Heart problems

[ttdub]

Thank you all for the great replies! I am going to start wearing a heart monitor. I guess the goal is to find out what's wrong. The problem is that I haven't been diagnosed with sjogrens yet (I'm close). I will have to find out what's wrong then hopefully they will link it to possible sjogrens 

[cremer]

Best of luck and please let us know the results.

[sage]

All the best ttdub - let us know how it goes!

[Navigator]

ttdub

Do you have a thyroid issue or are you on synthroid or anything like that?  Overmedication with thyroid replacements can cause racing heart beats....as can hyperthyroidism.

[susan]

I have thought that my heart issues have some correlation with the Sjogrens & Stills Disease that I have. Have mitral valve prolapse with regurgitation, and accelerated (for my age) coronary artery disease.
The cardiologist makes no connection between the autoimmune problems & the heart disease. The rheumatologist is suspicious.
I have fabulous HDL & LDL levels, eat healthily, still exercise most days----the cardiologist has done a Berkeley lab to check for genetic "things" that might have caused the coronary artery disease acceleration. I still think it is yet another gift from the Sjogrens:)

[cremer]

I have thought that my heart issues have some correlation with the Sjogrens & Stills Disease that I have. Have mitral valve prolapse with regurgitation, and accelerated (for my age) coronary artery disease.
The cardiologist makes no connection between the autoimmune problems & the heart disease. The rheumatologist is suspicious.
I have fabulous HDL & LDL levels, eat healthily, still exercise most days----the cardiologist has done a Berkeley lab to check for genetic "things" that might have caused the coronary artery disease acceleration. I still think it is yet another gift from the Sjogrens:)

Mine worked the other way Susan, my rheumatologist said there was no connection between my Sjogrens and my heart disease but my cardiologist done a few CT scans and said that quite a few of my arteries throughout my body were inflammed and via CT scans he decided to pick and choose what arteries to use for the grafts.

I still say my Sjogrens is to blame and it acted more like SLE (lupus) acts on the heart but it's to involved for the docs to spend time discussing it.

[susan]

Cremer,
I think you are right on target when you say that the Sjogrens "acted like" Lupus & in so doing caused the arteries to plaque up.
You are also right when you mentioned that the docs don't have time to sort it out! I suppose it doesn't really matter (at this point) since it is managed the same way regardless of the cause.
Thanks for sharing your experience! Makes me feel saner:)

[irish]

I know absolutely nothing about this subject, but I am with the people who say to see a cardiologist for any heart issues. The bottom line is that it really doesn't matter what is causing the irregular heart rate at the beginning as the important thing is to get tested and get the heart rate under control.

Also, any autoimmune disease revolves around inflammatory reactions in the body. Just about every type of organ/tissue, etc has connective tissue in or around it so that is always somehow involved. The thyroid affects the heart big time and the lipid level. It just goes on and on.

All we can do is see the right doc and get medication, right diet, get meds for high BP, diabetes, thyroid disease. The list goes on and on. All this stuff ultimately affects the heart and the vessels. And, don't forget being overweight---that is really a biggie.

So if any of us live and breathe on this earth we are prime for heart issues, especially with the AI issues and a history of heart issues in the family. I think that possible the chicken or the egg will cause researchers to scratch their heads for a long time.

Also, a lot of the rhuematologists that I have talked with are not always interested in some of the more complicated parts of the autoimmune reactions. They like to keep it simple. I really think that if they can keep their practice centered around RA and fibro, etc they feel more in control. The first rheumy I had just looked blank when it started getting too deep. Just my humble opinioin.

This was a very interesting thread folks. Thanks for all the info. Irish

[ttdub]

I haven't seen the cardiologist but the doctor said I have a mild disrythmia from the results of my heart monitor I've been wearing.

[cremer]

What type of dysrhythmia do you have slow or fast. After I had my bypass about 2 days after for some reason my heart beat rose to 200 beats a minute and I went into tachycardia, I managed to self reverse this myself before the doctor came, and it has never occured since but it was scary.

Has the doctor taled to you about pacemakers?

[tsalyers100]

Hi, I'm new to this site.  Please excuse the intrusion.  I hope I'm not breaking any rules by cutting in here.  I think I have some input for you.

I've had Sjogrens for about twelve years.  I, too, have heart problems.  In my case it is valve disease, and tachycardia.  My doctor is also saying it can't be caused by Sjogrens.  I believe it is.  I had open heart surgery four years ago to repair my mitral valve.  At that time, my doctor told me it would last for about ten years.  Now, they are telling me it won't last even another year, and I'll have to have a mechanical valve inserted.  Also, only the Mitral valve and the aortic valve were affected at that time.  Now, the bicuspid valve is affected, too. 

On top of this, last night, I think I had a seizure.  I am so tired of doctors, I didn't even bother to call the squad.  Sometimes, you just need a break from it all, you know?

Toni

[jcbritguy]

In regards to tsalyers100 remarks, last year I had a heart attack which caused me to have Mitral Valve Regurgitation (I have not had repair surgery yet).  In addition to this I was only diagnosed last year with SjS, Fibro, Raynaud's & Coeliac Disease.  For more than a decade I kept telling my doctors(s) that there was something wrong (I gave them a list of what was bothering me) & nothing was done & I was never tested for anything beyond diabetes.  Because of being ill & in chronic pain for many years I practically lived on Advil (NSAID's).  I believe the Advil combined with my illnesses created my heart condition(s), as I exercised frequently & ate properly + I never showed heart abnormalities in the past.  My cardiologist, rheumatologist & internist all stated that my illnesses did not create my heart attack, etc.  To this I say that they are wrong, as too many people I've known with auto-immune illnesses have had cardiac issues.

My overall experience with physicians has been far from great & I find that too many have difficulty in going beyond what they read in their text books or medical journals.  Somehow we patients need to push our doctors to open up their eyes and see beyond what is right in front of them.

[irish]

jcbritguy, I am wondering how many people will say that the Advil should have helped to prevent the cardiac problems because of its anti-inflammatory effect.

Autoimmune issues can cause some of the heart issues that is for sure, but I think you would be hard pressed to find many cardiolgists who are of this opinion. It would sure change the treatment of heart disease if they proved it was true.

Meanwhile we all must follow the cardiologists treatment plan and maybe do a few little things from the holistic medicine plans--- making sure that our doc approves the safety of any product we use. irish

[jcbritguy]

Irish, all NSAIDS (which Advil/Ibuprofen is a apart of) after heavy & prolonged use can create heart damage.  I myself used Advil nonstop for 25 years as I was in nonstop pain.  The interesting part is that I told the physicians I had been seeing about this & known had anything to say.

Also, I never mentioned anything about Holistic medicine nor not following the treatment plan.

[ttdub]

I found out that I have: Supraventricular tachycardia