Aa
Need Help!
name is Brittney and I am a 22 year old female. (I'm short stature- 5 ft and about 120 lbs). I have a problem that has been going on for years. My symptoms include: extreme brain fog and fatigue, difficulty expressing words, overactive bladder (some days I could last 4 hours at a time and others I can't even last 10 minutes...I don't even drink as much water as I should but I go quite a lot), zero sex drive (I don't think I ever had one so I don't even know what it's like to have one...I'm very interested in guys but I don't ever get that sexual desire, and severe stomach cramps (not as much as in the past...I think it's because I haven't been eating as much breads/carbs).
I have been on antidepressants since I was about 14 for OCD, anxiety, and mild depression. I started on Paxil on and off for a little while, and then I was put on Zoloft around the age of 18. I was on Zoloft for about two years or so. Then I tried Lexapro for a year. I was diagnosed with hypothyroid at age 18 and have been taking Levothyroxine (50mg) since. I have always been on the generic until just this week I wanted to try the brand name to see if that made a difference at all. My levels are normal but I don't feel normal.
I decided to go off of antidepressants all together in July 2011. It has been almost 7 months and I still feel major brain fog and fatigue, constantly having to go to the bathroom, and zero sex drive...Although I think it has increased until I started Prozac last week (I only took it for 3 days and just switched to Bupropion XL 150 mg (generic Wellbutrin). I decided to try something again because I was told my symptoms could be because of depression...but I'm depressed because of my symptoms! I didn't feel any less tired, etc. while on the antidepressants in the past...Since Prozac causes sexual side effects, I didn't want to be on it.
I have been to the endocrinologist, gastro, psychologist, urologist, cardiologist, etc...I am going to see a food allergist in 2 weeks. I thought maybe it could be a gluten intolerance...but I was tested for Celiacs last yr and it was negative...I was even tested for Lyme and that was negative as well.
I have been on antidepressants since I was about 14 for OCD, anxiety, and mild depression. I started on Paxil on and off for a little while, and then I was put on Zoloft around the age of 18. I was on Zoloft for about two years or so. Then I tried Lexapro for a year. I was diagnosed with hypothyroid at age 18 and have been taking Levothyroxine (50mg) since. I have always been on the generic until just this week I wanted to try the brand name to see if that made a difference at all. My levels are normal but I don't feel normal.
I decided to go off of antidepressants all together in July 2011. It has been almost 7 months and I still feel major brain fog and fatigue, constantly having to go to the bathroom, and zero sex drive...Although I think it has increased until I started Prozac last week (I only took it for 3 days and just switched to Bupropion XL 150 mg (generic Wellbutrin). I decided to try something again because I was told my symptoms could be because of depression...but I'm depressed because of my symptoms! I didn't feel any less tired, etc. while on the antidepressants in the past...Since Prozac causes sexual side effects, I didn't want to be on it.
I have been to the endocrinologist, gastro, psychologist, urologist, cardiologist, etc...I am going to see a food allergist in 2 weeks. I thought maybe it could be a gluten intolerance...but I was tested for Celiacs last yr and it was negative...I was even tested for Lyme and that was negative as well.
Lyme disease is a good possibility. Excessive urination is also caused by insulion-utilization syndromes. Make sure you have had an hva1c and know the numbers. Excess glusoce can also result in"brain fog". It sounds like you are the right track in exploring all possibilities with your health care provider.
I believe your antidepressants have more to do with this than generic thyroid meds.
Can you wean off the antidepressants with the help of your doctor, replacing them with a natural remedy perhaps? This will verify the suspicion, as it is a more common occurrence. (if you need holistic remedies advice let me know.)
Who do not need a tick bite to contract Lyme Disease.
Lyme disease can be transmitted by bodily fluids, contaminated foods,
mosquitoes and other insects.
Hope this helps.
Take care,
Niko
Can you wean off the antidepressants with the help of your doctor, replacing them with a natural remedy perhaps? This will verify the suspicion, as it is a more common occurrence. (if you need holistic remedies advice let me know.)
Who do not need a tick bite to contract Lyme Disease.
Lyme disease can be transmitted by bodily fluids, contaminated foods,
mosquitoes and other insects.
Hope this helps.
Take care,
Niko
Thank you for your advice! I actually don't even know If I ever had a tic bite but after googling my symptoms, Lyme disease kept coming up so it made me wonder...I have been feeling this way for about 7 years...always brain fog, stomach bloating and pain (seriously looked like I was pregnant lol), I use to have restless leg syndrome...I have been on antidepressants and levothyroxine for hypothyroid...do you think the generic thyroid med has anything to do with it? Also, does anyone know if antidepressants could ruin sex drive even if you've been off them for quite some time?
Hey Britt, I just came across this post from another member
-WorriedaboutGFR- posted earlier in a user group in this forum.
