HEART HEALTH

My heart has been sick for almost 2 years. I've experienced everything from AFIB, tachycardia, sinus bradycardia and bradycardia. A pacemaker was discussed several times but never felt good about it and glad I never had one implanted. I've seen two cardiologists and two electrophysiologists and have had EKG's, stress tests, blood tests and a final MRI stress echo test to finally rule out the ugly, dangerous truth.

The MRI stress echo test went 90 minutes longer than normal because she kept losing my heart beat. The tech finally taped the oximeter around my finger or maybe it would have been the hopeful 60 min like she said at the start instead of 2 hours and 15 minutes. BIG SIGH!!!!

This test was very LONG and awful but it ruled out heart damage, myocarditis and any blockage or clots. I was very grateful to hear this news. So, I am currently being treated for pericarditis which mimics the same symptoms as myocarditis, without the heart damage. 

When my 1st cardiologist, now retired ran tests with me he confirmed that something was really wrong, he just didn't know what. It was validating and disconcerting all at the same time. Our visit finished and I remember running out to him to know how I could sleep at night and what would take the chest pains away. His advice..."eat more salt." I've known for sometime that you have to be your own advocate. If you wait for someone else to do the work for you, you'll be dead. I spent the next year and a half waiting, reading, researching and deciding to try things on my own because I had the urge to do so and I'm grateful I did. Who knows where I would be today. Answers to prayers came line by line, here a little and there a little.

I won't bore you with all the details and dead ends I ran into but I did find a formula that worked for me. If I followed it daily, I felt more strength and less discomfort.

1. Fluids: 2 - 40 oz Stanley's. 1st one with a liquid IV packet. It tastes better diluted. 2nd one was just water to sip through the day. (Trainer's formula is that you usually drink half your weight if you want it to absorb in your body.) Your heart is a muscle so electrophysiologist recommended drinking 120 oz at one point to clear out whatever was bothering my heart but it was too much, 80 oz was more than 1/2 my weight and I felt good about it.
2. 200-500 mg magnesium. My favorite are Garden of Life Magnesium gummies. I understand gummies absorb in your blood stream quicker. Magnesium can loosen stools so work your way up on dosage. It can help calm your body and heart.
3. Handful of salted nuts - another source of magnesium that can help chest pain and discomfort.
4. Hawthorn Berry 665mg - (Duration: 3-24 weeks). It may take 6-12 weeks to notice improvement. May cause dizziness. Holistic med to heal the heart while doing the other fluids and supplements.
5. Cardio Miracle - 2 scoops daily (Began taking 8/3/2024) Will finish last pouch and be done. (Cardio Miracle is a supplement with over 50 ingredients formulated to increase nitric oxide (NO) production. The supplement contains L-arginine, L-citrulline, Beetroot (high in dietary nitrates), L-Ornithine, CoQ10, as well as a blend of fruit and vegetable phytonutrients. You can try to find this supplement.)
6. Opi-Heart - 8/2024 2 capsules once a day for 1 month. https://www.optimalhealthsystems.com/products/opti-heart?tw_source=google&tw_adid=&tw_campaign=21232803481&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiApY-7BhBjEiwAQMrrEUWz_qpwBzpsQBb_qXVamO53csfVca5xdeb2V16r0XToX8mrJ6fCgBoC0ycQAvD_BwE
7. 81mg baby aspirin - took a little over a month.
8. On the second round of .6mg of colchicine to treat pericarditis.
9. Omega 3 eggs have been a huge staple for me and it helps your brain and heart health.

All the supplements were doctor ordered and I was able to use my HSA savings to pay for them which was nice. If you're able to do the same thing, make sure to save receipts and doctor notes.

(Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a type of irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, that causes the upper chambers of the heart to beat irregularly and often very quickly) AFIB can by caused by many things, including: Heart palpitations, Chest pain, Dizziness or fainting, Shortness of breath, Extreme fatigue, Lightheadedness, Reduced ability to exercise, Weakness.  

Tachycardia is a condition where your heart beats faster than normal, usually more than 100 beats per minute while resting. A normal resting heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. Tachycardia can be caused by many things, including: Stress or anxiety, Exercise, Fever, Alcohol or caffeine Certain medications or illegal drugs, An overactive thyroid, Anemia, Smoking or nicotine use, Heart attack.  

Sinus bradycardia is a heart rhythm where the sinoatrial (SA) node's electrical impulses are slower than normal, resulting in a heart rate below 60 beats per minute. Symptoms can include: Fatigue, dizziness, lightheadedness, confusion, fainting, shortness of breath, chest pain. Treatment is usually treating underlying conditions, adjusting medications, or implanting a pacemaker. 

Bradycardia is a type of abnormal heart rhythm, or arrhythmia. It can be caused by a number of things, including cardiovascular conditioning, aging, and certain medications.

Pericarditis is an inflammation of the pericardium, the thin, two-layered, fluid-filled sac that covers the outer surface of your heart. Symptoms may include: A sharp chest pain that may spread to the shoulders, neck, or back. The pain is often worse when lying down or breathing deeply, and better when sitting up. Other symptoms include fever, chills, sweating, shortness of breath, and feeling sick. 

This is now on the Google search. It wasn't before. It can be caused by a number of things, including viral or bacterial infections, chest injuries, inflammatory conditions, certain medications or vaccines, and other health problems.

Myocarditis is inflammation of the heart muscle, called the myocardium. The condition can reduce the heart's ability to pump blood. Myocarditis can cause chest pain, shortness of breath, and rapid or irregular heartbeats.

Infection with a virus is one cause of myocarditis. Sometimes myocarditis is caused by a medicine reaction or a condition that causes inflammation throughout the body.
Severe myocarditis weakens the heart so that the rest of the body doesn't get enough blood. Clots can form in the heart, leading to a stroke or heart attack. Treatment for myocarditis may include medicines, procedures or surgeries.