Continuing heart problems

[annelb]

Those of you who have known me over the years know that I had coronary artery bypass back in 2000. All was well until last year when I needed another stent

After that stent in Sept 2012 I have never felt well. I have tightness in my throat with exercise and am fatigued. A few times the tightness became chest pain. This would go away quickly with rest but is very worrisome.

Saw my new cardiologist(old one stopped going to the in network hospital) 2 days ago. I am scheduled next week for a stress echo as the next step.

At the end of my stent last year, my heart looked good and was pumping well. Frustrating that something is not right. Seems that my heart works but is not getting the blood it needs.

I wish the GF/paleo diet was a panacea. I still show elevated inflammatory markers but have no idea what is causing the inflammation.
Anne

[jcc]

Anne, I am sorry to hear you haven't returned to normal. The frustrating part is to know that there is probably an answer somewhere. New stress echo is a good first step. Let us know how that goes.

What is the status of your lyme disease treatment? What nflammatory markers are elevated?

[aklap]

Ugh...

Hang in there. Maybe the new guy will be able to find the source of the problems and fix it.

(((Anne)))

[nick's mom]

awww, sorry you're dealing with this anne. hope the stress test gives you some answers and whatever is going on is an easy fix.

[NancyM]

I'm so sorry, Anne. I know it isn't a panacea. I've got my own issues that it doesn't fix, but I think I'd be a lot worse off.
I hope you find some relief soon.

[JudyLV]

I am sorry you are going through this Anne. I was also going to ask where you stand with regard to the Lyme disease testing/treatment? Did they check or treat for Babesia? I know from my son's experience that Babesia can affect the heart. It is possible other co-infections can also affect the heart.

--Judy

[annelb]

I doubt the new doc will look beyond "yeah, you do have inflammatory markers". He says that everyone with diabetes has an elevated hsCRP but he was impressed that I have brought mine down from 13.8 to between 2-3. My inflammatory markers are elevated homocystine, hsCRP and ferritin and fibrinogin. Although my ferritin is elevated, it is not iron overload. If you have inflammation or infection, this can go up. They ran a soluble transferritin receptor and it was normal. It it had been elevated, then it would have been iron overload.

Lyme - not doing anything right now. My PCP feels that my immune system is strong and does not feel that I would be helped by treatment at this time. He wants to get this heart thing taken care of first. He sees many who are so ill and debilitated with LD. The big question is do I have active LD or not. I may spring for a PCR test to see if they can find evidence of spirochetes. Maybe all I have left are the antibodies. It is possible. I did not have any herx reactions when I was on antibiotics for LD.

Babesia - Don't know if this is a problem.

Babesia Symptoms and signs of babesia are: night sweats, temperature fluctuations, panic anxiety attacks, frontal headaches, feeling off balance while walking, air hunger, racing or skipping of the heart, and regular de ja vu experiences.

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...
I did have a panic attack the other day but that was the first one in over 30 years. My heart does race - thought to be an autonomic problem and I have taken a beta blocker for the past 15 years. Off balance when walking - probably has to do with my PN. Apparently testing for Babesia is very poor as the tests cover only a couple of the many types.

Anne

[canoe]

Anne,

Sorry to read this and I do hope that you will get some answers with the Stress Echo.

Marilyn

[bear]

Hi Anne,

Well I have managed to make it over here. It will take me a little time to get my own situation sorted out but things are rapidly improving.

I have not followed your posts for the last year and a half so forgive me if I am covering old ground. I presume you are taking vitamin D3 and at least the critical co-factors (magnesium, zinc, vitamin K2 and maybe boron). Higher levels of D3 can modulate the immune system and thus affect inflammatory markers among other things. Do you know what your D3 levels are? How much are you currently taking?

What type of diabetes do you have?

Bear

P.S. Hello to the rest of you from GFAB and elsewhere. I am still a little wonky as I just had surgery and am carrying a bag around. Things went well but healing is a complex process as we all know.

I doubt the new doc will look beyond "yeah, you do have inflammatory markers". He says that everyone with diabetes has an elevated hsCRP but he was impressed that I have brought mine down from 13.8 to between 2-3. My inflammatory markers are elevated homocystine, hsCRP and ferritin and fibrinogin. Although my ferritin is elevated, it is not iron overload. If you have inflammation or infection, this can go up. They ran a soluble transferritin receptor and it was normal. It it had been elevated, then it would have been iron overload.

Lyme - not doing anything right now. My PCP feels that my immune system is strong and does not feel that I would be helped by treatment at this time. He wants to get this heart thing taken care of first. He sees many who are so ill and debilitated with LD. The big question is do I have active LD or not. I may spring for a PCR test to see if they can find evidence of spirochetes. Maybe all I have left are the antibodies. It is possible. I did not have any herx reactions when I was on antibiotics for LD.

Babesia - Don't know if this is a problem. Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...
I did have a panic attack the other day but that was the first one in over 30 years. My heart does race - thought to be an autonomic problem and I have taken a beta blocker for the past 15 years. Off balance when walking - probably has to do with my PN. Apparently testing for Babesia is very poor as the tests cover only a couple of the many types.

Anne

[annelb]

Hi Bear, nice to see you posting again. You are right, I do take D3 and my level has been staying between 50-80ng/ml. I also take extra mg and my multi has Zn and Boron. Currently I am using a Thorne multi without iron or copper. I have T2 diabetes. Have no idea how long I have had it. I remember taking glucose tolerance tests when I was in my 20's and being told they were abnormal and they would keep an eye on it. I bet anything that I have had a lifelong dangerous surge of BG after eating and high insulin levels all my life. I am sure this contributed to my arterial disease.

Will let you all know about the stress test this afternoon. Not sure I trust stress tests at all as I have passed so many and when I finally would convince my doc to cath me, I would be 90-95% blocked!
Anne

[annelb]

Failed my stress test big time. By 15 seconds the doc said "STOP" and told me that I was having all sorts of irregular heart beats and this was a sign of severe heart disease. I am heading to the cath lab tomorrow afternoon and hoping there is something that can be fixed. I guess the good news is that my resting EKG and Echo looked totally normal. I knew something was wrong and I have known that for months. Getting the docs attentions can be hard. My symptoms were mild so I did not realize how serious this is. I would have pushed harder. I'll let you know what happens.
Anne

[aklap]

CRAP! So sorry to hear that. Lets hope the Cath lab will find something fixable.

[jcc]

Whoa! That is not news you hope to hear! Sorry to hear that. Please keep us posted. I'll be keeping you in my thoughts! Good luck tomorrow.

[JudyLV]

I am so sorry to read about this Anne. I hope that they find a very fixable cause today.

--Judy

[canoe]

In my thoughts. Sorry to read that you failed stress test.

How frustrating that the docs were not listening to you.

Marilyn