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GABA is a calming amino acid that helps to reduce anxiety and panic attacks in individuals with low GABA levels and helps to address the anxiety that many individuals experience when they have Lyme disease.<\/p>\n
At the recent IMMH\/Integrative Medicine for Mental Health conference Dr. Suruchi Chandra presented on Neuropsychiatric Lyme Disease<\/a>\u00a0and shared that:<\/p>\n Lyme disease is one of the fastest growing infectious diseases in the United States. It can remain dormant for years and then later mimic a number of psychiatric illnesses, including anxiety disorders, mood disturbances, psychosis, and autism-like behaviors. It can be further complicated by the presence of co-infections.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Last month I shared a post called GABA, the calming amino acid: expert opinions<\/a>\u00a0and Tricia Soderstrom, creator of the blog Abounding in Hope with Lyme<\/a>\u00a0shared it with her\u00a0online Lyme community<\/a>\u00a0with this comment:<\/p>\n Lyme anxiety is real! We’ve used GABA with great success.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Read on to learn about her daughter’s symptoms and which GABA product helped; how Tricia continued to search and discover the psychiatric and pyroluria connection; and then her discovery of GABA, 5-HTP, theanine and tryptophan. You can also read how GABA also helped Tricia with her Lyme-induced anxiety (and her advocacy work). You’ll also find additional resources if you need guidance using amino acids like tryptophan\/5-HTP and GABA\/theanine.<\/p>\n Tricia shared further when I asked what had helped:<\/p>\n We’ve used Source Naturals GABA Calm sublinguals with good results. I learned about GABA helping anxiety and because I was treating my young daughter I purchased this because it was easy for her to take.<\/p>\n Lyme, Bartonella and Babesia are all known to cause anxiety and other psychological disorders ranging from mild to very severe. My daughter had it very severely but thankfully is much better now that we’ve treated the tick-borne diseases.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n She also shared this excellent article by Pamela Weintraub as a resource: High Anxiety (Neurological Lyme Disease, Part Three)<\/a><\/p>\n I asked Tricia if I could share some of her daughter\u2019s Lyme story and how GABA (and other nutrients) had helped with her anxiety while they were treating the Lyme disease. She kindly agreed and here are some excerpts from her blog post: How A Tick Bite Changed My Daughter – Part 2 Using Supplements To Nourish The Brain<\/a><\/p>\n When my third daughter turned 7 we had no idea that our whole lives were beginning to turn upside down by severe anxiety and OCD.<\/p>\n As that year progressed I noticed my \u2026daughter incessantly washing her hands, pooling saliva in her mouth, clenching her fists until the skin around her knuckles turned bright white and repeating motions. \u00a0Her eyes were wider than normal and she became very fearful of things that never bothered her before.<\/p>\n At the same time, she was complaining of deep hip pain, pain in her feet, very bad headaches, motion sickness, nausea, heart palpitations and other symptoms\u2026.<\/p>\n Her anxiety grew, her obsessions controlled her and she was incapable of thinking rationally during these episodes. \u00a0With age her episodes became more frequent and more severe.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Tricia diligently searched for solutions for the Lyme disease that was impacting her daughter and herself. As Tricia learned more, she discovered the psychiatric connection to Lyme and they worked without success, with various doctors, having her daughter try antibiotic treatments and anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications.<\/p>\n Still searching, she discovered Dr. Klinghart teaching about pyroluria and started adjusting her daughter\u2019s diet and adding various nutrients: magnesium, fish oil, trace minerals, vitamin D, evening primrose oil, vitamin B6 and zinc (the latter three are key for pyroluria<\/a>).<\/p>\n Tricia then came across some of the amazing interviews I did with various experts on season 1 of the Anxiety Summit<\/a>\u00a0and it further consolidated what she had already discovered. She shares this:<\/p>\n What I learned was astounding and it was very similar to what [Dr. Kinghart] taught but I began to also learn about GABA, 5-HTP, L-Theanine, and L-Tryptophan.<\/p>\n To my daughter’s routine I added Source Naturals GABA Calm sublingual, Nature\u2019s Way 5-HTP, Nature\u2019s Way L-Theanine\/ Green Tea sublingal, and Source Natural\u2019s Melatonin.<\/p>\n At first we used GABA or L-Theanine whenever she would have a panic attack or her OCD was too much to deal with. \u00a0After awhile I just had her take it first thing in the morning, mid-day and then again in the evenings when her symptoms would be at their worst.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The amino acids and brain nutrients were ONE part of the solution, together with dietary changes, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and homeopathy. As Tricia says:<\/p>\n These supplements did not cure my daughter but they helped her get off the prescription drugs and they helped both of us during our most trying times<\/p><\/blockquote>\n This is why I love using targeted individual amino acids such as GABA. They give you immediate relief from anxiety and panic attacks while you are dealing with bigger underlying issues such as Lyme disease. Adding other nutrients (like zinc, magnesium, vitamin B6 etc) address nutritional deficiencies that the Lyme disease may be causing.