daystar1952
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posted
I'm curious if anyone else has this issue. I used to have POTS with low blood pressure and fast heart rate.
I now take metoprolol and have been on antibiotics over the years which have helped immensely...along with natural things.Anyway I was doing fine all summer when all of a sudden the other day my stomach was icky with pressure gas bloating etc and at the very same time my blood pressure went sky high.
In recent years I have had blood pressure on the higher side...but something definitely triggered this sudden rise of 175 over 110.Usually every fall I feel worse and think it is mold allergies. A food test said I was sensitive to aspergillus but i don't know if that is just food mold or also environmental.
I also have ringing in my ears and headaches at night which I think is from sinus. I am thinking that maybe mast cells are interfering with the autonomic nervous system causing the high blood pressure. Does that make any sense?
At first I thought all of this was from some sort of infection like CMV or EBV but then I remembered how I feel every fall. I just maybe never took my blood pressure during those times of high allergy. Anyone else have similar problems or have any ideas? Thanks!!
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Bartenderbonnie
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posted
Daystar
Yes, yes, yes. I used to love Fall and now I dread it something fierce. September = Relapse
My guess is it's caused by outdoor mold spores but seriously, how can we avoid going outside?
Hope you find find relief.
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daystar1952
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posted
I'm trying to figure out the root cause of my getting worse...I blame it on Lyme but I am beginning to think it is a sluggish or fatty liver. Histamine is controlled in the liver and if it isn't working properly then allergies appear.
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posted
I have trouble with the sun when it changes. It worsents my neurological symptoms and I have panic.
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daystar1952
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posted
Marie...that's interesting. Does it affect your eyes somehow?
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
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posted
- ringing in ears - Headaches - just feeling worse ---
while, true lyme and tick borne diseases (TBD) can seem to be worse in hard weather changes - for myself, it's summer and autumn is usually much better -- other than for stormy days, then my ear symptoms are worse.
as for ringing in the ears, next time it's up, notice if the weather might be shifting, the barometer . . . pressure from winds / storms?
Also check any new meds / OTC / foods for possible connections. Ringing in the ears should always be taken seriously as, often, it's a sign of some kind of ototoxic stress.
And that brings me to the matter of GAS - but not from our bellies.
Gas Heat? Gas - other - ?
For those with gas heat, ovens, stoves, water heaters, etc.
Be sure to have a professional come and check your gas lines, fittings and the air in your home - to be sure there is no leaking.
Also, a small amount of escape seems to happen, especially from stovetop burners when they are turned on and off. To help minimize this,
Before turning on - and again before turning off a gas burner:
Turn on your exhaust fan - on high - then turn on your burner and get it to the level you want. Then you can turn the fan down lower or off while cooking.
Just before you are ready to turn the burner off - repeat: turn the exhaust fan on incrementally going up to high. then after the burner is turned off, the exhaust fan can be turned off again.
Open a kitchen window, too, when preparing to use a gas stove.
And - best to avoid all non-stick cookware, but, if you do use it --- best to always also open window for good ventilation as the non-stick (all kinds) does off-gas. Even if newer and "eco" friendly - if it has a petroleum based non-stick coating, it will off-gas. the different coatings they use still contain chemicals and we don't have enough detail about any of them.
Real enamel coated pans - where the enamel is actually from melting glass - those do not off-gas but some pans say they are enamel but not the real glass kind. Be sure to check.
Back to gas . . .
Also, as gas is lighter than air and moves to higher levels. be sure to "air flush" your home, all rooms, all levels, at least once (twice better) a day.
This "air flush" need not be long enough to chill the walls, textiles and furnishings of the room but a really good fresh air exchange is important. When window are open on opposite sides, this helps with cross ventilation "flush" -
Also be sure to check for radon - and be sure your smoke detector also covers other gases that might be emitted by a smoldering fire. I forget the other gas name but you can check with your
local fire department website or call their non-emergency number if you have any questions about any of this.
I hope this helps - please pass this on to others. -
[ 10-24-2019, 02:48 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
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Keebler
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posted
- Electric baseboards - be sure they are vacuumed "inside" and wiped down on the top and front surfaces frequently.
This matters so that the fibers form carpets won't be baking when the heat is on and then off-gas.
Also just the amount of particulate matter a carpet can create can gravitate to the baseboard heaters . . . or to air vents, too. Frequent vacuuming helps keep our air cleaner (with ear plugs, of course).
Air vents / furnace - whatever the recommendations are for filter changing / cleaning - duct cleaning --- be sure to read the manual or talk to the person who would know.
Our indoor air quality really matters.
And - oh - of course, control moisture.
We need some moisture in the air in cold months, however - especially in bathrooms, try to prevent fog building up in the first place when showering or bathing.
Really not baths / showers may feel good for the time being, however, for most with lyme, this heat can be detrimental and clobber us later.
So, a cozy warm-enough shower, short enough to get the job down while still enjoying the experience . . . that helps prevent excessive fog.
The EXHAUST FAN is important - to use when warm water is in use - and afterward,
however, some of those fans are so very loud so are not so user friendly. Still, try to find some way - and establish a routine to combat bathroom fog / mist / whatever you call it.
