I have a friend who just started treatment for Babesia and Bartonella (she has lyme too of course) and she is in panic mode.
Her normal heart rate is 70. With malarone, zith, bactrim it constantly fluctuated between 50 - 140 and after 1 week she stopped everything.
(She also has agitation, emotional outbursts, internal vibrating, insomnia, arms and legs feel too heavy to lift...but heart is the big issue.)
She got a heart monitor and the tests done - heart is healthy with inappropriate tachycardia.
Now, two weeks later, she started the bactrim again and her heart is averaging 100.
She just wants to know how long she can expect this to continue.
I said I'd post and ask people what they experienced but that she's likely get a variety of answers.
I said to her, "what if one person says one month and another person says three months? will you be Ok with that answer?"
She said, "yes as long as no one says a year."
I think she needs some reassurance that she can survive this and since I never experienced it, I'm not much help.
Can anyone give some experienced insight here?
Thank you!!!
Posted by momlyme (Member # 27775) on :
The heartrate increase only started after she started treating Babesia? Is it constant?
My son and my husband have intermittent racing heartbeat,.. My husband was rushed to the hospital by ambulance from work... nothing wrong with his heart. They would not do a W.B. in the ER. Same thing my son gets... but it goes away after a while. Not constant. I suspect Babesia.
What treatment is she on for Babs?
Posted by bcb1200 (Member # 25745) on :
Yup...been there done that. Before my diagnosis and treatment, I was getting a heart rate upwards of 180 BPM after 2 minutes of cardio, and even while doing relaxing activities like showering.
Posted by BoxerMom (Member # 25251) on :
I used to get brief episodes of tachycardia. They went away with Babesia treatment. I don't remember how long it took, but it wasn't long (2-3 months?). I never had a consistently elevated heart rate.
She should check with her LLMD. Maybe dosages could be reduced, or she could pulse her antibiotics to avoid such scary symptoms.
More and more Lyme docs are pulsing antibiotics for patients whose herxing is difficult to manage.
She should consider the herb Hawthorne. It's very good for the heart, and inexpensive.
Posted by kidsgotlyme (Member # 23691) on :
She needs to call her LLMD who prescribed her meds.
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
She never experienced an elevated heart rate before starting lyme treatment. Her HR is normally about 70.
She had it the first time she started the 3 meds(see my first post)and she lasted 3 days,
then no meds for a week and everything went back to "normal",
and now started just 1 med (bactrim)it consistently stays elevated.
She just emailed me and asked, "Could you ask the lymenet WHY my HR stays up on the BactrimDS?"
Anyone know?
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
Yes, she did already, a few times actually.
He said he thought the lyme was causing it and to continue on the 3 meds, and to take a beta blocker if it got unbearable.
She used to work in a cardiac unit and has seen what can happen when people take beta blockers.
She just didn't feel like she could continue the 3 meds so has restarted the 1 med but is getting the same high heart rate result and is looking for some input/direction from people who've been there.
Posted by iamgreek (Member # 29517) on :
I struggle with these symptoms. The co infections have given me
fainting spells, racing heart, chest pain, all the good stuff.
I've been on Zith and Mepron, Its been close to 2 weeks. My fainting
spells are not constant any more. Feeling 30 percent better. I
also am strick with my diet. No Gluten,Dairy or sugar. I pray and
do my best to walk. Sometimes It's better to stick with the meds
and give it time to do some killing. Also make sure at night you
are detoxing.(tea's lemon exc.) Health to your friend.
Posted by deerose (Member # 27484) on :
I got that daily then more cyclically and so far in the cycle..no more.
During the first four months of abx (Rifampin and Clarithromycin)
after 3 years of neurolyme and no abx and then a second bite in July...
I have no evidence of Babesia but Bartonella and neurolyme.
I don't think mine was as intense but definitely there.
Now Plaquenil and Clarithromycin and no recurrence. So far in month 5 of abx, strict diet, supplements, homeopathic Rx.
Posted by beths (Member # 18864) on :
I had a racing heart...always at least 120-I developed POTS. All gone now...but it took a while!
Posted by iamgreek (Member # 29517) on :
Good News Beth, nice to see you got rid of the the pots ! Im still struggling,
but feeling much better since the new meds.
Sometimes It helps to try a new LLMD. In my case this got to the
bottom and core of my pots.
Health, peace and long life to you all !
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
COULD be the Bactrim itself..but more likely is the babesia it is hitting.
She probably needs to get on a more intense babs protocol so she can get rid of it.
So what happens to those on beta blockers?? I've been on them since my first episode with babesia and a big herx. Actually, I'm on verapamil now for the A-fib. Don't tell her all that......
( my tachy never really went away ).. but then maybe some of it is my age and permanent damage from Lyme & Co???
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
I think she said if your heart rate drops and you're on them, your heart rate can't be brought back up. She's seen people crash on them.
Posted by 17hens (Member # 23747) on :
Thanks, Everyone! I really appreciate your help here!
Any more?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
That's not good!!
Posted by NancyJ2 (Member # 25084) on :
I had constant racing heart that went back to normal in 3-4 months of treatment. I rarely get a racing heart and palpitations I used to experience daily only happen occasionally now.
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