acid reflux and pvc's

[William]

I am 31 years old, male, I experience pvc's usually after eating. I have chronic heartburn, but not severe, rarely wakes me at night, but have been awakened from aspirating acid and not being able to breath (very scary) thankfully this is very rare (1 or 2 times in the last 3 years). I have had an upper GI series and am awaiting the results about possible hiatal hernia.  However, my question is, What is the connection between acid reflux and PVC's. I've asked my doctor this question a couple of times with no details of why.  Your input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[Jennifer Howard-Smith]

What the heck are PVC's.  The reason I asked is because I have the same symptoms that Eric has(third dude from the top of list) and I'm only 22 years of age.  THis has been on going for about 3.5 - 4 months.  I'm scared something is seriously wrong with me and noone can tell me what wrong.  

PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!!!!

email me at ***@****

[HFHSm.D.-Gastro-rf]

Dedar William, Medical literature does not report a significant association between reflux and irregularities of heart rate.  If you review our archives, however, you will find many reports of patients with cardiac arrythmias and reflux who report an improvement in the heart problem with agressive treratment of the reflux.  It should be noted that there is  wide array of cardiac arrythmias reported in the archives and there are proposed different mechanisms for the various problems.  On balance, however, you should talk to your doctor about medical therapy for the reflux.  It should not make your heart problem worse (assuming that you do not have other illnesses) and may make it better.

[Erik]

You are 100% right about there being a connection between acid reflux and PVC'S. I am also 31 years old and have had two Hiatal Hernia surgeries. I have PVC's all the time. They are worse when my reflux gets worse. They are better when my stomach feels normal. I have a lot of scar tissue from the surgeries which I feel is making my PVC's worse at times.I am being evaluated again by a Gastroenterologist. All Cardiac tests have been normal. Doctor's need to research the link between the esophagus and PVC's. This problem exists and needs to be looked into. Please feel free to contact me by e-mail to discuss.

   Erik  email-  ***@****

[DKDD]

A related discussion, Palpitations was started.

[Anne]

THIS IS AMAZING I JUST CAME ACROSS THIS SITE AND I CAN'T BELIEVE HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME SYMPTOMS. ABOUT 5 YEARS AGO I DEVELOPED WHAT I THOUGHT WAS CHRONIC CONGESTION. IT WAS SO BAD THAT I LOST MY VOICE FOR LONG PERIODS OF TIME FROM CLEARING MY THROAT SO OFTEN. I DIDN'T HAVE INSURANCE THEN SO I JUST LIVED ON COLD MEDICATIONS. AFTER A YEAR OF THIS I SAW A THROAT SPECIALIST WHO LOOKED IN MY THROAT WITH A CAMERA, FOUND NOTHING WRONG AND  SENT ME FOR A STOMACH XRAY. THE XRAY SHOWED A HIATAL HERNIA AND ACID REFLUX DISEASE. I STARTED TAKING RANITIDINE AND SOON HAD MY VOICE BACK. I HAVE ALSO SUFFERED FROM SKIPPED HEART BEATS AND HEART FLUTTERS. THESE USUALLY OCCUR AT NIGHT WHEN I'M  IN BED. I'VE NEVER CONNECTED THESE TO ACID REFLUX BEFORE.
UNFORTUNATELY MY CONDITION HAS  BECOME WORSE AND I AM OFTEN AWAKEN AT NIGHT WITH ACID IN MY THROAT. THE STRANGE THING IS THAT I'VE DEVELOPED THIS BURNING PAIN IN MY UPPER RIGHT ARM  
AND IT IS ALWAYS ACCOMPANIED BY SEVERE HEARTBURN AND EASED WHEN
I TAKE RANITIDINE. THE DOCTORS LOOK AT ME LIKE I'M CRAZY WHEN I
INSIST THAT THIS PAIN IS CONNECTED. THE PAIN IS FRIGHTENING BUT I'VE ALWAYS BELIEVED IT WAS CONNECTED TO THE HEARTBURN. IT HELPS TO KNOW THAT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE.

[lori]

Oh yes!  There are certainly enough of us experiencing heart abnormalities along with reflux that the doctors should be listening to us.

Actually my first gastroenterologist knew the connection between the acid and vegas nerve irritation.  It IS in the medical literature.

