Posted by bleauberry on January 29, 2009, at 17:19:50 [reposted on January 29, 2009, at 22:09:36 | original URL]
In reply to Lyme disease and psychological problems, posted by Maria3667 on January 29, 2009, at 10:24:30
Wow, your story is textbook perfect. I aint no doc, but you have Lyme.
There is a brochure from The International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (ILADS) titled "Psychiatric Lyme Disease, What Psychiatrists Should Know About Lyme/Tick-borne Diseases". I haven't tried hunting for it online but I bet it is there. Their email is lymedocs@aol.com, maybe they could send you some educational information.
If you were not treated for at least a month on minimum 200mg Doxycycline, you are most likely infected. Most doctors only treat for 2 weeks. The Lyme lifecycle is 4 weeks. Even after a full course of 4 weeks treatment, people still can fall ill later. The Lyme bacterias are very cunning and deceptive.
The retest probably showed up negative for three reasons. First, it often does because most tests look at Lyme antibodies, which are often not found because the Lyme is protected within your own cells and within its own cysts where the immune system can't see them. Second, the only reliable test is the Western Blot, but unless it is done by one of only two labs who look at the entire spectrum of Lyme (most test kits do not) the crucial hints of Lyme could be missed. This stuff is all in the brochure and kind of complicated to explain here. Third, even with the best testing, tests can show up negative because as I said Lyme is very cunning and deceptive.
The two labs are IGenex in California and Stoney Brook in New York. They specialize in blood samples for Lyme.
There are three stages to test for Lyme. First is the Western Blot. Second is a clinical diagnosis of symptoms by a doctor who specializes in Lyme. Third is a challenge test with antibiotics. If your symptoms become remarkably worse when starting antibiotics, that is diagnosic.
Prognosis is good. Most people who do longterm antibiotic therapy by a doctor who knows Lyme regain full health, both physically and psychiatrically. Some people need a maintenance dose of antibiotic for life. Though that doesn't sound appealing, it is a whole lot better than maintenances doses of psych drugs for life. Especially when the recovery is genuine and not artificially fabricated.
The answer to your question is yes, Lyme does cause serious psychological, psychiatric, and physical symptoms. Psychiatric symptoms actually are at the top of the list. Practically everyone who has Lyme has depression, anxiety, or both, and often bits and pieces of just about any other psych disorder you can think of, as well as paradoxical reactions or oversensitive reactions to psych meds that would usually be expected to be helpful and tolerable. Everyone's symtom cluster is different depending on where the bacteria have settled in your body.
When Lyme disease affects the brain, it is often referred to as Lyme neuroborreliosis or Lyme encephalopathy and can mimic virtually any type of psychiatric disorder. Symptoms may be dormant and emerge years later.
100% of the symptoms you described fit the clinical picture of Lyme.
Best bet would be to go online and do a search "find LLMD" or "LLMD referall". You'll find places to request names of LLMDs in your area. LLMD = Lyme Literate MD.
You have my blessings to start feeling a little better starting right now. That's because everything you are feeling is not a mystery and prognosis is good. The outlook is bright. You just need an LLMD or someone who has had success in treating chronic late stage Lyme.
At the very least, try to get it ruled out. Something else might come up in the examination process and it won't Lyme. Based on the info you gave though, it looks quite classic.
> Hi everyone,
>
> Would anyone know if Lyme Disease might lead to psychological/psychiatric problems?
>
> About 11 years ago I got bitten by an infectious tick. It lead to a big red blotch on my leg so my Dr. gave me antibiotics. However, soon after my eyes turned extremely dry (very painful), I couldn't stand contact lenses anymore, I developped extremely dry mouth with loads of canker sores and ulcers and also got severe pain in my knees and lower back. I got tested again for Lyme's, but it turned out negative. Still I wasn't feeling well.
>
> Besides my usual depression, now I also started to develop an anxiety syndrome and severe insomnia. This got so bad I had to be treated with strong sedatives... Four years later I was diagnosed with Sjogren's Syndrome (auto-immune disease) and hypothyroidism (not auto-immune)... Coïncidence or just bad luck? I really don't know.
>
> But I do wonder if anyone else has suffered (more) psychological troubles after contracting Lyme Disease...
>
> All input is welcome!
>
> Best wishes,
> Maria
poster:bleauberry
thread:877140
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/health/20081212/msgs/877143.html