Heart Pain - Why?

[TNT]

The last few days, I've been having heart pain. Kind of feels like my heart is being squeezed. I am NOT vaccinated. I stopped using estrogen about 3 months ago, so I'm detoxing from that, and I've been having horrible hot flashes and adrenaline surges (I'm a 51-yr-old female). I'm using plenty of progesterone.

Any idea why my heart could be hurting, in the context of what I've shared? I searched heart and menopause online, and they said sometimes the lack of estrogen from menopause causes heart pain. But According to Peat principles, menopause isn't a lack of estrogen -- it's too much of it. In any case, is it possible that my heart pain is just related to coming off estrogen (and the resultant hot flashes and adrenaline surges) or is that not likely to be related?

 

[yerrag]

What is your blood pressure and heart rate? Those are helpful markers for you that you could measure yourself.

There are others as well, such as temperature, oxygen saturation, and perfusion index (from newer oximeters). The perfusion index gives me an indication how much of mynblood flow comes from the pulsation of the heart. It goes to as high as 20%. And at a very low value of 0.2 % the spO2 value should not be used anymore.

Many times it is a case of acid base imbalance, and getting your urine and saliva pH, and your breathing rate, gives you an idea why your heart isn't pumping efficiently.

I know this doesn't answer your question on pain directly, but it still gives you a general idea of the general condition you're in.

More info leads to less guesswork.

I also entertain the idea that your heart is not as directly related to you getting off estrogen intake.

I find that doing your own tests at home and monitoring and logging them saves you from many trips to the doctors office. But it also can point to you taking some tests such as ECGs and blood tests.

My initial thoughts are to be predictably Peaty and recommend you take progesterone, but I like to know I have more than just a feeling of the pain disappearing as a basis.

I'm big on testing that I can do myself, and on the less costly blood tests and knowing how to interpret them. Their judicious use keeps me from needing health insurance to satisfy my need for more expensive tests the system likes us to get to the point of needing.

 

[TNT]

What is your blood pressure and heart rate? Those are helpful markers for you that you could measure yourself.

There are others as well, such as temperature, oxygen saturation, and perfusion index (from newer oximeters). The perfusion index gives me an indication how much of mynblood flow comes from the pulsation of the heart. It goes to as high as 20%. And at a very low value of 0.2 % the spO2 value should not be used anymore.

Many times it is a case of acid base imbalance, and getting your urine and saliva pH, and your breathing rate, gives you an idea why your heart isn't pumping efficiently.

I know this doesn't answer your question on pain directly, but it still gives you a general idea of the general condition you're in.

More info leads to less guesswork.

I also entertain the idea that your heart is not as directly related to you getting off estrogen intake.

I find that doing your own tests at home and monitoring and logging them saves you from many trips to the doctors office. But it also can point to you taking some tests such as ECGs and blood tests.

My initial thoughts are to be predictably Peaty and recommend you take progesterone, but I like to know I have more than just a feeling of the pain disappearing as a basis.

I'm big on testing that I can do myself, and on the less costly blood tests and knowing how to interpret them. Their judicious use keeps me from needing health insurance to satisfy my need for more expensive tests the system likes us to get to the point of needing.

Good questions, @yerrag . I just measured. My blood pressure is 109/70. Heart rate is 76. Oxygen saturation is 96%. Perfusion index is 0.3%. All pretty normal.

So you think getting off estrogen isn't likely to be the cause of this?

 

[yerrag]

Good questions, @yerrag . I just measured. My blood pressure is 109/70. Heart rate is 76. Oxygen saturation is 96%. Perfusion index is 0.3%. All pretty normal.

So you think getting off estrogen isn't likely to be the cause of this?

Hard to find a reason to pin the heart pain on estrogen.