For those comfortably home alone (or comfortaly home with a partner) during bathing time, keeping the bathroom door open during a shower really help prevent excessive fog in the first place. Even having the door open a few inches helps the exhaust fan to work much better.
For those who need to close the door (well, for anyone, though), the bathroom door should have enough space under it for some air circulation. There must be some air circulation for the exhaust fan to pull well enough.
And be sure to vacuum the grill every so often, too, If it vents outside where you can get to that, be sure the vent outside is not blocked.
Preventing - or quickly dispersing - fog in bathrooms --
and in kitchen if there's boiling going on --
well, keeping the fog clear helps prevent mold buildup and that's key.
3 more vital points:
FUZZY BATHMATS can kill our lungs - and it's best to: . . . avoid aerosol sprays . . . avoid powders . . . in your bathroom / bedrooms.
Fuzzy surfaces harbor mold, bacteria and all kinds of stuff that can harm our lungs. That fuzz also gets loose. Same with clothing or "throws" of chenille or even some corduroy. If you see signs of any fabric shedding, it's not safe for use in the same space as human (or pet) lungs.
FLEECE is also not a friend to our lungs.
Microfibers, too, shed terribly even if we don't really notice. This tiny fiber shedding poses a risk to sinuses and lungs. A really big risk, actually.
Even the not so fuzzy clothes, if made from microfibers, can shed and those fine synthetic fibers are not good for our lungs.
A tight weave of natural fibers is better for our lungs.
If you notice the color of dust around . . . and it matching the color of any of your clothes, time to investigate.
Mictrofiber clothes and home textiles are also hurting us & hurting our fish. The waste water from laundering gets out into the streams . . . and into the fish themselves. In the past 2 or 3 weeks, there was a major article about this. I don't recall where, though, maybe BBC.com or NPR?
Also, now I'm getting "afterthoughts" in a good way.
A CORK BATHMAT is best for our lungs, easier to care for, eliminates a lot of laundry . . . and one can mostly dry off in the tub . . or put down a thin cotton cloth on top of the cork and that fabric can be easily washed / hung to dry.
I also use a tight cotton weave cloth for my in the tub bath mat to keep from slipping. No rubber smell . . . no mess . . . I just hang it on a clothes hanger to dry in the shower. It's actually part of an old towel I cut up.
more "afterthoughts":
I got a lot of this from an asthma management article about ten years ago.
FUZZY TOYS, KIDDIE CUDDLES --- blankies -- these can harbor unseend gunk and shed tiny fibers into tiny lungs, too.
At the very least, using the hose end of the vacuum, be sure to vacuum soft toys frequently (being mindful not to loose a favorite cuddle's eye or nose!) . . . Limit the number of the fuzzier items around a small person's sleeping space, especially.
And, oh, the tops of ceiling fans. It's amazing to me how much oily dust can collect on the tops of those blades.
I love my ceiling fan all year long. Seems that with the turn of each season, a good clean is enough for my apt.
And - oh - sorry - this stuff just keeps coming to mind - in the intention to help prevent illness:
Vacuum behind / to the side of the fridge.
This is not as organized as I might like . . . still, just some things to consider.
Candles come to mind, too. Best to avoid all synthetic / petroleum based candles. And, if when power goes out, they are relied upon, be sure to ventilate with outside air every now and then.
Scented candles can be even worse for our lungs, too. These scented are petroleum based - not good - but also are endocrine disruptors and can clobber our health in all kinds of ways.
Sigh. I know, I know. Who doesn't love the smell of cinnamon, eh? Well, we can use real spices in some water on the stove top now and then. That works very nicely.
Especially as we turn over to the cooler seasons, all kinds of textiles come out of storage . . . heat sources come on . . . we might forget, still, always - every day - the importance of "fresh air flushes" for all our rooms . . .
This is all meant to help keep all our lungs as healthy as possible.
and a short explanation as to why to try (hah- just try, it's not easy - to avoid microfiber fabrics when we can.
All this fluff - and even some things like gym and yoga clothes of microfiber, well, rather than a piece of fabric being woven on a maching from long strands of cotton, wool, (natural fibers) or even long strands of some synthetic fibers . . .
microfiber fabrics have very short bits of fibers woven into strands that are not all that stable. Shedding happens sooner and more often.
And being synthetic fibers, the shredded tiny, tiny bits are much harsher inside our sinuses and lungs - sharp and can cause damage as they build up - micro plastic bit that, under a microscope, look like sharp weapons - or tiny clumps the lungs do not expel and, instead, treat as an invader.
. Microfibers are not so readily managed inside our bodies due to this.
Microfiber is really made up of tiny, tiny bits of plastic. Inside of a living creature (whether human lungs or a fish's belly -- and even gets into our sea salt, when from the ocean itself current day), so all this is not so cozy at all. -
[ 10-24-2019, 01:35 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
= GINGER Capsules might help with the tinnitus. It helps relieve inflammation.
