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Vagus nerve

I am having  the similar problems.  I feel dizzy and then my heart starts racing and I feel like I need to have a bowel movement. It is very scary.


This discussion is related to VAGUS NERVE and STOMACH or HEART LURCHES (spasms).
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Avatar universal
I am so glad that  I have found this post.  My symptoms started about 4 years ago with an initial stomach ache.  I went to my GP and was given a packed of Lansoprazole and not further guidance.  Approximately 2 years ago, it may even be three as I have stopped counting, I started having constant bladder infections and what seemed to me like panic attacks.  I would get up in the morning and feel very panicky, dizzy and disorientated.  When asking the doctor about my bladder infections I was told that some people are just more prone to getting them.  One evening I was helping my daughter with homework and started having really bad heart palpitations and sweats.  I honestly thought I was dying.  I managed to get through the evening and I am sure it was all made worse by an actual panic attack due to the initial symptoms.  The next morning I went in to work but felt so ill, that I still can't remember how I got from work to the walk in medical centre.  Another bladder infection and another load of antibiotics.  I made an appointment with my GP and saw her a week later as I had constant stomach ache that was not going away.  It was all over in the area below the ribs and the heart flutters were on-going. I also started having problems swallowing, constant sore throat, earache, being off balance, lower abdominal pain. Her first reaction was to send me to a councillor for depression, and some anti histamines for my throat and ears which annoyed me endlessly.  I have suffered from depression in the past and this was no depression.  Then the blood test started, Iron, hormones, Celiac.  All negative and then a positive for H Pylori.  Was given antibiotics, went back after very little improvement.  Had to have a breath test which came back positive, more antibiotics, still pain after the course, then on for  endoscopy, which confirmed the presence of my persistent little friends H Pylori -  as well as chronic gastritis and an ulcer but no H hernia and no problems with my oesophagus.  I was given quadruple therapy on the antibiotics and if I can remember correctly was on no less than 21 tablets per day.  Wanted another breath test but was refused.  Had to go private and this came back clear.  Lower abdominal pain that had me doubled over and in more sweats continued as well as bloating, incontinence had started up and I was at my wits end.  Doctor told me my tummy (which had always been flat) is due to my age and a lack of sit-ups - very rude I thought.  I asked for a second opinion and all but insisted on a pelvic ultrasound. Turns out I had an ovarian cysts that burst.  During this time I was also suffering from breast cyst and severe sciatica and on top of incontinence and severely constipated.  After my burst cysts I had the first nearly normal blood test in about 2 years.  My bladder infections have also stopped and according to the incontinence nurse there is a link between bladder infections and gastro problems (which the GP denied, as that was not in her NICE guidelines and course she has done) That was last year July.  Since then I have gone to a private gastro specialist who has done another endoscopy and gastroscopy and found some z cell abnormalities but nothing else.  All else seemed normal.  However, I went back to my GP as I still cannot swallow and had a Barium swallow done a month ago through ENT. I was also told that I should see a chiropractor as I have been having an immense amount of earache, neck ache shoulder ache and numbness in my right arm and clavicle as well as pain under my breast bone. Barium swallow results show that the top valve in my throat does not open properly which causes food to get stuck and there is no peristalses in my oesophagus and now after two endoscopies which didn't pick this up, I also have a small hernia.  I have not been prescribed any medication apart from Omeprazole which I initially took with my antibiotics and the initial prescription of Lansoprazole.  Tonight I happened to stumble across some information about the vagus nerve whilst trying to find information about swallowing.  Strange how so many things fall into place, my extremely low blood pressure (apparently because I don't hydrate enough)  my constipation (apparently because I don't hydrate enough), my dry mouth, earache, neck pain that actually feels like my neck muscles are as tight as guitar strings, shoulder pain, heavy tongue, constantly losing my voice, stomach problems with reflux ( that I have never noticed) apart from feeling nauseous, numb feeling in my face and hands (a bit like going to the dentist), Sweating, especially the right hand side of my body and the cold feeling I constantly have in my right hand.  All of this frightens the life out of me, as I have so many times said to my husband that there is another cause for all of these "strange" feelings and symptoms.  I am fairly convinced that this nerve has something to do with the problems I have, some which have improved like the heart flutters and the severe stomach aches but others have become worse like my swallowing and the pins and loss of sensation in my face and hands and feeling that I don't have control over my tongue.  I have also noticed that my gag reflect has disappeared. I really do hope that if there was something seriously wrong the Dr would have picked it up by now, but it is frightening as these symptoms have become worse fairly quickly.  Thanks to everyone for their useful input and making me feel that I am not putting this on and that I am not imagining this. I have a GP appointment this coming week to discuss my results from the Barium Swallow.  I am definitely going armed with information regarding the vagus nerve and asking to have this investigated. Apologies for the long post.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I am so glad that  I have found this post.  My symptoms started about 4 years ago with an initial stomach ache.  I went to my GP and was given a packed of Lansoprazole and not further guidance.  Approximately 2 years ago, it may even be three as I have stopped counting, I started having constant bladder infections and what seemed to me like panic attacks.  I would get up in the morning and feel very panicky, dizzy and disorientated.  