Lately I've been a frequent flier at the ER, so I am hesitant to go back.
I was just laying in bed, when all the sudden my heart started racing. I took my blood pressure and it was 144/100 with a heart rate of 110. The other readings were 138/91 with a heart rate of 100.
The 144/100 scared me, but the pressure seems to be going down. I don't know what brought this on, but I am scared.
What would you do?
Posted by BoxerMom (Member # 25251) on :
Oh gosh. If you feel you need to go to the ER, you should go.
Magnesium relaxes the heart and can normalize rhythm. It's often given for tachycardia. We tend to be VERY deficient in Magnesium. That alone causes many of our symptoms.
For herbs, Hawthorn is my favorite for the heart and blood vessels. It's very mild, and should not increase herxing. You can take it every day. My husband and I both took it for Lyme-related cardiac symptoms.
BTW, transient hypertension with tachycardia is COMMON in Lyme. For me, it was related to Babesia. But all of these infections can affect the heart.
If you just needed reassurance, that's what I have to offer.
But if you feel the need to go to the ER, don't doubt yourself. If you get squeezing pain, back pain, reflux-like pain or arm pain/numbness, definitely head to the ER. Same for dizziness and disorientation.
Posted by MaxiMom (Member # 37274) on :
Well, I went to the ER and just got back. They didn't catch anything on the monitor there, negative cardiac enzymes I assume, negative d dimer, normal ekg and chest xray.
The scary part is I was totally relaxed when out of the blue, my heart started racing and pounding and my bp shot up. Now, I'm afraid it will happen again.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Yes, in all the years I have been on this board, I have seen many people write about this exact thing.
Lots of people end up at cardiologists and wear holter monitors and are told they are normal.
So sorry it happened to you. But, maybe you can have some reassurance knowing that this happens a lot to lyme patients.
Posted by Maya12 (Member # 36392) on :
Hey maxi mom the exact same thing happened to me yesterday and was at the hosp they hooked me up too and ran all sorts of tests , my bp was initially 139/ 95 then later back to it's normal 114/ 75 also ran all sorts of blood work and liver and kidneys and everything fine told me my bl work looked great and the only prob was salt was slightly low and to just eat more salt.
Funny how we can feel like we are literally dying of a heart attack or stroke but body is just fine.
Ugg sorry you went through this too
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Happened to me too .. several times. Be sure you are getting treatment for babesia.
Posted by Catgirl (Member # 31149) on :
Sometimes lyme and company make us look neurotic by the time we end up at the ER (happened to me several times). Hang in there!
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
oh man i've had this so many times i have a room reserved for me in the er!!
one time my bp went to 210 and heart rate was about 130. now that time i DID go to the er.
again, nothing. they said hypertension. gave me meds to get it down and sent me home. said to increase my bp meds.
so i quit going. now when it gets to 150 or so i just find a quiet dark room, practice deep breathing and try to control it.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
Topic: To everyone with CARDIAC symptoms please read! -
Posted by beths (Member # 18864) on :
I had tachycardia for months-mostly gone now
Posted by LymeGoAway (Member # 25041) on :
I have had similar tachycardia issues, and for the most part they seem to be related to low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
Had it been a long time since you'd eaten when you got the tachycardia?
Posted by Carol in PA (Member # 5338) on :
Please consider supplementing magnesium.
Low magnesium can cause heart rhythm problems, among other symptoms.
Posted by MaxiMom (Member # 37274) on :
Hi Everyone, thank you so much for helping me not feel so alone.
My Cardiologist had given me Magnesium Oxide to take for PVC's, but the blood work they ran in the hospital showed that my magnesium levels were normal.
The Cardiologists office wanted to see me this morning, after I called to let them know I was seen in the ER, and the nurse practitioner took my blood pressure and it was 104/71, much more like my normal then the 144/100 of last night.
I haven't been taking my pressure today, but my heart rate, is still high, all while doing nothing. At rest it is seeming to get as high as 115.
LymeGoAway - I had eaten about 15 minutes prior to the episode starting. I kept thinking of what could have caused it and can't come up with anything.
Posted by Life+Lyme (Member # 33568) on :
I am tachycardic all the time 100+ always thought it was from my dysautonomia. My pressure also runs quite low. All the doctors always ask me if I am nervous because my vitals are so wacky.
Tried Beta blockers before, but they make me feel awful. In my experience, the medical community hasn't helped BP/ HR issues, but it is good you were cautious! Better to be cautious than not! Glad you are doing better.
Posted by lymeinhell (Member # 4622) on :
quote: My Cardiologist had given me Magnesium Oxide to take for PVC's, but the blood work they ran in the hospital showed that my magnesium levels were normal.
What test did they run for this? Serum magnesium level? My guess would be this is what they ran. This will NOT accurately reflect the magnesium levels in your BLOOD CELLS, where it is needed.
You could very well be depleted in magnesium (in your cells), which would cause the tach. LabCorp runs an RBC (Red blood cell) magnesium count test, which, while not perfect, more accurately reflects what your levels are.
I had the same issues as you, and literally watched myself transform by getting IV Magnesium Chloride. I had to do a few IV's, supplemented by weekly intramuscular injections in order to restore my levels to normal.
If you have not already done so, you should bring this issue up with your LLMD asap.