't feel much. The next day I took a 20mg edible and decided to clean the garage. I was fine for about 45 minutes when it all hit me at once. It was pretty miserable to be honest. I had to lay on the couch for like three hours focusing on the TV to not freak out. When I had to get up and pee it was like the hallway I was walking down was tilted on axis at 45 degrees. This is pretty funny looking back on but at the time it was not fun.

I'm a big fan of being in more control of the dosage as it's not really the "high" part I'm looking for it's the therapeutic part.
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