I posted a few weeks ago about PAC's and PVC's that I have been having since the end of April. My main symptom since the onset of my illness has been tachycardia and dysautonomia.
A few months ago I started to have PAC's, PVC's and sinus arrhythmia. The PAC's and PVC's have increased since then. I will have up to 4 or 5 PAC's a minute constantly. I saw my cardiologist in early May and wore a 24-hour monitor and also had an echo. Everything was normal and my echo was good.
I saw my cardiologist 2 weeks ago to discuss the increase in PAC's and PVC's but he did not seem concerned at all and said it was harmless. I insisted on a 2 week monitor that I am wearing now to see exactly how many of these beats I am really having. I cannot take a beta-blocker to stop the PAC's and PVC's due to low blood pressure.
A little over a week ago, I started to feel what feels like shallow or weaker beats in my pulse. I was having around 4 or 5 a minute as well as PAC's. I went to the emergency room because I got very scared and had no idea what these weak beats were. They did not care as usual and just sent me out the door to follow up with my cardiologist. I spoke to a nurse at my cardiologist's office and she said these weaker beats that happen are most likely PAC's and I do not agree. It is like a regular beat but at only 25% of the normal strength.
I spoke with a good friend of mine who also has Lyme and Babesia. Her fiance has both as well and he was having the same "weak beats" as me. A cardiologist told him they were caused by mitral regurgitation. He changed to a gluten-free diet and these strange beats got much better over time.
I have had numerous EKG's at the ER in the past few months and weeks and nothing has been found. Also in May of this year my echo was normal. All of my echo's in the past have shown trace regurgitation in 3 of my valves but I was told this is normal. Could I have developed a major issue with my heart since May of this year?? I am worried that I do have this mitral regurgitation and will need a valve replacement or die from this.
Also, my heart rate has seemed to do a 360. I was always tachycardic since the onset of this illness and now resting I will have a pulse in the 50's or 60's. When I stand or move around, it is usually over 100. I have never had a pulse in the 50's or 60's since this illness so I do not know what is causing the change.
All thyroid testing has been normal. I am in between LLMD's at the moment because my last LLMD was horrible and did not know much at all. I am now awaiting my appointment with Dr. C in PA.
Does anyone know what weaker beats are in the pulse? They are about 20-40 beats apart and are sometimes followed a few beats later by a PAC. For the past few days I have been having 2-3 of these weak/shallow beats and 1 or 2 PAC's a minute. Since restarting Mepron and Diflucan, they do not seem as bad as they were last week. What are these weak/shallow beats and am I in danger?
Thank you
-------------------- Lyme, Babesia Microti, possible Bart. Posts: 173 | From A little south of sanity - PA | Registered: Jan 2009
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sutherngrl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16270
posted
Sorry you are dealing with this, but I totally can relate. This describes my experience to a tee.
I actually had this within the first 5 months of my illness. I literally had non stop PACs 24/7. It was so annoying and exhausting.
I had an echo and started taking beta-blockers for a short time, but it lowered everything even more, the beats and BP. I walked around about to pass out all the time. So I stopped taking it after a few months; but it seemed to correct the PACs.
My PACs were like this......I would have those slow, weak beats, then a couple of faster beats, like it was trying to catch up.
About 3 years later, a year into treatment, I started getting tachycardia, higher BP and a pounding heart.
Fortunately, I don't have tachycardia every day, but I do have palpitations every day. I think this is a common symptom of LD.
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
Thank you sutherngrl. You sound a lot like me.
My heart will be slow and then speeds up if you feel my pulse, hence the sinus arrhythmia which they say is fine.
I still do have tachycardia when standing so I think there is some sort of dysautonomia going on but the weak/shallow beats are what have me concerned. I am worried a valve is bad or I have heart failure.
Thank you for sharing your experience and massive hugs to you!
-------------------- Lyme, Babesia Microti, possible Bart. Posts: 173 | From A little south of sanity - PA | Registered: Jan 2009
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sutherngrl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16270
posted
Blue, I do have 2 valves that are screwed up. The mitral valve which was already prolapsed before I ever got infected with LD, and I can't remember which other one right now. It only showed up after I developed lyme. But the cardiologist did not take this as anything serious.
I hope you feel better soon. I think these things change all the time with LD. That is the nature of the illness. So maybe it will pass before you know it.
Posts: 4035 | From Mississippi | Registered: Jul 2008
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