Heart problems - advice appreciated

[fille des bois]

I'm happy to tell you that the irregularities of my heart beat are almost gone, for now. I've been taking (in addition to the usual supplements) 200mg of Q10(the capsules also contain vitamin-E) and up to 1200mg of magnesium citrate-up to the point that my stomach went crazy(loose). I have lowered the dose now. I'm also having a break doing any coffee enemas and taking more than 1g of ascorbic acid. Letting things settle...

I read this morning in a book on vitamins and minerals that magnesiumsupplements wouldn't be taken just after a meal because this mineral neutralizes the acidity of the stomach

my two cents

fille des bois


Edit=Quotes

 

[ScottD]

I've been scouring the forum for the past hour or so in search of information regarding heart issues. This past week my girlfriend has been experiencing severe chest pains right before sleep usually with a marked drop in blood pressure (she gets cold). She's only 31 and currently without insurance so naturally she's a bit concerned over the whole thing, as am I. At first I thought it was just gas buildup but since it keeps happening I am concerned it may be some form of angina. It's odd as this all seemed to start once she started on a Magnesium supplement that stated it was "high absorption" but we found out later that it contains Bioperine. I dug a bit and found that Piperine can cause chest pains in rare cases so I told her to stop taking it to see if the pain ceased. Last night she had one of the most severe attacks yet.

I'll be applying the advice here to get her going on some Magnesium Taurate and CoQ10 regardless but I want to try and eliminate any other possible causes. Is there anything else anyone would recommend as an immediate approach?

Hopefully I'm not hijacking this thread but I didn't want to start a new one on a very similar subject.

 

[Gaby]

Hi ScottD,

Does the pain is pretty much fixed in her chest? Does it get worse when she inhales? Does it irradiate somewhere? Does laying in a fetal position relieves the pain?

She is young, so it is entirely possible it could be due to pancreatitis or other gastrointestinal pain. Tell her to eat simple, pretty much like the elimination diet (ultra simple diet). But if the pain gets worse, she rather go to the doctor.

 

[ScottD]

Hi ScottD,

Does the pain is pretty much fixed in her chest? Does it get worse when she inhales? Does it irradiate somewhere? Does laying in a fetal position relieves the pain?

She is young, so it is entirely possible it could be due to pancreatitis or other gastrointestinal pain. Tell her to eat simple, pretty much like the elimination diet (ultra simple diet). But if the pain gets worse, she rather go to the doctor.

She said that last night it started with a dull pain in the back and she decided to lay down and that's when it got worse and moved to the chest. She hasn't stated that it increases in pain when inhaling but she has said her left arm will feel heavy during the attack(s). I don't think she's tried laying in a fetal position. If it was relieved then, would that be indicative of a gastro issue?

We're steadily working on the diet for sure and we'll try to stay simple to keep things monitored.

Yes, hopefully a doctor visit can be avoided since that's a costly prospect that I cannot afford at the moment.

 

[Gaby]

She said that last night it started with a dull pain in the back and she decided to lay down and that's when it got worse and moved to the chest. She hasn't stated that it increases in pain when inhaling but she has said her left arm will feel heavy during the attack(s). I don't think she's tried laying in a fetal position. If it was relieved then, would that be indicative of a gastro issue?

We're steadily working on the diet for sure and we'll try to stay simple to keep things monitored.

Yes, hopefully a doctor visit can be avoided since that's a costly prospect that I cannot afford at the moment.

Well, it could be a pancreatitis. If it started in the back and got worse when she lay down. It can also feel like it hurts in the chest and it hurts pretty badly. Monitor carefully, she should have smaller meals throughout the day instead of big meals (the ultra simple diet menu, no alcohol, gluten, hot spices, dairy, etc). If she is not hungry, then she should have only broths or juices. It will help if she can have digestive enzymes and DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice), that would put her digestive system to rest. Then you'll know better if it is gastrointestinal. Otherwise it can be an inflammation of the layers which cover the lungs and the heart as well. It's hard to tell without an appropriate medical history. But no matter what, she should eat like in the elimination diet and have other supplementation, including vitamin C. See dose calculation here: http://eiriu-eolas.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=14#p130

 

[Laura]

Yeah, sure sounds like pancreatitis - and I know that one very well! Main thing is to eliminate ALL simple carbs, caffeine, anything that will activate the pancrease/insulin. Let it REST. You do NOT want to go where chronic pancreatitis can take you.

