Atrial Fibrillation Stomach Gas & Bloat Relationship?

[delcocat]

I saw a post about atrial fibrillation and stomach gas possible association.  I too have the same thing so it may not be all in your head if your suspect this to be the case.  Most dr.'s think your crazy or never heard of this when you even suggest it.  Thats whats wrong with most dr's.  They don't think outside the box and most always treat symptoms with side effect ridden drugs because this is what they learned.  I think we can guess or prognose just as well or better than they can at times particularly if we know something about health and or ourselves.  Never be afraid to speak up because I feel strongly that digestive tract problems are real and translate into other real nasty symptoms like this.  Fortunately we can prevent much of this & need to prevent it from happening. I do feel the more you get afib the worse it can become either physically, emmotionally or both no matter what the cause.  I thought up until now that I may have been the first to discover this but thought I would put this to a POLL since the question already exist out there about the afib gas connection.  I would like to know how many people feel that they get atrial fibrillation and feel that it may be related to gas or full, bloated stomach, intestinal or digestive tract troubles etc?  Any way I also would be interested in what anyone might have to say about it and or what they may have learned from this if they know or even think this to be the case for them and would also like to correspond with others to trade stories and info on what they've learned and done. Be well.  Sincerely, Rich - ***@****


This discussion is related to Stomach Gas and Arrythmia.

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55%

 (5) 

Yes, I get afib and feel its stomach gas or digestive problem related

11%

 (1) 

Not sure but I suspect it could be related to gas and or digestive problems

33%

 (3) 

Yes I get afib and know it to be related to gas or digestive trouble but can find no dr to look into it from this angle.

0%

 (0) 

Yes I get afib and know it to be related to gas or digestive problems and have found a dr. that has helped me

9 Members voted

[Carico]

I, too, suffer from this gas associated arrhythmia or atrial fibrillation. I can have it in the middle of the night or day. There is an improvement when I take Pepcid or Diovel, but the best bet is Ovol extra strenth or Gax X. If I don't take anything it can get pretty scarey and last a long time. My entire chest throbs, my esophogus feels tight and I feel a pressure on the back of my tongue. Also feel a sudden fatigue.
Carol

[jjack100]

I have suspected for a long time a connection between bloating and the relatively mild case of atrial fibrillation that I've experienced. My doctors, including two cardiologists, are not very good listeners.

For now, I just try to regulate my food intake so I won't bloat. Gas X does help.


J

[Meejee]

Usually after I eat a particularly fatty meal, or if I eat cereal containing milk, in which milk makes me gassy, I start to feel my heart rate increase well above 60 bpm. If I drink 1 or 2 bottles of water, it seems to help a bit and makes me more comfortable. I always have to eat dinner about 3 hours before bed. If not, I will endure the uneasy rapid heart rate which will prevent me from resting. It sometimes also results in heartburn.

Rena

[delcocat]

Thanks for your responses.  You read my post and know I like you are still a work in progress in this atrial fib/ digestive track disorder association.  I did a colon/parasite cleanse.  Also did a liver/gall bladder flush.  I followed this up with a continual supplentation of acidophillus liquid probiotic, mastic gum, papaya enzyme blend after meals or twice a day, lactaid enzyme when I eat dairy and beano when I eat gassy foods.  In the event I still get gas or stomach discomfort I use DGL and sometimes take it once or twice a day any way.  I have been very much improved.  I suspected ulcers and knew I had an acidic condition and all this helped tremendously with no side effects.  Give it a whirl.  Good luck.  Rich

[snowbie28]

I am a 38 year old female.  I have noticed this correlation as well.  I am a vegetarian and tend to be gassy, plus I eat a lot of high fiber foods.  I brought this up at my last visit to the cardiologist.  He said that there is a correlation between gas and Afib.  That gas stimulates the vagus nerve.  He advised me to take GasX.  The problem for me is that it seems to help me temporarily, but ultimately causes me to become constipated.  Then I have to take another pill.....and it goes on.  Anyway, you are not "crazy".  I have a friend younger than me that has AFib and she had a episode of Afib when she had food poisoning.  The vomiting seemed to "kick it off".    

