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4939681 tn?1361299299

Low blood pressure

Me, again!  Sorry, I pose so many questions, but with so many symptoms it is impossible ( even with 2 hr appts) to cover everything during a dr visit.  
Update to cover previous posts:  I have a neuro opthamologist appt tomorrow.  Appt with vasculitis clinic is being set up (though, I don't propose anything will come of it).  LLMD is calling me back regarding the addition of LDN to my daily pile of pills and for permission to step up doxy to at least 200 a day.  I am also still pondering getting an opinion from another LLMD.  Made an appt with dermatologist regarding ACA possibility from "back surgery" post.

Today's question is about my chronic low blood pressure.  It gets so low that it usually sets off the bells and whistles of the expensive Bp machines and when a nurse is manually taking it, it's so low that they take it several times to be sure they've done it right.  Lately, it's been about in the 80/50-ish mark.  Considering that I was a smoker and eat mainly a fatty/high sodium diet, it concerns me, as those things should have me in a higher range.  I get very dizzy and black out nearly every time I stand.  The drs solution was "get up slower", but that doesn't make a difference.  I believe a lot of my dizziness, fatigue, shakiness, weakness, and heart skipping beats issues to be due to the low blood pressure, but doctors seem only concerned with high Bp values and have no recommendations for me.  Does anyone know if Lyme affects Bp or does anyone else suffer from low Bp and have a recommendation?  I think low Bp should be taken more seriously if symptoms are bothersome, so I'm frustrated that drs aren't investigating.  
Thanks, in advance!

47 Responses
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5248641 tn?1367587247
I do not eat sugar in any form even fruit for periods of time to help starve lyme and yeast. I also believe strongly in adding as much organic greens to help your body repair itself. I agree with the farmers market season. Its the best..
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4939681 tn?1361299299
Totally, agree with all of you in that it is an experiment process to find what foods are best to get rid of or add to your diet.  Not one diet works for all.  

Rico- sounds like a neat test.  Was that self-ordered?  Speaking of antioxidants I was just reading about glutathione and it is apparently the best antioxidant available (supplementwise).  I know I've read others on here say that they are taking it.  Were you one of them?  I just bought a sublingual version and I'm excited to try it!

Also, in regards to magnesium and Calm being too sweet, I also bought Life-flo magnesium oil.  Thought that tansdermal magnesium might work better for me.  Any thoughts?
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Avatar universal
I did another BioScan today, which measures the levels of antioxidants in the blood.  There are five zones, and the first time I was at the top of the orange zone (fourth worst). Next time, I moved up to the bottom of the yellow zone.  Then, I backed off on juicing due to the gas it was giving me. Also, I've been eating a lot of frozen meals while I'm solo parenting for 2 weeks.  And today, on my third scan, I'm down to the low end of the orange zone, less than half what it should be.  Yikes!

It was a harsh wake up call on my eating. Even though I feel better overall than last appointment, my oxidative stress is most likely higher.  Back to the juicing. I'm wondering what the BioScan machine costs. I'd like to check everyone in the family on a regular basis.

I'm happy about farmers' market season, too!  It's definitely easier to get fresh organic produce.  
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Avatar universal

There are many people who are adversely affected by what they eat (vis a vis Lyme). I'm not denying that.

On the other hand there are many who are not. I tried every diet known and adhered to them religiously: no sugar, no nightshades, no gluten, no 'yeast' foods, no lactose, vegetarian (which was one I found very easy to do but it didn't help my symptoms), no caffeine on and on and on. Of course not all at once (grin) or I would have to had learned to exist on air and kale. Oh, and I love kale, so don't take that wrong.

The best I ever felt in the last couple of decades was when I found the abx that worked for me. Before and during those wonderful years I ate 'normally'  and sensibly.

But if you find that, say, beef or sugar affects you adversely----- then it makes sense to quit them. My experience is not yours and vice versa. We're all different.
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Avatar universal
Hi Jackie,
I am the one who commented about the sugar in Gatorade, the tea and the tomatoes being "bad for you." Although I injected some light humor into that post because I am always in trouble for my consumption of Gatorade....let me clarify my statement, the sugar is bad because according to my LLMD the Lyme bugs feed on the sugar ~ these are her exact words not mine. I have read that some people have terrible reactions to the smallest amounts of sugar like GI upset, fatigue, general malaise and other people tolerate it just fine.

The tea is bad not because of the caffeine but because it is a diuretic. All teas, whether they are caffeinated or decaffeinated, sweetened or unsweetened, all act as diuretics therefore they cause you to lose fluids. If someone has dehydration issues or only drinks tea all day long and never consumes any water, then they may have a problem (in the words of a well trusted nephrologist, the kidneys like water ~ as long as they are normal functioning kidneys).

The tomatoes are nightshades (like you mentioned) which contribute to inflammation and can cause joint swelling/discomfort. They can also cause stomach irritation and acidity. Once again, not all people are bothered by tomatoes but if you suffer from joint swelling already, it may be a consideration.