---
Re: metoprolol (the beta-blocker Rx you say you take) -- & ototoxicity conerns
Can Beta-Blockers Cause Tinnitus? (& / or Hearing Loss?)
by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
Excerpt:
". . . Be aware that you are not alone in having ototoxic effects from taking beta-blockers. I’ve had other people tell me of their ear problems from taking beta-blockers, so it really does happen. . . . " -
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
How to Lower Blood Pressure Naturally - 10 Things to Know (2019)
1. Chronically high insulin levels, because: of holding more fluid . . . elevated blood sugar levels will cause rise in insulin and that causes rise in inflammation . . . . 2. chronic inflammation . . . . 3. magnesium matters - a lot . . . .
DiaThrive - Blood Glucose Testing materials - also at Amazon.com
No prescription required. Actually, you can buy any blood glucose meter at any pharmacy or where ever they are sold. If you go this route, be sure you are getting the real thing and not a counterfeit. These are generally fairly expensive as are the test strips.
However, the DiaThrive supplies are very affordable. You do not have to join with a plan, it's possible to order separately when you need supplies either at Diathrive site or Amazon.
I have found the DiaThrive meter and strips to be really good - very helpful. This way I can check any "new" foods that I have not yet tested for myself to see how I do with them.
When to test: for a baseline . . . for several days check about an hour or so after arising. To test first thing, it might test high, known as the "dawn effect" . . . waiting a little while if you can -- and not yet eat . . . that might help. Establish what's as least kind-of normal for you.
Then, before a meal. And after a meal, at 30-minutes, 90-minutes and 2-hours.
This way you can see what certain foods or food combinations do to your blood sugar levels and avoid any that cause it to go high.
Why I think this is so very important, he explains it so much better than I can.
And there's also a video on tests to request from your doctor, although, so often the typical tests they do just once a year or so can be worthless because they only take one snapshot in time, so to speak.
Sugar? Dr. Ken Berry . . . PreDiabetes -
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- You mention allergy -- that can cause inflammation and inflammation can raise blood pressure.
Also - be sure to get ENOUGH SALT - for your body at this point in time. . Yep. Redmond sea salt (from stores, not from ocean water today) . . . is good.
Determining your need will take some research, though, and outside of the box, so to speak. The old blanket recommendation for low salt has done some damage to some folks. It's not that simple. Fortunately, there are some doctors / researchers who have some light to shine on this topic. See links about the book "The Salt Fix" below.
Salt in processed foods is generally not good, though. There are also other things in processed foods that can raise BP, too. Generally, best to avoid all processed foods or anything that is not really - real food.
---
To help reduce inflammation - and help reduce symptoms from various allergies, you might consider:
Olive leaf extract can cover a lot of symptoms and underlying triggers of allergy, high blood pressure, headache, etc. At the PubMed links in the set, you can cross search for any symptom or condition.
I found OLE helpful in many ways. Good luck with your search. -
[ 10-24-2019, 06:22 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
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Filmed at the Public Health Collaboration Conference 2019 at the Royal College of General Practitioners in London. -
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Keebler
Honored Contributor (25K+ posts)
Member # 12673
posted
- For anyone reading this: It occurs to me I forgot to add the magical code for some way to get all the vacuuming & dusting done. Maybe, this week when Trick-or-Treaters come 'round, a creative maze of sorts in which the vacuum becomes a tool to help them break the maze and "win" their treats?
daystar,
Some thoughts that came along relative to your questions.
Two things that might also help explain your recent experiences, possibly:
1. Circadian rhythm in regards to the altered daylight hours.
Less sunlight in your eyes . . . signals to your brain earlier in the evening to prepare for sleep / bedtime when -- if you are anything like me, or a lot of others - you might be tired, for sure, but don't necessary want to go to bed earlier with the nightime darkness.
And the morning time for the sunlight is different so that also throws us off.
With the coming change to the clocks - Daylight Savings time starts overnight on Sat. Nov. 2 . . . that typically has me feel just "off" for a week or two. A lot of others say the same thing.
there have even been some medical observations about this being a very real physiological thing.
So, even if it's kind of just normal for humans (and maybe some other creatures on earth?) to be a bit off kilter with changing sun / night matters,
most of the people with lyme just have much more trouble when sleep hygiene /patternn &/or/ circadian rhythm is thrown off in any way.
&
2. Vitamin D - perhaps less sunlight on your skin during the day is changing your requirement.
-
[ 10-26-2019, 12:18 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
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daystar1952
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 3255
posted
So much good info .. Thanks so much. I also came back around to hernias ...hiatial hernia. Or just the stomach pressing up against the diaphragm impinging on the vagus nerve.
This might not really have to do with the fall but it can increase blood pressure and cause headaches, air hunger , etc. I noticed that when I am bloated and gassy I also get heart palpitations, headaches, pressure in head, and the high blood pressure all of a sudden can go along with this.
A good book I refer back to every now and then is Hiatial Hernia, The Mother of All Illness by Theodore Baroody.
Its an older book and his supplements are not available anymore but i think many Lyme patient may have this problems where the stomach is pressing on the diaphragm and causing shortness of breath like you cannot take a deep enough breath.
Dysbiosis can cause this or the pressure on the diaphragm and vagus nerve can complicate the dysbiosis.
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