Can the vagus nerve do all that?

[relax67]

I am male, 67 years old and active. Following heart palpitations caused by stress last october, I was found in good cardiovascular health but hypertensive, and eventually put on a small dose (37mg/day) of Avapro. Over the past 3 months, my blood pressure and pulse have returned to normal, but another condition has developed: I occasionally get chest flutters or spasms which do not cause fast heartbeat but sometimes result in premature contractions. I also have some heartburn which never bothered me in the past. Finally, I often feel lightheaded.

My observations and reading tell me that the chest flutters are not heart symptoms, but stomach or oesophagus spasms. That is why I am bringing my question to the neurology forum, rather than to the gastro and cardio forums which are replete with similar cases but only seem to offer ever more testing and diagnostics, and little cure.

QUESTION: can a disfunction of the vagus nerve, which is known to control important digestive and cardiac functions, create the problems described above? If so, what are some likely causes of the disfunction: pinching, effect of medication, or other? Are there vagus nerve specialists?
Thank you.

[Joyfaithlight]

My ND told me  heartburn and GERD are not caused by too much stomach acid. but  caused by too little stomach acid which result in  bacterial overgrowth in the stomach and colon. You have to work towards  restoring adequate stomach acid production and eliminating bacterial overgrowth. My ND told me to take these pill I think they were HCL and take a few bites of food then take two pill then if it burns go to one pill
Many people have success on the SCD diet it cures all sorts of digestive issues it is an amazing book to read.

[Joyfaithlight]

I forgot to add I had blood culture to check for yeast, and I had a candida overgrowth test both negative. Get this the doctor told me that the tests are not so accurate. One of his patients insisted on using three different lab for the same test and all the results were different .He treated the clinical expression !

[Joyfaithlight]

I saw two cardiologist one diagnose me with PVC and the other sinus node.  I had this going on for over two years. I had a stubborn yeast infection so my doctor put me on  diflucan for 35 days and told me to lay off the sugar, carbs and by week two  all my heart issues stopped . I was stunned I was misdiagnosed it was yeast or candida overgrowth!

[prlogsdon]

Sorry keep my arms above my head to stretch out the vegas nerve and take the pressure off my chest. It does help.

[prlogsdon]

I also feel breathless after eating.  I am going to try to drink protein drinks at night to see if I can sleep without seating up. This nerve keeps your food from going down then you build up gas in your chest and it puts pressure in your chest.  I feel breathless more and more but I have yet to pass out. I am trying to eat small amounts ever couple of hours to see if that helps. Right now all I want to do is keep my arms above my day so I can breath and streach the nerve to take the pressure off.  It does help.

[prlogsdon]

I think I have compressed vegas nerve spasms.  I feel it in the base of my neck as stress, in the end of my breast bone as though something is shaking me inside my body, my heart feels like it is beating out of my chest although my blood pressure seems to drop, pulse seem to increase and heart skip a beat, my voice is shakey, food seem to not want to go down, belching, pressure in chest from gas I think,not able to lay down heart seem like it is beating out of my chest and after serveral hours my bowels move fromregular to runs after about 6 hours as though my stomach is finally let my food past.  Stress, laughing to much, standing for long periods of time, some foods or eating to fast or to much will set it off. I believe that somewhere a long the vegas nerve it becomes compressed either by stress, laughter, food and etc then you have a spasm or you pass out because your blood pressure drops so low from the compression.  My sister passes out.  I have spasms.  My brother feels like he is coming out of his body. My oldes brother passed out as a 13 year old. I think this is all from a compressed vegas nerve. Do not know what to do about.  I have had the upper GI do have some stomach problem but that is not what this is about.  Doctor things I do not know what I am talking about I wish I could find a Doctor that had the same thing then they would understand.  I still feel shakey( most of the time it is not just old age(62) my balance is not to good anymore either. I am a little over weight with a little fat around the middle that may be pressing against that nerve at my brest bone area.  Sometime when I feel the stress in the back of my neck my head shakes up and down most of the time I do not notice it but other do and then I do if they say something. If I am really bad I tremble a little all over.Sometime stretching out in a recliner and putting my arm above my head helps to stretch that nerve out and takes some of the compression off. I have to stay home from work and sleep and just be still and take the stress of my body it helps and I can feel the releif coming off of me. One time I took a zanex and it worked but Doctors do not like to give you that med because it is habit froming.  I have taken acid reflux meds for 16 year and I do have acid reflux and a hernia but that is not the problem it just adds to it. COMPRESSION IS THE PROBLEM. WHAt WE DO ABOUT THAT.  Loss weight, stay calm, do not stand still for long periods of time, do not laugh hard,do not eat to fast or to much at one time all of this a this compresses the vegas nerve and then you go into spasms or past out.  Does this sound like you.