I find that my heart rate at equilibrium- meaning given the sum total of my usual physiological and microbial state, which pegs my metabolic rate to one reflected in my usual heart rate - serves as a guide as to whether my heart rate is too strained or too relaxed. Too strained and it gets to be higher, and I don't have to have my heart rate reach 100 in order for it to be labeled tachycardia to note something is amiss, however inconsequential as it may seem. Too relaxed and it gets to be lower than my usual- I take note as well.

This is not to say that my usual heart rate is set in stone, but getting the body to truly improve its metabolic rate (without metabolic boosters) is difficult, as there are many factors involved.

My heart rate goes ranges gets to a median of 56 at night and 68 during the day. So if I'm at 85, I'm not as elated as I once was thinking my metabolic rate has improved and that my health is improving. I am more into thinking that my heart is not efficient at pumping and needs more effort to do the same amount of work.

If your heart rate is at 76, only with your knowledge of your own history would you know if that is the norm for you.

Your perfusion index is on very low of range. If you take readings throughout the day, you may see it go much higher. As it is, it is very low.

However, there is little written about the PI as a diagnostic tool so I'm taking a lot of liberties in using it. But I believe it has its use. It is like going to a TCM practitioner having to feel your pulse. At 0.3%, that may amount to a very faint pulse. And that isn't a sign of health.

I don't know if progesterone will help, but it's worth trying as progesterone improves both the lusitropy and chronotropy of the heartbeat. This means increasing heart rate and and the pumping efficiency.

See if you can feel and also quantify via these markers improvements in using progesterone.

 

[TNT]

Hard to find a reason to pin the heart pain on estrogen.

I find that my heart rate at equilibrium- meaning given the sum total of my usual physiological and microbial state, which pegs my metabolic rate to one reflected in my usual heart rate - serves as a guide as to whether my heart rate is too strained or too relaxed. Too strained and it gets to be higher, and I don't have to have my heart rate reach 100 in order for it to be labeled tachycardia to note something is amiss, however inconsequential as it may seem. Too relaxed and it gets to be lower than my usual- I take note as well.

This is not to say that my usual heart rate is set in stone, but getting the body to truly improve its metabolic rate (without metabolic boosters) is difficult, as there are many factors involved.

My heart rate goes ranges gets to a median of 56 at night and 68 during the day. So if I'm at 85, I'm not as elated as I once was thinking my metabolic rate has improved and that my health is improving. I am more into thinking that my heart is not efficient at pumping and needs more effort to do the same amount of work.

If your heart rate is at 76, only with your knowledge of your own history would you know if that is the norm for you.

Your perfusion index is on very low of range. If you take readings throughout the day, you may see it go much higher. As it is, it is very low.

However, there is little written about the PI as a diagnostic tool so I'm taking a lot of liberties in using it. But I believe it has its use. It is like going to a TCM practitioner having to feel your pulse. At 0.3%, that may amount to a very faint pulse. And that isn't a sign of health.

I don't know if progesterone will help, but it's worth trying as progesterone improves both the lusitropy and chronotropy of the heartbeat. This means increasing heart rate and and the pumping efficiency.

See if you can feel and also quantify via these markers improvements in using progesterone.

Thanx, @yerrag . 76 used to be normal for me, but in the last month or two, I've been more like around 90. Last week, I upped my progesterone a lot, and now I'm back down to 76.

Lemme ask you this -- if I had some sort of blockage in my heart, what sorts of measures would/should I expect to see with these things that I can measure myself?

 

[Dolomite]

I had what I thought was angina around menopause. I never used estrogen. Then later I used some progesterone cream at a time I wasn’t eating enough carbs and the adrenaline at night caused what I thought was angina. I quit the progesterone and focused on my diet and the angina went away. Your pain seems to be hormone related. Carbohydrates and calcium might be things to make sure you are getting enough of.

 

[TNT]

I had what I thought was angina around menopause. I never used estrogen. Then later I used some progesterone cream at a time I wasn’t eating enough carbs and the adrenaline at night caused what I thought was angina. I quit the progesterone and focused on my diet and the angina went away. Your pain seems to be hormone related. Carbohydrates and calcium might be things to make sure you are getting enough of.

