Hi, does anyone know if heart palpitations are linked to CFS? I don't read it as a common symptom, but I have CFS and heart palpitations.

Sometimes like tonight, I wake from a sound sleep to the sound of my heart beating in my ears and can feel it in my chest. Needless to say, this is disturbing my sleep and scares me a little too.

Upon arising, my heart races so I have wondered if I have NMH, Neurally Mediated Hypotension. I don't know much about this but I'll quote a book I read entitled The Brain Wellness Plan, by ...hmmm, I don't have the author's name. sorry. I only have a hard copy of the page I will quote.

Anyway, there is a whole chapter in the book on CFS and it states, \"The autonomic nervous system is responsible for ...functions of cardiac and...controls pulse and blood pressure.\" (pg. 178) The book suggests the \"tilt test\" to know if one has NMH. If I had the money, I would have the \"tilt test.\"

I think hypotension would make the heart beat less. My blood pressure has been low for a couple of decades and my heart beat has been fast for the same time. I'm in my 50's. I've looked at hormonal imbalance, depression, heart disease of course, and mineral loss. No intervention seems to permanently stop the palpitations.

Actually, the minerals did at first but then after a week or two on the magnesium, its efficacy seemed to deminish. The same is true for the potassium, zinc, selenium and CoQ 10. Maybe I'm not taking all of this in balanced doses. Is there a good multi-mineral that someone could recommend?

I'm at a loss right now to figure out what my heart needs to beat quietly, softly and slower. If it would beat 60-65 beats per minute, it would be the first time ever! I remember being 30 years old with a BP of 110/70 and a heart rate of 92, wondering why...even then.

So again, does anyone know anything about a connection between CFS and heart palpitations? or do you have any ideas? I sure do appreciate you for sharing.

Have a good night's sleep.

Sincerely,
gr8tful4life*

Hi gr8tful,

In recent years it has become apparent that major heart dysfunction is associated with CFS. Sufferers typically have low blood volume which results in low blood pressure.

As you mentioned there is also the issue of NMH in which the brain fails to regulate BP correctly by stimulating constriction of blood vessels and other mechanisms.

If you have low blood pressure or even simply temporary low blood pressure upon standing then the heart should beat faster to compensate and get blood to the brain and upper body.

The link between low blood pressure and rapid heart beat (tachycardia) in CFS is associated with a condition known as POTS (Postural Tachycardia Syndrome) - take a look at this article - Standing up for ME

For a great article by Dr. Paul Cheney about CFS and the heart see - The Heart of the Matter: CFS and Cardiac Issues

Hope this helps explain some of your problems!<br /><br />Post edited by: Maff, at: 2010/01/08 21:32

Maff, I am amazed! Thank you so much for sending me that link to the article! I can't believe I have had these heart symptoms for seven years and no one (I've been to docs who diagnosed me with CFS) told me the link between the heart and CFS. I have not seen heart symptoms on any lists for symptoms, that I've seen! After years of wondering and seeking answers why my heart pounds, I finally decided to ask (this forum) about CFS, and walahh! you shed light on my path! Wow! I just spent two or three hours reading the article and researching related topics. I'll admit it is a scary article in places but encouraging to in that it put some crucial puzzle pieces together, causing me to understand what is happening in my body and also offering action-oriented strategies with supplements and maybe prescriptions. (Although I am very reluctant to go there and doubt I will. Instead, I would prefer to try Martin L. Pall's line of products and natural alternatives.) Actually, I plan to share the article with my new MD, as well as my current naturopath, and see what they think.

I am a little confused by the article stating that too much potassium can worsen CFS and then suggesting the patient take some. If you understand that part of the article and can explain this I sure would appreciate it, but it is a long article and somewhat complicated for me in places. So it's okay.

I went to the website where the article originated and found a link to Mickel Therapy Treatment For CFS ME And Fibromyalgia popped up. Although I question Mr. Mickel's motives, his online \"video\" opened my eyes to the role emotions may play in CFS. I started researching the Hypothalamus and found it said to be the emotion gland. So in addition to doing the physical care necessary for healing, I am motivated to sing daily and start playing my guitar again. Something creative is great! I've got to find an online job that I can do while I recover but maybe I'll write the rest of my book too. Maybe I can work a few hours a day and write my book a couple hours a day. That's alot of pc time, but if my body can rid itself of the EMFs, I'm excited to write my book!

I've been eyeing my guitar for weeks... and with the mention of CFS being in any way connected to the \"seat of emotion\" gland, I'm willing to feed that baby happy juice!

Like I said, the article you sent was like Dr. Pall's book, \"Explaining Unexplained Illnesses\" in that it gave me serious biological explanations and therapeutic protocols that I can employ toward healing, but the link to the hypothalamus deeply encourages me to return to my first love--singing and playing my guitar. I'm bedridden right now, bored and unable to get up for more than a few minutes at a time, due to the heart thing, but as long as their is breath in me, I want to sing.

sincere hugs for helping me today,
gr8tful*

p.s. I'm also excited to go to the dentist Monday and get more mercury out of my teeth. I never thought I would be so happy about going to the dentist! Amazing turnaround from my fearful posts of a month ago!

Today, January 13, 2009, I am editing this post because on Monday 11, 2009, I had the fortune of having ALL of the mercury removed from my teeth! As I was in the dental chair, my pulse remained in the 90's. Since then, it has remained on the fast side, although beating with less \"pound\" in each beat.

However, yesterday the pressure was so minute in my chest area that I took what I remember to be my FIRST DEEP BREATH in months---without feeling a sharp pain in my chest.

This morning, I woke and for the first time in a year, noticed without the sound of heartbeat pounding in my ears. Upon standing and moving about the house, my heartbeat was noticeable at 104: still too high. However, it was a softer beat, less pounding, more \"normal\" beat, thus I felt less weakened by the stress of an overworking heart.

I am injesting excellent oral detoxification supplements and because of the improvements reported above, I trust that as time progresses my heart will beat more and more normally.

For today, I am ENJOYING EVERY DEEP BREATH i take.

(I wonder how many of Dr. Lerner's patients were mercury poisoned by amalgams (or other mercury toxicity sources such as immunizations.) I wonder if Dr. Lerner insisted that they have their amalgams removed from their teeth. Further, I wonder if Dr. Pall recognizes mercury as a component in CFS and/or his Tenth Paradigm. I failed to find any mention of mercury in Pall's book.)

Post edited by: gr8tful4life, at: 2010/01/09 04:07<br /><br />Post edited by: gr8tful4life, at: 2010/01/13 18:59

Im glad to hear of your improvement since having your fillings removed. I developed pneumonia last year which has left me with all the symptoms of ME, and I too had this pounding heart which sometimes I could also feel in the throat area. As a Naturopath specializing in Celloid Mineral Therapy and having learnt a little on ATP production, my first instinct was to use PP.MP Potassium Phosphate and Magnesium Phosphate duo Celloids these are a highly concentrated form similar to tissue salts but more potent, they work in harmony with the bodies chemistry. These taken in warm water seemed to do the trick. If the brain became exhausted then I'd add S.79 which is Silica. Another great remedy for relaxing the heart is a herbal tea consisting of mistletoe, valerian and hawthorn.<br /><br />Post edited by: Elizabeth1960, at: 2010/03/25 14:55