It is dismaying that our specialists do not always appear to keep up with the current findings and rely too much on pills and old ideas.

[Ted]

I started coughing 3 weeks ago due to a little conjestion.  Now when i cough my throat closes so I can't breath for a few seconds.  My doctor said yesterday that my throat looks fine and I have no conjestion.  Today I still have the cough and throat constriction.  It's beginning to feel like I have something stuck in my throat.  I have no other symtoms other than the feeling that I need to clear my throat.  So I cough, then wait a few seconds until I can inhale.  Any ideas?

[Ted]

I started coughing 3 weeks ago due to a little conjestion.  Now when i cough my throat closes so I can't breath for a few seconds.  My doctor said yesterday that my throat looks fine and I have no conjestion.  Today I still have the cough and throat constriction.  It's beginning to feel like I have something stuck in my throat.  I have no other symtoms other than the feeling that I need to clear my throat.  So I cough, then wait a few seconds until I can inhale.  Any ideas?

[steve]

After 30 years of experience with PVCs/PACs/atrial flutter and/or fibrillation, I can tell you there is ABSOLUTELY a mechanical aspect to all this. The GI system, after all, operates in very close proximity to the heart and some of its most sensitive peripheral elements, and it stands to reason that a wide variety of GI events could stimulate activity in the cardio area. I've been to several cardio specialists and they always tend to look at you skeptically when you make such observations--they'd rather discuss everything in terms of all sorts of complicated electrophysical explanations--but we know our own bodies, and after a while the cause-and-effect is crystal clear. I have learned to "manage" my irregular beats through a variety of physical procedures: These can be as straightforward as changing position (e.g. turning over in bed, from my back to my stomach) or as (relatively) complicated as using three fingers of my right hand, karate-style, to palpate the area around the solar plexus. If you "play" with this long enough and become sufficiently sensitive to your body in a bio-feedback sense, you will also learn that you can actually cause extra beats, almost at will, through such mechanisms as (typically) taking a deep breath and holding it at a certain point in the heartbeat cycle; bending over suddenly; or washing down a large mouthful of something with some liquid. I have also concluded that I tend to have PVCs after large meals simply because, well, it gets crowded in there, and the stomach is pressing up against, and irritating, the cardiac complex. Some of this also has to do with hemodynamics, of course, but don't ever let anyone tell you that these are two entirely independent systems; t'ain't so.

[steve]

After 30 years of experience with PVCs/PACs/atrial flutter and/or fibrillation, I can tell you there is ABSOLUTELY a mechanical aspect to all this. The GI system, after all, operates in very close proximity to the heart and some of its most sensitive peripheral elements, and it stands to reason that a wide variety of GI events could stimulate activity in the cardio area. I've been to several cardio specialists and they always tend to look at you skeptically when you make such observations--they'd rather discuss everything in terms of all sorts of complicated electrophysical explanations--but we know our own bodies, and after a while the cause-and-effect is crystal clear. I have learned to "manage" my irregular beats through a variety of physical procedures: These can be as straightforward as changing position (e.g. turning over in bed, from my back to my stomach) or as (relatively) complicated as using three fingers of my right hand, karate-style, to palpate the area around the solar plexus. If you "play" with this long enough and become sufficiently sensitive to your body in a bio-feedback sense, you will also learn that you can actually cause extra beats, almost at will, through such mechanisms as (typically) taking a deep breath and holding it at a certain point in the heartbeat cycle; bending over suddenly; or washing down a large mouthful of something with some liquid. I have also concluded that I tend to have PVCs after large meals simply because, well, it gets crowded in there, and the stomach is pressing up against, and irritating, the cardiac complex. Some of this also has to do with hemodynamics, of course, but don't ever let anyone tell you that these are two entirely independent systems; t'ain't so.

