Low heart rate anyone ?

[Dechi]

@Sushi I have tremendous cutaneous allergies to the cups from the holter. After a few hours, I become itchy and red and after a few days, my skin is burned and it hurts like hell. I hope you do better than me.

Thanks for educating me, I don't know much this cardio stuff !

 

[Sushi]

@Sushi I have tremendous cutaneous allergies to the cups from the holter. After a few hours, I become itchy and red and after a few days, my skin is burned and it hurts like hell. I hope you do better than me.

Sorry about that! They don't bother me. I did my Holter yesterday and today, took off the sensors and I don't even see any marks. You can ask for hyperallergenic sensor pads.

I don't know much this cardio stuff !

I've had to learn though I haven't really enjoyed it!

 

[Dechi]

@Sushi I hope your results from the holter are good !

 

[Sushi]

@Sushi I hope your results from the holter are good !

My feeling about that is mixed. I wore the Holter for 24 hours immediately after the treadmill test so it may have picked up some grumbling from the heart after its workout. Having a "clean" reading is great in one way, but if it caught a pause (very doubtful) that would be an easy way to qualify for a pacemaker.

 

[kangaSue]

I also have low BP, usually around 90/45 or even 102/38. But since I started taking nimotop, which is supposed to lower yourBP, my BP did the opposite and went up to 100/60.

I'm interested in your comment here, I don't have ME/CSF but I also have low b.p. of around 90/60 (heart rate of 50) and found that a nitrate med prescribed to treat intestinal ischemia also raised my b.p. (100/60 to 110/70) contrary to expectations but no one can explain why.

We are both treating vasospasm causing ischemia but in different parts of the anatomy I gather. For me, I think there is some tie in with also having left renal vein compression (Nutcracker Syndrome) so just wondering if you have anything amiss in that area such as enlarged left ovarian or pelvic vein, chronic kidney disease or just blood in the urine.

 

[Dechi]

I'm interested in your comment here, I don't have ME/CSF but I also have low b.p. of around 90/60 (heart rate of 50) and found that a nitrate med prescribed to treat intestinal ischemia also raised my b.p. (100/60 to 110/70) contrary to expectations but no one can explain why.

We are both treating vasospasm causing ischemia but in different parts of the anatomy I gather. For me, I think there is some tie in with also having left renal vein compression (Nutcracker Syndrome) so just wondering if you have anything amiss in that area such as enlarged left ovarian or pelvic vein, chronic kidney disease or just blood in the urine.

@kangaSue I had never heard of the nutcracker syndrome. To have no known kidney disease, enlarged ovarian or pelvic vein. No blood in the urine. But then again, I don't think I was ever tested for any of these. Or maybe regular blood checks and urinalysis would show something ?

We're still trying to understand what's going on with my heart so maybe something will come up later.

 

[jstefl]

When I was at my worst, my heartrate had dropped to 50 and my BP was 80/50. This was back in 2008.

I took Valcyte for 10 months at that time, and my heartrate and BP increased to low normal levels, and have stayed there ever since. I was taking a BP increaser at the time I started the Valcyte, and was able to wean myself off during the time that I was taking the Valcyte. I have not needed it since.

Prior to the Valcyte, I had been seen by three cardiologists, who had no clue as to what was going on. It has been a while since this happened, but at the time I remember reading some research by Drs. Peckerman and Natelson about viral infections of the heart. I can't tell you which virus may have been the cause, as I have tested positive for several, but I am a believer.

 

[Dechi]

@jstefl Before being sick, my resting heart rate was about 46-48. I thought it was because I was training a lot, but now I suspect there was something going on with my heart even then. I don't know if the ME is making it even worse, or if it's whatever is wrong that is getting worse on it's own. But 38 beats per minute definitely worries me.

 

[jstefl]

@Dechi I know how you feel. I was amazed at how ignorant cardiologists are when I started having these problems. It is frightening to me how bad the care was. My first cardiologist gave me two stress tests, the first on a treadmill and the second time just shot me up with a drug that made my heart race. I had to be revived after that one. She followed that up with a cardiac catherization after that. When she found no problems there, she prescribed an anti depressant.

I was at the point where I was barely able to stand at that time. I feel that Valcyte saved my life.

 

[Dechi]

@Dechi I know how you feel. I was amazed at how ignorant cardiologists are when I started having these problems. It is frightening to me how bad the care was. My first cardiologist gave me two stress tests, the first on a treadmill and the second time just shot me up with a drug that made my heart race. I had to be revived after that one. She followed that up with a cardiac catherization after that. When she found no problems there, she prescribed an anti depressant.

I was at the point where I was barely able to stand at that time. I feel that Valcyte saved my life.

Wow, what a nightmare ! I'm glad you're better now !

 

[Gingergrrl]

My feeling about that is mixed. I wore the Holter for 24 hours immediately after the treadmill test so it may have picked up some grumbling from the heart after its workout. Having a "clean" reading is great in one way, but if it caught a pause (very doubtful) that would be an easy way to qualify for a pacemaker.