 

[ScottD]

Well, it could be a pancreatitis. If it started in the back and got worse when she lay down. It can also feel like it hurts in the chest and it hurts pretty badly. Monitor carefully, she should have smaller meals throughout the day instead of big meals (the ultra simple diet menu, no alcohol, gluten, hot spices, dairy, etc). If she is not hungry, then she should have only broths or juices. It will help if she can have digestive enzymes and DGL (deglycyrrhizinated licorice), that would put her digestive system to rest. Then you'll know better if it is gastrointestinal. Otherwise it can be an inflammation of the layers which cover the lungs and the heart as well. It's hard to tell without an appropriate medical history. But no matter what, she should eat like in the elimination diet and have other supplementation, including vitamin C. See dose calculation here: http://eiriu-eolas.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=7&t=14#p130

Thanks Psyche. I am leaning more towards the inflammation of heart/lungs just due to the fact that she's not exhibiting the other symptoms of pancreatitis. We will proceed as if it is pancreatits though just to make sure, as I don't think it will hurt and will probably only help. She has had plenty of stomach related issues in the past, so it's not unreasonable. Her medical history is laden with auto-immune (epstein barr)/fibro/CFS and the 3-ring circus of professional medicine that was hoisted upon her, while the doctors tried to figure things out. She barely escaped it all with her life. She and I both have a long way to go to correct our lifestyles but we're making a conscious effort to do so with diet and supplementation. I even got her going on EE not too long ago :)

I believe she's part of my life lesson. Without her plethora of illnesses I may not have become so well read with health/diet.

Yeah, sure sounds like pancreatitis - and I know that one very well! Main thing is to eliminate ALL simple carbs, caffeine, anything that will activate the pancrease/insulin. Let it REST. You do NOT want to go where chronic pancreatitis can take you.

I really hope it isn't! After reading up on it it sounds nearly worse than any kind of angina or heart related issues. Yuck!

Thank you both for your insight!


Edited to fix the quotes.

 

[Laura]

Yeah, sure sounds like pancreatitis - and I know that one very well! Main thing is to eliminate ALL simple carbs, caffeine, anything that will activate the pancrease/insulin. Let it REST. You do NOT want to go where chronic pancreatitis can take you.

I really hope it isn't! After reading up on it it sounds nearly worse than any kind of angina or heart related issues. Yuck!

Thing is, if you are having a heart attack that hurts as bad as a serious attack of pancreatitis, you probably die pretty quick. That's a blessing!

 

[ScottD]

Thing is, if you are having a heart attack that hurts as bad as a serious attack of pancreatitis, you probably die pretty quick. That's a blessing!

I can't imagine then! All the more reason to become proactive on both sides of this equation to prevent either from happening. She's come through so much in her life to be hounded by yet more issues like this.

I feel fortunate to have made it to my mid thirties without any debilitating problems like she's had, but it does open my thinking to potentials.

 

[Gaby]

I am leaning more towards the inflammation of heart/lungs just due to the fact that she's not exhibiting the other symptoms of pancreatitis.

Most of the typical signs and symptoms for pancreatitis are for the classical malnourished alcoholic or the infamous gallbladder stone that got stuck in the pancreatic duct. She may not have all the classical symptoms and still have an episode of pancreatits for other reasons. For instance related to her medical history.

She should read Beating and Treating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It is an excellent book synthesizing a lot of the best alternative health protocols. You can get it here: http://www.treatingandbeating.com/ Our elimination diet is still the best, but that book contains a lot of invaluable information.

 

[ScottD]

Most of the typical signs and symptoms for pancreatitis are for the classical malnourished alcoholic or the infamous gallbladder stone that got stuck in the pancreatic duct. She may not have all the classical symptoms and still have an episode of pancreatits for other reasons. For instance related to her medical history.

She should read Beating and Treating Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. It is an excellent book synthesizing a lot of the best alternative health protocols. You can get it here: http://www.treatingandbeating.com/ Our elimination diet is still the best, but that book contains a lot of invaluable information.

