Problems With Eating, Anhedonia, Lyme Disease, And More!

[Ashoka]

Hey, not even sure where to start. I've been in need of advice because my own mind is so cluttered with it's own nonsense and my thinking is incredibly slow. I'm under-eating like crazy, have no motivation, and suffer bodily pain and reactions to eating from lyme disease and infections. I recently went through a months long breakup with my girlfriend who I loved very much and found devastatingly beautiful. Unfortunately I was very depressed and in the relationship I felt even worse so I had to break up with her! Well that set me down this path to where I am now. I was starting to see improvements in my overall health months ago, but after this breakup it brought out the worst tendencies in me: I started smoking, ruminating, isolating myself, watching porn when I couldn't find stress release elsewhere. I tried reaching out to friends and therapists, but it only helps a small amount. I'm totally alienated and in city I feel little connection to. I have no real friends in the city and my girlfriend was my only real friend here, so now I'm just lonely and hopelessly fixated on a relationship I wanted dearly but couldn't handle. I live with my parents and have been while I've been struggling with Lyme disease, which was improving rapidly before this emotional disaster. I also have post-finasteride syndrome, which very likely set me up for all these problems. Altogether I've been dealing with health issues for over four years now and I'm very tired of everything piling up and getting more complicated all the time.

I know I need to try eat more, but there's no appetite. I try cypro, but it's effects are limited now. I guess I've been taking it well over a year. Smoking also diminishes appetite, but it's the only thing that seems to fill the time and keep me slightly sane. I'm 5'11" and weigh less than 130 lbs. I've probably lost 25 lbs in the past few months from this stress of both wanting to keep and leave the relationship I was in. I doubt I'll ever have success in any relationship without solving these problems, which are many. I have to believe I can solve them. I'm afraid of refeeding syndrome after briefly reading about it here. This is what I mean by complicated. Do I now have to go find someone who knows about refeeding syndrome and track calories?

I'm exhausted all day and spend a lot of it sitting of laying on the bed. My lungs are kind of messed up now from smoking. I can feel the infections doing weird ***t in my body as usual, often in my chest. Obviously incredibly low libido, no motivation, just flat or painful emotions, and sluggish, myopic and desperate thinking.

I don't even know what this post is about, but my guess is to find a better way to safely counteract depression and anhedonia, and how to get in those calories slowly with minimal food prep and work that appetite up. It's difficult especially when I'm assaulted every minute with regret over ending my relationship (although I do believe I was unhappy right now in it - I've felt ambivalent about it for months and months). To increase calories requires intense determination after under-eating for many months, and my head isn't there. I bought tianeptine but knowing my situation I don't want to damage my liver or something. Too stupid of a way to go.

Thank you for your help and reading through some pretty uncomfortable stuff. I deeply appreciate it.

 

[Vinero]

If you have lyme you need antibiotics. You probably will never get better without antibiotics if you have a chronic infection in your body. I recommend Doxycycline 200 mg a day + azithromycine 250 mg 3x a week. You might need to keep taking it for at least a year.
This is a basic antibiotic protocol for people with chronic infections including lyme.

 

[Ashoka]

If you have lyme you need antibiotics. You probably will never get better without antibiotics if you have a chronic infection in your body. I recommend Doxycycline 200 mg a day + azithromycine 250 mg 3x a week. You might need to keep taking it for at least a year.
This is a basic antibiotic protocol for people with chronic infections including lyme.

What do you think about the heart related risks of azithromycin? I would consider mino and doxy but I don’t know about azithromycin because it carries a small risk of dangerous heart complications. Also each of the co-infections seems to need a different set of antibiotics. I’m not sure it’s the answer to blast yourself with lots of different antibiotics. I think it would be better to work on overall health and address my hormonal issues and problems with depression and then possibly take minocycline for a while.

 

[Ashoka]

There’s also monolaurin which seem to kill lyme and it doesn’t carry the dangers of extended antibiotic use, as far as I know. But my knowledge in general is quite limited. Otherwise I wouldn’t be posting for help! Joey Lott wrote a Peat-inspired book about Lyme disease and said he mostly recovered from increasing his calorie intake and I think taking certain herbs.

 

[Constatine]

Antibiotics ruined a year of my life in a very horrific way, they can be useful but be cautious. Don't bother with supplements out of a bottle, they are of low quality typically and contain compounds that can worsen the immune system like titanium dioxide. They are also very overpriced for what they contain.
In my experiences and research plane old green tea is one of the most useful substances for immune system support and infection. Matcha is by far superior to any other form of green tea as it can contain hundreds of times more polyphenols. The only problem is it's caffeine content will raise your metabolism when you are already undereating.
Turmeric and especially coconut oil (which is better than isolated monolaurin) are also very useful. Bacteria die off ain't fun, work your dose up slowly on the bactericidals.

