Bradycardia/slow heart rate?!

[Lilloise]

Anyone with endo/endo symptoms had any issues with their heart?

I've got a lap next month to see if I actually have endometriosis but the symptoms match up and they gynae and GP have basically said if it's not endo they are out of ideas! One thing that has come out of tests (apart from lots of the classic endo symptoms I get light-headedness and chest pain/heart palpitations) is that I have a slow heart rate (bradycardia) and also that it slows further for no apparent reason at various times in the day.

My gynae said it could be endo affecting a nerve which triggers heartbeat issues - anyone else ever heard this or had any similar issues themselves as I can't find anything googling it! X

[Hidden]

Hi Lilloise. I have severe endo and have slow heart rate and the symptoms you describe. It's been in the 40s several times! and at my pre op in oct I was asked if I had a heart condition?! I've had an ecg twice before, once because of a high D dimer reading. When i mentioned I cycle to work ( only 15mins each way)they seemed satisfied that explained the slow heart rate...as if I'm a highly trained athlete..!

I had excision surgery last month and was given warfarin to self administer for a week and am atill in surgical stockings because of the risk post surgery and slow heart. The thought of a clot terrifies me as I'm at increased risk of one 😕. It's interesting you were told nerve affected by endo may be the cause. At my lap they excised all adhesions so freed my organs,it was all very sticky in there and my intestines higher up were stuck down also but as this was in gastric area, they couldn't deal with it. It was at a bsge centre so I had a colorectal and urology surgeon there. Hope you get some answers next month x

[Lilloise in reply to Hidden]

Thank you, that's really interesting. And yes the same thing happened to me - I ran a marathon over 18 months ago and since then have done very little due to feeling ill but they keep seizing on that like they did with you cycling! I keep thinking 'thanks for the compliment but I'm really not one of those fit people you keep describing'.

Specifically the gynae seemed unsurprised about the heart rate thing and said the endo could be affecting my vagus nerve which apparently regulates heart beat amongst other things - though I've found nothing really when googling this.

Thank you for sharing your experience and all the best with your recovery xx

[hellybaybee]

Never heard of it but wow! Poor you! I don’t think that there’s any reason why this couldn’t be true as endometriosis attaches itself to all sorts of internal organs.

If could be thyroid related - many sufferers of endometriosis also have thyroid problems which can cause heart palpitations tachycardia (in hyperthyroidism) and bradycardia (in hypothyroidism/underactive thyroid). Check out this link and see if any of it relates to how you feel thyroiduk.org.uk/tuk/about_...

If it does and you get a blood test, I suggest you post the results on the healthunlocked thyroid page as so many of us are told that our ranges are “normal” when we’re quite evidently ill (it seems to be gp code for “not optimal, but not near enough to deaths door that we’re going to bother treating you”). Get your blood test as early as possible in the morning as it does make a difference.

[Lilloise in reply to hellybaybee]

Thank you so much! I did have a blood test for this and it came back normal though from memory I think a little on the low end. I'll have a proper look now though and maybe post on that page. Thanks for the advice xx

[hellybaybee in reply to Lilloise]

No problem, I would post it on that page... thyroid problems are so badly treated in the U.K. the remits of diagnosis are far outside of those in other developed countries (I think it’s the free prescription thing and underfunding)... optimal tsh is around 1.0 and T4 and T3 should be nearer the upper end of range (the numbers in the brackets)

[Lilloise in reply to hellybaybee]

Wow, I didn't know anything about this! I will definitely look into that. Thank you for your advice and being so detailed, really helpful! X

[madtabby]

Wow this is very interesting to me as i have severe Endo amongst other gynea issues and for the past few years as the endo has got worse suffered bracticardia & diagnosed with exta ventricular activitywhich is extra heart beats. Bloods for thyroid were normal and no actuall cause found !!!

My heart issues get worse if im tired , heart rate can go down to mid 30,s in which case i blackout.

I too get the palpitations & light headedness.

Strange stuff eh ?!?

[Lilloise in reply to madtabby]

It's interesting to know there are others out there! Good luck with it all xx

[madtabby in reply to Lilloise]

Ditto hun

Xxx

[kpulliam78]

I also have slow heart rate and palpitations. They seem to get worse certain times of my cycle as well. I have low blood pressure and low body temp too, but thyroid tests always come back normal. I've had two endo removal surgeries, so definitely have endo. I have ALWAYS thought all these things are related in some way, but the doctors are dismissive when I mention it. I get lipomas (fatty tumors) as well, and think that's also part of it. Makes me think it's autoimmune perhaps.

[Lilloise in reply to kpulliam78]

That's interesting, yes a lot of people talk about endometriosis as being an autoimmune thing don't they. Also when your body is in a constant state of inflammation like as I understand it is with something like endo I imagine that has a knock-on effect in loads of areas. I also get allergies now like hay fever type symptoms which I am sure is also related as I never had issues before but sadly I think there's so little awareness about endo other than the textbook description that if we say we think these things are all connected we get fobbed off! X

[kpulliam78 in reply to Lilloise]

Yes, allergies too.. Seems like if they could figure out one piece of the puzzle, it would fix many different things!

[hellybaybee in reply to kpulliam78]

Hi, when you say “normal” what are your actual readings? Normal doesn’t necessarily mean optimal

[kpulliam78 in reply to hellybaybee]

They never gave me numbers, just said it came back normal.😕

[hellybaybee in reply to kpulliam78]

Always get a print out - just a bit of advice because it’s very difficult to get thyroid problems diagnosed properly as GPs are reluctant to do so. If you put up the results the healthunlocked thyroid page you can get some great advice from people. I have added a link above from thyroid uk which gives a comprehensive list of symptoms. If they seem to relate to you (you won’t necessarily have all) then I would suggest you go back for the blood test again and try and do so as early in the morning as possible. As a guide (though blood test isn’t the best diagnosis, it is the only one GPs will use) tsh should be around 1 and T4 and T3 at the top of range (the numbers in brackets). If you can get them to measure your T3 it’s better because this is the active hormone however most will only do tsh (thyroid stimulating hormone) and T4 (the storage hormone which your body needs to convert into T3). It’s a pet peeve of mine because some people (like me) don’t covert well so really need T3 measured. Endometriosis and thyroid problems can be linked so it’s definitely worth checking out.

[KamosPains]

Thank goddess for this thread. I was put on a 48 hr heart moniter bc of my heart rate being normally 50 or 60, and then jumping to 140 under excersise. They blamed my lifestyle, and so I changed it. Same symptoms still exists.

This makes SOO MUCH sense!

Currently unable e to eat due to organ issues caused by endo. They blamed this on smoking weed... Never the endo. Finding out all of my major health issues, including chronic pancreintitus. Caused by endo. Thank you for this thread

[Misss_r3d]

Yup, I know I'm a year later than the latest post, and the first post was years ago....but...I've come across this thread after desperately googling for something /anything to help. Like those posted above, I have endo (confirmed) and also had surgery for it. But, the issue I'm repeatedly having is an incredibly low resting heart rate at some points of the month (it's pretty cyclical). Thyroid always normal. All bloods normal. I do run and exercise and like others above have basically been told, oh well you're just fit. I'm obviously not a pro athlete, and my rate repeatedly falls into the 30s when I'm sat doing nothing. It makes me feel so so tired, and dizzy and sick and brain foggy. If anyone has any suggestions or advice or just solidarity I'd be incredibly grateful. Everytime I go to see a GP they essentially tell me to go away and I'm just out of ideas as to how I can get some help for this! Thank you