"Hi - I remember you from the MS Forum where I spent a lot of time, having spinal tap, MRIs etc. yielding no answers. I've learned a lot since then. I am one of the many, many people with Lyme disease. Most are not diagnosed timely, if at all. That is because of the fixation on diagnostics for disease-diagnosing in this country. Truth is, Lyme diagnostics are highly inaccurate, missing potentially over half the people tested who really may have Lyme disease. And Lyme is as serious a disease as MS or cancer - it just isn't recognized as such because of widespread active suppression of Lyme in this country. Mrs. Aristotle, Lyme often involves excruciating pain. I suggest everyone here go to the ILADS website (International Lyme Disease) and view Leslie Wermer's video there (she died of Lyme) at http://www.ilads.org/lyme_disease/lyme_videos_9.html
Also, look at the home page at ilads.org and see what ILADS (a team of MDs) says about Lyme - how there need not be a "bull's eye rash" and you need never find a tick on yourself to have Lyme. They also mention the inaccuracy of Lyme tests. So what do you do? If your persistent neurologic symptoms have gone undiagnosed despite numerous tests, I suggest consulting a "Lyme-literate doctor." Note, I did NOT suggest seeing an infectious disease doctor, but a "Lyme-literate" doctor. To find one, contact ILADS or your local Lyme support group. Lyme is a disabler and a killer that can mimick MS, ALS and other diseases. Lyme diagnosis must be a "clinical diagnosis" based on your symptoms and history (NOT on diagnostics!). For years I was blown off by infectious disease doctors and told I had a false-positive Lyme test. The time I lost in dealing with the havoc that Lyme disease and its coinfections were wreaking inside my body due to nondiagnosis will likely result in permanent disability and premature death. Don't lose time. Find a "Lyme-literate" doctor now for evaluation. You may get your answer and start to feel better with treatment."
-WorriedaboutGFR- posted earlier in a user group in this forum.
"Hi - I remember you from the MS Forum where I spent a lot of time, having spinal tap, MRIs etc. yielding no answers. I've learned a lot since then. I am one of the many, many people with Lyme disease. Most are not diagnosed timely, if at all. That is because of the fixation on diagnostics for disease-diagnosing in this country. Truth is, Lyme diagnostics are highly inaccurate, missing potentially over half the people tested who really may have Lyme disease. And Lyme is as serious a disease as MS or cancer - it just isn't recognized as such because of widespread active suppression of Lyme in this country. Mrs. Aristotle, Lyme often involves excruciating pain. I suggest everyone here go to the ILADS website (International Lyme Disease) and view Leslie Wermer's video there (she died of Lyme) at http://www.ilads.org/lyme_disease/lyme_videos_9.html
Also, look at the home page at ilads.org and see what ILADS (a team of MDs) says about Lyme - how there need not be a "bull's eye rash" and you need never find a tick on yourself to have Lyme. They also mention the inaccuracy of Lyme tests. So what do you do? If your persistent neurologic symptoms have gone undiagnosed despite numerous tests, I suggest consulting a "Lyme-literate doctor." Note, I did NOT suggest seeing an infectious disease doctor, but a "Lyme-literate" doctor. To find one, contact ILADS or your local Lyme support group. Lyme is a disabler and a killer that can mimick MS, ALS and other diseases. Lyme diagnosis must be a "clinical diagnosis" based on your symptoms and history (NOT on diagnostics!). For years I was blown off by infectious disease doctors and told I had a false-positive Lyme test. The time I lost in dealing with the havoc that Lyme disease and its coinfections were wreaking inside my body due to nondiagnosis will likely result in permanent disability and premature death. Don't lose time. Find a "Lyme-literate" doctor now for evaluation. You may get your answer and start to feel better with treatment."
Hey Britt, welcome to the forum.
Sorry for your suffering. You're so young!
Lyme Disease is extremely hard to dx.
Most sufferers get years of false negatives
before dx. Are you in a Lyme friendly state?
You need and LLMD and IGeneX Labs
to get an accurate dx (Please google these)
Anything outside this is useless.
For food intolerance and allergies you can do Dr. Coca's
"pulse test" -Free download.
Also it would be good to do a complete Nutritional Panel including blood work and mineral tissue analysis for deficiencies.
You neurological symptoms along with a couple other symptoms
point to Neurological Lyme disease. Here's a link with 3 parts :
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/emerging-diseases/200901/when-physicians-miss-the-diagnosis-patients-can-be-stigmatized-psychia
Diagnosing Lyme Disease is COMPLEX. Do not give up. The medical approach is not only wrong, it is dangerous. Politics, Power and Profits
before Patients. (Sometimes it just ignorance or lack of training.)
It shouldn't have to be this way. To be facing this on top of all the suffering is Tough! But you need to rule LD out.
Hang in there! For more info and support visit the Lyme Disease Community in this forum. Or post again here, or pm me directly.
God Bless.
Niko
Sorry for your suffering. You're so young!
Lyme Disease is extremely hard to dx.
Most sufferers get years of false negatives
before dx. Are you in a Lyme friendly state?
You need and LLMD and IGeneX Labs
to get an accurate dx (Please google these)
Anything outside this is useless.
For food intolerance and allergies you can do Dr. Coca's
"pulse test" -Free download.
Also it would be good to do a complete Nutritional Panel including blood work and mineral tissue analysis for deficiencies.
You neurological symptoms along with a couple other symptoms
point to Neurological Lyme disease. Here's a link with 3 parts :
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/emerging-diseases/200901/when-physicians-miss-the-diagnosis-patients-can-be-stigmatized-psychia
Diagnosing Lyme Disease is COMPLEX. Do not give up. The medical approach is not only wrong, it is dangerous. Politics, Power and Profits
before Patients. (Sometimes it just ignorance or lack of training.)
It shouldn't have to be this way. To be facing this on top of all the suffering is Tough! But you need to rule LD out.
Hang in there! For more info and support visit the Lyme Disease Community in this forum. Or post again here, or pm me directly.
God Bless.
Niko
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