Anxiety/depression

[Spiffy]

I think the past 6 months of strange symptoms, doctor appointments, interminable waiting for results, and the fear of a future with pain has left its mark on me. How do other people get through this without anxiety/depression? I am a Christian, and I know He has a plan for me, but I am sad that it has pain attached to it. I have two mutations of MTHFR which make me more vulnerable to anxiety/stress. They also make me question starting medication. My body does not usually like medication. How funny that ra has some of the hardest medications out there.

Has anyone had any luck with any antidepressants that has an MTHFR mutation or two?

I am trying to make it awhile without doxy. I am scared to pieces. I do not get retested until 3 weeks is up. I hope I can make it that long. I feel it raised my blood pressure. If my factor is up I will switch to Minocin.

Any tips on controlling the mind? I am in need of some. Thank you.

I still have not been officially diagnosed. Everyone keeps saying they do not think it is ra. But no one has another explanation. I am so afraid the window of opportunity is passing me by. I am very thankful I have been on doxy. But can’t you understand that I need to see what I am like without it? Maybe it will help get a diagnosis. I am so tired of living on the edge of the cliff.

I am so sorry. I wish I could be uplifting, but all I am feeling is sad and scared. Bless you for your time.

DR4/DQ8 HLA, bio toxin illness
Flare fall of 2014...muscle aches, joint pains, fatigue, hair loss, rashes
Positive RA factor was 71 in January 2015 down to 28 as of September 2016
IGG food allergies wheat, egg, dairy
supplements: C and D, probiotics, milk thistle, Turmeric, cod liver oil, methyl b 12 & folate, digestive enzymes, Moducare, chlorella, berberine, LDN, monolaurin, Triphala, Patriot Greens
MTHFR compound heterozygous
Igenex IGM Lyme positive
Minocycline 100 BID MWF

[richie]

Why do you need to see how you are without doxy especially if doxy has helped you ????
richie

[Linda L]

Spiffy,
First of all you must start controlling your pain. Many of us are in pain, but you shouldn’t allow pain to be unbearable and just to suffer. You must reduce your pain. Your mood will change immediately, like on those days when you feel better. When the pain is big you must help yourself. It is not for ever. When your pain will be smaller you won’t be taking so many medications. I wouldn’t take any antidepressants. Avoid them. In order to improve your mood I would start taking bovine colostrum 1 level tsp per day.No side effects. Please try.
best wishes,
Linda L.

RA tried everything: Methotraxate, Arava, Humira. Pneumonia three times. Anemia. Very low iron. Hypothyroidism
AP from April 2014 till August 2015. No luck.
Current medications: Natural thyroid, Mobic, supplements,
vitamins and minerals.
MTHFR heterozygous

[Linda L]

Spiffy,
Only now I have realized you are allergic to dairy…..

RA tried everything: Methotraxate, Arava, Humira. Pneumonia three times. Anemia. Very low iron. Hypothyroidism
AP from April 2014 till August 2015. No luck.
Current medications: Natural thyroid, Mobic, supplements,
vitamins and minerals.
MTHFR heterozygous

[Spiffy]

I have to try no doxy to see what my body can do on its own. Since I do not have a distinct diagnosis yet, I want to try getting off of it, many people say doxy does not work for them, I know side effects can be joint pain and muscle weakness. I want to be able to differentiate between my side effects and my body going haywire.

DR4/DQ8 HLA, bio toxin illness
Flare fall of 2014...muscle aches, joint pains, fatigue, hair loss, rashes
Positive RA factor was 71 in January 2015 down to 28 as of September 2016
IGG food allergies wheat, egg, dairy
supplements: C and D, probiotics, milk thistle, Turmeric, cod liver oil, methyl b 12 & folate, digestive enzymes, Moducare, chlorella, berberine, LDN, monolaurin, Triphala, Patriot Greens
MTHFR compound heterozygous
Igenex IGM Lyme positive
Minocycline 100 BID MWF

[Trudi]

@Spiffy wrote:

1. Has anyone had any luck with any antidepressants that has an MTHFR mutation or two?

2. Any tips on controlling the mind? I am in need of some. Thank you.

3. I am so afraid the window of opportunity is passing me by.

Hi Spiffy–
1. There was a time when I suffered from run-a-way anxiety and panic attacks. Got to the point I couldn’t even go to the mailbox, my fear was so great. It was awful! The doctor put me on antidepressants. Things got even worse, so I do not recommend them. Medicine will do you no good if it does not address the problem, but merely mask it.