<\/p>\n Keep in mind that Tricia\u2019s daughter did well with Source Natural GABA Calm but there are many other excellent GABA products<\/a>\u00a0that can be beneficial too.<\/p>\n Tricia\u2019s daughter has given her the go ahead to share her story and she is now doing so well!<\/p>\n My daughter is now a beautiful 15 year old, looking forward to her 16th birthday and getting her driver\u2019s license.<\/p>\n She is the brave one to allow me to expose how this illness completely changed her and controlled her.\u00a0 At one point she was embarrassed about it but now she really wants to help others.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n What an encouraging, heartwarming and inspiring story!<\/p>\n Both Tricia and her daughter are very brave and I appreciate having the opportunity to share their story with you. I encourage you to read the whole story here on her blog<\/a>.<\/p>\n Tricia also experienced Lyme-induced anxiety and she too found benefits with GABA. You can read more about her episodes of fear, panic attacks, fear of going outside and withdrawing from social situations on this blog post: Where Does Your Fear Come From And What Are You Doing About It? (Our Journey With Neurological Lyme)<\/a><\/p>\n Here is a little more about Tricia: She is a mom of 4 and wife of 26 years to Scott.\u00a0 She was living a busy and active life as an outdoorsy homeschool mom, when chronic Lyme disease side-lined her and her entire family.\u00a0 She has spent the past 8 years recovering, advocating and caring for her family and researching tick-borne diseases.\u00a0 Tricia continues to homeschool her youngest two children and blogs about her life as a Christian homeschool mom with chronic Lyme, while homeschooling her children who also have chronic Lyme.\u00a0 She is passionate about educating others about tick-borne disease, and how to prevent, recognize and get the proper treatment. You can read more about her and her Lyme resources here<\/a>. And you can find Tricia on Facebook here AboundinginHopewithLyme<\/a><\/p>\n We use the symptoms questionnaire<\/a> to figure out if low serotonin or low GABA or other neurotransmitter imbalances may be an issue for you.<\/p>\n If you suspect low levels of any of the neurotransmitters and do not yet have my book, The Antianxiety Food Solution \u2013 How the Foods You Eat Can Help You Calm Your Anxious Mind, Improve Your Mood, and End Cravings<\/a>. I highly recommend getting it and reading it before jumping in and using amino acids on your own so you are knowledgeable. And be sure to share it with the practitioner\/health team you or your loved one is working with.<\/p>\n There is an entire chapter on the amino acids and they are discussed throughout the book in the sections on gut health, gluten, blood sugar control (this is covered in an entire chapter too), sugar cravings, anxiety and mood issues. The importance of quality animal protein and healthy fats is also covered.<\/p>\n The book doesn\u2019t include product names (per the publisher\u2019s request) so this blog, The Antianxiety Food Solution Amino Acid and Pyroluria Supplements<\/a>, lists the amino acids that I use with my individual clients and those in my group programs.<\/p>\n If, after reading this blog and my book, you don\u2019t feel comfortable figuring things out on your own (i.e. doing the symptoms questionnaire and respective amino acids trials), a good place to get help is the GABA QuickStart Program<\/a> (if you have low GABA symptoms). This is a paid online\/virtual group program where you get my guidance and community support. Another option is the budget-friendly GABA QuickStart Homestudy Program<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you need serotonin support, the Serotonin QuickStart Program<\/a> is a good place to get help. This is also a paid online\/virtual group program where you get my guidance on using tryptophan and 5-HTP safely, and community support during 5 LIVE Q&A calls. You can sign up to be notified when the next live launch of this program is happening.<\/p>\n If you are a practitioner, join us in The Balancing Neurotransmitters: the Fundamentals<\/a> program. This is also a paid online\/virtual program with an opportunity to interact with me and other practitioners who are also using the amino acids.<\/p>\n I\u2019d love to hear if you have used GABA (or one of the other amino acids) to help with your anxiety while undergoing treatment for Lyme disease.<\/p>\n Dr. Klinghart discusses the connection between Lyme disease and pyroluria. I\u2019d also love to hear if you have Lyme disease and also have pyroluria? You can do the pyroluria questionnaire here<\/a>.<\/p>\n I\u2019d love to hear if you have used GABA (or one of the other amino acids) to help with your anxiety while undergoing treatment for Lyme disease.<\/p>\n![\"lyme-anxiety-real\"](\"https:\/\/www.everywomanover29.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/lyme-anxiety-real.jpg\")
<\/p>\nHer daughter’s symptoms and which GABA product helped<\/h2>\n
Tricia continued to search and discovered the psychiatric and pyroluria connection<\/h2>\n
Tricia\u2019s discovery of GABA, 5-HTP, theanine and tryptophan<\/h2>\n
GABA also helped Tricia with her Lyme-induced anxiety (and her advocacy work)<\/h2>\n
Additional resources when you are new to using tryptophan or GABA and other amino acids as supplements<\/h2>\n
Wrapping up and your feedback<\/h2>\n