Stomach/intestinal gas realated palps/afib

[tigger2211]

Im posting this in hopes that somebody out there is going through the same thing as me and has found a "cure"!

I get heart palpitations and episodes of afib from stomach and intestinal gas. Been to the doc, heart is fine, blood work is fine, blah blah blah. Been reading FAR too many posts where Dr's do NOT believe that there is a connection between stomach issues and heart rhythm and Im starting to get VERY frustrated. You can't call yourself a Dr, if you're not going to LISTEN to your patient and BELIEVE them. I know for FACT that it is stomach gas that is causing my arrythmia! Nobody knows my body like "I" know my body, but nobody is willing to listen and help.

Anyway, I have lost 35lbs over the span of a couple of years because of this. If I eat too much, my heart palpitates like crazy, so there are times where I've resorted to eating toddler size portions because I didn't want to "upset" my heart. I don't know why this has even started to begin with?! If I have trapped gas in my stomach and twist or bend over the "wrong" way, then my heart goes into afib.

I've been trying to find a cure for the stomach issues in hopes it will fix the heart ones. Changed diet, researched stomach diseases, meds after meds after teas after vitamins, blah blah blah. Nothing. Its still happening. I DO have a thyroid nodule, but it is benign and my TSH is in the "low normal" range. So, I don't know if maybe that has something to do with it? Doesn't matter anyway, cuz my stupid doctor is doing nothing to help me figure this out.

I have lost ALL faith in doctors and pray that I don't get a serious illness or injury because Im sure to be left to die. Im on my own now and resorting to the help of fellow sufferers.

I just really want to know why this came out of nowhere and how to make it stop. Of ALL the health issues in the world, I had to get THIS one. I know it could be worse, but this is ruining my life and the lives of my children because I cant do anything or go anywhere because god forbid, I have a freakin' heart attack in the middle of the grocery store because some stupid doctor "has no idea whats wrong with me, see's no connection between the stomach and the heart, pushes pills saying its just anxiety, etc......".

SOOOO sorry for sounding ignorant, but Im beyond fed up living like this. Please help!!

[sian333]

Hi there.

I feel your frustration. Really. I am here for you if you need to chat!

I stumbled across a great doctor who actually told me there IS a connection between gas and PACs/PVCs. He said pressure in your stomach puts pressure on your heart. He said it's common sense. I'm glad he uses his brain, cos it does honestly seem like a lot of other doctors don't.

I always notice my arrhythmia is worse after a big meal, especially pizza for some reason. I love pizza. LOL.

[iamfaithful]

Hey there.  I have dealt with this before and you are correct.  I get weird "rumblings" in my chest as well as PVC's because I am unable to  eat much because of my anxiety.  Therefore the gas starts and then I feel it in my chest.  Hang in there.  It is hard because you feel like the doctors are not listening to you and it can be nerve racking to say the least! Be encouraged!

[ProximaCentauri]

I posted the below on Dec 15, 2017. As I think it is perhaps significant, I am presenting it here so it will appear at the top of this thread:

"I suffer from most or all of the symptoms described by posters in this forum. My doctors dismiss any connection to the gut - yet here is what I found: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roemheld_syndrome.

This EXPLAINS IT ALL. From my own experience, I can categorically state it applies a hundred percent to my symptoms.

The strangest part of it is, Roemheld Syndrome appears to be recognized as a distinct condition only in Germany.

I hope this helps ..."

[CrohnieToo]

Get another family doctor. Request a 24 hour Holter monitor and eat to your heart's content - er, palpitates.

[afib3]

absolutely a connection- vagus nerve innervates both- look up vaso-vagal response.  My husband has the reverse issue- gets gas, bloating and upset stomach when he is in afib.  It's why he feels so sick while he's in it.  Get a gastroenterology consult if you can.

[palps101]

I have had this for years...there is a coorelation dispite what anyone else says.  I have learned to live with it and while a major irritation and sometimes the source of anxiety for me, mostly I try to accpet it.  My heart skips, beats hard, and is generally irregular.  This is often accompanied by stomach bloating, gas, indigestion, etc.  I think it must relate to pressure on the vagus nerve.  I think it is not threatening...or at least i have convinced myself of this.  Good luck...sometimes potassium seems to help me...maybe an electrolyte or hormone imbalance?  Hmmmm.

