Lyme Disease or Health Anxiety

[enhenry25]

I have made a few previous posts but wanted to get suggestions regarding Lyme Disease, or if anyone else has experience in this area.

My symptoms include, stiff neck, headaches, eye floaters, foamy urine, IBS, and have had other symptoms in the past such as eye pressure, dizziness, and feeling completely out of it.

The symptoms started about three years ago after having WAY too much to drink. I also had been outside a lot being I work in the construction industry.

I have had VARIOUS blood tests, abdomen and head MRI's, stool samples, EKGS, and many other tests. I do not think I have had any specific lyme tests, if there are any? I had one blood test for lyme disease however my research has shown that multiple tests are often required.

I still to this day experience symptoms, however if I take xanax they do improve tremendously.

Should I pursue lyme disease, or accept that I am dealing with HA?

Anyone have a similar experience?

Thank you,

Henry

[Fishmanpa]

Every symptom you mentioned are anxiety related. The fact this started after a particularly bad experience also point toward anxiety related to that experience but yes, there are blood tests for lyme. That being said again, your symptoms: stiff neck, headaches, eye floaters, foamy urine, IBS, eye pressure, dizziness, and feeling completely out of it are, with the exception of muscle ache (stiff neck... and you would have stiffness or pain in many other joints as well) point toward anxiety.

Positive thoughts

[enhenry25]

Every symptom you mentioned are anxiety related. The fact this started after a particularly bad experience also point toward anxiety related to that experience but yes, there are blood tests for lyme. That being said again, your symptoms: stiff neck, headaches, eye floaters, foamy urine, IBS, eye pressure, dizziness, and feeling completely out of it are, with the exception of muscle ache (stiff neck... and you would have stiffness or pain in many other joints as well) point toward anxiety.

Positive thoughts

Thank you for your kind response. I guess I need to stop googling things. Its just hard to believe I have felt this way due to anxiety.

[ShaunRyder]

I guess I need to stop googling things.

Google will always make things worse, reading symptoms of something you are worried about and then you start getting the 'symptoms' because of the anxiety. I should take my own advice and stop :whistles:

[enhenry25]

haha, I need too... Does anyone else have any experience with this?

Thank you to all who have given input

[cattia]

I've had anxiety over Lyme's in the past and in fact I have seen a lot of people on anxiety forums worry about Lyme's. It's a classic disease for HA sufferers to latch on to, because it has multiple, vague, widespread symptoms that overlap with anxiety. It is difficult to test for, there is no medical consensus over whether chronic Lyme's even exists, and worst of all, the internet is full of horror stories. If your symptoms are improving with anti anxiety medication then I'd be willing to bet they are not caused by Lyme's.

[enhenry25]

I've had anxiety over Lyme's in the past and in fact I have seen a lot of people on anxiety forums worry about Lyme's. It's a classic disease for HA sufferers to latch on to, because it has multiple, vague, widespread symptoms that overlap with anxiety. It is difficult to test for, there is no medical consensus over whether chronic Lyme's even exists, and worst of all, the internet is full of horror stories. If your symptoms are improving with anti anxiety medication then I'd be willing to bet they are not caused by Lyme's.

Yes, they seem to improve with xanax, however I rarely take it. I just need to preoccupy myself I guess?

[cattia]

Yes but it's hard when you're worried about something. I sometimes think I've distracted myself but my worries arr still lurking around and then I think that my symptoms were still there when I was distracted so that proves they must be serious! You can't always win with anxiety, but if you can find something that will truly absorb your attention then that will help I'm sure.