2. Maintain hope; stay in control. You know your body better than anyone else. Go with your gut instincts. Pray for God’s guidance.

3. Doing nothing is sometimes the best thing to do. Trying too many different things at one time can overload the body. With our body’s inability to properly detox, toxins will build up and can add to your misery.

Stress on your body from your anxiety/fear will compound your difficulties. Try not to dwell on the negative and focus on the positive. Easier said than done; I’ve been there. Rule your thoughts, they are incredibly powerful.

I’ve been praying for you,
Trudi

Lyme/RA; AP 4/2008 off and on to 3/2010; past use of quinolones may be the cause of my current problems, (including wheelchair use); all supplements (which can aggravate the condition) were discontinued on 10/14/2012. Am now treating for the homozygous MTHFR 1298 mutation. Off of all pain meds since Spring '14 (was on them for years--doctor is amazed--me too). Back on pain med 1/2017. Reinfected? Frozen shoulder?

[lemons]

Hello Spiffy I was the same two years ago when I was told by a Doctor that I had RA. It all happened in 2013 and I was diagnosed in June. Throughout the summer of that year I was confined to bed, the pain was horrific and I couldn’t walk down the stairs, brush my hair or teeth, get in the bath, do anything. The depression, for me, worse than the pain. I lay in bed for weeks listening to world outside , people mowing their lawns, birds singing, people laughing and there I was in bed thinking of the easiest way to commit suicide. Anyway to cut a long story short, I refused all drugs the rheumatologist had to offer, ignored the universal line of ” if you don’t start Methotrexate now Nancy, YOU WILL LOSE THAT WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY “. Well in my opinion there is no such thing and I believe its just what medics are told to say to get you on the drugs fast. In September I went to a Doctor that agreed to prescribe Minocin. Fast forward and I am now 99% better. I can do everything I used to do and the depression has gone. Some times I actually question why I feel so happy, as Im a miserable cow by nature 😕 I have been told that inflammation and the whole disease process causes depression . I can totally relate to how you feel . Nancy x

[Spiffy]

I love you both for your words of encouragement. I am trying to type through tears! Another let down today…I had been waiting almost 3 weeks for my ispot Lyme test. I called them and they said they threw away my sample because they do not take my insurance. They tried to call me and I did not get the message. I will have to start all over! Probably will use Iginix this time anyway since I have been off doxy two weeks. I will have my ra factor run again next week. Unless it is way down leaving off my allergy foods, I will begin Minocin. God bless!

DR4/DQ8 HLA, bio toxin illness
Flare fall of 2014...muscle aches, joint pains, fatigue, hair loss, rashes
Positive RA factor was 71 in January 2015 down to 28 as of September 2016
IGG food allergies wheat, egg, dairy
supplements: C and D, probiotics, milk thistle, Turmeric, cod liver oil, methyl b 12 & folate, digestive enzymes, Moducare, chlorella, berberine, LDN, monolaurin, Triphala, Patriot Greens
MTHFR compound heterozygous
Igenex IGM Lyme positive
Minocycline 100 BID MWF

[kaz]

I just want to say thank you for being brave and sharing your vulnerability and fears with the rest of us here. I think many of us share the same feelings with you and it takes strength to share your own pain. As I

[Spiffy]

Kaz, what a wonderful heartfelt message to wake up reading this morning! Thank you so much for the words of encouragement. have a blessed day!

DR4/DQ8 HLA, bio toxin illness
Flare fall of 2014...muscle aches, joint pains, fatigue, hair loss, rashes
Positive RA factor was 71 in January 2015 down to 28 as of September 2016
IGG food allergies wheat, egg, dairy
supplements: C and D, probiotics, milk thistle, Turmeric, cod liver oil, methyl b 12 & folate, digestive enzymes, Moducare, chlorella, berberine, LDN, monolaurin, Triphala, Patriot Greens
MTHFR compound heterozygous
Igenex IGM Lyme positive
Minocycline 100 BID MWF

[A Friend]

@Spiffy wrote:

I have to try no doxy to see what my body can do on its own. Since I do not have a distinct diagnosis yet, I want to try getting off of it, many people say doxy does not work for them, I know side effects can be joint pain and muscle weakness. I want to be able to differentiate between my side effects and my body going haywire.

