Bad anxiety

[mulligan2525]

Has anyone had bad anxiety as a Lyme symptom?  Mine has gotten much worse since I started rifampin!

I feel terrible and jittery.  Xanax doesn't even help much.  I'm so miserable.  How long will this last?  Is there anything to get rid of it?

[LazyMoose]

Yes. The antibiotics made it worse, or maybe its the bugs dying making us hard to de-tox- making anxiety.

The more you goggle the more you will see this is common.

I think it become a circulation issue- have to get the blood flowing. The more I sit, the worse it is. I was not like this before.

If you can exercise with out hurting- this helps a lot. You need to sweat a little

Deep massage too, not the wimpy, kind..

Chlorella several times a week helps, safer than charcoal detox. Remoxes toxins only, not nutrients.

[kittycar]

I have Babesiosis and Anaplasmosis (don't think I have Lyme, but it's possible).  I experienced severe anxiety in the middle of the night. I would wake up and be completely paranoid about anything and everything (mostly my health). I took Rifampin for 6 weeks and after I got off of it I felt much better.  I also started taking a pretty hefty dose of Omega 3s(fish oil) which has helped immensely with any anxiety.  I also took really hot epsom salt baths and did some meditation exercises.  Of course the thing that helps me the most with my anxiety is prayer, lots of prayer.  Hope this helps and good luck to you!

[mojogal]

Have you discussed co-infections? My anxiety was very high with Bartonella and I took rifampin for it the first 2 years. Now I am on an herbal protocol. It has subsided a lot.

[JackieCalifornia]

Lyme bacteria use up magnesium (Mg) from the body, and any resulting deficiency in the human host can cause anxiety (on top of the American diet sometimes being deficient in Mg).  

It's hard to separate from the concerns (and anxiety) one naturally has when ill, but you may wish to consider taking Mg supplements and see if it helps.  MDs often are not interested in this aspect, and I got resistance from several (non-LLMD) docs to the idea of taking Mg supplements, but I did it anyway.  Some years post-Lyme now, I still take Mg supplements every day, and it is quite soothing.  Esp. if you do not take in much dairy, Mg may be helpful, since dairy is often significant source of Mg in the diet.

A number of varieties of Mg ending in "-ate" seems generally recognized as the most absorbable, from what I read:  Mg malate, orotate, citrate, aspartate, etc.  (but note that Mg *nitrate* is to be avoided).  

I have taken Mg malate to good effect, and also a blend of citrate, asparate and orotate.  Be sure you tell your doc you what supplements you are taking at what doses so that it can be figured in to your status and symptoms.

[Max117]

I' m currently being tested for tick borne illnesses but since my symptoms of unknown origins occurred my anxiety has been through the roof. I've found that doing things you enjoy helps a lot and I have been trying relaxation exercise also.