[ed34]

My heart problems were misdiagnosed for 12 months as a stomach disorder because
I only received chest pains after eating. After a build up of gas and releasing it, the
pains seemed to subside considerably. One of the symptoms I gave the cardiologists
on the day of my Heart attacks was "lots of wind".
The digestive system required a large amount of oxygen to digest food and this is what
triggered my heart attacks in the end. It stands to reason that there is a link between
the two. After being stented it was great to be able to eat again but as other vessels
have become worse, the problem is returning and I have to eat little but often. If I eat a
meal and try to walk for more than 2 mins, I am on my knees gasping for air. If I have
just a very small snack, I can walk for over a mile with just a small amount of throat
discomfort.

[sheila41]

Definitely, there is a connection,when my heart races, it's always after a heavy meal, and then trying to walk or something. I also have told doc.many times, but she just gives me more antacids, which do nothing at all for the vagus problem, which she didn't even acknowledge. Antacids make it worse most often.  I darn't go out for a meal, which I would love to do, as even the getting up and then walking afterwards makes a crisis situation.  SO, YES THERES A CONNECTION -  AND NO I HAVN'T FOUND A DOCTOR WHO WANTS TO DO ANYTHING (OTHER THAN GET YOU OUT OF THE SURGERY ASAP)   Best wishes.

[delcocat]

Thanks for your responses.  i check back and like to hear whats going on and to see if anyone not only has this but what they or their dr.'s have done.  If you like try some of my suggestions above in one of my post or in this one.  Also, one thing I did not mention in past post when I
started this is that anxiety also can bring this rapid heart rate and or atrial fibrilation on as well.  Being bloated, gassy, uncomfortable in your stomach and or digestive tract can bring on anxiety.  It can be a vicious cycle.  I don't like getting afib because I often have to endure a full day (between 6-14 hours) of misery.  When this happens I do a few things.  If I feel it will be around for a while I generally take 1/2 to 1 plain aspirin for good measure and prevention.  I try to relieve the acid, gas and bloat sometimes with a teaspon or two dose of epsom salt disolved in 8 oz of water which usually results in a complete clean out from any where between a 1/2 hour to 3 hours of taking it.  I then juice a large glass a mix of carot, parsley & several stalks of celery and drink it slowly to replace any missing vitamins or minerals and drink water to keep hydrated.  I eat lightly (only veg or chicken broth and or toast).   Theres no particular order however I think its important to  keep all the medications ie., aspirin/magnesium etc.
seperated by atleast an hour.  Another thing I should mention is that everyone is different and may experience or have this for different reasons.  I like many of you have been check by doctors and they really don't know why I (or in a lot of case) people get this.  Rule out any illness first.  i can tell you I never get afib for example when I excersise or exert myself (thank goodness)   I have suffered with digestive problems ie., acid, gas, bloat, ibs, possible ulcer and inflamation (inflammation) etc. and its usually when I don't watch and am very bad with my diet (go off the wagon) when I get this and its usually seperated by 6 months or more.  But thats me.  If you try any of the stuff I have done then I would love to know if any of it helps you but I am no doctor and am not prescribing anything, making any claims and taking no responsibility for any result.  Good luck!  -RICH-

[jheaven]

I have been experiencing the same symptoms for about six months now.  I seem to have sometimes dull sometimes sharp pains under my breast bone.  I get bloated very easily after eating.  I burp a lot of stomach gas.  Lots of belching ensues.  Sometimes I feel like my esophagus swells up and then I can feel my heart beating in my chest, the fluttering and butterfly feeling.  Then, this irregular beating in my chest scares me and causes anxiety, then the viscous cycle repeats.  The anxiety causes more chest pain, more gas, and more discomfort.  I have been trying everything to treat myself.  Changed my diet (was drinking lots of soda and taking NSAID pain relievers every day) for the most part, but due to my work schedule I do eat too much fast food to this day.  I drink nothing but water now, I have been watching everything I do.  I wait tables at night so being on my feet seems to always help, and these pains occur a lot less.  Also they seem to have gotten better by doing 2 weeks course of Prylosec OTC.  But still I am not "cured" and I just had an episode today.

My doctor visits all said the same thing. That anxiety, ibs, and stress have led to ulcers and my stomach being torn to shreds with acid. And then they give me antacids and send me on my way.  Well, all of this seems logical, but why has my stomach not healed after months and months of diet changing and antacid treating?  

