To Your Good Health
Treating hot flashes might reduce palpitations
Dr.Keith Roach
Q:#1) I’m 66 and fit. In 2012, I was admitted to the hospital because I thought I was having a heart attack.
The doctor ran many tests, including a chest X-ray and an electrocardiogram. I had palpitations during my hospital stay. My blood pressure fluctuated, as did my pulse rate. None of the tests showed any problems with my heart.
Two weeks later, I was admitted to the emergency room for heart palpitations. The doctor ran many more tests, all with normal results. He diagnosed Lyme disease, and I took doxycycline for two weeks
I started keeping records of my episodes and have noted that my palpitations occur when I’m having menopause symptoms — hot flashes, mood swings, sleeplessness, etc.
What can I do to decrease or stop my heart palpitations? Would you recommend magnesium, calcium and vitamin D?
A: The sensation of palpitations is an unpleasant awareness of your own heartbeat. Some people are aware of their heart beating all the time; some seldom are. But palpitations, by definition, are different from the norm.
A consultation with a cardiologist might be in order, because your degree of palpitations is greater than usual. (On the other hand, you’ve already had about every applicable test.)
I am a bit concerned about the combination of Lyme disease and palpitations, as Lyme disease can affect the conduction system of the heart. That, however, should have been seen on the EKG.
You might want to consider treatment for your hot flashes, especially if your palpitations are so closely associated with them. Estrogen is by far the most effective treatment and generally safe to use for a short while.
Calcium, magnesium and vitamin D, although good for your overall health, might have only a minimal effect on palpitations or hot flashes. Some people benefit, but most don’t.
Q: #2) My yearly blood test showed an alkaline phosphatase reading of 151. It was 69, 61 and 59 the previous three years. Anything over 130 is considered high.
My doctor ordered an abdomen ultrasound, and all was normal except that my gallbladder has a small polyp, which the doctor isn’t worried about. I had other tests, too, which turned out normal. My doctor wants to check everything again in six months.
What might have caused the spike?
A: Alkaline phosphatase is an enzyme made predominantly in the liver and the bone. It is released from the liver when the bile is obstructed. Bone conditions, such as Paget’s disease, can cause a high alkaline phosphatase count as well.
Your level isn’t very high, and I agree that a wait-and-see approach makes sense.
Jan’s Comment:
It is easy to admire Dr Roach’s response to medical questions as he demonstrates a seemingly broad and cohesive approach in his opinions. I appreciate what he does and his manner.
As is sometimes my custom I offer an additional aspect which some in the healing practices generally referred to as ‘alternative’ employ, because they concentrate more on natural, herbal or bio-identical hormones, etc.,. and less on pharmaceuticals and costly procedures. It is a question of choice and not of right or wrong.
With regard to Q #1): The female 66 year old complains only of “palpitations” and wants to correct that. She cites her menopausal symptomology but does not complain of it other than it’s relevance to the timing of her palpitations. One could hope that her physician would have given her a “Complete blood- workup” revealing the condition of all her systems and inner organs and glands. Takes so much guess work out of it.
By all means “bio-identical” hormone therapy is excellent and nothing to worry about over a short or extended period of time, unlike synthetic hormone therapy which the body is not able to recognize or properly deal with. Dr Jonathan Wright has dealt with this beautifully and openly for men as well as women.
This querant has asked an intelligent question and in my opinion, is on the right track. Have doctored with a number of physicians over my own heart and treatment. Mostly it was procedures, hospitalizations and pharmaceuticals which coerce compliance. When I stopped all that, everything returned, worse than before, because now I was decidedly older and more frail and deeply concerned. I won’t go into all that again, I recently touched on it in a post June 23rd, 2013 called “Alternative Care – Cardio and HBP” in which there is helpful information on how “Enzyme therapy” as used by Dr Russell Blaylock can be a dynamic solution for many (and seems to be helping me).
In that post, I regret that I had overlooked mentioning Dr Guy Abraham on the West Coast from UCLA Cardiology and IODORAL fame. He is practically a sainted man to whom I shall always be grateful for his efforts to assist me. He was especially big on Magnesium therapy for Cardio problems. This is a renowned man, not an unknown from Squeedunk Falls and he strongly felt that Magnesium was necessary, sometimes large amounts, to be successful with cardio problems. For a fuller discussion on Magnesium, which kind to take, what it is and its many uses, please see “PANSALT – – found the Answer” of 5-21-13. It’s too large of course, admittedly, but covers almost anything you might want to know about Magnesium and all it’s goodies.
And finally, Vitamin D-3 – – no question in any circle that this is vitally important as it is necessary for adequate magnesium assimilation and bone health in general. It would be a gross miscalculation to underestimate the importance of Vitamin D to the health of all people. As to Calcium, I am in the camp along with David Wolfe and Dr. John McDougall, that we do not need to worry about calcium intake and in fact, should not concern ourselves with intake of this mineral at all. I agree with David that we are as a society, over-calcified. Humans, much like other larger mammals get all the calcium needed to construct and maintain large skeletal frames from the simple ingestion of plants of the field. So I compliment the querant for her insightful question and am grateful that more people are awaking to the realities of more natural methods.
Q#2:)brings us up squarely with the problems of “bone dissolving,” a system out of balance and overly acidic; losing calcium in her bones – – probably her spine and wrists and maybe even impacting her teeth. Her thyroid should be checked and major minerals are greatly disturbed and out-of-balance – sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium
The diet needs to be revamped and her Kidney then liver needs to be cleansed. B and D vitamins are needed to help the adrenals glands make estrogen in order to aid getting calcium deposited back into her bones. This is classic stuff right out of Dr Hulda Clark’s book “The Cure for All Disease” . . . easy to check this out throughout her book, but this high reading on alkaline phosphatase is covered is a number of case histories; I see one here on page 80 and another one on page 217. The good doctor is correct – – this is a simple little enzyme. But it is enzymes that run the body. Nothing gets done without them – they run the show. It pays to pay attention to them and become really familiar with just what they do. I wouldn’t want this woman to wait around for a few months – wait and see. The body is talkin’ – big time! If anybody knows this woman – tell her about Dr Clark’s book – – any of us can help ourselves to really improve our own health.
Dr. Roach answers letters only in his North America Syndicate column but provides an order form of available health newsletters. Write him at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475; or ToYourGoodHealth @med.cornell.edu .
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