What kind of cardiac problems with lyme??

Could be you have a lot of neurotoxins in your tissues that you need to chelate, and you could need some electrolyte supplementation as well. During the first 16 months I was sick and didn't know what I had I experienced identical cardiac symptoms to your's. My resting heartrate had jumped from 70 to 100 and when I exerted myself at all it would easily jump to 140-150. I used to squat ATF (ass to fl..r) up to about 280lbs for a set, and it ended up that I couldn't squat 150 because one set was like running a darn marathon.

One of the hallmarks of the body's attempt to rid itself of toxins is to raise the heartrate. (It even does this when you drink too much and have a hangover the next day). In a healthy person this would be temporary. Now that much is fact, and what I've speculated from this is that our heartrates will stay high because it can't fully rid itself of the toxin build-up without help.

I found the single best detoxifier for that symptom to be freeze-dried garlic. It's gotta be freeze-dried though, but there are unfortunately only a few brands that offer it that way. Pharmax is the brand I use. It has tremendously reduced my headaches as well. Take six caps a day in divided doses. I'm thinking just that could well resolve the tachycardia and palps. Electrolyte supplementation certainly couldn't hurt either. One of those powdered mixes is very cheap and easy to use.

Post Edited (Sulma) : 11/2/2008 2:46:58 PM (GMT-7)

Dowa said...
I have the same symptoms as well. I have had a complete cardiac work-up with stress tests etc. more than once in the last few years. ALL tests are normal. I just recently had my electrolyte levels checked as well, ALL normal. My heart feels at times like its about to jump out of my chest when the palpitations come. NO one can tell me why. I can only thank the Lyme I guess...D

Yep same here. Went through all that same bologna during the first year I was sick. Turned out to be a total waste of my money.

Wow, I'm excited to hear that I'm not the only one who had cardiac issues.  I also have had them during the night and tests after tests all proved "normal". 

I certainly see that when I'm going through a herxing cycle then I have more cardiac issue and that knowledge helps me to deal with it better.  I push the electrolytes and rest. 

When I herx really strong I have problems with oxygen saturation and have oxygen at home for night and as needed during the day.

maggie

Thanks to all for your great replies. I have ordered some freeze dried garlic like Sulma suggested. That should come within a few days. I also have been using some cholestrymine that I have to see if that will help with the detoxing.

Kandinsky, I am happy to hear that your cardio issues got better with treatment. Hopefully that will happen for the rest of us. I sleep with one pillow under my head, one for my legs. I have lots of extra pillows, so I will try elevating my head more to see if that helps.

Bella, I hope your tests come out OK. These symptoms can be so scary!!

Maggiemoo, my syptoms are also worse when herxing. I need to get some electrolyte powder too. I am completly out and forgot about drinking it.

I saw my LLMD today and told him my PCP had put me on the monitor. I told him about all these suggestions and thought they were good ones. He had some other ideas as well. He is checking my thyroid even though the last test was in the normal range. We may need to adjust my T 3 up or down or change brands. He also gave me a saliva test for hormones. He said hormonal issues can contribute to the cardiac issues. He also took me off diflucan and is checking my liver enzymes which he does every few months. He wants to see the results of the heart monitor when I get them.

Today just blow drying my hair sent my rate to 135 bpm.

Hi Twingirl,

You have a great doctor, Tyroid issues can cause palpatations, did you check your blood pressure? especially during the palpataions, I get fluctuating blood pressure, I am currently on 2 blood pressure meds, it was very scary to me, the blood pressure meds made a big difference , when the shaking and palps get really bad and I can sleep I sleep on the couch, and I place my head on the arm rest so my back or chest dont touch any surface and I dont feel the palps, I also started taking 3 Advils every few hours and it also helps, I probably have Pericarditis and am trying to get to see my doctor.

I find it both sad and annoying that physicians fail to see the cause of our ailments, and continue to just treat the symptoms.  If you never had cardiac issues before you got Lyme then the sound approach would be to first run a few panels, do an EKG and an Echo, then most likely exclude unrelated cardio ailments as the cause of the complaints. That could all be done in two visits. Conventional medicine treats symptoms, guys.  Even the periocardis someone mentioned is likely to be inflammation caused by the Borrelia, which is well known to infect the ticker.

The only time my heart ever does anything untoward these days is even I get lazy and fall down on my detoxing, then the heart rate, palps, and skips start reappearing.  18 months of beta blockers didn't fix that, just masked it.  Detoxing fixed it.

I agree that the cardiac symptoms are most likely lyme related. And I am thinking they will go away once the infection has been properly treated. It's what may happen in the meantime that has me worried. If lyme can cause blockage from infection in the heart, then that could be dangerous and I sure would like to know about it to prevent a heart attack if that is even possible.

Unfortunately from what I've read and from my older sister's experience, EKG's and echo's do not always find heart disease in women as they do for men. My sister ended up with a heart attack because these standard tests didn't find her problems. (She didn't have lyme)

I'm not sure about this, so anyone correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me that when people die from lyme, it's usually due to an infected IV port or from a heart attack.

Hugs,
dar

Been there, done that-now thru it!When I first had lyme/bart/babs, my heart rate would race when I stood-I flunked the tilt table and was diagnosed with POTS_postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Sometimes beta-blockers make it worse. I found a Dr who specialized in it-he recommended ...nothing. After 2 years of treatment (I was initially home bound due to cardiac issues and dizziness), I am off meds (1 month so far) I worked today, took a pilates class, getting ready to make dinner.  It gets better..I was one of the sickest my LLMD had seen.

A bundle block is common in women-nothing to be concerned about-I have a right bundle block..my primary MD said she did too, as do many of her patients.

Hang in there..he did say to try to exercise a little..just do what you can. It goes away in time. Meanwhile..keep well hydrated, use licorice root if you blood pressure is low, salty food and rest.

Hi Twingirl,

I just wanted to tell you not to worry too much about a heart attack if your Echo is ok. My heart symptoms worry me the most, but so far all they can see for sure is lots of PVC's (also worse when I am laying down).

Today's Echo's pick up mostly everything. I am so freaked out about the Pulmonary Hypertension, but my Cardiologist said that the Echo's are so specific they sometimes get false reads.

I've had EKG's, Echo's, Holter Monitors, Gallium Scan, Chest X-Ray, etc. and I'm still always scared they are missing something, so I totally understand how you are feeling.

I haven't had an echo yet. I'll ask my doctor about getting one.

My LLMD did mention that magnesium and potassium deficiencies can cause these issues. I am already taking these though I did up my magnesium.

I just got the freeze dried garlic today and am starting that. And I've been detoxing more. I also found out that 10K on my rife machine works for heart palps and helps detox.

So I'm doing some things naturally right now. I hope they help.

Frango, I'm in my 40's too. My goal is to stay alive!! Leslie's death really alarmed me too. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen with lyme disease.

My mother and two of my older sisters had heart issues/heart attacks. None of them have lyme, so I just don't want to assume that this is lyme related, although it probably is. I have a much healthier life and diet than my sisters. They are both diabetic and overweight and have terrible diets!! So I hope these issues go away with the lyme treatment.