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Posted 9/30/2017 3:16 AM (GMT 0)
So I am looking for some advice. I am not sure exactly what is going on, but it is definitely affecting my chest. I should start by saying that I recently started treatment for lyme and I also tested for Babesia and Bart (waiting for those results) but I started on Zithromax and Doxy.

I was diagnosed officially in April 2017 and did a short term of abx but symptoms have returned so I finally went to an LLMD. Also, I am a 25 year old very active male. Played soccer in college and still play whenever possible! I still exercise quite a bit as well.

So now to my symptoms. I have dealt on and off with a bit of high blood pressure and anxiety (nothing too severe). However, the past few months, I have been noticing something strange in my chest. It is as if my chest is filled with a billion and I feel pressure. The weird thing is that I can still play soccer fine and I have no symptoms when I am active. I only get symptoms when I am at rest, laying down or putting pressure on my chest (aka snuggling with my wife). I have also noticed that during sex, my heart rate feels off and the pressure seems worse. It feels as though I have my own heart rate in the center of my chest and it is pressing hard. It also gets a little hard to breath and it feels like my heart is having to work way too hard.

The symptoms started before I began treatment, but have gotten WAY worse since starting treatment. Has anyone experience anything like this?

I will add that I know I have inflammation in my chest (possibly from Bab) because when I straighten out my chest, I often get a loud pop from my sternum. But I worry that it's more than that and it's my heart. My Dad passed of a heart attack very suddenly so I just worry. Also, it could be acid reflux. I have been getting that a LOT and burping usually reliefs a tiny of the pressure.

Like I said, moving around and being active = don't really notice it, but resting (sitting/laying) and when putting any pressure on my chest, it gets way worse. It's like there is a balloon inside my chest trying to get out and I get that bubble in my throats feeling. I will call my LLMD Monday, but in the meantime, what can I do to make this better? And if it's something more serious, what do I need to do? Holtzer monitor?

*in the past year i have been to the ER twice, had several EKGs a stress test and one EKG a few weeks ago when this first started.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated, on nights like these I worry a lot.


Thanks,
Mitch
Posted 9/30/2017 4:09 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Mitch, welcome to our community.

I'm sorry you have Lyme disease...but glad you found your way here.

Good move to find a LLMD for treatment.

Symptoms increasing with treatment is standard with lyme and co's. You are herxing - this means that the bacteria die-off has produced endotoxins..this results in inflammation causing a herxheimer. Herxheimer happens when you have more toxins flooding your system than you are removing.

To deal with this, you need to help your body detox.

I suggest you start detoxing...and develop a daily regimen.
Start off by making sure you are drinking lots of water daily.
- Take something to support your liver (eg. Milk Thistle )
- Take probiotics

Every few days, add in a new detox and gradually build up to doing multiple methods daily.

some ideas:

- Add fresh squeezed lemon juice into some of your glasses of water
- Take epsom salt baths (warm water)
- Dry brush your skin prior to the baths
- Take a binder - must be taken a couple hours away from everything else - meds, food, supplements. (eg. Activated Charcoal)

Here is a thread with more ideas:

www.tiredoflyme.com/detox-methods.html

Your LLMD may advise you to get your heart checked out just to be on the safe side.
I'm not familiar with what testing is appropriate (i.e. Holtzer monitor...etc) but your LLMD should know.

Worry comes with the territory...unfortunately. These symptoms can be bizarre and unnerving.
We encourage our new members to read through the information in the thread: "New to Lyme?..Start Here!" It's packed full of useful information (the thread sits at the top of Page 1)
Posted 9/30/2017 4:43 AM (GMT 0)
I'm newer to this as well and have done a lot of reading. For what it is worth, several of the key Lyme docs recommend not to mess with the heart stuff. They say to get right to a doc or ER if you feel it is needed with heart impacts/chest pains because Lyme can cause major heart issues.
Posted 9/30/2017 4:58 AM (GMT 0)
so you are seeing a cardiologist? what did they say?

heart problems like this with lyme patients are almost always Babesia.

