I am sorry to keep bugging you guys with questions everyday.
Last night while sleeping it felt like my heart was stalling or skipping a beat.
You know that yucky feeling in your stomach right before you faint? Well I would get that feeling while I was coming out of sleep and then what felt like an adrenaline rush.
Then my heart would get very slow again, to a sleeping/resting rate again.
Anyways, last night it did this at least six times.
It has skipped beats before when I have been laying down, but never when I have been sleeping.
I will tell my LL of course, but in the meantime what the heck is this?
It scares me.
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
Might need systemic enzymes ala Boluoke or Serretia
Posted by faithful777 (Member # 22872) on :
This is common with Lyme and coinfections. Systemic enzymes are always a good idea.
You might increase your magnesium. That usually helps.
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
OK. Thanks you guys.
I've also had some funny bloodwork results, so I'm hoping my LL has a game plan before the Christmas season and shuts the office down.
How do systemic enzymes help the ticker?
Posted by Anthropologista (Member # 35483) on :
Hi Greta--I'm sorry to hear about your latest uninvited guest.
R had this, but improved after oral abx over a few months. Since you're in IV treatment, I wonder if it's a herx? Does it make you make you feel actually faint, or just weird in your stomach?
It might be a serious symptom, as Lyme sometimes causes cardiac problems, including bradycardia (slow heartbeat) and irregular heartbeat. No need to panic, but do get this checked out.
Can you buy an over-the-counter BP monitor from a pharmacy? It will record your pulse rate and show irregular heartbeats. While you're at it, check your BP too. Take readings at different times of day: when you wake up in the morning, middle of the day, before sleeping, and in the middle of the night, when you've been getting these symptoms.
Second, if the symptoms come back tonight, can your LLMD recommend a cardiologist? If not, just make a regular cardio appointment asap. Bring your record of your readings to the appointment. It might be useful to wear a Holter Monitor (from a cardiologist) for 24 hrs: it records your heartbeat and shows any irregularity over that time.
Could you arrange to call someone if you get scared by this in the night? I hope this disappears tonight! Fingers crossed for you, Greta.
Posted by Kudzuslipper (Member # 31915) on :
Just sending hugs Greta.
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
Hi Anthro,
That is a great suggestion of the bp monitor. That way I will have some hard data to bring to any appts I might need. Good thinking!
Yes, it is the stomach rising of a faint. It is like my heart misses a beat, then there is a pause then it starts up, but in that pause space I get the stomach rising feeling.
Then when my heart beats normally it gives me the adrenaline rush.
I had this once while laying down since IV, but never during sleep and never over and over.
I will pick up a bp machine tomorrow. I know before lyme dx, my resting heart rate was in the low 40's. But that was me checking not a machine. I wouldn't mind knowing what it is now since treatment.
Does babesia cause heart beat issues?
I'm glad R. doesn't have them anymore-that is wonderful news!
Kudzu-thanks for the hug. I could feel it Posted by Anthropologista (Member # 35483) on :
Hi again Greta,
It does sound as if you need to see a cardiologist if you skip a beat and speed up over and over again.
Also, a resting pulse of below 60 is considered bradycardia. I'm really glad you're checking this on the BP monitor.
Yes, the good news is: it can get better with treatment! R's pulse is still low (50s), but improved.
I've never heard of babesia causing heart problems, but I'm a relative newbie.
Hugs from me too Posted by Summer3 (Member # 35286) on :
I just got through with the same issue. Mine was beating irregularly continuously for days at a time. It got to the point where I was taking up to 3000mg of magnesium to try to stop it and that wasn't even working anymore.
I did a heart monitor for a month and an Echo. Mine was SVT. I also had some atrial runs and lots of PVC's, PAC's, tachy, as well. A low dose beta blocker (which I was initially completely against taking) controls the abnormal rhythms very well for me.
Posted by Rob_h (Member # 38104) on :
Hi,
I also have/had both bradycardia and extra heartbeats, heart block 1. I would not self treat (even with over the counter or supps) a heart issue, but get to a specialist. My heart doctor was not much interested in my monitor readings, wanted his/her own, including the holter, stress testing, etc. I think its important to get it recognized by a doctor, in your record, and if need be treated by a doctor. Some treatment suggestions have been screened for possible heart problems as a result of having this noted. I was very scared at first, but having a full evaluation helped me a lot. While still an issue, its gotten better (daytime pulse in 50's sometimes higher, not the 40's) My heart doctor said she had been seeing other people with this problem and late stage lyme.
Posted by WPinVA (Member # 33581) on :
Which meds are you on? Are you on Diflucan by chance? It as well as others can cause abnormal heart rhythms.
Posted by C.P. (Member # 38378) on :
Hi GretaM, I've had the same problem for years and just recently my LLMD recommended 200MG of L-Theanine three times a day. It worked great. When I stopped taking it months later the heart problems returned so I started taking it again but only once a day which works fine for me. I just use the NOW brand that I bought at Vitamin Cottage. It's around $20.00 for sixty capsules. It's the only thing that ever helped me Check with you LLMD to see if it's okay to take it. C.P.
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
OK thanks so much for your tips everyone.
I see my LL tomorrow and will ask if any of my meds cause skipping. Picking up a bp machine today after work.