When asking the doctor about my bladder infections I was told that some people are just more prone to getting them.  One evening I was helping my daughter with homework and started having really bad heart palpitations and sweats.  I honestly thought I was dying.  I managed to get through the evening and I am sure it was all made worse by an actual panic attack due to the initial symptoms.  The next morning I went in to work but felt so ill, that I still can't remember how I got from work to the walk in medical centre.  Another bladder infection and another load of antibiotics.  I made an appointment with my GP and saw her a week later as I had constant stomach ache that was not going away.  It was all over in the area below the ribs and the heart flutters were on-going. I also started having problems swallowing, constant sore throat, earache, being off balance, lower abdominal pain. Her first reaction was to send me to a councillor for depression, and some anti histamines for my throat and ears which annoyed me endlessly.  I have suffered from depression in the past and this was no depression.  Then the blood test started, Iron, hormones, Celiac.  All negative and then a positive for H Pylori.  Was given antibiotics, went back after very little improvement.  Had to have a breath test which came back positive, more antibiotics, still pain after the course, then on for  endoscopy, which confirmed the presence of my persistent little friends H Pylori -  as well as chronic gastritis and an ulcer but no H hernia and no problems with my oesophagus.  I was given quadruple therapy on the antibiotics and if I can remember correctly was on no less than 21 tablets per day.  Wanted another breath test but was refused.  Had to go private and this came back clear.  Lower abdominal pain that had me doubled over and in more sweats continued as well as bloating, incontinence had started up and I was at my wits end.  Doctor told me my tummy (which had always been flat) is due to my age and a lack of sit-ups - very rude I thought.  I asked for a second opinion and all but insisted on a pelvic ultrasound. Turns out I had an ovarian cysts that burst.  During this time I was also suffering from breast cyst and severe sciatica and on top of incontinence and severely constipated.  After my burst cysts I had the first nearly normal blood test in about 2 years.  My bladder infections have also stopped and according to the incontinence nurse there is a link between bladder infections and gastro problems (which the GP denied, as that was not in her NICE guidelines and course she has done) That was last year July.  Since then I have gone to a private gastro specialist who has done another endoscopy and gastroscopy and found some z cell abnormalities but nothing else.  All else seemed normal.  However, I went back to my GP as I still cannot swallow and had a Barium swallow done a month ago through ENT. I was also told that I should see a chiropractor as I have been having an immense amount of earache, neck ache shoulder ache and numbness in my right arm and clavicle as well as pain under my breast bone. Barium swallow results show that the top valve in my throat does not open properly which causes food to get stuck and there is no peristalses in my oesophagus and now after two endoscopies which didn't pick this up, I also have a small hernia.  I have not been prescribed any medication apart from Omeprazole which I initially took with my antibiotics and the initial prescription of Lansoprazole.  Tonight I happened to stumble across some information about the vagus nerve whilst trying to find information about swallowing.  Strange how so many things fall into place, my extremely low blood pressure (apparently because I don't hydrate enough)  my constipation (apparently because I don't hydrate enough), my dry mouth, earache, neck pain that actually feels like my neck muscles are as tight as guitar strings, shoulder pain, heavy tongue, constantly losing my voice, stomach problems with reflux ( that I have never noticed) apart from feeling nauseous, numb feeling in my face and hands (a bit like going to the dentist), Sweating, especially the right hand side of my body and the cold feeling I constantly have in my right hand.  All of this frightens the life out of me, as I have so many times said to my husband that there is another cause for all of these "strange" feelings and symptoms.  I am fairly convinced that this nerve has something to do with the problems I have, some which have improved like the heart flutters and the severe stomach aches but others have become worse like my swallowing and the pins and loss of sensation in my face and hands and feeling that I don't have control over my tongue.  I have also noticed that my gag reflect has disappeared. I really do hope that if there was something seriously wrong the Dr would have picked it up by now, but it is frightening as these symptoms have become worse fairly quickly.  Thanks to everyone for their useful input and making me feel that I am not putting this on and that I am not imagining this. I have a GP appointment this coming week to discuss my results from the Barium Swallow.  I am definitely going armed with information regarding the vagus nerve and asking to have this investigated. Apologies for the long post.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I know this is an old post but I had the same issues and it was my galbladder had it out and actually felt started feeling better the day of surgery
Helpful - 0
1 Comments
Hi I know this is an older post but I've been getting shortness of breath and stomach tightness for a few months now, my Hida scan just came back with my gallbladder only functioning at 13% I have an appt. with the surgeon next week, did you have any of those symptoms before they took your gallbladder out?!?
Avatar universal
As far back as I can remember I would pass out on the first day of school and I would wet myself. Once in grade school while on the playground after the bell rang we all lined up, my neck was stuck up in the air and everybody asked me what I was looking at, I told them I wasn't looking at anything my neck was stuck. My mother of course freaked out on this and took me to the doctor she was afraid that I had cancer but of course it came back negative. After that incident, I had a bump on my neck, on the left side that would swell up whenever I was sick I could never pretend to be sick because my mother would know by just touching the side of my neck if I was sick or not.

