timaca
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 6911
posted
I had minor heart palpitations before I had lyme.
When my lyme symptoms hit, I got major, extended palpitations, which sent me to the cardiologist. He did an EKG and echocardiogram and halter monitor. All checked out fine.
Since then, I've learned that I have lyme. I went back to the cardiologist, and explained that.
He was happy to know that information; but he is going to do another EKG and echo next week to make sure everything is still OK with my heart as far as he is concerned. (It's been almost 2 years since he first tested me).
I would probably encourage you to see a cardiologist too, just to make sure there is nothing wrong with your heart. If there isn't...that's great. Take care of the lyme then and hopefully your symptoms will subside.
If something else is found, (like a structural defect), then it's good that you found it!
Posts: 2872 | From above 7,000 ft in a pine forest | Registered: Feb 2005
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Jellybelly
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7142
posted
I noticed palpitations about 8 years ago. Found my heart was actually beating at about 120 regularly. Had EKGS and Halter monitor and things looked fairly normal, I was told not to worry.
About 5 years later, I had a sleep study and during the study they picked up a run of Ventricular Tachycardia. Serious stuff to say the least. I was told it is usually associated with congestive heart failure, something seen in us more and more. That was a kick in the stomach.
Do you suppose it was the one and only episode I ever had? Doubt it. Would I have ever known without the sleep study? Probably not, I didn't feel anything.
I was sent to a cardiologist. One of the first things that I was asked, is there any sudden death or people who died in their sleep in my family. So far there was not, but I felt like he was saying that this VTACH is SERIOUS stuff, you dould be the first.
I had a stress echo which revealed only mild MVP.
I was given some very strong suggestions. He said my heart was irritable for some reason. Said I needed to stop consuming caffeine and to take a potassium supplement EVERY day, never, ever, ever, miss it. Believe me, I did as I was told.
I was afraid to sleep for awhile, but then eventually figured if I die in my sleep, could there be a better way to go.
My heart rate slowed considerably just doing the two things he told me. Dropped into the high 90s. I have added plenty of magnesium glycinate and CoQ10. With ABX and this regimen, my heart rate is now down to a normal 82 or so.
I don't mean to scare you, but take palpitations as a warning sign, something is not right. Your heart is NOT happy. I was lucky this VTACH was caught through the sleep study. Most of us never will have a sleep study or anyone to really pay attention to the symptom of palpitaitons.
PS: while I was typing other people added that they were comfortable with EKGs and Halter monitors. I was too. My VTACH only happened when I was asleep and showed nothing during the stress echo. Why, because the heart becomes even more irritable during dreaming, which is were I was. Blood pressure goes up and down, blood vessels constrict. Do you know that when people die in their sleep is believed due to something like this and that they were in dream sleep.
[This message has been edited by Jellybelly (edited 30 June 2005).]
posted
My boyfriend who has lyme has been suffering from terrible heart palpatations. We called his LLMD and she had suggested seeing a cardiologist.
We saw the cardiologist on Tuesday and they discovered 1 degree heart block. His LLMD advised that is normal for lyme patients. Its scary cause the heart palps come and go and then usually bring on anxiety attacks as well.
I too have been experiencing the same Lyme symptoms so I recently saw his LLMD and had an Igenx lab test done. Still awaiting the results.
Its nice to know there is support out there with people that are suffering from the same.
Thanks everyone all your post and advise really do help!!!!
Chloenstein
Posts: 16 | From Long Island, NY, Nassau | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
I had heart palpitations. Talked to my LLMD and had a couple EKGs which came out normal. I finally figured out that I was rushing my IVs. Slowing them down seemed to reduce the palpitations greatly.
Posts: 133 | From Rocheser, MN, USA | Registered: Dec 2004
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dontlikeliver
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4749
posted
Can you buy potassium as a supplement? And, if so, can you OD on it?
DLL
Posts: 2824 | From The Back of Beyond | Registered: Oct 2003
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Jellybelly
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7142
posted
Hi DLL
You can only get potassium in 99 mgs. without perscription. My cardio said take "a" supplement every day. I think it could be dangerous to take more. We do get potassium in a lot of places, like multivitamins, which I don't usually take and if I do, I stop the individual potassium tablets I normally take.
I haven't looked it up in a long time, but I think to much is not a good thing. Do some research before you consider taking more then 99 mgs without a docs consult, better yet, be safe on this one, check with your doc.
I have had them since I got bit in 1972, but since I was never diagnosed until 2001, it was never put together as Lyme related.
To make a long story short...I had a 2 week journal monitor for my heart to wear and repot in every morning in 2002, and they found bradycardiatachy..strange name. My heart will go from 60-150 bpm in 30 seconds.
The ekgs and holter monitors..two days..stress echo and angiogram showed only pvcs and slight heart murmur..never knew I had one!! I went on toprol xl after the journal monitor and been on it ever since. My resting heart rate is 50-60 now. It it hits 80 or higher I can feel it..icky feeling.