Thank you, @Dolomite ! Why does progesterone without enough carbs cause a problem? Also, how does calcium help?

 

[yerrag]

Thanx, @yerrag . 76 used to be normal for me, but in the last month or two, I've been more like around 90. Last week, I upped my progesterone a lot, and now I'm back down to 76.

Lemme ask you this -- if I had some sort of blockage in my heart, what sorts of measures would/should I expect to see with these things that I can measure myself?

Since you have an oximeter, you would be able to observe the waves. If you do a search on plethysmographs and how to interpret them, you may observe some irregularities in those waves. They may tell you something. And if you want to look more into it, you can gain a better idea by having an ECG done and interpreted.

My own ECG tells me I had a previous myocardial infarct (though I hardly felt it) but it was on the right of my heart, which pumps to my lungs, and so the effect on my heart is less significant had it happened on the left side of my heart. It also tells me I have left ventricular hypertrophy, where the muscles become more fibrous due to the need to exert more force to create a higher blood pressure.

If you need to monitor your ECG, you can buy a personal ECG device. It doesn't do all an ECG device in clinics does, but it should still be useful enough. It can also give a QTc value, which is useful as a measure of whether one is hypothyroid or not.

 

[yerrag]

Thank you, @Dolomite ! Why does progesterone without enough carbs cause a problem? Also, how does calcium help?

I suspect progesterone triggers processes that use energy, and that the body has to be able to produce that energy. You can't run on empty.

 

[Peatful]

Katharina Dalton: The Dietary "musts" For Improving Progesterone (Hint: No Low Carb, No Starvation)

The great progesterone pioneer Dr. Katharina Dalton, who successfully improved the quality of life thousands of women -including many difficult cases with neurologic problems- by improving progesterone function in them, didn't seem to be very fond of low-carb and starvation / low calorie kind of...

raypeatforum.com

 

[TNT]

Since you have an oximeter, you would be able to observe the waves. If you do a search on plethysmographs and how to interpret them, you may observe some irregularities in those waves. They may tell you something. And if you want to look more into it, you can gain a better idea by having an ECG done and interpreted.

My own ECG tells me I had a previous myocardial infarct (though I hardly felt it) but it was on the right of my heart, which pumps to my lungs, and so the effect on my heart is less significant had it happened on the left side of my heart. It also tells me I have left ventricular hypertrophy, where the muscles become more fibrous due to the need to exert more force to create a higher blood pressure.

If you need to monitor your ECG, you can buy a personal ECG device. It doesn't do all an ECG device in clinics does, but it should still be useful enough. It can also give a QTc value, which is useful as a measure of whether one is hypothyroid or not.

@yerrag , what a wealth of information you are! I looked up the plethysmograph thing for a pulse oximeter, and I couldn't find anything talking about how to interpret the waves. Have you seen something like that?

If a doctor does an ECG, do they make you drink some sort of toxic contrast dye or something like that? And is there a difference in how much info you get from a doctor doing an ECG vs. getting your own home ECG device?

 

[yerrag]

@yerrag , what a wealth of information you are! I looked up the plethysmograph thing for a pulse oximeter, and I couldn't find anything talking about how to interpret the waves. Have you seen something like that?

If a doctor does an ECG, do they make you drink some sort of toxic contrast dye or something like that? And is there a difference in how much info you get from a doctor doing an ECG vs. getting your own home ECG device?

I'll see if I can find information later.

As for the ECG, no dyes are used. It's very safe. There is a lot more information from the ECG units 12 leads used. More high end units have 16 leads. Whereas with personal units, which uses 3 leads, there is much less information.

 

[TNT]

I'll see if I can find information later.

As for the ECG, no dyes are used. It's very safe. There is a lot more information from the ECG units 12 leads used. More high end units have 16 leads. Whereas with personal units, which uses 3 leads, there is much less information.

Thank you!

