Myocarditis recovery

[tn99]

I am a 48 yr old male who was diagnoised with viral myocarditis 4 months ago.  My EF at one point was 12% but has since been 49% to 65%.  I have always been very active, a non-smoker, non-drinker, no history of high BP or heart disease, which the doctors attributed my thus-far recovery to.  At present time I am on Coreg CR, sivastatin, 81 mg. aspirin and 3000 mg of fish oil.  I was following a low-salt diet at the advice of my doctors but have since been instructed to increase my daily salt intake.  I have had a echocardiogram w/bubble test, stress test, several ultrasounds with results indicating that a heart cath is not necessary at this time.  My questions are 1. Has anyone experienced skin sensitivity around the heart area? 2. Muscle and joint discomfort? 3. Does anyone know what a normal recovery time is?
Any help or suggestions will be appreciated.

[Jane159]

Did the doc tell you what infection it was?
Just a thought Lyme Disease effects the nerves eg you become electrosensitive.
Cutting back on salt is a misnomer that so many conventional doctors have got into a grove. Someone somewhere found there was too much salt in the blood of heart patients without knowing enough about biochemistry.

Salt or sodium gets precipertated out in the blood; in otherwords a metabolic shift occurs. Whereas in truth it magnesium levels that are low hence the salt comes out of solution.  Something to do with basic chemistry.

Cutting back on salt may make it harder to fight infections as salt is an antiseptic.
Some Lyme experts are saying low salt intake may lead to more infections.
The blood and the tissue level are not always the same..

I would take a teaspoon of salt (rock) in water: A couple of times a day as an antiseptic
and incease foods containing magnesium cheese, bread suppliments.
Obviously keep an eye on your blood pressure. But its doubtful its the salt:

[tn99]

Tests were inconclusive as to what type infection caused the virsus.  Best guess was a Cosaki "B"(know its spelled wrong) which there are hundreds of.  I'm sure the low-salt diet was/is for deterring water retention in the body which makes the heart have to work harder. Have you had any experience with myocarditis?

thanks for your response

[Jane159]

Not myocaritis but Lyme which can effect the heart..
Your saying too much fluid round the heart the low salt was supposed to help that?
I would thought it was really the infection causing the fluid.

IV antibiotics and diretics would of been a better choice.

Homeopathic Belladona might be a thought.
Can you take asprin? Short term for a few weeks or Willow bark to help the blood.
Long term use might result in digestive bleeding..

[tn99]

Low salt is beneficial to the body in general to reduce water retention, thus helping the heart that has been attacked with a virus, not have to work as hard at pumping, along with beta blockers, etc. This allows the heart to "heal". Since it was viral, antibiotics won't help.  Right now, he is on Coreg, Simvastatin, aspirin, fish oil.  Appreciate the suggestions.

[Jane159]

Your right about the use of antibiotics, but its unlikely the infections was is just viral as they did not ID exactly what it was:
Its like going to the doc with a complaint; and he says there`s a lot of it about..
Its likely your infections contains both aspects.

Both viral and bacterial. Many blood test the lab, are inconclusive.
The salt and the roll it play`s in fluid retention has been mismatched.
Some lab person 10/20years ago misinterpreted what he saw. If you put your magnesium levels up your sodium level will fall without reducing the intake.
While sodium levels appear high or normal in the blood the metabolic shift in the tissue means the sodium is in fact low, not high.

Many of the blood tests really need a loading test to see what the biochemistries upto.
That means salt or another chemical is added vire a vein a sample is taken before and then after the chemical is added..

If the sodium level remains unchanged its likely the tissue has not enough sodium.
It may even start to fall as the body tries to replace its missing elements..
It has to be counter balanced with other parts of the chemistry as well.

Hence its too time consuming in most cases. So it ends up "one rule fits all."

Most docs are not up on biochemistry anyway.

As for the pain in the heart area: The heart is a muscle; as the doc says its muscle strain in a way it probably is. Only its being referred to the surface of the skin.
Like the brain does not feel pain.. But you get a headache.

Its when you get pain down the arms and up the neck you know somethings possibily up... Maybe rubbing the chest with liniment or arnica, that then will be absorbed through the skin into the nerves and back to the heart...

Manuka honey in oil could be rubbed anywhere on the skin: To bloost your immunity or
take the honey.. You need to look at antioxdence vit C, E fish oil.

You got the infection because your immune system was over loaded.