Topic: Cardio symptoms much worse after not eating?
ks90
Unregistered
posted
Is there anyone here whose cardio symptoms rapidly get worse when not eating or not digesting/on an empty stomach? For me, a 20-yr old, who was very healthy (sick two days in my life in total before contracting Lyme six months ago), I practically collapse from the heart pain if I don't eat. I also have dizziness and fatigue after not eating. What's going on?
IP: Logged |
Razzle
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 30398
posted
Maybe you are experiencing heartburn - a burning sensation behind the sternum (breastbone)?
Sounds like low blood sugar.
Treat by reducing or eliminating as much sugar from your diet as you can - sugar destabilizes blood sugar by causing a spike in blood sugar levels, which causes a super-abundancy of insulin to be released, which then leads to an extreme drop in blood sugar...and the brain and many of your other body parts don't like that dramatic change in blood sugar...thus you feel ill (dizzy, fatigue, etc.).
The diet for hypoglycemia (low blood sugar):
Eat protein with every meal. Eat a high protein snack every 2 hours between meals. Avoid sugar as much as you can (xylitol, agave, & stevia are ok, but avoid sugar, molasses, honey, corn syrup, etc.).
If you cannot avoid eating some kind of sugar, then make sure to eat it with fiber (fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts/seeds, legumes) and protein to minimize the impact of the sugar on your blood sugar & insulin levels.
Supplements that help with blood sugar management include chromium and alpha lipoic acid.
The heart pain from not eating may be from something else...perhaps you have too much or too little stomach acid and without food to work on, the stomach acid refluxes up and causes heartburn?
Another thought is that low blood sugar may sometimes come with low blood pressure if one has neurally mediated hypotension. Low blood sugar can cause NMH. And the vegas nerve governs the heart and the GI tract, so if the NMH affects your vegas nerve (and thus possibly blood sugar & pressure), you may experience heart pain or acid reflux.
Also, poor adrenal function can lead to problems maintaining blood sugar control when fasting, and can also contribute to NMH.
The above is all based on my understanding of a number of complex things. I am not a doctor, so please discuss your symptoms with a physician.
-------------------- -Razzle Lyme IgM IGeneX Pos. 18+++, 23-25+, 30++, 31+, 34++, 39 IND, 83-93 IND; IgG IGeneX Neg. 30+, 39 IND; Mayo/CDC Pos. IgM 23+, 39+; IgG Mayo/CDC Neg. band 41+; Bart. (clinical dx; Fry Labs neg. for all coinfections), sx >30 yrs. Posts: 4166 | From WA | Registered: Feb 2011
| IP: Logged |
lululymemom
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 26405
posted
My daughter had the heart pain until she treated for parasites with New Roots Purge Parasitis.. She was also taking Ceftin and Flagyl which may have helped get rid of it.
Bartonella henselae 1:100 Posts: 2027 | From British Columbia | Registered: Jun 2010
| IP: Logged |
ks90
Unregistered
posted
Razzle,
I don't have heartburn or acid reflux but have had a strange blood pressure when my cardio symptoms started two and a half months ago. I.e. I once had a consistent 120-80 on the dot, but as of a month and a half ago, I had something like 111-60ish. What I do have is an occasional sensation of being punched right in the heart.
These problems may have began after a combined fast of two or so weeks. My heart and lungs ached so badly I could hardly walk. After eating, everything returned to normal.
Other than that, here is my diet and supplementation which has been consistent with some added changes:
Supplements/daily- -5x1000mg Wild, Mercury-free Alaskan Fish oil -2x of the best digestive enzymes out there -1x Well-balanced, whole foods multivitamin -leading to about 200% of RDA in every vitamin and mineral except for Magnesium which is <150%- -4x180mg of the only certified bioactive Allicin --garlic- available
Diet/daily- -All-natural, organic, high protein diet -75g+/daily- with organic fruit smoothies and vegetable soup -- 2000kcal+/day. -2 Tbsp. organic honey ->2 litres well-filtered spring water/day
Jamers
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 28016
posted
Do you take Magnesium? I had all of the symptoms you listed and when I treated Lyme for a few months it did get better. This was related either to Lyme (not coinfections) or the fact that I was taking 500mg of Magnesium and a B-complex vitamin.
-------------------- Diagnosed Pos. Lyme Nov. 17, 2010, Igx. Pos. Babesia Duncani March 2011, Igx. Clinical diagnosis for Bartonella Posts: 1127 | From North Carolina | Registered: Sep 2010
| IP: Logged |
Razzle
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 30398
posted
Your supplement and diet routine look fantastic, and I don't see anything there that should cause a problem.
Just thinking out loud here, but I wonder if the fasting put your body into a catabolic metabolic state (& possibly hyperthyroid)... I've done a lot of fasting (not by choice) and I find I can easily drop tons of weight from these episodes (my stomach stops working -- gastroparesis). I get strange heart palpitations, odd chest pains, pounding heartbeat, muscle pain, etc. all from electrolyte imbalance and dehydration due to being unable to eat. But the catabolic metabolic state lasts for a while even after I am able to start eating again. I've lost a lot of muscle strength & mass to catabolic metabolism over the last 3 years due to my gut just plain not functioning properly (thanks most likely to the Lyme & Bart. & allergies & who knows what else).
So because you mentioned that your symptoms began while on a 2 week fast, this is what I'm suspicioning...and we also have to consider the Lyme (& coinfections, if any) and how the fasting may have triggered some kind of deeper detoxing that may have contributed. It may do the same thing with me, I don't know.
Does any of this make any sense? I hope I'm helpful, even though I don't have any definate answers...
-------------------- -Razzle Lyme IgM IGeneX Pos. 18+++, 23-25+, 30++, 31+, 34++, 39 IND, 83-93 IND; IgG IGeneX Neg. 30+, 39 IND; Mayo/CDC Pos. IgM 23+, 39+; IgG Mayo/CDC Neg. band 41+; Bart. (clinical dx; Fry Labs neg. for all coinfections), sx >30 yrs. Posts: 4166 | From WA | Registered: Feb 2011
| IP: Logged |
posted
KS90, you just described me to a T yesterday. I was at the point of contemplating making a cardiologist appt. I had an aching in the middle of my chest and palpitations. I went out to dinner last night and all symptoms went away. I think it is all related to both the endocrine system, ie cortisol, adrenals, thyroid, glucose, as well as unsteady sodium, potassium, and magnesium levels. I hate this disease.
Posts: 478 | From Third Coast | Registered: Feb 2011
| IP: Logged |
posted
It could be porphyria. Fasting makes it worse. Lots of info on it at cpnhelp.org. Mycoplasma and chlamydia cause it maybe lyme too.
Posts: 433 | From new york | Registered: Dec 2004
| IP: Logged |
canefan17
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 22149
posted
It's widely known that eating temporarily suppresses the immune system (as the blood rushes to the gut and the body focuses on digestion - especially animal protein & fats)
My theory is when we go awhile without eating it frees our immune system up and we experience detox/healing symptoms. Even if they are uncomfortable.
*Hypoglycemia is a strong possibility too. I'm sure when fighting an infection our body requires more protein (and calories) in some instances.
Posts: 5394 | From Houston, Tx | Registered: Aug 2009
| IP: Logged |
The Lyme Disease Network is a non-profit organization funded by individual donations. If you would like to support the Network and the LymeNet system of Web services, please send your donations to:
The
Lyme Disease Network of New Jersey 907 Pebble Creek Court,
Pennington,
NJ08534USA http://www.lymenet.org/
UBBFriend: Email this page to someone!
Printer-friendly view of this topic