Places that I can remember I passed out are a grocery store, a dentist chair, a movie theater, a wedding, and at a bar. When I passed out at the grocery store I fell back and hit my head on some bottles. When I came through EMS was there checking over me but I did not go to the hospital. When I passed out in the dentist chair I remember waking up thinking I had just a bad dream, that time I believe no ambulance was called. When I passed out the movie theater I knew it was coming and walked out of the movie into the hall, told a worker that I was about to pass out sat down and promptly passed out. When I awoke there was an EMS person standing over me they were the first and only to suggest syncope. When I passed out in the wedding I was actually in it and I was up on the podium with everyone else. They set me in front of the heater on a kind of a cool September day it was raining out I remember, the heat was pouring down on me and I recall telling the lady next to me that I felt like I was going to pass out. She asked me if I was serious and apparently when I answered yes with a certain look in my face she knew I was, she walked me over to a chair that was on the podium and set me down that's when I fell face forward onto the floor ripping my gown and passing out. When I woke from that the priest was giving me last rites the wedding had been stopped my uncle was hurtling pews to get to me and my sister was outside crying because she thought I was dead. Mom took me in for sleep test to see if I had epilepsy everything came back negative. I might've forgot to mention that when I pass out I going to seizures. The night I passed out at the bar I had two drinks it was the regular bartender the new that I was a lightweight and he made my drink soft.. I took two steps off the barstool and down I went on a concrete floor with the right side of my face and get up badly I was lucky I didn't break any bones. I've had many incidents before where I felt like I was gonna pass out but I would always sit down probably put my head between my legs until it passed. I think the incident at the bar I was not able to judge if he was coming on or not because I had been drinking.

Fast forward to later in my life , I have been diagnosed with a small active bladder. I was finally diagnosed with syncope which they said was the reason I was passing out all the time for so many years. A simple tilt test table told them the results of that. I was diagnosed with Gerd and although not diagnosed with it I have IBS issues. I had my gallbladder removed and it contained many gallstones. I was diagnosed with heart palpitations. Then just last year I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia.

I will only mention a few other things although I do not think they are connected, however, I would like you to get a full jist of my health history. I also have lower back arthritis, problems with my sciatic nerve, a tendon out of place in my big right toe that causes severe pain, I have a deviated septum that causes lots of sinus issues along with major sinus headaches.

I have done a lot of research on the issues that I first mentioned and I believe that they are all connected. The gerd, fibromyalgia, heart palpitations, IBS, syncope, an active bladder. I have brought up the concept of all these issues being related to both my heart doctor and my primary care physician. Both seem to want to bypass it rather than treat the cause of all the symptoms rather treat each individual symptom. This makes me unhappy because I know someone out there can do something for me however I have no idea what kind of doctor could. I think my problem is related with the vagus nerve in some manner. I have done my research and the Vagus nerve can be the cause of all these issues rather than it being each individual issue. Not to mention that when I have pain in my chest which happens often if I press on the area where the left vagus nerve is in my neck the pain subsides. So why can't I just treat it as a bigger issue rather than all the small ones? If there is something that can be done about the Vagus nerve problems then all the other problems will go away.

Please help direct me down the correct path I need a doctor that will give me solutions on this issue rather than ignoring it as a whole.
.


Helpful - 0
1 Comments
have you found any answer to your problems ? I believe my husband is dealing with a vagus nerve problem but it comes and goes , some   days are ok some days it feels like he is going to pass out or have a heart attack ,and cannot get his breath .
Avatar universal
very helpful. In hospital 3 days and every test under the sun and MRI, ct, cloud sonograms all good. but I had vague stuff and heart palpitations before so I think that's what it is. I am being sent home bc Drs don't know what else it might be. I'll go home and get back on my regular things like you mentioned and I bet this will go away. it stinks when it's happening, though. thanks for your input
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm a sufferer and mine is not too bad as I have found ways to keep it in check and even eliminate it for long periods, here's what I know will help it.

Do cardio exercise, as much as you can. When muscles tighten due to inactivity the nerve becomes stressed.

Also yoga stretching will keep it at bay , especially keeping the neck area well stretched, constantly. HINT: Inversion I have found is highly useful, if your GP is okay with it use an inversion table, it will change your life.

Keep acid reflux in check with peppers(capsicum), baking soda or a new but very effective thing called heil aarde. Peppers get my preference due to their overall medicinal qualities. Or else take a drug for the acid.

Keep your shoulders still while breathing. It goes to the belly. Breathing methods to employ are the Buteyko method since this condition is DEFINITELY anxiety related.  

Meditation is also a highly affective way to appease the nerve and people shouldn't debunk meditation, the science community has spoken on this. Meditation techniques which are highly effective for this are Da Silva method and the Open Heart meditation (Irmansjah Effendi's).

Remember, different strokes for different folks, my medicine may be your poison but some of them are pretty universal, and.......don't worry so much about it, that help too  :-)
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