Lyme and heart problems.... (any use testing?)

What's your experience with Lyme and coinfections and heart trouble? I know there is such a thing as Lyme carditis. But honestly, Lyme can affect everything, and I'm enough used to my sx that I don't think much of them....

Prior to being my diagnosed as probable Lyme, I went through the usual battery of tests based on symptoms. Some of those sx included some chest pain, shortness of breath, etc. - not very severe, or spreading, etc - mostly along with exercise. So of course I had the heart workup also (ekg, treadmill, holter, echo), but they all came back pretty clean.

I'm now in a rather low spot physically for a few months, and had some difficulty shoveling snow. More palpitations, pain, short breath, etc.... more than usual (but that's like all my sx recently). Other vigorous exercise does it too - sometimes.

Between that and some other issues, I almost went to urgent care / emergency Christmas Eve and Christmas day....... Felt better enough that I didn't, but did get in to the dr's office that week and saw a new PA.

New PA quite naturally wanted to send me to emergency, at least to get the testing done (since I was stable at the time of the visit), and that more swiftly than otherwise. Talked her out of it (again, I'm used to this, and I wasn't having the pain at the time) but did go for an EKG. It was normal, but she and my usual doc still want me to do a 48-hour holter monitor......

I kind of think it'd be a waste of good time and money, knowing my body, and esp given the previous clean bill of heart health. And good time and money are pretty short around my house these days.....

I guess I'm writing mostly to get the thoughts out of my head and talk to someone(s) who will understand. But certainly share your Lyme/cardio experiences or if you have any advice. I'm in my early 30s, btw, no major family history.

Thanks for listening!

Thanks JustPiccd. Definitely agree it's not to be taken lightly. I hadn't realized about Lyme heart deaths being a big thing. Do you have any links / ideas when or where about that study?

I have a friend who has a history of heart problems - older than me but relatively young (I don't think he's even 50). He had a pacemaker put in a few years ago and that helped, but he's still in rough shape. I talked to him recently and we both think he probably has Lyme also, and he thinks the cardio issues may be from it.

I've noticed my heart races and pounds (at least relatively) when I wake up from a nap. As I begin to realize I'm waking up, just about the instant I open my eyes or stir, I can feel it speed up. Not really when waking up from a night's sleep. Is that weird? What could it mean I wonder....

Then again, my resting heart rate is low (50s), my pressure is fairly low (110 / 60 ish), and my cholesterol is abnormally low....and they all have been that way all my adult life, before Lyme symptoms really came around.

Its not like you have a spare heart. You dont know if the issues are from lyme or other things- I would say testing is not a waist of time then.

Due to being over 45 at the time- I tested with what insurance covered and felt better after-knowing. Did not have the home /personal device though - sounds cool.

I did get some type of heart video- I got to see it, was good to know all was working well, vs several weird EKG's that led to it.

After a while- No more heart flutters or falling over in a dizzy spell.

I also had that - heart racing.

For several months it would be a few times a night...I'd wake up in a panic, gasping for air, heart racing and anxiety - plus sweating.


Then it got better to where it would be only in the morning waking up and no more gasping for air, just heart racing, and anxiety with minor sweating.

Now, most mornings it's not there...(thank goodness)

What a way to start the day...right? Talk about starting off on the wrong foot.

I know what you mean. If they do see somthing on the test that looks abnormal they will try to say what caused it. And if the doctors can't figure it out they just say they don't know. Not one of my basic doctors will admit it was from lyme. I had a cardiologist straight out tell me that "at this clinic we don't believe in chronic lyme"

I went through extensive cardiac workups. Multiple echos, MRI's, stress tests, etc. Nothing but a right bundle branch block which has since cleared up with treatment (or time, not sure). Thing is, those tests are useless unless you have gross abnormalities. But some low grade inflammation... at least it didn't show anything for me. I know it's heart related because of the RBBB and i've since developed rhythm disturbances.

Even though they can't see it on their tests you know it's there. The good news is at least the lyme is t causing such bad issues that it's causing seruoys damage. That's how I try to think of it. My is finally acting decent this last week and a half. I actually had a few days that I didn't think about my heart. That's hasn't happened in over a year. The heart symptoms are horrivek no doubt but hopefully yours continue to fade with treatment

Aaand another update, went and had the echo and treadmill test along with visiting with the cardiologist.

Initial results all came back "normal", per his first look over things and whatever they sent to my regular doc. I have a follow-up appointment next week at the cardio, to go over results. Which I may skip if all they're going to do is shrug and tell me these tests looked OK......

Thanks for updating! That letter must have been a bit of a shock. I'm glad the tests are looking pretty normal.