 

[Vinero]

Antibiotics ruined a year of my life in a very horrific way, they can be useful but be cautious. Don't bother with supplements out of a bottle, they are of low quality typically and contain compounds that can worsen the immune system like titanium dioxide. They are also very overpriced for what they contain.
In my experiences and research plane old green tea is one of the most useful substances for immune system support and infection. Matcha is by far superior to any other form of green tea as it can contain hundreds of times more polyphenols. The only problem is it's caffeine content will raise your metabolism when you are already undereating.
Turmeric and especially coconut oil (which is better than isolated monolaurin) are also very useful. Bacteria die off ain't fun, work your dose up slowly on the bactericidals.

Could you explain how antibiotics ruined your life? I am interested in this subject of taking antibiotics to get rid of chronic infections.

 

[Constatine]

Could you explain how antibiotics ruined your life? I am interested in this subject of taking antibiotics to get rid of chronic infections.

It didn't ruin my life but caused a very painful year. It gave me terrible gut dysbiosis and perhaps even candida over growth with all the symptoms that accompany it. Mind you it was Cipro, one of the more dangerous antibiotics, the stuff should never be touched.

 

[DDK]

It didn't ruin my life but caused a very painful year. It gave me terrible gut dysbiosis and perhaps even candida over growth with all the symptoms that accompany it. Mind you it was Cipro, one of the more dangerous antibiotics, the stuff should never be touched.

Did you take multiple antibiotics or just single therapy? You are usually supposed to cycle multiple antibiotics to prevent dysbiosis/resistance. Also, when on long-term abx you should be taking nystatin or fluconazole to prevent yeast overgrowth.

 

[DDK]

Hey, not even sure where to start. I've been in need of advice because my own mind is so cluttered with it's own nonsense and my thinking is incredibly slow. I'm under-eating like crazy, have no motivation, and suffer bodily pain and reactions to eating from lyme disease and infections. I recently went through a months long breakup with my girlfriend who I loved very much and found devastatingly beautiful. Unfortunately I was very depressed and in the relationship I felt even worse so I had to break up with her! Well that set me down this path to where I am now. I was starting to see improvements in my overall health months ago, but after this breakup it brought out the worst tendencies in me: I started smoking, ruminating, isolating myself, watching porn when I couldn't find stress release elsewhere. I tried reaching out to friends and therapists, but it only helps a small amount. I'm totally alienated and in city I feel little connection to. I have no real friends in the city and my girlfriend was my only real friend here, so now I'm just lonely and hopelessly fixated on a relationship I wanted dearly but couldn't handle. I live with my parents and have been while I've been struggling with Lyme disease, which was improving rapidly before this emotional disaster. I also have post-finasteride syndrome, which very likely set me up for all these problems. Altogether I've been dealing with health issues for over four years now and I'm very tired of everything piling up and getting more complicated all the time.

I know I need to try eat more, but there's no appetite. I try cypro, but it's effects are limited now. I guess I've been taking it well over a year. Smoking also diminishes appetite, but it's the only thing that seems to fill the time and keep me slightly sane. I'm 5'11" and weigh less than 130 lbs. I've probably lost 25 lbs in the past few months from this stress of both wanting to keep and leave the relationship I was in. I doubt I'll ever have success in any relationship without solving these problems, which are many. I have to believe I can solve them. I'm afraid of refeeding syndrome after briefly reading about it here. This is what I mean by complicated. Do I now have to go find someone who knows about refeeding syndrome and track calories?

I'm exhausted all day and spend a lot of it sitting of laying on the bed. My lungs are kind of messed up now from smoking. I can feel the infections doing weird ***t in my body as usual, often in my chest. Obviously incredibly low libido, no motivation, just flat or painful emotions, and sluggish, myopic and desperate thinking.

I don't even know what this post is about, but my guess is to find a better way to safely counteract depression and anhedonia, and how to get in those calories slowly with minimal food prep and work that appetite up. It's difficult especially when I'm assaulted every minute with regret over ending my relationship (although I do believe I was unhappy right now in it - I've felt ambivalent about it for months and months). To increase calories requires intense determination after under-eating for many months, and my head isn't there. I bought tianeptine but knowing my situation I don't want to damage my liver or something. Too stupid of a way to go.

Thank you for your help and reading through some pretty uncomfortable stuff. I deeply appreciate it.

I would focus less on lyme or other infections and more on your emotional issues/stress. Also focus on increasing calories/carbs. Don't worry about eating "Peat Foods" just eat a bunch of carbs from whatever source you tolerate.

 

[Ashoka]

Antibiotics ruined a year of my life in a very horrific way, they can be useful but be cautious. Don't bother with supplements out of a bottle, they are of low quality typically and contain compounds that can worsen the immune system like titanium dioxide. They are also very overpriced for what they contain.
In my experiences and research plane old green tea is one of the most useful substances for immune system support and infection. Matcha is by far superior to any other form of green tea as it can contain hundreds of times more polyphenols. The only problem is it's caffeine content will raise your metabolism when you are already undereating.
Turmeric and especially coconut oil (which is better than isolated monolaurin) are also very useful. Bacteria die off ain't fun, work your dose up slowly on the bactericidals.

I didn’t know coconut oil was effective like monolaurin. I’ll definitely consider turmeric and matcha. You’re right that I probably am not ready for even that level of caffeine content yet, although I was able to easily tolerate a coke with a steak dinner last night.