 

[sugarisgreat]

Good questions, @yerrag . I just measured. My blood pressure is 109/70. Heart rate is 76. Oxygen saturation is 96%. Perfusion index is 0.3%. All pretty normal.

So you think getting off estrogen isn't likely to be the cause of this?

I think it may be. I went through "the change" last year (age 51) and my heart feels weird at times. Husband got vax, but I did not.
I have the same normal blood markers as you do.
I have read reviews of various estrogen creams and many have mentioned that taking the cream made their heart stop hurting.
I don't know what the solution is. I started taking mitolipin and Pryrucet and it does help (but not 100%), but I have a three month supply and am only in the 3rd week.
I don't want to take estrogen cream because of everything I have read on this forum.

 

[Dolomite]

Calcium will help keep PTH lower and that will help keep cortisol, adrenaline and estrogen lower. I went to the ER with the chest pain but nothing showed on the ECG so they told me it was anxiety. It is good to have your heart checked out but eating enough carbohydrates often enough to keep the adrenaline from spiking will help your heart pains.

Quitting estrogen and then taking progesterone has changed the homeostasis in your body. It will take time to get adjusted. In the meantime keeping your adrenaline from spiking will help.

 

[Peatness]

Magnesium

 

[yerrag]

@TNT This is a short article on reading arterial line waveforms from the plethysmograph in an oximeter:

Pulse Oximeter Pleth (Plethysmograph)

Check out the deal on Pulse Oximeter Pleth (Plethysmograph) at AmperorDirect

www.amperordirect.com

Since a typical oximeter has a small screen, it can be hard to make out. There's not a lot of affordable instruments out there, but if you have a samsung galaxy note from note 4 up to 9, or a samsung galaxy s from s6 to s9, you can install an app called Heart Rate Analyzer and it will have many useful graphs for you to use:

Heart Rate Analyzer - Apps on Google Play

The App performs a comprehensive data analysis of Samsung heart rate sensor.

play.google.com

 

[TNT]

@TNT This is a short article on reading arterial line waveforms from the plethysmograph in an oximeter:

Pulse Oximeter Pleth (Plethysmograph)

Check out the deal on Pulse Oximeter Pleth (Plethysmograph) at AmperorDirect

www.amperordirect.com

Since a typical oximeter has a small screen, it can be hard to make out. There's not a lot of affordable instruments out there, but if you have a samsung galaxy note from note 4 up to 9, or a samsung galaxy s from s6 to s9, you can install an app called Heart Rate Analyzer and it will have many useful graphs for you to use:

Heart Rate Analyzer - Apps on Google Play

The App performs a comprehensive data analysis of Samsung heart rate sensor.

play.google.com

Thank you!

 

[Rinse & rePeat]

Not saying that I think you have angina because this is a new symptom for you, but for every person with angina, there is a first time, and they remember when they got their first symptom. It is better to think of all possible reasons and catch things early. My great grandmother had angina and she was a totally normal and busy person until her heart started feeling that squeeze.


"Angina is a type of chest pain caused by reduced blood flow to the heart. Angina (an-JIE-nuh or AN-juh-nuh) is a symptom of coronary artery disease."

Angina, also called angina pectoris, is often described as squeezing, pressure, heaviness, tightness or pain in your chest. Some people with angina symptoms say angina feels like a vise squeezing their chest or a heavy weight lying on their chest.

"It happens when some part of your heart doesn't get enough blood and oxygen. Angina can be a symptom of coronary artery disease (CAD). This occurs when arteries that carry blood to your heart become narrowed and blocked because of atherosclerosis or a blood clot."

Toddlers (3-5 years): very rare
Children (6-13 years): very rare
Teenagers (14-18 years): very rare
Young adults (19-40 years): common
Adults (41-60 years): very common
Seniors (60+ years): very common

 

[TNT]

Thanx, all. I found out I have pericarditis as a result of being exposed to vaccinated people who are shedding. I'm not vaccinated, but I'm very sensitive to whatever the vaxxies are shedding.