Exercise Induced Tachycardia/Affib: TMS??? Pls Help.

Hi,

I have a friend in his early 50s who is in extraordinarily great shape -- runs marathons, climbs mountains with a 70lb pack, etc. Recently, he developed what the doctors are calling "exercise induced tachycardia", it's also called afibrillation. Essentially, when he pushes himself during exercise (so transitions from a moderate run to a fast run, for example), his heart rate goes too high (160bbm) and he ends up feeling extraordinarily light-headed, dizzy, etc. It shuts his exercise session down.

The doctors are recommending ablation for his heart, and he's presently on Beta-Blockers when he wants to exercise (but he hates the meds and the side-effects). His EKG/MRI don't show any real issues with his heart from a physical perspective, but clearly something is going on, and ablation has -- I'm told -- a great outcome usually.

That being said, I have had extraordinary results in my own life from TMS theories and processes, I can't help but think his heart condition may be part of the TMS profile. He's type-A, a "man's man" (not super emotional on the outside) etc.

Has anyone heard of this condition responding to TMS/PPD theory? I don't want to lead my friend astray if this is purely something that can be "fixed" by ablation -- but so much of what he has said about it to me is ringing "TMS" bells for me. I'm also concerned to not give him bad advice because this is his heart we're talking about, and not, say, a sore muscle. I would feel terrible if he listened to me, didn't get treatment, and then had something terrible happen (heart attack, etc).

I would dearly love to hear your thoughts.

Thank you,
MokshaMoksha

 

I am not a doctor nor a nutritionist, but have been reading lately that people who run marathons, climb mountains, etc., need to have more magnesium in their body because it becomes depleted of that very essential mineral from perspiration and exertion. Most everyone today is magnesium deficient and it doesn't show up in blood tests. I think it would be worthwhile to look at the videos on Youtube about magnesium deficiency. Its cure is very simple and inexpensive with just taking some magnesium oil. I especially like the Youtube video by Dr. Carolyn Dean and by Dr. Josh Axe. Magnesium is a natural way to help 300 or more enzymes function better in the body. Most people don't know they're magnesium deficient but it is easily cured and worth looking into. I believe it goes along with TMS to cause pain. Emotional stress is a big cause of TMS and so is magnesium deficiency.

 

I would second Walt's comment on making sure the electrolyte balance/profile /deficiencies is addressed but I would assume it has already as doctors will check Potassium and other minerals in blood tests for suspected MI patients.

I actually wore a 24 holter ECG because I had really bad palpatations and was diagnosed with a benign arrythmia known as Wenkebach syndrome. it is not serious but reading up on it, I would attribute it 100% to self induced stress, mis managing stress etc. In other words, TMS!

 

Thanks for the responses so far. My friend listened to me explain "TMS" to him and has been implementing the tips I shared...and since then, he's had no afib going on. I'll wait a little while and see how he does. If anyone else has anything to share on this, please do.

 

I would still implore him to listen to the experts on this one. do what his Cardiologist recommends, the heart is not to be messed with!

 

Wondering how the friend fared? I just got back from the cardiologists - where I had a very normal echocardiogram BUT at the peak of the stress test I had arrythmia and then as my heart rate came back down, I had a few as well. They want to hook me up to a monitor for seven days, 24 hours a day. Yuck! I keep thinking it's related to TMS, anxiety, and having recently tapered and stopped a tiny amount of daytime anti-anxiety medication, under the care of my doctor, yes. Very very slow taper while I worked the Sarno Principles on my somatization, TMS and... so far, so good.
I will do what the doctor says for now. Still, would love to hear your friend's experience!

 

My son has this, so up would be greatly interested in your continued posting about your friend. Thank you.

 

Thanks for your post. My father has this condition. I can tell you that giving up caffeine was integral to his recovery. I think what people are saying about electrolytes and nutrients also may be relevant. My father is on meds but he has little side affects. He has not had ablation. He is living a healthy life with lots of exercise - a jazz musician who plays about 4-5 gigs a week at age 84. The Tachycardia attacks are usually not dangerous in and of themselves- although very scary and uncomfortable- but they could be indicative of other problems - so a wide range of heart tests were recommended. For example he was treated for sleep apnea as part of his heart protection. If my father has an episode he goes to the hospital for a shot which settles it down.

I think you are wise to air on the side of caution and allow your friend to investigate and explore conventional treatments. Having said that, I would also trust your gut if you are hearing a TMS personality type. There may be hidden emotions or life circumstances which may need attention. People are only ready for what they are ready for. Be gentle. If I wonder if something is TMS I always ask what else was going on in a person's life when they first started having symptoms.

I hope this is helpful and I empathize with you. These Afib attacks are scary. Up till now I have never really pondered weather it was TMS because my father simply does not have a TMS type personality. But I am remembering now that these Afib attacks may or may not have started around the time my stepmama had an affair with an African fellow and was flying back and forth to Kenya. Geez.

How interesting! I can't believe I never thought about it before. Thanks again for your post.



LL

 

Hi there,

My friend bought the Sarno book and applied it to his situation (He took about a week between reading the book two or three times and trying a workout -- maybe a little longer). He seemed to have excellent results -- he did at least two workouts (hard ones) with no problems with his hear trate or affib.

I had told him that there is sometimes a "rebound" period where the symptoms come back harder and to just go back to the basics when/if that happened and keep doing what was working. However, when this rebound happened for him (he had a workout where his afib came back), he got scared, and abandoned the Sarno method. I have no idea if his successful two workouts were a fluke or were a byproduct of the work he had done on his mind via Sarno. I think that the latter is what happened, but I can't be positive.

He ended up having the afib about two and a half months ago with a very high-ranked/specialized surgeon and it went very well. He's still on meds but that should be over in the next few weeks and he'll be able to resume his activities fully, to my understanding. For me, what will remain to be seen is if he develops something else that might be "TMS" related as a stand-in for his "fixed" heart -- so far I don't think he has developed anything new, so it may be that his situation with his heart is not TMS and just a purely physical situation....I'm definitely in no place to know either way. What I can say is that he's glad he got the ablation and seems happy and content with his decision.

I do know that before he developed afib, he'd gone through a career change, the death of a close friend, a divorce, and a lot of other personal turbulence, so I do have a sense that at least some of it is/was stress related/TMS related, but I don't want to be too new-agey or diagnostic in an area I'm certainly no expert in.

Anyway, I hope this helps, I know it might be a bit confusing.

Best of luck to you!

 

It is illuminating, thanks for taking the time to follow up with us.
I am keeping an open mind, still exercising but not going over 150 bpm and being kind to myself about aspects of broken-heartedness. Will wear the monitor. But nobody is going into my chest any time soon, for sure.