How many out there have been sent to the pychiatrist for Lyme Disease?

It had been suggested when all my neurological tests came back negative and I am still undiagnosed as of yet that I should see a pychiatrist. Well now the suggestion is not a suggestion and an appointment has been made for me, makes me chuckle to myself. Of course I don't blame them, I mean living in Canada and all and we don't have Lyme Disease here right. Thing is they don't know is that I really don't mind what they call it, it won't make me walk any better or stop the jerks or tremors. God has still got hold of me and has my back, and all the rest of me . Maybe it will do me good.

Hi Sunshine!

I was never sent to a psychiatrist, but the naturopath I saw said many of her patients were referred to her from psychiatrists. Dr,'s would send them to see a psychiatrist, but the psychiatrist would realize it was a physical problem (not a mental one) and send them to her.

I'm from Canada as well. You're going to have a tough time finding a lyme-literate Dr. I think the best you could hope for is a non-lyme literate dr who is willing to consider ILADs treatment guidelines. However, you might be able to find a lyme-literate naturopath. The people at Canlyme are very helpful- if you go to the regional support section, you can email someone from your province, who will have more information. If you like, you could email me as well (click on the email icon below my name on this post).

Another good site for information is Dr Murikami's site. I can't remember the url, but it's the first one that comes up on google. He was a lyme-literate BC physician who was forced to retire a couple of years ago. He's still very involved in activism and awareness, and offers people advice through his site. Unfortunately, he can't treat people anymore.

Anyway- if you see a good psychiatrist, this could be good. Seeing a psychiatrist doesn't automatically mean you will be designated as crazy. The Dr's might think so, but hopefully the psychiatrist will know better.

Good luck!

Nicky

Thank you Cajungirl for the information. I have read CanLyme and have actually met a professor who is involved with it. She is also from Canada and suffered for four years before being tested from Igenex and being treated in the states. She  now has here life back and is helping others. Thank you so much for your response to me. People really do pay it forward.....

Ps Nicky Glad to also talk to another Canadian. I am blessed so far to have a GP who is trying even though he's not Lyme Literate. He's had me on Doxy for the past seven weeks and I think my next step is to have tests done from Igenex. Thanks again, Sunshine

It was suggested I see a psychiatrist when I still had problems during my first year of illness, before I was diagnosed. I decided to go back to the woman I had seen years before when I hit a rough patch during my divorce. It worked out well because she remembered me from my previous visits and could compare the changes.

She wrote a letter to my doc explaining that I was not depressed and did not have any psychological issues that would cause all the physical problems. She believed that something was medically wrong with me. She said she'd work with me on any issues pertaining to living with an undiagnosed chronic illness if I wanted to but she suggested that they put their energy into finding out what was wrong with me.

This letter was a lifesaver. Over the next four years, whenever a doc suggested it was in my head (and it was, I had neuroborreliosis) I would pop in for a visit, we'd talk a bit, and she'd write a letter and the docs would take me seriously.

Yeah, been sent to pshrinks a few times (usually at the recommendation of an incompetant MD who is more interested in getting rid of me than in actually figuring out what's going on with my body), who seem more interested in pushing antidepressants than in actually figuring out if I have a mental condition that warrants such meds... So I've learned to suppress talking about certain types of symptoms. And unfortunately, even my dysfunctional stomach was initally thought to be "somatoform" and that is what is in my record despite proof that I really do have a motility disorder (gastroparesis), so every doc after that instantly re-diagnoses somatoform instead of taking me seriously. I've had them do tests then tell me, nobody can fake those wacky test results, but then turn around and treat me like a nutcase anyway. Wish I could burn those darn records and start over sometimes, but every new doc I go to insists on getting records from where I've been, and I haven't been able to figure out how to get around that without lying about surgery or about other procedures done that did point to a real physical problem. They should teach doctors to take their patients more seriously, because usually the patient really does have a clue about their own body... Sigh...

Hi to both Razzle and Willowrose, talk about not being taken seriously, it's not just in illness but in business and

  

many more things and Rose hit the nail right on the head.....female hysteria....female problems...blah blah blah

I'm so new at this I'd never heard of spec scan til ystrday. Right now I'm a little scared to suggest anything to my gp or he may suggest putting me away ! I see a psychiatrist on Oct 28th set up by my insurance, , have to see what he says first. We have no LLMD's in the whole area. Been on CanLyme but haven't found anything. I have been so fortunate to have a gp who after 19 months has finally put me on abx for nine weeks, but that will be it, I just know it. I have had herxs and the whole bit but nothing has helped my walking. I still look like a drunk. Sorry, here  I am rambling on your site. Good luck, sunshine