2 great articles, the 2nd one has great info on treating Babs on page 3

http://suzycohen.com/articles/lyme_babesia_treatment/

http://www.townsendletter.com/July2015/babesia0715.html

personally I recommend seeing if a clinic in your area offers IV ascorbic acid, and this is an EXTREMELY affective treatment for Babs. it should not interfere with your ABX.
Posted 9/30/2017 5:03 AM (GMT 0)
Always a good idea to get it checked out. For me, I have similar issues and they all seem to stem from my digestive system. Whenever I eat something I shouldn't, it acts up way more. I do have inflammation in my esophagus - nothing to write home about. I had an endoscopy last year that found it. Otherwise, all clear. I also have costochondritis that acts up now and again, especially when I'm not drinking enough water.

What's helped me:

1. Don't eat crappy food (sugar, wheat, junk food)
2. GasStop - All natural, most health food stores have it
3. Drink more water
4. Breathing exercises
5. Chewing gum after meals (believe it or not, this helped the most)
6. Don't eat too much - Don't stuff yourself

Hope you find some relief.
Posted 9/30/2017 5:44 AM (GMT 0)
Hey-- new member here, undiagnosed with what I think is Lyme & Babs... I had very similar symptoms to what you're describing here.

So far, what's been helping me is Essential Oils. I'll put 2 drops of lavender / 2 drops of Oregano oil on the bottoms of my feet before bed, which has pretty much pushed away all heart palpitations, along with any night sweats or insomnia, which I had a few weeks ago.

The key is to get a very pure essential oil that has no solvents in it. I'm using DoTerra, but there's Young Living and others that are highly pure. I got them from my ex-girlfriend.

Apparently the oils enter your bloodstream within 30 seconds of being put on your feet, permeate every cell in the body, and do cross the blood-brain barrier. So far, as long as I use them, I feel relatively normal.

I do still get what feels like an overly strong pulse, or an overly fast pulse while I'm resting / sitting every once and a while, but it's much less than it was over the last few months. So far, so good!
Posted 9/30/2017 6:16 AM (GMT 0)
Hi Dave Here Now - welcome


Is that your only treatment - the essential oils?

How long have you been treating?


We do encourage our new members to read through the information in the thread : "New to Lyme?..Start Here!"
It's packed full of useful information.
Posted 10/6/2017 5:06 AM (GMT 0)
Hey Girlie,

Along with some herbs & supplements for the moment. EO's + Garlic + Turmeric + CoQ10 + Cal/Mag + Vit C , etc.

No Major herbal protocol or Abx yet, as I'm undiagnosed and don't want to aggressively treat without supervision. Looking forward to getting diagnosed and started with the Abx / therapies.

So far, the EO's have made the biggest difference, Dramatically so. Along with the detoxing (Baths, brushing, lemon water, etc.) and meditation to manage the mental / emotional symptoms.

I'll take a look at the "new" info, I'm sure It'll be useful. Thanks for the warm welcome! So grateful for this community and resource
Posted 10/6/2017 11:23 AM (GMT 0)
i have worse chest tightening due to side effect of probiotics strain (lactobaccilus acidofillus)
Posted 10/6/2017 7:32 PM (GMT 0)
Dave Here Now - That's great you're having results with the EO's.

I use a few of them - in my epsom salt bath I put a couple drops each of lavender and marjoram.

Glad you have found this forum helpful....keep reading...posting...
Posted 10/6/2017 7:33 PM (GMT 0)

abhi said...
i have worse chest tightening due to side effect of probiotics strain (lactobaccilus acidofillus)

That's too bad abhi. I do remember you posting about it awhile back.


Do you have a different probiotic that you can take now?
Posted 10/6/2017 8:04 PM (GMT 0)
I concur on the essentail oils! I also use Oregano oil on bottoms of feet.
I also make a mixture that I rub on in lymph node areas to promote drainage. I use ALOT of frankencense.

For muscle pain/restless legs i use helichrysim, roman chamomile, & cedarwood-let it absorb then massage w/peppermint & lemongrass.

To promote a good mood during the day I use a diffuser w/a mixture called 'pure joy', and for evening I diffuse lavendar. I have found the therapeutic essential oil to be VERY helpful BUT...

But buyer beware DoTerra marketing claims that tbeyre the ONLY ones that meet the STANDARD quality for therpeutic usage-when TRUTH be told the so-called STANDARD was invented by DoTerra.

Theres NO official STANDARD as of yet.

Pharmaca pharmacies as well as Aura Cacia have the SAME therapeutic grade standard and theyre affordable!!!
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