I have been noticing that anxiety (watching a big football game) along with eating gassy food (like a bratwurst) can bring this on as apposed to just another day.  Also my episode today was brought on by me eating less than 3 hours before I went to sleep (around 1.5 hours).  When I woke up this morning I could tell my stomach and esophogus were upset with me, and when I finally ate lunch (several tums, water, and a prilosec later) 15 minutes or so later the bloating and heart fluttering kicks in.  

Please if anyone knows a way to heal yourself from this condition let me know.  I have been living in discomfort for 6 months and I am afraid that my 29 years of Moutain Dew and Taco Bell finally caught up with me....

[cqberry]

There is a connection. It could be food additives causing some type of allergic reaction. Just guessing on that. I've had the fatigue, bloating, shortness of breathe, racing heart. Sometimes when I haven't eaten. I'm extremely fatigued most of the time. My sleep patterns are all out of whack. Have eppisodes of hives on occasion. I've always been told the same thing. Depression and anxiety. I'm not buying that **** anymore. But what can we do about it? Nothing. Just keep taking the antidepressants, antihistamines, and antacids. No wonder we're tired.

[delcocat]

To: jheaven & others
Hello j.  Sorry to hear of your dilemna.  By the sound of it you are describing what I and others have experienced.  It sounds also like you have also visited the doctors and other than the stomach & digestive troubles you are relatively healthy.  Have you read the other posts by myself.  Please look at them and you'll get some more insight as to what i have gone thru and some things that i've done that helped more than I can do here.  I will try and give you a quick overview and some suggestions.  First it is entirely possible to get afib via gas bloat and other stomach and digestive tract disorders.  If your stomach and digestive tract is as described then you must have inflamation (inflammation).  All this inflamation (inflammation) and bloat and gas will push up on your diaphram and surrounding areas and cause great discomfort and pain but also can press upon nerves.  One of the nerves could be the vagus nerve and the afib may be vagul induced afib by exerting pressure on it and cause your heart to pump harder and disrupt the firing pattern of your heart causing it to go into fibrilation.  You still need to re-evaluate your eating.  There are many foods and beverages that produce and cause inflamation (inflammation), gas, acid and bloat etc.  Stopping all carbonated beverages was a good start but apparently not enough.  You need to cut out all junk food and fast food.  You need to eat lighter more spaced out meals and include better for you foods such as raw fruits and vegetables etc.  i would recommend when eating any food that may cause gas such as beans use beano.  If you have any kind of dairy take lactaid.  The worst thing you can do is take any antacids all of which you mentioned.  These may give quick temporary relief but mere hours later come back to haunt you with a vengence.  They actually cause you to produce an over abundance of acid and really inflame your digestive tract so food you've eaten has no way to flow smoothly down its pathway kind of like a backed up sink.  I would recommend getting a good probiotic and some digestive enzymes.  Your ulcers I would recommend trying mastic gum every day as directed for a few weeks.  This can help heal ulcers and perhaps kill the bacteria that cause it.  If you get gas there are other things you can try for relief ie., try baking soda in water ( disolve completely first!), licorice, dgl, cumin powder, fennel etc.  If your really backed up you may need to flush your system and colon out.  I like using epsom salt in water.  Make sure your not on any meds that might not be good combination.  Try 2 or 3 teaspons in glass of water then repeat several hours later.  Drink plenty of water in between.  After you feel really cleaned out give your system a rest and drink only clear soup broth and green teas the next day.  Gradually ad stomach friendy food like low fat yogurt.  Keep an eye on what upsets you or look up on line about food combining and check PH foods vs acidic foods.  Do some walking or light excercising and do not eat atleast 4-5 hours before bed.  If your hungry have only a light protein snack.  This even now is still a work in progress for me but I feel a lot better.  I am trying to figure out whether getting this has caused what I suspect to be a succeptible area or pocket somewhere that may or may not heal with time?  If I go off the wagon or forget to do what I mentioned then I can get that jolt or funny feeling and afib may result.  So far 8 months and counting with no episodes.  Well, I hope some of this helps.  Let me/us know and good luck.  -Rich- delcocat