Ok, I'll add that to her reading list. I just gifted her with the Autoimmune Epidemic book and she quickly became the anti-toxin queen of the house and she's now making her own cleaning products :) I'm currently working through the UltraPrevention book and she'll be reading it next. The bookstore didn't have the other Ultra books at the time but I think there is ample information within this forum to put it all together along with everyone's recommendations for what to alter or add.

While we were out today I picked up the DGL as you advised as well.

Curious, would pancreatits cause pain as she described as "clenching and steadily increasing in severity"? After she took the Mg Taurate and CoQ10 last night she did say right before bed she had a slight ache but it quickly went away and nowhere near the pain that she had the other night. I want to keep my bases covered with this but still would like to pinpoint one way or the other so as to focus energy on pancreatitis or a heart problem.

Again thank you Psyche for your time regarding this.

 

[Gaby]

I just gifted her with the Autoimmune Epidemic book and she quickly became the anti-toxin queen of the house and she's now making her own cleaning products :)

That sounds good! Maybe she'll be interested in sharing the recipes for her cleaning products :)

I'm currently working through the UltraPrevention book and she'll be reading it next. The bookstore didn't have the other Ultra books at the time but I think there is ample information within this forum to put it all together along with everyone's recommendations for what to alter or add.

Mark Hyman's research is very good, although it has some holes. I don't like some of his recommendations either. We'll have to put our own research and recommendations together. We've been collecting so much invaluable information and experience.

While we were out today I picked up the DGL as you advised as well.

That is a handy supplement to have. It can sooth gastric pains immediately.

Curious, would pancreatits cause pain as she described as "clenching and steadily increasing in severity"? After she took the Mg Taurate and CoQ10 last night she did say right before bed she had a slight ache but it quickly went away and nowhere near the pain that she had the other night. I want to keep my bases covered with this but still would like to pinpoint one way or the other so as to focus energy on pancreatitis or a heart problem.

Yeah, it can be clenching and steadily increasing in severity. Then, it can get ungodly painful.

 

[Laura]

Curious, would pancreatits cause pain as she described as "clenching and steadily increasing in severity"? After she took the Mg Taurate and CoQ10 last night she did say right before bed she had a slight ache but it quickly went away and nowhere near the pain that she had the other night. I want to keep my bases covered with this but still would like to pinpoint one way or the other so as to focus energy on pancreatitis or a heart problem.

Yeah, it can be clenching and steadily increasing in severity. Then, it can get ungodly painful.

I can testify to that. And it comes in waves. It grabs hold of you and increases until you think you are gonna die (if it is a really bad attack) - and just when you desire death above all things, it begins to abate. But then, it comes back again. And again. And again. Every time the bile duct contracts, you feel pain with those contractions.

 

[WhiteBear]

...in some hard cases people have breathing problems or a belling cough attack through the acid reflux problem as cause.

I have a problem with minor arrhythmia, but it's not really very prominent, no more than a skip or two a week. What was bothering me to the point of an almost panic-attack was the coughing...they would happen with absolutely no warning. If it started at the end of an exhale, I found myself locked up, unable to breathe -or- cough, and would pass out. That's some scary stuff, especially when it happens during driving. A nurse that my wife ran into at work tipped her off that it might be an acid reflux problem, so I started taking Prilosec, and the cough went away after a couple of weeks.

 

[ScottD]

That sounds good! Maybe she'll be interested in sharing the recipes for her cleaning products :)

Absolutely! She's been the one teaching me lately about toxins :D. I'll see if I can put together a couple recipes to get the ball rolling in another thread soon. I'd be interested myself in seeing what others are using for cleaning supplies.

That is a handy supplement to have. It can sooth gastric pains immediately.

I'll be sure to keep it in stock then! The licorice flavor/smell is a bit off-putting to us both but, if it can quelch the flames, I'm sure it will be a welcome supplement.

I can testify to that. And it comes in waves. It grabs hold of you and increases until you think you are gonna die (if it is a really bad attack) - and just when you desire death above all things, it begins to abate. But then, it comes back again. And again. And again. Every time the bile duct contracts, you feel pain with those contractions.

The more you describe it the more I am leaning towards this as being the issue now. Wow Laura, it seems as if you've been a guinea pig for every ailment out there. Zero envy on this end of the table