Hope that clarifies my post. In general, what I was saying is that we are all doing the best that we can and even though I am being yelled at for drinking my Gatorade, I still feel that it is helping to maintain my blood pressure (which is very low from POTS~postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome) so if the Lyme is eating a little bit of sugar I have to take that chance so I do not pass out on the floor whenever I stand up.

I think when it comes to our diets, we are trying to juggle a gluten free, dairy free, sugar free diet and we cannot always be perfect. Do the best that you can within reason and if you occasionally want a "treat" of something that is not going to make you ridiculously ill then by all means, go ahead and have it! We are already suffering enough. Live a little and enjoy your life too...within reason of course. :) Then go back on your diet. This is just my opinion.
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4939681 tn?1361299299
Funny, I  actually crave nuts and sunflower seeds;).  I crave sugar too though and you're right I feel terrible right after eating it!  I just went grocery shopping bc I have decided on a low gluten, low cow's milk, low sugar (notice I said low, free is a stretch as a busy mother of 4 young ones).  Hopefully that will make some sort of difference.  
I also just bought whey protein to see if that helps with the weight gain.
Thanks for the advice!!!
Better diets should be possible now that we are back in farmer's market seasons;)
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Avatar universal
Beef has some nutritional positives, and the occasional grass-fed, hormone free beef probably won't hurt anyone.  But since most beef is corn fed with antibiotics, resulting in a high fat content, and since it's hard to digest, it can be counterproductive for someone who's chronically ill.

For the year my Lyme was its worst, I found that beef would just park itself in my gut.  It took waaayyyy too long to digest and it was unpleasant. I only did that once or twice.  Now that my gut is much better, I splurge every few months and have a lean, grilled filet, usually when I know I need an iron boost.  I also chase it down with a couple papaya enzyme tablets which definitely help in digestion.

Frequent, high-fat beef consumption is just hard on a body and not helpful for a Lyme sufferer.
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Avatar universal
Beef is not ... a good source of protein?  I haven't had any red meat for years, so it's just an academic question ... but -- ?
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Avatar universal
I have also read that sugar is bad news for a Lyme patient. I have noticed that when I give in to a sugar craving and eat more than just a little, I feel terrible later.  I've some some articles from people friendly to good nutrition and natural remedies who say that sugar seems to suppress the immune system a bit.  I don't know if there are any scientfic studies on that, though.

Sugar definitely feeds yeast, especially on an empty stomach. If you're on antibiotics, you definitely don't want to drink any sugared drinks.  Eat watery fruit instead, such as melons in addition to drinking lots of water.  Add some lemon juice to your water, as it reduces your body's acidity, which helps the immune system and antibiotics to work better.

Since you're looking to put on weight rather than lose weight, you don't want empty calories.  You need nutrient and calorie dense foods to keep your weight up. You need plenty of protein, too.  Eggs, legumes, nuts, and lean grilled meats are good sources.  (Beef is not.)
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Avatar universal
Leila -- I don't know about dosage -- I'd go with what the bottle says ... More is not always better.  

Docs often aren't interested in stuff like that -- imo, it's one of failings of modern medical education.  Sigh!

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5248641 tn?1367587247
I take nystatin which was prescribed by my LLmd. Probiotics are a must.
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4939681 tn?1361299299
Great suggestion for the YeastCleanse!  I will look for it today as I needed to get a pill form of magnesium anyway.  The Calm is just way too sweet for me to handle anymore.  Thanks!

As far as the probiotics go, I take Metagenics "Ultraflora Balance" a 50/50 blend of Lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidobacterium lactis (15 billion live organisms).  Do you think one of those a day is enough?  Or should I bump up to 2 a day, since I'm on doxy 200, plaquenil 100, and LDN 1.5.  LLMD didn't really give instructions:(
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Avatar universal
After I was done with treating the massive yeast infection, I started taking supplements like one called YeastCleanse that is a variety of herbs that keep the yeast away.  The label on the bottle lists:

caprylic acid
pau d'arco
grapefruit seed extract
garlic
licorice
tea tree oil

(It also has Vit C, calcium, magnesium and zinc.)

There are other brands as well.
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Avatar universal
I got a systemic fungal infection from a particular kind of probiotic my LLMD insisted on, but there seems to be a genetic susceptibility in my family to fungal infections, so it doesn't affect everyone that way.  

The advantage to the type my LLMD recommended (brand name Florastor; generic name Saccharomyces boulardii, or S. boulardii for short) is that antibiotics don't wipe it out like 'regular' probiotics like acidophilus.  The reason is that Florastor is yeast-based, while acidophilus is bacterial.  Antibiotics kill the bacterial probiotics, but do not affect the yeast-based ones.  The acidophilus can be used, but it has to be at least 1-2 (?) hours before taking the antibiotics, so the antibiotics don't wipe out the bacterial probiotic.

(My problem was that I am yeast-sensitive, which is apparently rare, acc. to my LLMD.  Just sayin'.)

