Yesterday I drove to my friend’s house to pick up my weekly egg order. She has chickens and the yummiest eggs around. I drove out of habit while talking to my 7-year-old son in the back seat. I pulled into the driveway and realized that I didn’t recognize the house.
I was startled at first but decided to go up to the house anyway, I figured my son would have told me if we were at the wrong house. As I continued up the walk I noticed the cooler wasn’t outside in its usual place and my doubt grew. I was so relieved when my friend came to the door but I still felt uneasy about the whole episode.
I haven’t had much “Lyme brain” in the past few years but with the transition to homeopathy, I have had a few episodes.
Early on with my Lyme infection, I had Lyme brain so bad it was difficult to function normally in my everyday life. I got lost, I couldn’t remember past events or conversations, I couldn’t remember people or names of acquaintances and even people I went to church with. I had great difficulty understanding what I read, I felt as if a page looked like a big jumble of dancing words. I couldn’t perform simple math tasks and I had great difficulty figuring out how to accomplish simple daily tasks.
Neurological Lyme
Lyme brain is real, it’s called Neurological Lyme, it’s frightening and it can be severe enough to render a person incapable of reading, comprehending what is being spoken, working and functioning normally in life.
It’s particularly difficult to identify Lyme brain in children especially if you don’t already know they have Lyme Disease. They could appear to be uninterested in school or reading, they may seem like they’re daydreaming and some children may become frustrated and act out in anger. Children may not know how to explain to their parents what they’re experiencing because word recall is very difficult.
I’ve read that when a person has neurological Lyme an MRI can reveal white matter on their brain. This is very similar to a patient with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) which is why Lyme is often misdiagnosed as MS. If you’d like to learn more about Lyme brain and see fascinating MRI pictures you can visit the Columbia University Medical Medical Center.
Symptoms
Neurological Lyme also causes dementia-like symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s and some speculate that untreated Lyme disease can cause Alzheimer’s.
My Neurological Lyme symptoms began soon after my other physical symptoms of Lyme Disease appeared. My Neuro Lyme symptoms increased and became more severe for about a year and began to clear up once I had been on high doses of antibiotics for at least another year. I continued to have mild symptoms but they didn’t keep me from my daily activities.
I get Lyme brain every once in awhile now, or maybe it’s just that I’m getting older, but I can still blame it on Lyme right? My kids laugh when I ask a question that I’ve already asked 3 times before and especially when my sentences don’t make sense or I have trouble with word recall. Sometimes I walk around the house pretending I know what I’m doing when in reality I can’t remember why I was headed to a particular room.
So what can be done about Lyme brain? Antibiotics cleared a lot of my symptoms but not so much for one of my daughters. Hers began to clear when she started the homeopathic protocol. There are herbs and other supplements that can be very helpful too. If you’re seeing a doctor who understands Lyme, ask what is best for you.
Want to learn more about Lyme Neuroborreliosis? Visit these links below.
Lyme Disease Action: Neurology and Psychiatry
Columbia University Medical Center: Signs and Symptoms
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Lyme Disease Information Page
Neurological Complications of Lyme Disease
I would love to sleep deeply and for long periods of time without interruption. I am doing so much better with a whole lot of areas that I suffered with this time last year. I know God is healing me. He has given me a wonderful Christian doctor whom I respect and trust. I am also weaning off an antidepressant that I have taken for over 30 years! I am on 10mg every 5th day now and will go off completely before too much longer. So, that is wonderful!! I am not having the awful depression and anxiety I used to have before and even during the beginning stages of Lyme (before I was diagnosed!)
Thank you for your Blog and for your kindness! I pray you and your family are all feeling much better by now!
I have had Lyme brain too. My doctor who is treating me has given me several herbal helps. I am better now, but still have moments when I feel lost or can’t remember and I know that I should know…. What are some of the remedies that you have used?
Hi Joyce, I really like Herb Pharm Sarsaparilla combined with Nutramedix Burbur-Pinella. I’ve also noticed foods like gluten and sugar can increase brain fog. Hope that helps.
Thank you, Tricia! Do you take Herb Pharm Sarsaparilla mixed in with Nutramedix Burbur-Pinella.?
I have seen Burbur and Pinella separately listed on the NurtraMedix website, but not in one bottle….Am I making sense?
Yes, you’re making sense! 🙂 I do add the Herb Pharm Sarsaparilla to the Burbur-Pinella. Read the labels for the dosages. I haven’t seen the Burbur and Pinella separately for a while now. That’s how I used to purchase it. So, whether you buy the combined or the ones that are separate you can add them all to a small glass of juice, water or tea.
Thank you, Tricia! I will see my Dr. tomorrow and will ask him about this. I’ve been using NutraMedix products like Burbur, Samento, Cumanda this month. My doctor also added Amantilla to help me sleep. I still have some difficulty with sleep even though I take magnesium at night and also spray Ancient Minerals Magnesium oil on my abdomen. I would love to have a full night’s sleep again. God has given me more sleep than I have had in the last year. I would love consistent sleep several nights in a row. I do believe it would help with the tiredness. Do you have any remedies for sleep?
Joyce, I have not had an issue with sleep since getting Lyme. In fact, before Lyme I did suffer from insomnia so I can totally relate. After Lyme however, I almost sleep too deeply. I’ll pray that your doctor will be able to help you resolve this because it’s difficult to heal when you’re not getting restorative sleep.
My Lyme brain got to the point that I could no longer read. I would not understand the sermons at church. I was having problems speaking as I couldn’t recall a, lot of words. It frightened me that I couldn’t remember how to write a certain document at work that I had written for ten years. On errands, I would be driving and forget where I was going or get up to do something and the next step would forget what I was going to do. PTL I can read now!!!
It’s so scary and frustrating to have those things happen but it’s very common with Lyme. I’m so glad you’re doing better now! xoxo