[mamakuch]

This has been my issue since I was 26.I am now 60. I took beta blockers for more than three decades before going into persistent a-fib two years ago. My PVC's and SVT's only arose when my stomach was in the condition you describe. Same with the a-fib. I had the same experience with doctors. Had ablation on June 3 of this year, awoke on the 18th with my stomach in chaos, went back into a-fib and have yet to convert.Stomach is still a mess. I am on  proton pump inhibitor and have been for years, but it does nothing. I am at the point where I am wondering if the cardiac issues cause the stomach issues instead of vice-versa. Certainly the vagus nerve is involved, but mine does not seem to be typical vagally mediated A-fib.  My heart is healthy other than the arrhythmia, but I  am utterly miserable.The a-fib I am having now is much worse than it was before the ablation.I still have hope that the ablation will eventually work. My"heart' goes out to you. You are certainly not alone.

[Anofib]

hey I understand exactly. My afib episode happend when I was 33 im now 36. And no episodes that I have needed to return to hospital for. my afib happened after a night and a day of haveing  heartburn. I went out to eat with my family at a local resturant. Came home. Was relaxing on the couch. Got up to grab a beer and  streched my chest out with my arms back, and bam. It hit me. Im no doc obviously, but I know it has something to do with the stomach. I mentioned this to my doc and he looked at me sideways. Unbelievable. Good luck guy.

[DeltaDawn23]

This is very real.  Avoid large meals, spicy food, and try one of the proton pump inhibitors.  My internist says the vagus nerve lies right along slide the heart and if it is kept quiet, it will help the irregular beats.  I notice is way more if I miss my Prevacid.  Don't give up, there is life after this.  It is NOT your imagination.  Try GasX and/or Beano.  Anything that helps the gas will helps the irregular beats.

[Madge270]

Just so you know...my mom had  problems like yours for most of her life.  When I was a child, she'd get these attacks. She felt they were caused by gas pressure. Eventually she began eating smaller, nore frequent meals and foods that weren't as likely to produce gas.  She used to say that she thought she'd be dead by the time she was fifty, but she lived to be 90 and never took meds until the last three years.  

[mzak69]

Send a message to JPEK. He's got alot of info you would be interested in.

[tryit2012]

Hey not sure if you've still got the problem, but I too got this problem all of a sudden. Never in the morning, but definitely lunch & evening. More likelywith food not always. The unbelievale thing is that mine just stopped yesterday out of the blue? I am stoked about this. Considering everything i was trying, all i did different within the last 48hrs was take up pilates, and try Herbalife Aloe concentrate. I believe it to be the Aloe. Because I tended to feel like wind in my stomach, this stuff helps your digestion tract out. I am not a doctor but this worked for me and i know what you mean about going nuts trying to work out what causes it. Even when i exercised regularly & ate healthy food, nothing would give. I prayed too let me tell you. But i've taken the lesson I had to have I suppose to be more grateful about my health. If it works for you, fantastic! I don't think it'd have to be brand specific but find something like it. :)

[rescueboat]

1. Possible partly damaged of the pericardium.
2. Possible external cause of AF.
3. Possible caused by a remaining of an injury in the solar plexus.
4. Maybe a modern bodyscan from different angles could trace the problem.
5. Possible cause by Electro Magnetic fields near you body while sleeping, such as main wiring in walls, clocks, GSM, UTMS etc.
6. Find a physician WHO LISTEN. Most of them act what is in the books.

Grettings.
Frank
The Netherlands.

[idariom]

I have exact issue. Severe AFIB Preceeded by deep gut belching.  "Cured" afib issue with gas-x as needed and apple cider vinegar 2-3x a day. Stopped gas producing foods and eliminated wheat and gluten.

