Atrial Fibrillation & Stomach Gas, Digestive Tract Problems?

[delcocat]

I saw another post about atrial fibrillation and stomach gas possible association or connection.  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 atleast in my experience in that they don't think outside the box enough possibly because this is what they learned.  I think I/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 and our own health.  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 would like to know if anyone else has any real answers to this as being a 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?  Isn't it possible
that the gas, bloat, perhaps inflamed digestive or intestinal tract can disturb the vagus nerve thereby possibly causing
you to go into an afib attack?  Any real dr's out there any more with some real info about this?  Even conjecture?
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 you know or even think this to be the case for you I would also like to correspond with you to trade stories and info on what you''ve learned and done. Be well.  Sincerely, Rich - delcocat at aol *******

[valley1027]

Hi:

I just had my third episode of afib since December.  I felt it coming on which I thought was strange.  It only lasted nine hours so I didn't need admission to the hospital again for an increase in my sotalol dose.   Today I felt I thought it was going to happen again but then I started to belch quite a bit and the feeling went away.   I think I go into afib when I don't belch, looking back.   I eat very quickly so I probably inhale a lot of air when I eat.   So what I was feeling was the gas.   I also eat a lot of beans.  

My first episode of afib was actually about 15 years ago after eating a bag of candied ginger--nine servings--all at one sitting. I got a deep pain in my chest and my torso got stiff so I couldn't lie down easily.  It lasted ~18 hrs, I could eat without any difficulty but I had trouble bending my torso.  After it went away the next day I immediately went into afib for about 45 minutes.  I am a nurse so I knew and did not seek medical attention.   I suspect I have a hiatal hernia and two years ago I was on a medication to prevent osteoporosis.  I started belching a lot then, the medication was stopped, so I probably did something to my esophagus.    

I have been involved with two cardiologists and one internist since December and not one inquired about GI symptoms.   I think they know about it, but prevention is not in their interest.    They want you chronically ill, the more medications you require the better.    You might think you are getting healed but you really aren't, you are getting perpetual treatment.  

[SmokChsr]

Valley,
I understand what you are saying about the MD's. Luckily beside being a paramedic I have an internist that I'm very good friends with, and she is always talking with me about my situation. Also she is the only one that thinks I have a valid theory about what is going on. The only drawback is currently she's not my Dr. Although I may make her one of my dr's for this and let her send me in for a CT, at the right time. Right now I want to wait a bit before going any further on the A-fib, since I'm only 15 days post open heart surgery for the ASD, I want to get that healed up a bit more before I go back after the fib. What would be very interesting to see would be if anyone going into this could convince their doc to drop a NG tube and decompress. I really think you would see a conversion within minutes of doing that. I know the NG tube isn't the most pleasent thing but it's really a non-invasive procedure. I'm actually tempted to drop one on myself next time this happens, I just need a suction source.  NOTE: don't do an NG unless you are well versed in the procedure, done wrong it can do serious damage. Currently I would not atteempt one since I'm on cumiden for a bit longer post surgery.

Also a sliding hiatal hernia has been one of my theories, that again could push up on the atria causing the event. I see the surgeon Thursday I'll see if I can get him to discuss this a bit with me. But then again he is quick to point out he's a cardiac surgeon, not a cardiologist.

[SmokChsr]

One other thing that may be related, but probably not a direct cause, I should probably point out, is that I have been diagnosed with H-pylori. The Gastro found that when he was clearing me for surgery. This hasn't been treated yet as we were planning to do the prevpac after the surgery. I'm planning on starting it if the surgeon say's ok Thursday.

[delcocat]