[Karen J. Seppa]

Mary, Please read my comments under question "my ten year old son..." and question "extent of liver disease & possible transplant" They are toward the top and bottom of this page. 20 years is a long time to be suffering this way. Looking at your e-mail address, are you by any chance referring to Club 28 in Wakefield??? I live in Illinois but my father was originally from there and so couldn't help wondering...Best Regards - Karen

[Mary]

You guys are a miricle to find. I to have this problem. All morning i can fill this and now i ate and it fills like a big bubble in my stomach. This sucks because i to have had heart things going on and i know it is not my nerves or stress. I can remember the many times i have gone to a function and this will happen on time i went to a football game was filling great. When i got a hotdog and guess what my heart started racing and didnt stop for 5 min. scared me . Ive had this problem for 20 years. But im woundering if my heart is getting tierd. Some times i get this and have alot of gass after. I got a scope have gerd and Barretts. But allso my doctor thinks not much of this he says maybe its esophogus spasms but i think you all have the right thing with the vagus nerve thing. I wish i could get this under controll because the older i get the more i get. Wish there was a doctor out there that new something about this right now i can fill one tring to trigger off its been all day. Well i hope you all well. My regular Dc said when i get these attacts to message one side of my neck and when my heart started racing one day i tried it it worked but make sure you just do one side. If anyon wants to talk about this you can email me at ***@****
I cant belive you all have this as i do i could go on and on about it but can someone find a cure or a way to ease this.

[paula]

I am 43 and was told I had acid reflux after having an upper GI.  My only symtom is burping--maybe 25 times a day.  I am now experiencing a pulse sensation in my throat immediately followed by what I discribe as a "hard heartbeat", then I am back to normal until the next one.  Generally I have 15 a day, they seem to come and go, but they are only present when I am burping on a particular day.  Is anyone else experiencing anything like this?

[Dennis]

Since the message just above I've gotten some relief: doctor said "If you really want to stop those PVCs,a beta blocker will do it."  So he gave me 50mg atenolol; I started with 25 (being cautious and wary of side-effects) and there was immediate improvement.  It took a couple of weeks for a feeling of tiredness (most noticeable climbing San Francisco hills!) to wear off, but I feel almost normal now taking half the 25mg in the morning, half in the evening...  and PVCs are almost gone.

[Don G]

Hello ,

I am 38 years old and experience the same problems you all have
described. Had this condition for at least 10 years. Had all
the tests including 3 endoscopies, angiogram and all the cardiac
tests. I experience reflux and PVC's, when the reflux is not
acting up my skips are non-existent. I take a beta blocker and prevacid. Had similar experiences with the Doc's, they do not
believe the connection between the reflux and PVC's, however
we all know there is a cause and effect here.


***@****

[Dennis]

Count me as a member of this suffering group.  I've had these heart irregularities for decades (I'm 58).  Originally, they were associated with heavy meals, icy-cold drinks, and just bending forward (I'm not overweight).  More recently, they are associated with bloating -- a burp will often cancel the symptoms immediately.  And most recently, almost any apparent spasm of the esophagus or stomach will set them off, so that I now get them when I'm hungry, but not after I've eaten.  
I have finally gotten a responsive GP who really listens to my complaints and doesn't dismiss them as "just stress" (meaning: don't waste my time).  On a particularly bad day, he let me hang around in an examination room and take my own electrocardiogram when I thought one of these "flip-flops" was coming.  And we caught one!  Lo and behold it was a PVC as you all have mentioned.  So at least my symptoms were acknowledged.  He put me on Prilosec, which helped a lot for some months, but it has started up again.  I'm due for an endoscopy in a few months, but I doubt it will show anything.  I had a motility study done ten years ago which showed very poor motility of the lower esophagus -- I figure that might lead to some diffuse spasms that would affect the vagus nerve.  In any case, the doctor reassured me, as all my reading has done, that PVCs are harmless.  The problem is that they send a message to my brain that bypasses all those reasonable opinions, and says "Something's wrong! Heart is stopping! SOS! Emergency!"  So they create a state of, well, not exactly panic, but more "terminal" -- I call them dread-attacks.  Very debilitating, though completely out of proportion to the real severity of the incident.
When I look at all the messages on this board, and think how many more sufferers there must be, I'm appalled that this connection hasn't been better researched.  If I had the money, I'd endow an institute...  
best wishes to all.

[shelly]

Wow!! I have been searching the internet looking for some answers.  I too have the pac's and PVC's when I eat.  I have had them for about 14 years now.  For the last 3-4 years when I eat. I was not getting them at breakfast.  But lunch and dinner.
I also get headaches, swollen joints, bloating when I eat.  I have done some elimination in some of the foods I used to eat namely sugars, processed and fast food.  The palpitations are basically gone.  I can even stuff myself on salad and it doesnt trigger an episode.  I thought it was the vagus nerve, but I am leaning toward insulin and or blood sugar levels as the triggers???  I dont know.  I am just so "darned" irritated with them I was willing to do anything.

