AFIB / Lyme Disease

I am scheduled for an ablation with Dr Natale in late October, I just got some tests results back from my doctor and it shows that I could have Lyme disease, the test was a CD8/CD57+ Lymphs with a range from 60 -360 and my count was 57 which indicates chronic lyme but I will be tested with another test to confirm. I am now torn whether to have the ablation or not, seeing how one of the symptoms of lyme is an irregular heartbeart. I have had AFIB for eight years and I take a small dose of Atenolol 12.5 mg a day. My episodes are pretty much once a week for about 5 - 7 hours it feels mostly like ectopics with some afib bouncing in and out throughout the 5 - 7 hours. My heart rate typically stays below 100.

I say all this to ask the question has anyone heard of Lyme causing AFIB and if so once treated did the AFIB go away ? I have waited quite a while for this procedure date but if it means that I wouldn't need the procedure then that would be great but if it is not going to make a difference then I am ready mentally to get this taken care of.

Any comments would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Ken,

Take Lyme seriously. It is known for afib/irregular heartbeat. Not only that, it sometimes takes several tests to actually diagnose it. When three of my neighbors tested positive and the word got out, I, and the rest of the neighborhood was informed. I tested neg. but I don't trust it, and plan to be tested again ( and maybe again). My cardio didn't even blink at the suggestion of a connection between the two.

I can't answer the question about if and when Lyme is cured (that seems to be a battle in and of itself). No one seems to know :-(

Is your ablation necessary right now? Can it wait till the Lyme issue is resolved?
I can't answer those questions. But if you go ahead with it, from what I understand, you're in the best hands.

Lisa

PS: seems as if I don't have a lot of answers, maybe one of the scientifically-minded ones here have an answer to the cured question. None of of us has an answer to my other question.

all the best

Lisa,

My quality of life right now is pretty good in regards to AFIB so I could hold the ablation off and be put on the schedule for maybe spring time but its almost like your all dressed for the dance and you want to go but know you have second thoughts about going.

I thought of calling the nurse in Austin to see what they thought but my guess is I would get the same reaction as you did from your cardio.

Thanks for your input, I appreciate it.

Ken - you're still going to have to deal with the Lyme disease at some point in time. I'd think you'd want to investigate that thoroughly to give your ablation, when you do have it, the best possible chance that your body can cope with the ablation and not be dealing with concomitant issues.

The Townsend Letter for Doctors & Patients devoted one issue to Lyme...
[www.townsendletter.com] with an online article as well. Several other issues have also addressed the complexity of treating Lyme successfully. More research, but it certainly makes sense to understand everything completely.
[www.townsendletter.com]

Jackie

Jackie,

Yes, I agree I now have something new to learn about.

Hi All,

I a chiming in a bit late here, but I wanted to mention a few things. I've had afib for 4 years or so (actually had afib 3 times in that span). I was bit by a tick 5 years ago and originally tested negative for lyme. But within a year of the byte is when I start to recall my heart palps GREATLY increased. They were there before the tick bite, but they seem to have skyrocketed since that time. Maybe it's coincidental, but I'd recommend at least researching your lyme diagnosis further.

As I said I was initially told I did not have Lyme. I recently got specific Lyme testing done by a labe called "Igenix" in California. Any LLMD (Lyme literate MD) will tell you to use this lab to get your testing done. Mine came back positive on several lyme specific "bands".

As a result I am currently undergoing treatment for Lyme. I've had some ups and downs with regards to heart palpitations. There have been periods where I thought the treatment was helping and periods where I thought it has not (I've only been undergoing treatment for a few months.)

Typically, a chronic case of Lyme could take 12 months or longer to properly treat as peoples bodies are way out of wack once Lyme has taken hold.

There are also several different types of infections (called co-infections) that you could have received from a Lyme infected tick. These complicate treatment...

There is usually many different antibiotics you have to try to find which ones kill the bugs.

If you want a great tutorial on Lyme disease and its treatment, take a look here:

[www.ilads.org]

Hope you at least get some definitive testing done by a reputable lab and find an MD who is literate in Lyme to at least advise you. IF you test positive, why not at least try treatment for awhile before the ablation?