I am still bothered with heart palps especially after eating anything with MSG or Nutrasweet..ugh I feel that my heart palp history goes way back to just after I got bit..never had them before that.
Cardiologist here does not feel it is Lyme related...we will see when I go see LLMD in MO next month...bet it is.
Ducks cause more problems for Lymies. They should include Lyme in Pre med training..
Oh well, better stop before I start getting some more palps...OYe....LOL
Jean
Posts: 324 | From Lexington, KY, USA | Registered: Dec 2001
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posted
Palps were one of my first symptoms - if I knew then that they were symptoms. Then developed high blood pressure and got tachy all the time, often 112 or higher.
Several EKGs, two echos and then a wire up my leg into my heart. The echos showed pulmonary systolic hypertension. Okay that is rare and fatal...I was so scared.
But the wire test (lyme brain cannot remember for the life of me what that was called) showed normal.
I am on atenolol and just increased the dose along with Benicar. I have extra beats, gallops etc. My pulse is still 100, hard to get used to the palps. When I herx they are worse.
Especially when I was on IV, PICC line irritated things I think.
I would recommend having it looked at by a Cardiologist. It has eased my minds about the heart, anyway. He is from New York so knew about lyme. Here in Calif that is a bonus.
Posts: 152 | From On Horseback | Registered: Mar 2005
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posted
Too much potassium is more dangerous than not enough. Don't overdo it! Electrolytes are tricky because most of them are stored at the cellular level and not in the blood so even if the blood tests come back normal doesn't mean that you really have the right amount in your body. See the following link: http://www.merck.com/pubs/mmanual_ha/sec3/ch18/ch18d.html
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Posts: 197 | From Seeing Lyme Green in Iowa | Registered: Jun 2005
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posted
had palpitations, not really them, some but heart what it feels like is fluttering or flipping in the center of the throat. i had 2 monitors and discovered i had episodes of v-tac. (serious stuff) on 100 mg of toprol, but sometimses the flutters and shortness of breath happen through the beta blocker. never had this before lyme diagnosis and treatment.
cigi
Posts: 320 | From Upstate, NY USA | Registered: Dec 2004
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dontlikeliver
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4749
posted
Jellybelly, thanks.
I have wondered about this (potassium) becuase as I have been B-A-D and strayed off my low-carb way of eating and having had way too many carbs for two months, I need to lose weight.
The way I usually do that is by going VERY low carb, but that can deplete potassium....and with being on Ketek that can be very dangerous (low potassium).
On the other hand, I don't know enough about potassium to even know how much one needs a day,etc.
I know you get potassium from bananas, but they're obviously off the low-carb menu.
Anyway, thanks, I will look more into it to try to figure out if I need to take some kind of extra potassium to be able to safely go very low carb.
DLL
Posts: 2824 | From The Back of Beyond | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
This is very interesting to me as my Daughter has had this problem for a long time. Can't quite remember how long since she is only 24 and had Lyme for over half her life. She was bit at 11 years old. We only just found out for sure it was Lyme in March of this year. She was a competitive figure skater and would sometimes come to me saying she couldn't breath and that it felt like someone was sitting on her chest when she was younger and skating daily for hours.(I think the extreme exersize kept her healthy longer) We always thought she just needed to breath deeper. She has had several EKG's and all have come back normal. After starting treatment they have been worse again. It will wake her up at night. Took her to ER once just recently and they did ALL the heart stuff on her and said............normal. LLMD has said maybe medication has aggrivated it, she is on Ketek, Mepron and now Rocephin injections every other day. He wants us to pay close attention to this. One night she said when it woke her up it felt like someone had slugged her in the chest. Scary stuff, I worry constantly and get up in the middle of the night and check her often. Lyme, probably, meds, that could add to it. The ER doctor was very helpful but just didn't get the Lyme thing. Gave us hand outs on Lyme.........Thank you sir, but I have a whole drawer full of information on Lyme. Some ducks mean well, but they just don't get it. Why is this? Why are these medical professionals so ignorant and close minded?
ICEY
Posts: 468 | From Las Vegas NV | Registered: Jun 2005
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Jellybelly
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7142
posted
DLL, Ya, bananas are an option, but I saked my doc about this. He said you would have to eat about 18 inches of banana every day to get what you will in a 99 mg. tablet.
posted
Sounds like an evaluation by a cardiologist is in order. I went that route too.
For me, magnesium was the key. Six weeks after I started supplementing, my horrible palpatations subsided.
********************************************* I have no authorization to give medical advice in this manner. Comments made reflect personal experiences only.***************
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Posts: 111 | From Tick Country | Registered: Jun 2004
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MADDOG
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 18
posted
Hi,I get them from time to time.
I finally got to except them as a part of life.
One doc said that even if you pass out your heart will restart and reset its self.
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