My fungal infection was not vaginal, it was systemic and in my blood stream.  The symptoms were a lot like Lyme (brain fog, fatigue), but I got very bloated, my eyes were red, my teeth felt loose, and I couldn't think straight.  I went on high doses of Diflucan and it killed the yeast infection, and stripped all sugars out of my diet till the yeast was killed off ... so no fruit, no sugar at all.  To be fair, my doc said he had 'never' seen that happen to anyone before, so this may well not apply to you.  Simply fwiw.

I don't know that you can overdose on the regular, acidophilus probiotics, just get a good brand (preferably one that is refrigerated in the store and has an expiration date on it and has if possible a variety of bacterial strains rather than only one, so I read.)
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1763947 tn?1334055319
I have been off all sugar for 8 months and do feel much better.
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4939681 tn?1361299299
Good reminder!  And it brings about another question I have:
How do you know if you have a yeast problem?  I mean, I'm taking my probiotic daily, but how would I know if I'm not taking enough and maybe have a candida problem???
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5248641 tn?1367587247
"Sugar in all its forms (except stevia) is a real problem when you have Lyme and are on antibiotics for months. With a weakened immune system and being on antibiotics...eating sugar is a recipe for disaster.

"Yeast overgrowth is a real problem for people taking long-term antibiotics, and yeast feeds on sugar. That's why many people (who have good LLMDs [Lyme-literate dotors) are on some sort of yeast control diet.  

I grabbed the info from a website, however I don't eat sugar or fake sugar as it has been noted by both llmds I have talked to to be best to be avoided completely if possible.
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4939681 tn?1361299299
Totally, agree!  Though, fresh produce is obviously best choice, it's not completely feasible for everyday life.  I will juice and see if I can freeze some, too, but the V8 can't hurt.  I guess, a Gatorade a day would make a good addition to an all water fluid intake, too.  As long as I'm cutting out sweet teas and sodas, the sugar in the Gatorade would be small in comparison.  Licorice tea sounds interesting, but not sure it would suit my taste buds;)
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Avatar universal
Personally, I wouldn't worry about the sugar content of Gatorade unless overweight is a problem for you or you are diabetic.  Sugar itself is not bad, it's just that it's in so many products these days.  Gatorade has useful electrolytes etc.  You might ask your doc if it's okay for you in particular if you're concerned.

Similarly, the caffeine in iced tea is not 'bad' -- unless you take so much it interferes with sleep.  Caffeine is a stimulant, but less so in tea than coffee.

I don't drink V8, don't like the taste of it, but if you are not getting vegetables otherwise, then why not drink it.  I don't know on what basis the comment was made that 'tomatoes are bad for you' -- they are in the nightshade family, but are not poisonous.

We would all like to make all our meals from fresh produce every day, but time, energy and money are considerations as well.  Do what you can reasonably do.  I take vitamins and supplements every day, for example.

Try not to stress -- I think you're doing fine.  >hug!<
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Avatar universal
Interesting about licorice tea---- I was about to 'caution' people about drinking licorice tea that ISN'T deglycyrrhized, then realized this topic is about increasing BP. Duh.

But I'll still issue a 'modified' warning since regular licorice (not DGL) can also mess up your potassium levels. I had a close friend who wound up in the hospital because she sipped licorice tea at work. Probably too much 'sipping'.

But it may be hard to find regular licorice anymore----
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Avatar universal
Has liquorice tea been mentioned? That raises the blood pressure.
I used to drink it when I had bad low blood presure problem and it did help a bit.

Gatorade helped me too! Maybe it's OK if you're not overweight..?
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Avatar universal
Apparently Gatorade is very bad for you because of its sugar content. I get yelled at for drinking it all the time. Ha! I have really low blood pressure too so I tend to drink it for the sodium content. I am already on IV fluids for cripes sake, you would think they could spare me a little Gatorade...grin.

Also, iced tea isn't good for you either. We can't have any fun. For someone in the south, like myself, that's like saying I can't drink water! Ah well...such is Lyme life.

Forget the V8 too...tomatoes are bad for you too. Guess you had better consider a juicer like Rico and hit the produce aisle soon. Heehee. I am going back to my clandestine Gatorade consumption and my stupid IV...
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Avatar universal
That sounds like a really good idea!
This condition is usually quite erratic so that really makes sense.
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5248641 tn?1367587247
"Amazingly, LDN can reduce inflammation and oxidative stress, modulate the immune system, and even inhibit cancer cell proliferation." So its claimed....

LDN is used for a vast majority of reasons. Be careful as you increase the dose. Do it slowly. It can have an opossite affect and you will get insomnia. Its terrible but short lived.

LDN has been studied or is undergoing clinical trials for pancreatic and head and neck cancers, Crohn’s disease, HIV/AIDS, neuroblastoma, melanoma, autism, Parkinson’s disease, lymphoma, multiple sclerosis and fibromyalgia lyme etc..

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