Hello guys,

   Well Valley, welcome.  Once again I'm sorry to see your another ailing from this.  You are pretty fortunate though in that you stated you just starting recently having afib and perhaps in part happening upon this site your also making the correlation to gas and bloat to your own afib connection.  If you read through all my posts from the beginning to now you'll see it has been for me an on going journey and quest seeking knowledge, answers and solutions to this since this "afib" is still some what of an enigma.  No one has any solid answers so we're learning the hard way and through our own experiences how both to deal with this and to find answers and possible solutions.   I give a whole list of things above in one or two of my posts as to what I believe can in and of themselves cause people to go into afib or which can lead to other symptoms that can cause it.  The gas, bloat, relux problem to afib connection is real.  But as mentioned just keep in mind that these to are nothing more than symptoms themselves.    They therefore are caused by something else and or perhaps by other underlying problems.   Valley, your correct in that eating too fast, too much  and or the wrong foods will cause gas and bloat just on its own.  Eating fast (thats me in the nut shell)!  So for you it may just simply be a matter of ajusting how & what you eat, how often, how much and so forth?  SmokChar, I too made a possible connection of H. Pylori that can not only lead to ulcers but cause other symptoms that can lead to afib also.  I suspected this for myself and treated it naturally.  Unfortunately theres no guarantee once you've completed a round of antibiotics to rid yourself of H. Pylori that it won't come back not to mention the other side effects of antibiotics which can give you more digestive problems and complications.  One such complication is killing off all of your friendly gut bacteria and not just the bad one.  If you take this route make sure you supplement with a good quality broad spectrum probiotic!  Once you cause the imbalance in your digestive tract it can be tough getting it back in balance so in your efforts to kill of the bad stuff make sure your ensuring that you keep the good stuff in check.  If you want to try a natural approach to H. Pylori try using mastic gum.  Its been used for centuries for stomach related problems and has been shown to kill H. Pylori and allow your digestive tract to heal.  SmokChar you make an interesting suggestion ( NG tube ) on the deflating when in the ER.  I went into the ER myself on two occasions where my stomach was so bloated and I knew it was my problem.  I asked that they do something for this and I knew my symptoms of afib would go away.  They disbelieved me so I had no choice but to do what they wanted.  I still insisted that I felt bloated and miserable and asked if they could give me something.  Since I took gass x  prior and they gave no relief I was surprised to see them give me malox!  They kept insisting there was no connection and I said you do not know me like i do and i guarantee if this helps me relieve the gas and bloat it won't be before long that I come out of afib.  I wasn't converting with what they gave me and wanted to check me in.  I said just give me an hour.  Sure enough in an hours time I burped, got much relief from the bloat and went back into sinus rythm.  I could tell they were bewildered and I was ultimately released.  I knew this was my problem going in and hoped that they would have something medically better for the bloat and gas but luckily I guess do to the gasx i took before along with the malox they gave it finally did the trick.  Very frustrating though when doctors won't listen or believe what at the time I already knew or suspected.  I believe I mentione this above also but the first time I went to the ER for afib there were circumstances leading up to it where by i put two and two together and knew it was a combination of  over tiredness and possible imbalance of minerals due to dehydration from sweating.  I won't get into the details here but it was interesting in that this was the first, only and last time an ER doctor ever listened to me in what I had suggested.  Since he wasn't sure what course of treatment to use I suggested after explaining my thought that he place me on iv fluids and intravenous magnesium and potassium and lo and behold I was back in sinus in under an hour!  Even with medications this rarely happens.  Sorry to go on here but I'm passionate about this and while not a medical professional such as yourself have learned a lot and just wish to impart my experiences and knowledge gained to you guys in hopes that something I've learned hopefully can be of benefit to you and others.   -Rich- delcocat

[delcocat]

PS - as to some of the related problems stemming from poor digestive tract health besides afib come often from poor eating habbits,  wrong food choices (such as processed white flours, sugars), stress etc  which in turn can easily result in your system being compromised and over run by such things as gut over growth of bad bacteria, mold, yeast etc. which can result in such things as: chronic fatigue, memory loss, bloating, heartburn, prostate problems, swollen or stiff joints, muscle pain, urinary tract infections – even mental and emotional problems like fear, anger, anxiety, and depression etc.  These health problems will almost certainly never be diagnosed by your doctor and or show that there is any relationship between them!

[SmokChsr]

For what it's worth, on my picture area I've posted my baseline and a 3 & 12 lead EKG of my SVT. On that 12 lead SVT the Dr said it was A-fib. I don't see A-fib at that point. The rhythm did drop into A-fib after I did that 12 lead. I haven't got the copies of all the strips yet from when I was in the hospital. I'd feel it, the monitor would go into alarm, and 5-10 minutes later the cardio tech would come wheeling into the room with the 12 lead recorder.  So they shot probably 10-15 pictures of it coming and going.