[Luisa1010]

I am your age so your post stood out to me...Im suffering terribly with the skipped beats and had 3 weeks of monitoring where they do agree i have terrible skipped beats...Am taking Bystolic BUT I can tell you...I always tell them its related to my stomach...Upper area..It sets it off terribly..Tonight I was on my way to the emergency as I could NOT get the skipped beats to slow down.  Having had an angiogram of the brain last year that was totally unnecessary...I am not wanting the Ablation as that involves angiogram again....tell me how things are for you....what has a gastroenterologist done?  Im thinking its time for an endoscopy...My email is ***@**** going to do my best to find your post again...but I gave you my email as I'd like to hear how youre doing...Luisa

[Helloall143]

Hello all! Frustration is an understatement! I have gone through all the testing and doctors as well, for me they come up with stress, a little bit low blood sugar, and my intestines is inflammed. I have a masters degree in holistic nutrition and what I am finding is that you need to get your intestinal bacteria checked. There is most likely an imbalance of yeast in the system.  A great book to buy is "The Yeast Connection".  Palpitations, gas, bloating, and every symptom you are all describing is what I think from this problem. The yeast produces toxic waste and gases especially in the intestines if out of balance most doctors don't even think about this. I hope you are all well and this reaches you!

[Danichannn]

I started getting these heart palpitations a year ago now, it has taken me a year to work out that vegetables/salads/fruits (and other gas producing foods) is what triggers them. I first got them when I was eating a 'paleo' type diet and exercising regularly. I used to be able to eat all vegetables and fruits with no issue, now I can not digest them very well at all. I believe it stems from an issue of the gut which irritates the vagus nerve (my cardiologist agrees). I have only just started taking enzymes and probiotics along with some magnesium and fish oil to see if it helps (I will let people know how it goes). I also try and mindfully breathe through my diaphragm as the gas causes anxiety and I notice I tend to stop breathing as much due to the abdominal pressure. As soon as I burp the anxiety is gone!

[kfhetrick]

Who is JPEK and how do you send a message to her/him? Thank you!

[Abdul2015]

Hi all,

    I have same the symptoms of Tigger , i am wondering of somebody find something to help ??

I feeling the upper stomach movement and when i check my heart rate i find it irregular in the sam time .

I have lactose issue in my intestines!!

I hope somebody could help ??

Abdul

[Jeaniey]

Have you considered seeing a Naturopathic doctor. There could be increased intestinal fermentations caused by an imbalance in the intestinal flora e.g. too much underlying fungal, bacterial or parasitic infections. When you eat food that ferments a gas production occurs which can cause a build up of gas in the abdomen but also can cause "splenic flexure syndrome" in which gas in the bowel leads to pain in the lower chest or left shoulder. There are both blood tests and specific stool analysis used by Funcional Medical consultants or Nutritionists or Naturopathic doctors to help confirm this presence. Once you know what imbalances are there an indiviualsed treatment program can be created to help resestablish a balanced intestinal flora. I hope this helps you !!

[professorruss]

I have found that certain foods will set off the exact symptoms described by many here. Sometimes my symptoms last for a couple of days or longer. In my case, some, but not all, fried foods like french fries seem to trigger irregular heart beats. It may be potatoes in general, but I really notice it after eating fried foods at a restaurant. Not so much at home. I think it's the kind of oil used. Some bread products will also trigger my irregular heart beats... particularly pizza. I've been seeing a cardiologist for three years now. He says my heart is healthy with the exception that one of the aortic muscles is thickening. Also, I've gone to the emergency room on three different occasions with my symptoms, thinking that I'm having a heart attack. The doctors can find nothing definitive. I'm glad to know that I'm not alone in this situation, and hope that as more of us share the concerns, there might be more research done in this area. I'm convinced that there is a correlation between stomach functioning and heart palpitations.

[Joaquin7]

Same thing happens to me, starts couple years ago. I take out a lot of foods from my diet to see and i get couple months free of skeep beats. If i eat bread, cakes ,pizza starts again. Iam glad to find this post. Doctors always told me that is not a conection between Heart and stomach,but isnt true. J.O NC

[Eldub]

I am lactose intolerant. If I consume dairy products without taking lactaid, I will surely develop gas and the irregular heart beat will follow which produces a bit of anxiety. Gas-X will help relieve the gas and the arrhythmia. I will often take a Pepcid AC Complete as well. If my gas issue is relieved, my arrhythmia goes away. You can also have an intolerance to certain carbohydrates. If so, you lack the enzyme to properly break them down and gas and bloating results which brings on the arrhythmia.   Beano will often prevent excess gas cause by the improper metabolism of the carbs.
I have had this issue for more than 20 years and had to figure it out on my own. Most GPs just don't get the connection. It's been frustrating and scary at the same time. Thankfully, I have learn through trial and error how to control my symptoms. Hope this helps.

