Cardiac symptoms ended my fast

[kgarrett]

Hey everyone - this may be a little bit long because I will give you a history so you can give any advice based on what I feel might be relevant over the last few years. I have had several stress tests (not nuclear), ekgs, heart ultrasound. All normal. It has been almost 2 years since my last test.

A little over 2 years ago I did a 8 day water and juice fast - mostly water. It didn't end well. I had severe pain behind my left breast. It is not uncommon for women, especially large breasted ones. I think I was a bit dehydrated. It got worse, my face felt numb on the left side and my left arm felt weird. I was driving my son to for blood work and decided if it didn't improve I would go to the ER. It did slowly improve so I never went. I was more prone to the pain under my left breast after this. Especially any time I was eating low calories. I didn't know if it was a stoke, a detox reaction or I had done damage to my heart with the fast.

A few months later I ended up in the ER with extreme exhaustion and jaw pain. They found nothing. They thought it was my GERD.

Over the summer I had many tests. Including a 48 monitor that I even used at the gym getting my heart rate up to 180.

I haven't regularly done cardio since last year and the symptoms went away. I started a 90 day raw challenge on March 8th. Dabbling in raw off and on since last thanksgiving. I did a 4 day fast in Jan with no real probs. I think some of the pain behind the left breast, but not any big deal. Then I started cardio again 2 weeks ago. I was fine except I did have some chest discomfort and had hard beats every once in a while. Then I did a 5 day fast last week. Mon - water Tues-Thurs - Juice Fri - Water. I did a enema on Wed. I also took bentonyte clay on Friday throughout the day.

Saturday I ended my fast - I woke up exhausted all the way thru. I had been so energetic until then. I finally got out to work in the garden but could barely do it. I did a 5 foot row then had to lay down and my heart rate was over 140 after laying down for a couple of minutes. I felt a little bit better the next day but still tired and during my gardening my jaw pain started. My energy I gained from being raw is all gone. It feels like a workout to do the dishes.

Are there any ideas, recommendations, questions I should ask the doctor to get the right tests done. I have an appointment on Friday. I don't feel the need to go to the ER as they will just send me home with prevacid again. It doesn't seem that acute. I'll post this in health also if that is ok.

[DebB]

I'm glad you've made a doctor appointment for this week. I had 2 heart attacks when I was in my mid-30s and what you described with numb face and left arm feeling strange, etc. are very classic heart attack symptoms. I experienced them as well and went to the ER. Luckily I didn't sustain any damage to my heart.

I don't have recommendations for you, but I wanted to say that I'm glad you're taking this seriously and seeking medical help. Keep us posted! *Ü*

[Aleesha Sattva]

good thing you are seeing a doctor.

so you were doing your gardening when you were fasting? or did you do your gardening while you were breaking your fast or after you broke your fast completely?

how did you break your fast? how long did it take (how many days did you break your fast)?

how much juice and water did you consume each day during your fast? what types of juices did you consume? did you consume anything else other than the clay you mentioned? (supplements, medications, other beverages etc.)

i have more questions but that's a good start to understanding this situation a bit better.

(((hugs)))
Aleesha

[kgarrett]

Thanks for the responses. In answer to the questions.

1 - I did do some gardening while fasting but, I felt fine while I was doing it. I actually tend to feel pretty energetic while fasting.
2- I did do gardening on the day I broke my fast but, I broke my fast because I woke up feeling so awful and fatigued. Fatigue I hadn't felt in a very long time. I had my head down on the table at breakfast. I decided to break the fast and made a green smoothy. I didn't want to spend the whole day doing nothing so I finally got dressed and out the door in the late afternoon to do a small amount of gardening. I planned a lot of gardening but, realized I wasn't going to be able to push myself to do more.
3- Remember the symptoms started before breaking it but, Green smoothies for the most part and some fruit. My appetite is still down. Today I had a banana, green smoothy and kung pao broccoli and mushrooms.
4 - I just broke the fast on Saturday so my eating is still not all the way back up and I am still losing weight just as fast as I was last week.
5 - I committed to drinking at least 120 oz of fluid every day, including water, fresh juices and tea. I allowed myself honey in my tea. I had more on some days.
6- They were pretty green. The green lemonade one a cilantro based green one. I included apples, ginger, lemon, cucumbers, celery, kale, spinach, spring mix. I think that covers most of it.
7 - I took my thyroid each morning and on Friday night I had a small amount of psyllium husk because I felt I was holding onto to stuff in my bowels. It didn't seem to help with that. I have never had a problem with taking that before.