Hello Spiffy,
You’ve heard this before… but just hang in there, and soon you will learn and find the things that can help your body recover. Just think of your symptoms as your body trying desperately to send you signals about how it is doing and what is not working right.

One of the first things I believe we need to do is to familiarize ourselves with a source of information we can trust. The one I am going to give you a link for here is both knowledgeable and trustworthy. When we go to most physicians (sometimes even those who are knowledgeable of AP), I have rarely seen one who has studied natural and safe helps for our conditions. The good news I’m finding recently is that is changing. You might look at a new topic about this new field of functional physicians.

The LPI Institute is a research facility with indepth research information to use as a resource. Below is a link I just searched for and found. If I were in your place, I would read these things for education sake, because no matter the label of your illness, I believe to help our body restore itself to equilibrium, (help us feel calmer and sleep better, etc.) with what may now be temporarily missing OR needs addressing another way, is a good place to start. There are probably many things you can do besides the things appropriate for you in this link, but hopefully this link will help with your understanding of how to help yourself feel better. And you can be sure… we who have been posting on this board for quite a while, have lots of links, info, that may help guide you to find the missing link(s).

With this being Easter week, other people who might be responding to your post may be away or too busy to be on the board.

http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/infocenter/cognition.html
Micronutrients and Cognitive Function
Summary

Stay strong and hang in there!
AF

[Spiffy]

Thank you so much for your kind thoughts. I will check in to this. I wish there was a functional doctor here in Baltimore. I will kee checking!

DR4/DQ8 HLA, bio toxin illness
Flare fall of 2014...muscle aches, joint pains, fatigue, hair loss, rashes
Positive RA factor was 71 in January 2015 down to 28 as of September 2016
IGG food allergies wheat, egg, dairy
supplements: C and D, probiotics, milk thistle, Turmeric, cod liver oil, methyl b 12 & folate, digestive enzymes, Moducare, chlorella, berberine, LDN, monolaurin, Triphala, Patriot Greens
MTHFR compound heterozygous
Igenex IGM Lyme positive
Minocycline 100 BID MWF

[A Friend]

@Spiffy wrote:

Thank you so much for your kind thoughts. I will check in to this. I wish there was a functional doctor here in Baltimore. I will kee checking!

Spiffy, from a search I did for the Baltimore area, there seem to be a lot of functional medicine physicians in the Baltimore area. I sent you a PM and then found an additional link and sent it, also. So, if you know how to retrieve your PM’s, there are two. Do you know if you have been here long enough to receive alerts that you have Private Messages waiting?

AF

[Spiffy]

Yes, I love my private messages! I am about to leave town for Easter, when I return I will study this! Thank you so much! Happy Easter!

DR4/DQ8 HLA, bio toxin illness
Flare fall of 2014...muscle aches, joint pains, fatigue, hair loss, rashes
Positive RA factor was 71 in January 2015 down to 28 as of September 2016
IGG food allergies wheat, egg, dairy
supplements: C and D, probiotics, milk thistle, Turmeric, cod liver oil, methyl b 12 & folate, digestive enzymes, Moducare, chlorella, berberine, LDN, monolaurin, Triphala, Patriot Greens
MTHFR compound heterozygous
Igenex IGM Lyme positive
Minocycline 100 BID MWF

[emmaline]

Thank you, thank you. The emotional part can be just a crippling and I need to keep reading as well.
Bless you all many times over… so thankful not to have to do this alone.

I see a FM doctor, too. Much easier than a Rheumy but he isn’t familiar with AP so I’m educating myself. Micronutrients are so important. There is a doctor in Iowa who healed her own MS with diet alone. I was on the Auto Immune Paleo Diet for a year, but my condition kept worsening. It seemed like the more foods I eliminated, the more allergic I became, which really makes sense with Dr. Brown’s theory of RA. I just always felt in my heart there had to be another treatment out there that I just didn’t know about. That the whole answer wasn’t just the food I was or wasn’t eating. Diet is hugely important and I believe it can heal some people, and for others it is one piece of the puzzle.

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