[Laurie]

After reading what everyone wrote about pvc's and reflux, I think I now know why I get them too!!!!  Was recently diagnosed with acid reflux and take prevacid before bed to prevent it.  When I was diagonosed with acid reflux, I went to ENT complaining about a "lump" in my throat feeling, turned out to be reflux!!!!!  Now I have elevated liver enzymes and am wondering if there is a link between reflux and elevated liver enzymes (SGOT and Alkaline Phosphatase).  If anyone has heard of this please let me know!  Am awaiting return phone call from Dr. as I type this note.

[Ricardo]

Add me to the list. Although I had WPW for which I had an ablation in 1997, I still continue to experience an increased incidence of arrythmias of all kinds - premature beats, shuddering feeling of the heart when my stomach acts up, as it has for the last three weeks.

It is amazing that in spite of so much evidence that there is a relation between the heart and these stomach problems no one in the medical research community is following it up.

[kelly]

better check the FDA statement of Jan. 25th 2000, concerning propulsid.
Glad i found this forum as sounds like i have found common ground
with you all...many docs miss this....

[Bob Cotton]

During the period when my own GERD was most severe, in January 1999, I too had heart palpitation and irregular heart beats. I thought of them sometimes as "attacks", since they seemed like what I imagined heart attacks might be like.

This fits my hypothesis that GERD is a symptom of chloride deficiency; for electrolyte imbalances of various kinds can directly effect the heart muscle. My hypothesis and experiences may be found at
http://members.bellatlantic.net/~rmcotton/gerdsalt.htm

[j. gualt]

I was so happy to hear that so many people have had pvc's related to reflux.  I am 37 and fairly healthy and had all the problems such tightness in the throat, palpitations, choking at night, coughing after meals, and a change in my voice. I am having a fundoplication next month and I am hoping to have good results.  I can't live on mashed potatoes forever!

[Robin]

YES...I can not believe I have found people with the same symptoms as me.  For years (I am 32) I have been telling my doctors that I have heart palpitations, these happen mostly after eating a large meal.  I thought it was maybe from a food allergy but the types of food I was eating wasn't really anthing that a person would be allergic to.  The worst is pizza, if I eat a lot of it I get palpitations, usually within 45-60 minutes after eating. I have had all the heart tests done and everything came out okay.  The doc said it was stress related.  Also, last year I was having dizzy spells and a tight feeling in the stomach area.  

I work for an orthopedic doc who said it sounds like something was pressing on my valgus nerve but since this was not his speciality I had to see a specialist.  It is very hard finding someone to believe this theory.   A lot of docs only want to stick to their speciality and don't like to think that say cardiac and gastro symptoms could be related.  When I would mention the palpitations, dizzy spells and tightness in the stomach area they said it had nothing to do with my gastro system.  Even though I had a past history of esophageal reflux.  

After reading all the posts with so many people who all have the same symptoms of palpitations and reflux it seems crazy that doctors would not take it more seriously.  Good luck to everyone

***@****

[Lori P.]

I almost flipped when I saw this question.  I experience pain in my chest, burning, etc..  All of the classic symptoms.  Everytime I eat a large meal, I will get a rapid heartbeat; and or PVC's.  Last weekend, I felt ill after eating weird food at a New Year's party and threw up.  During the course of vomiting, my heart went into a irregular, extremely rapid heart rate and I had to be rushed by ambulance to the hospital.  It took the ER 3 hours to regulate my heartbeat.  I kept telling the cardiologist about the episodes all tied into eating and that the vomiting triggered the problem, but noone seems to hear what I am saying.  My echo is normal as is my blood work.  The next weekend while eating breakfast, my heart went into a rapid, irregular rate again, even though it did calm on it's own eventually.  I am almost afraid to eat and feel normal when my stomach is empty.  I don't know why the doctor won't listen to this, has anyone else had this problem?  You can't post onthe forum as it is fool, but I felt I had to respond and say that there must be a coorelation between the two.  I am wondering if I have hiatal hernia.  I don't know, but you aren't crazy; I know that for a fact!