[Cath278]

Larry 109. Wow!!!! You could have been describing my husband! I forgot about the sweats and the vomiting.Thats one  of the reasons they thought he was having a heart attack. He also gets the shoulder pain! He doesnt notice as much as I do but he starts to rub that part of his chest and I know trouble is coming. Interestly, I stopped him eating all  foods covered with a crumb or crust, ex: KFC chiken etc.It does seem to have lessened the attacks.I think being over tired might be a culprit as well. After you have an"attack" are you very tired? My husband is wiped out for days after it. And he is a big, stong man,active, and swims daily. He has lost consciousness three times.They said it was from the pain but really? I ve given birth twice and you dont pass out from pain! ( my bit of humour there!)
As for laying down, well, that where you will be with this attack! My hubs blood pressure is also non exsitent when this happens. We will have to keep in touch and compare notes.I am curious about the pickle thing but hey! why not? By the way, the diagnoises? A virus.Cute.One that spreads over many yrs, almost kills him and doesnt show up in any tests. I do apprciate your advice, very much and will try all of the above out. Take good care of yourself! Cath.
Spelling mistakes? Have you seen mine? Some times life is too short to ruin the flow of  good conversation with correct spellings dont you think?

[Larry109]

Sorry my mis-spellings were so bad in last posted comment! I'm not stupid or illiterate-just a bit tired. Last episode was 9 July 09! Do not get over excited or you might hyper-ventilate! I am going to try that Dill pickle idea even if it is only anecdotal! How can it hurt anyway!!!

[Larry109]

I have had three episodes where in two of them, I passed out and hurt myself. This last one though was as I was just awakening and not walking around! My sternum felt like I WAS KNIFED! Also, I was in a full sweats mode! I had a hard time sitting up and called 911. Three ambulances and the Flight for Life chopper showed up. My heart rate was 30! (BAD) I threw up twice! While the medics were all in my living room with me! (I am a male-69 yr old) I was rushed to the ER at Memorial Hosp here in Coloroado SPrings where ekg tests were all negative and I was put on oxygen! I was given stress tests on the tread mill the next two days and all were excellent and was told my heart was greeat! Well, I was told to see a Neuro specialist.I haave read these blogs and others and agree that the Vagas nerve is the culprit. Somke say stay away from sugar, try a dill pickle top cease symptoms(God onlu knows why though!) Also, stay away from seasoned foods that are spicy(GERD maybe) and one lady was told top stay away from biscuiits and breads and she says it helped her greatly) Maybe gliten related!~!
I am now going to stop eating oat cereals in morning(Cheeriois for cholesterol reduction) and all breads and choclate and sugar treated items! I had a TERRIBLE case of the "runs" a week before latest attack!
I suggest low sugar, no gluten foods, and use esophageal meds as swallowing seems to also be a symptom as does dental probs and sore throats on right side and right shoulder pains! (Darnmed if I know why though)! Maybe vagas nerve is active and adversely affecting these parts of anantomy!??? Anyway, The Doctors here say lay down if you feel an attack is imminent and blood pressure will return to normal or you might pass out as I have on two occasions! I also have elevated heart rate when I first go to bed(???) and am sometimes light headed during the day!