I would focus less on lyme or other infections and more on your emotional issues/stress. Also focus on increasing calories/carbs. Don't worry about eating "Peat Foods" just eat a bunch of carbs from whatever source you tolerate.

Yeah, the emotional issues and stress are getting me more than anything. It’s confusing in that I know Lyme has previously caused havoc in my emotional life and I don’t know to what extent it’s still affecting me that way. But losing the relationship has been killing me. My confidence has plummeted; I feel like I can’t connect to people; I look in the mirror now and feel unattractive. I’m in a darker place than before I was in the relationship by far. I smoke cigarettes all day.

Any ideas on ways to take the edge off depression, either physical or psychological ways, knowing my situation?

I thought about trying theanine, tyrosine, p5p as an antidepressant therapy, or some related combination.

 

[DDK]

Yeah, the emotional issues and stress are getting me more than anything. It’s confusing in that I know Lyme has previously caused havoc in my emotional life and I don’t know to what extent it’s still affecting me that way. But losing the relationship has been killing me. My confidence has plummeted; I feel like I can’t connect to people; I look in the mirror now and feel unattractive. I’m in a darker place than before I was in the relationship by far. I smoke cigarettes all day.

Any ideas on ways to take the edge off depression, either physical or psychological ways, knowing my situation?

I thought about trying theanine, tyrosine, p5p as an antidepressant therapy, or some related combination.

Maybe you need a new girlfriend? But it certainly isn't a good idea in the long run to connect your self worth with who your girlfriend is or who your friends are or how much money you make, etc... I mean it sounds like the relationship is causing more issues than diet, or Lyme, or anything else. Maybe finding a new girl may help. Or working on being happy by/with yourself. Like I said the more carbs I eat the more it helps with depression by releasing dopamine, increasing thyroid function, etc...

Pot has also helped some with depression and the issues you describe, but some it causes depression so it seems very individualized.

Antidepressants seem to cause depression in the long run through a negative feedback loop, so that certainly isn't a long term solution, IMO.

 

[Ashoka]

Maybe you need a new girlfriend? But it certainly isn't a good idea in the long run to connect your self worth with who your girlfriend is or who your friends are or how much money you make, etc... I mean it sounds like the relationship is causing more issues than diet, or Lyme, or anything else. Maybe finding a new girl may help. Or working on being happy by/with yourself. Like I said the more carbs I eat the more it helps with depression by releasing dopamine, increasing thyroid function, etc...

Pot has also helped some with depression and the issues you describe, but some it causes depression so it seems very individualized.

Antidepressants seem to cause depression in the long run through a negative feedback loop, so that certainly isn't a long term solution, IMO.

I can’t even think of another girl right now. She is devastatingly beautiful and I’m totally stuck on it. She loved me so much. I thought I loved her but my own mental life and confusion pulled me away.

My situation being what it is I don’t think most women would even be interested. My girlfriend did understand because she’s open-minded and also had Lyme disease, and we also had a lot in common. Like I said I’m at home with my parents, I’m 29, and also I do tie my sense of worth to things that our culture props up as being important: looks, money, intelligence, and influence. I wish I didn’t - don’t we all? - but this runs deeply in me, perhaps much more than others. Hence why I generally struggle.

I have a general problem of feeling a sense of connection to people. I don’t know if I blow this out of proportion and the fallout of the relationship is really increasing his feeling. But the reality is I’ve kind of felt this way for years. I can’t even connect properly with friends I’ve had since childhood and share much in common with. All I have is this confusion as to whether it’s health related or more than that.

You think the antidepressant therapy I listed would create a negative feedback loop? People use these substances on this forum to help with depression. Not saying it will work or be what I need, but maybe better than not.

 

[DDK]

I can’t even think of another girl right now. She is devastatingly beautiful and I’m totally stuck on it. She loved me so much. I thought I loved her but my own mental life and confusion pulled me away.

My situation being what it is I don’t think most women would even be interested. My girlfriend did understand because she’s open-minded and also had Lyme disease, and we also had a lot in common. Like I said I’m at home with my parents, I’m 29, and also I do tie my sense of worth to things that our culture props up as being important: looks, money, intelligence, and influence. I wish I didn’t - don’t we all? - but this runs deeply in me, perhaps much more than others. Hence why I generally struggle.

I have a general problem of feeling a sense of connection to people. I don’t know if I blow this out of proportion and the fallout of the relationship is really increasing his feeling. But the reality is I’ve kind of felt this way for years. I can’t even connect properly with friends I’ve had since childhood and share much in common with. All I have is this confusion as to whether it’s health related or more than that.

You think the antidepressant therapy I listed would create a negative feedback loop? People use these substances on this forum to help with depression. Not saying it will work or be what I need, but maybe better than not.

Which antidepressants were you thinking of trying?

 

[Ashoka]

Which antidepressants were you thinking of trying?

I thought about trying theanine, tyrosine, p5p as an antidepressant therapy, or some related combination. I can’t remember what else people try with.

 

[DDK]

I thought about trying theanine, tyrosine, p5p as an antidepressant therapy, or some related combination. I can’t remember what else people try with.

Okay, I thought you were talking about SSRI's and other mainstream antidepressants.