• Image 0
  • Image 1
  • Image 2

    Anxiety and Depression

    One of my first symptoms after being bitten was anxiety and panic attacks, they would come out of nowhere at times when I had very little to be anxious about.  It wasn’t the kind of anxiety I was previously used to, it was intense and it felt totally unmanageable. Once bacteria get into the brain and the nervous system it can literally drive you crazy, it burrows through tissues and causes inflammation in the brain and an imbalance in our neurotransmitters, the things that dictate how we feel and think.  This can trigger symptoms such as anxiety, depression, poor impulse control, memory and concentration problems, episodes of rage, insomnia, slower processing, decreased problem solving skills and disorganization. You may also notice an increased number of floaters in your eyes. With symptoms like this it’s easy to understand how Lyme patients often get misdiagnosed with Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

    Neurotransmitter profile

    The first thing I advise is to get a neurotransmitter profile done.  This will tell you if you have too much or too little of certain neurotransmitters. It can also tell you whether you have problems converting proteins into neurotransmitters. You can get a neurotransmitter profile done via Biolab in London.

    For more details check out their website here.

    http://www.biolab.co.uk/print.php/cmsid__biolab_test/Neurotransmitter_Profile_(Comprehensive_-_urine)

    Supplements for Anxiety and Depression

    Below is a list of recommended supplements to treat Anxiety and Depression. It’s not recommended to take all of them. If you have a neurotransmitter profile done you can find out what you are deficient in and supplement accordingly.

    Acetyl L Carnitine and SAM-e

    Famous Lyme specialist Doctor Burrascano recommends taking acetyl L-carnitine and SAM-e together, combined they greatly improve memory, mood and cognition.

    L-Carnitine

    Buy this on Amazon

    SAM-e

    https://www.iherb.com/pr/Doctor-s-Best-SAM-e-Double-Strength-400-mg-60-Enteric-Coated-Tablets/34892

    GABA

    GABA is perhaps the most important neurotransmitter in our bodies and the most effective for calming anxiety. It promotes restful sleep and most people with chronic disease are deficient in it. It works by decreasing neuron firing in the brain, reducing anxiety and as an added bonus it helps balance blood pressure.

    https://www.iherb.com/pr/Now-Foods-GABA-750-mg-100-Veg-Capsules/5020

    Taurine

    As a result of having Lyme people can have an excessive amount of the amino acid glutamate in the body. It’s a neurotransmitter that can make us excited as a result it can cause insomnia, impair cognitive functioning and over time can cause neurons to self destruct. Taurine is the antidote to excessive glutamate levels. It aids restful sleep, promotes healthy levels of Gaba to chill you out and can protect your brain from the damage that excessive amounts of glutamate causes.

    Buy this on Amazon

    L-Theanine

    Theanine is another calming amino acid that’s found in green tea but unlike Gaba it has no sedating effects.  It also promotes several other neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine.

    Buy this on Amazon

    5HTP

    We all know about natures antidepressant 5HTP.  It works by increasing the amount of serotonin in the body which affects mood, energy, cognitive function and sleep. It’s a must have supplement not just for Lyme patients but for anyone struggling with down days.

    Buy this on Amazon

    L-Tyrosine

    5HTP helps boosts our serotonin and L-tyrosine helps boost our dopamine levels. Dopamine is good for balancing mood, cognition and memory. However, dopamine is an excitatory neurotransmitter so L-tyrosine might not be ideal for people with extreme anxiety and taking too much can cause palpitations.

    Buy this on Amazon

    Phosphatidyl-Choline

    Acetylcholine is another neurotransmitter Lyme patients are often depleted of, it contributes to cognition, learning and processing. It can also help restore some cognitive functions that can be lost due to chronic Lyme and supports healthy cells. Phosphatidyl-choline helps boost levels of acetylcholine.

    Buy this on Amazon


    Next     Insomnia