LAL

[Cath278]

What a revelation! My husband is not the only one.It started 9yrs ago and he has had  3 episodes which have ended in an emergency trip to the hospital.The first attack, all concerened thought he had a heart attack.He was , then, 36yrs old. He had felt ill for a few days prior, nothing he could put his finger on.Belching for hours at a time. He then feels a very sharp pain, across his diaphragm, which lasts from 45 seconds to  5 mins. Three times he has passed out and stopped breathing.In between, he can belch for a full day. He has had every test know done with no conclusive results.At the time of the three bad attacks. his glucose levels were very low but corrected themselves within hours.
To this day we still dont know what is wrong and he is still getting the symptoms,ie,belching, pain in the diaphram ( which disappers after hrs of belching) very tired after an "attack".We have tried to change his diet with little sucess in inprovment to symptoms.Last attack was a mth ago, on hoildays, while he was swimming. Scarey. He also has the missed or skipped heart beats.If any one can shed any light on this I would be most grateful. The drs have given up as nothing is showing up in the tests he has had done.Thank you, Cath 278.

[RobynR]

I am a 55 yr old woman.I have had the "skipped beats" for years and years...gets worse..gets better..worse again. I've had so many holter monitors,  Drs say nothing to worry about. I also have GORD..on Nexium which helps. Dr told me a definite link between my heart irregularity and reflux..vagus nerve. It is a horrible feeling, esp. at night, and when the missed beats are every few beats. Sorry you are suffering too, but we are certainly not alone!

[Skippi]

Hi there, I have been having skipped heartbeats since I was 35yrs (48 now). It must be related to reflux, as I seem to have them mostly when eating the wrong things. I take magnesium 2x/day, don't drink coffee/alcohol and watch what I eat. If I eat the wrong things, my skips come back! I have betablockers which I very rarely use (3/year), only when I panic and stress out too much (it's scary, the skipped beats). The betablockers help with the racing heart, not much with the skipped beats. Gaviscon often helps too. I have to live with this condition, and mostly, I'm ok. It does affect me in several things but there is worse out there I guess. I have had my heart checked, all ok... so have your heart checked, but then go and treat your reflux! It will help. good luck

[megahertz6970]

I see it's been awhile (since March), how are you feeling these days?
I've often wondered the same thing about the vagus nerve. Maybe I'll find out one day.
I've had PVCs since I was 18, I am now 50 (female). Lately, they've gotten much worse, not in frequency, but in severity. Seems I'll get these 2 really hard "skips" that send kind of a jolt to my head (maybe your equivalency of dizziness?). After that, the blood pounds in my ears for a bit (like getting up too fast after sitting for awhile or lying down). Then I get a severe hot flash (I've been menopausal for 3 years but I'm now wondering whether it's menopause causing some of the problem, or not menopause and something else causing the sweat attack...), then, I get the "spastic belches", where I belch whether I've eaten anything or not, maybe 10 times per minute, and after I take some Gas-X, then I have heartburn. I guess it's heartburn, I didn't have a problem with stomach burning until these other things started... the kind of feeling like you could keep eating and you're hungry, but you know you're not, and if you eat, it still burns.

My skipped beats don't cause fast heartbeat afterward, either. I feel like I'm dying or I have some kind of bizarre condition that no one else on the planet has. When I lay down at night to go to sleep, the blood pounds in my ears until I pass out (and my heart won't even be skipping...).

I had the holter monitor test done about 3 weeks ago, the machine pooted out about 12 hours into the test, so they should've gotten something. But no one has called with any results, due to see the doc on Thursday. I guess the next steps are going to be echocardiogram and an echo of my stomach. I wonder if they can CT scan or MRI the Vagus nerve?? I'd even take a dye injection if they could actually make a motion picture while one of my attacks was happening. It would be great to know exactly what the problem is!! Because frankly, it's starting to scare the hell out of me.

I see no one else has posted to your post since March, I guess no one else has these problems?? If a doctor reads this, maybe he'll respond out of sheer curiosity. I tried to pay to post a question to a cardiologist, it took my credit card number, and then promptly I got an error message saying "web page cannot be displayed." Not gonna put my number back on there and possibly be charged twice for no question, I'll wait to hear what the site tech support says. Let me know how you are doing and if your symptoms have gotten any worse over the past months. Also if you found out anything, I'd love to hear it!