[Aleesha Sattva]

it sounds like you were detoxing heavy on saturday and rather than allowing your body to continue to added in a smoothie which caused your body to stop doing it's work of detoxing and focus on digestion. then (already exhausted from the detox) you went into the garden and pushed your already taxed body further by asking it to garden.

if you were doing any up and down movements... that lowers and raises your blood pressure...

i'm so sorry you felt/feel like this. i would really take it easy if i were you.

one more question... any bowel movements? you may need to get things OUT. cascara sagrada is a good choice.

[Raw Angel Mom]

I am no expert in term of fasting but i believe to take seriously the symptom that our body gives us.

I am not a doctor but good heaven your symptom describe a high risk of cardiac arrest.

Do what you can to reduce stress or what upset you at ALL COST now.

Start meditation at least deep breath every morning, night or when you are tense.

I wouldn't do any fast just yet because i don't believe in coincidence and would make sure to get my heart in good health and balance first.

You need to find something to cope with stress versus food. When you fast, you don't have the food to use as medication which could be a reason your stress went up. Using food as medication isn't a good idea either but you need to find something to cope with imbalance such deep breath or anything that make you smile. Please allow yourself to enjoy life and eat plain raw gourmet meal.

I almost went in cardiac arrest myself, after 8 hours of pain, i finally realize that something wasn't right, i started to feel better after friends send me distance healing and prayed for me but if i wouldn't have feel better immediately, i would have rush to the emergency also.

Put your well being first versus being right or wanted to lose weight or anything that create stress.

You are worthy to be care for, to be healthy and happy now.

[kgarrett]

Thank you for your responses. Aleesha - I wish I could think the symptoms are just detox realated but, the history of the symptoms include times when I was consistently exercising and was not always eating well and definitely not raw. I probably had hardly any raw food at that time except an occasional salad. I think you are probably very correct about the up and down movements. I am still having symptoms but not as severe as they were over the weekend. Yesterday I went strawberry picking with my son and experienced some pretty severe vertigo getting up one time.

Angel - thank you for your response as well. I love fasting and it actually relieves my stress! I normally feel better while fasting and I love that I don't have to think about food. We do have a bit of stress in our lives and I will take your advice on the deep breathing and I def. need to spend more time in prayer. But, the truth is that I hadn't felt better, mood wise, in years than I did last week.

My appointment is today. I hope the doctor will listen to me and not think it is anxiety or acid reflux, which is the standard response because of my age and good cholesterol level.

[Ms_Catherine]

kgarrett, how did your doctor appointment go?

[kgarrett]

The normal - you don't have the risk factors with your age and cholesterol levels. She wants to do all of the same tests that they did before except this time a nuclear stress test instead of regular, 24 hour halter since I don't want a 48 and an ultrasound. I have all all those scheduled over the next month. I am a little bit frustrated because I was hoping for a different kind of test that could help. She said something about angioplasty but, I don't think I need something that invasive. I think maybe I just need blood pressure medication. I'll let you know how it goes. My first test isn't until the May 19th.

[Aleesha Sattva]

so if you want more... why opt for the 24 hour test instead of the 48 hour?

[kgarrett]

Because it is just a repeat of the tests I have had before but, they are going to do all the standard tests before they do anything else. I think I might have something called Endothelial dysfunction and none of those tests are likely to show it so I am just doing what they are making me do so they will be willing to do other tests that will be more specific that will find that or something else that might be causing the symptoms.

[Aleesha Sattva]

ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I hope you find the answers you are seeking... and begin to feel better very very soon.