[SteveK0524]

Nexium helped my stomach issues which helped my irregular heart beats. As long as I take nexium cut down on caffeine nicotine and alcohol my heart doesn't skip beats or shoot up to 250bpm. I no longer need to take propanolol. Exercise is not a bad idea as well. Thanks for your post I felt the same way it's nice to know it's not just in my head. Every dr I've seen has been useless.

[ProximaCentauri]

I posted the below on Dec 15, 2017. As I think it is perhaps significant, I am presenting it here so it will appear at the top of this thread:

"I suffer from most or all of the symptoms described by posters in this forum. My doctors dismiss any connection to the gut - yet here is what I found: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roemheld_syndrome.

This EXPLAINS IT ALL. From my own experience, I can categorically state it applies a hundred percent to my symptoms.

The strangest part of it is, Roemheld Syndrome appears to be recognized as a distinct condition only in Germany.

I hope this helps ...

[Ariellaa]

I have had issues with AF SVT and ectopic beats. I was hospitalised numerous times from severe episodes. I felt like it was ruining my life and getting worse and knew it was somehow related to digestion. I started an autoimmune protocol diet that eliminates nuts, seeds, grains, dairy, spices, nightshades and any artificial flavours colours and preservatives. About a week into it I noticed no more ectopic beats or runs of SVT or AF. When I started to add back some foods I realised I reacted to nuts, gluten, dairy and tomatoes and chilli. I had unknowingly been eating foods I had an intolerance too. Since cutting out those foods for good I have been symptom free. Try an elimination diet or get a food sensitivity test done. Good luck.

[bchambers05]

So primarily what can you eat then..that takes out alot of healthy foods and ingredients in foods and food prep

[JACQUI10]

I've been dealing with VTach for almost a year now. I am 33 yrs old. I've started noticing a pattern related to fullness or over eating and my arrythmia. I noticed that the times my VTach starts, is when I'm full, bloated, over weight, or gassy.  I truly feel there is a correlation between the two. I now eat minni meals with fear of another episode. I do feel that I am burping up more air than usual. I think if I get the bloating/burping issue solved, that I can prevent my episodes from happening.  This question you posted makes me feel better that others have had this problem and I'm not alone. Yet, in turn, I feel that it may be over looked by cardiologists or even EP specialists. I will discuss this in detail with my EP and see what his thoughts are.

[Tryeverything]

Try taking GABA. It worked to resolve my PVCs which were closely linked to my esophageal, epigastric issues. Go online and look up articles about GABA and PVCs. I took 500mg twice a day for a long time and it worked like magic...I actually started out taking even more than that but I think 500mg twice a day is sufficient. I'm down to 500mg daily now and some days I take less or skip and am still PVC free. There is good science supporting why this therapy has worked. Palpitations are even documented to be a symptom of GABA deficiency. Give it a try. It not only has resolved the PVCs but has resolved the trapped gas and inability to belch issues. The PVCs are caused by the vagus nerve which is strongly influenced by the parasympathetic nervous system which is in turn influenced to a large degree by GABA levels. I have studied everything I could get my hands on and have come to the conclusion that the GABA works and the reasons it works is rooted in good science. When I spoke to 3 cardiologists at my work, they all agreed that it makes sense that it would work and they all said they would try tori patients on the GABA before trying them on beta blockers. There is real hope for people with benign PVCs here. You can order GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) at any Heath food store or on line. GABA is an amino acid that your body makes from glutamine and vit B6. It works as a neuro transmitter in your brain and body. Read all you can on the Internet about it. I started looking on yahoo search engine..."GABA and PVCs" and that's where my study started. By the time I connected the dots, I decided that it might help and wouldn't hurt to give it a try. I am PVC free now and have been for months. I know now that I was GABA deficient and that I had a GABA deficiency crisis which triggered a flood of chronic and frequent PVCs as well as upper GI digestive/gas issues. The crisis in my case was triggered by a period of prolonged high stress (I built a house while working full time as a nurse and was my own contractor.) I sure hope people will give this therapy a try. It has been a miracle for me.