I will ask about those supplements and also a beta blocker.
I've been on beta blockers before but they drove my bp so low...not sure if they are a good idea now, as my bp is 80/50 or thereabouts.
I had a bit of blacking out today-not passing out, but where the bright dots go in front of my eyes, but not to the point of the sound rushing in my ears.
Posted by Anthropologista (Member # 35483) on :
Greta, please see a cardiologist! I'm really concerned about your estimates of your heart rate and bp, and about your blackouts.
Beta blockers can be very dangerous for people with a low heartbeat, like you. Beta blockers address irregular heartbeat (often very successfully) by slowing down the pulse. But that's NOT what you want when you have a pulse in the 40s or 50s!
You have a very low bp on top of that. The combination of low bp and and low pulse means that your vital organs--including your brain--are starved of oxygen. This can be potentially life threatening. Please be very, very careful!
Although you're not fully passing out, you're having mini blackouts. These could turn into passing out, and are very dangerous. The last thing you need is to injure yourself, especially your head, in a fall. Or a car accident, if you black out when driving.
Please move slowly but surely, with no sudden movements. Be especially careful going up stairs or anything else that causes exertion. At work, tell your employer and co-workers that you're having mini blackouts, and why. Please don't drive when you're having blackouts.
At home, could a friend or neighbor come and check on you? Or could a family member call you a couple of times a day to make sure you're OK?
As Rob said, you need a full evaluation by a cardiologist. Lyme & co can cause very different cardiac problems. What helped one person might be dangerous for you.
I think I'm sensing a reluctance. I know you've had awful experiences with non-LL doctors. But cardiologists often seem to be more benign than other specialists.
And at this stage, what you need is to have a cardiologist check out what your heart is actually doing. Any cardio can do that. You can search for a LL cardio while this initial assessment is going on. But it's important for your safety to get this started.
Please--we want to keep you around for a long, long time, Greta!
Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
Hi Anthro and Rob,
You are very sweet to me
I picked up a bp monitor at the store. It also has an irregular heartbeat detector.
I will measure tonight before bed, when I'm laying down, and then if I awake in the night I will measure then too.
The weird beats only seem to happen when I am laying down resting or being very still.
Anthro, you are right, I am very reluctant as I am a beaten dog with non LL docs. But I promise I will mention this to my LL and then to an non-LL to try and get some Ticker Tests. I will only be referred to a cardio if a ticker test is abnormal.
My coworkers are aware-they are very kind and gentle people and always help me if things are too physically exerting for me and watch over me generally. I am so blessed to have such caring coworkers.
I guess I am so reluctant because I am so used to not feeling well, and having strange things go on with my body, and no one but my LL caring, doctor-wise, that I am complacent now.
I am pulling my head out of the sand and snapping to it.
Anthro, you are such a caring person and I promise you I am taking your concerns seriously. Posted by Anthropologista (Member # 35483) on :
Hi again Greta--so glad to hear about your sweet coworkers!
I wondered what you found out about your heart rate and BP from the monitor?
I'm a little concerned about your plan to see a cardio only if a heart test is abnormal. That's the equivalent of getting an ELISA test for Lyme and only taking sdditional tests if it's positive.
The usual heart test is just the doctor listening to your heart. If they don't listen during a period of slow or irregular heartbeat, they won't necessarily hear anything abnormal. The usual form of heart disease in north America is arteriosclerosis, which is not one of the Lyme-induced cardiac problems.
The appropriate tests for slow heartbeat and irregularity are the stress test (on a treadmill) and the 24-hr holter monitor, both of which are carried out by cardiologists.
Did your LLMD have any suggestions about Lyme-friendly cardios?
I know you're dealing with the face sores now--sorry! You've got SO much going on! Posted by GretaM (Member # 40917) on :
Hi Anthro
I picked up a bp machine.
So far the average heart rate I've been recording is 66. Sometimes I can get it up to 77.
Wouldn't you know it...I haven't had any flip flops or weird beats since I bought the machine. Haha. I've been strapping the darn thing on my arm at night-ready to push the button at any weird beats.
Murphy's Law. My bp is higher on this machine than at the docs office.
105/65 or so on the machine. Sometimes 110/70, which is good, I think, but seems to be this high only after I eat.
In BC, an MD does the EKG, Stress tests and holter monitor, but only if the results are abnormal then the MD makes a referal to a cardiologist.
My LL has referred me to an MD, so he is lyme friendly MD, but not LL. I am going to talk about it to this MD, I promise.
My LL is fairly certain we've eliminated any meds that could affect my ticker. We stopped zith, and didn't start tinidazole as planned to be certain it wasn't medication affecting my heart beats.
So now it's just waiting to see the MD.
At least I am seeing the MD with a scabby face. I look ill, so it's a good time for an appointment.
(Terrible joke, I know but one of my lyme pet peeves is people telling me, "But you look good.") haha.
Thanks for checking in, Anthro. Posted by Anthropologista (Member # 35483) on :
Oh, that's good news about the heart rate and BP, Greta! My BP monitor runs slightly high too. Let's hope your heart takes a rest from its acrobatics for a while.
And now I understand why you're seeing an MD rather than a cardio. LOL about the good timing of the sppointment! The "you look good" syndrome is SO frustrating. Anyway, hope all goes well!
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