@Sushi, I hope that you can get the readings that you need so your cardio can install the pacemaker and do what she feels is clinically best for you vs. insurance making the decision .

I'm interested in your comment here, I don't have ME/CSF but I also have low b.p. of around 90/60 (heart rate of 50) and found that a nitrate med prescribed to treat intestinal ischemia also raised my b.p. (100/60 to 110/70) contrary to expectations but no one can explain why.

KS, this has always fascinated me how the nitrate med ended up raising your BP vs. dropping it further and if you ever figure this out, please let me know!

But 38 beats per minute definitely worries me.

This would worry me, too, and hoping your doctor can figure it out. Even when I was taking multiple meds to lower my HR b/c of POTS, the lowest HR I ever saw was 53. With Atenolol & Midodrine, it usually controls my Tachycardia pretty well. Do they think a medication is lowering your HR so much or it is just happening on it's own (sorry if you already explained this and I missed it)!

I was at the point where I was barely able to stand at that time. I feel that Valcyte saved my life.

@jstefl, I remember chatting w/you about Valcyte a few years ago (and it was not the right med for me) but am so glad that it saved your life and you are doing better now. That is great news!

 

[Dechi]

@Gingergrrl I haven't talked to Dr Hyde seriously about this. He wants to get me tested some more, but would like me to go to Itheca first, to help with testing. I am not im favor of going to Itheca at the moment, because it's a lot of money and there are serious risks to my health.

I only take 1 medication, nimotop. Which is not supposed to cause heart problems. I have been known tomhave a heart rate of 41 bpm, but 38 is a first. So we'll see where that leads me.

 

[Sushi]

@Sushi, I hope that you can get the readings that you need so your cardio can install the pacemaker and do what she feels is clinically best for you vs. insurance making the decision .

It isn't really insurance making the decision. There are clear medical guidelines for prescribing a pacemaker.

 

[Gingergrrl]

@Gingergrrl I haven't talked to Dr Hyde seriously about this. He wants to get me tested some more, but would like me to go to Itheca first, to help with testing. I am not im favor of going to Itheca at the moment, because it's a lot of money and there are serious risks to my health.

Hoping Dr. Hyde can help you to sort it out without having to travel to Ithaca right now. My sister went to University in Ithaca (many years ago!) so I know the area well.

I only take 1 medication, nimotop. Which is not supposed to cause heart problems. I have been known tomhave a heart rate of 41 bpm, but 38 is a first. So we'll see where that leads me.

I know this is a long shot but have you ever been tested for the calcium channel autoantibodies since Nimotop is a CCB?

It isn't really insurance making the decision. There are clear medical guidelines for prescribing a pacemaker.

Sorry, I misunderstood and thought in another post that your doctor was on board but it was an insurance issue holding up the decision.

 

[Sushi]

Sorry, I misunderstood and thought in another post that your doctor was on board but it was an insurance issue holding up the decision.

Yes, my doctor would like me to have one, but I have to meet the medical requirements for it to be legal for her to implant one. I think they are a documented pause of 5 seconds or more or not being able to reach 70% of your targeted heart rate while off meds like beta blockers.

 

[Nickster]

When I was at my worst, my heartrate had dropped to 50 and my BP was 80/50. This was back in 2008.

I took Valcyte for 10 months at that time, and my heartrate and BP increased to low normal levels, and have stayed there ever since. I was taking a BP increaser at the time I started the Valcyte, and was able to wean myself off during the time that I was taking the Valcyte. I have not needed it since.

Prior to the Valcyte, I had been seen by three cardiologists, who had no clue as to what was going on. It has been a while since this happened, but at the time I remember reading some research by Drs. Peckerman and Natelson about viral infections of the heart. I can't tell you which virus may have been the cause, as I have tested positive for several, but I am a believer.

@jstefl my son tested positive for cocksackie and parovirus from Dr Chia. I see that you are using Valcyte and was wondering how that has improved your symptoms? Also, Dr Lerner used Valcyte for treatment. My son is just about bedbound at this point with severe pain in his spine, heart, liver and reactions to light, sound and food.

 

[svetoslav80]

My resting heart rate is also low - about 45 bpm and cardiologist has told me that it's perfectly normal.

 

[kangaSue]

My resting heart rate is also low - about 45 bpm and cardiologist has told me that it's perfectly normal.

Perfectly normal if you are a highly conditioned athlete, in having a chronic condition, it tends to be called bradycardia in the vast majority of the medical literature.

 

[Sushi]

My resting heart rate is also low - about 45 bpm and cardiologist has told me that it's perfectly normal.

You might want to check what it is doing overnight when you are asleep. My day-time resting HR is about 48 but it goes to 42 during the night. (I sometimes wear a polar HR monitor at night to check.)

 

[Snow Leopard]

Perfectly normal if you are a highly conditioned athlete, in having a chronic condition, it tends to be called bradycardia in the vast majority of the medical literature.

Agreed. A heart rate that low in a sedentary person suggests something unusual is going on with the heart.