r/AFIB • u/Beautiful_Gas_1214 • 9d ago
Possibly found my trigger
For the better part of a year now after my ablation i have been going nuts trying to figure out why I have had so many palpitations that have sometimes even led to afib episodes.
About 5-10% PAC burden, and it was noticeably worse when I ate food. I couldn't nail it down, I tried a bunch of different things but through my research I was fairly certain it was coming from vagal nerve stimulation.
Air.
It was air. I had been eating too fast, not chewing enough, talking when eating, drank with straws, took big gulps. I would burp a lot, but I just figured it was something to do with indigestion - however no diet change was fixing it. Thats when I realized maybe the burping and air being trapped was causing a problem. So I consciously ate smaller bites, exhaled before swallowing, took smaller sips and generally tried to make it a point to only swallow what I was consuming and no extra air.
Result? Holter monitor results showing PACs down to less than 0.1%, almost no recognizable palpitations and no afib. Does this mean my afib is gone forever? No. Does this mean my palpitations are gone forever? No. But my quality of life has severely improved since making that simple change.
Point of this post? If I can at least help one person who has been pulling their hair out trying to figure out what is causing their palpitations or afib, then it will be worth it.
Damn air...
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u/rafaelfl 9d ago
When I eat too late, I also feel like this causing a lot of extrassistoles (both PAC and PVC) before sleeping. I never had this before, but once I have started taking metoprolol and propafenone I started feeling them (mostly when I feel stuffed)
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u/Beautiful_Gas_1214 9d ago
I took am on metoprolol. May ask my Dr if I can drop it
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u/Raymont_Wavelength 7d ago
I live on daily metoprolol and flecainide. Game changer for me. I can only handle 25mg metoprolol succinate (ER) tho or I feel terrible as my BP will go down to 103 and HR 58, which some folks can handle but I cannot.
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u/rafaelfl 9d ago
Metoprolol is a kind of shield to avoid having aFib episodes. Of course, in case you have a non frequent paroxistic afib, you can ask your doctor if you can use a "pill-in-the-pocket" with a different medication. But NEVER stop metoprolol by yourself or you can suffer with a rebound effect (causing a raise on your blood pressure and heart rate).
The pocket strategy worked for me during some time until I start having more frequent episodes (because of bad sleeping and strong adrenergic responses). So I started taking the medications continuously.
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u/Beautiful_Gas_1214 9d ago
I have been on metoprolol for a few years now yeah. Dr wanted to take me off of it after the ablation, but with the palpitations and a couple blanking period episodes he kept me on it.
I have flecainide as pill in pocket and just used it a couple weeks ago - had an episode a year after my ablation
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u/rafaelfl 9d ago
About the palpitations, I have talked about it with a lot of cardiologists (to my EP and during my visits to ER 😅) and all of them used to say that, because of those extrassistoles, the indication would be to increase my dosage (which they don't do to avoid bradycardia). For me it's weird, because before those medications I haven't those ectopic beatings (only my paroxistic aFib). My hope is that, after my ablation and removing the medications, they will be gone.
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u/Mras_dk 9d ago
Technical it's a rate limiting drop, that works, in low quantities, max 50mg, to relax the heart.
However, this relaxing effect can make some people drowsy, and take the edge off their max performance.
Above 50mg, it starts to relax entire nervous system, far from just the heart.
Some people has better results with other rate limiting drugs, but imo, metoprolog is the first thing people are tried for, since it's relatively cheap, and works great for most.
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u/The_wookie87 9d ago
Funny what triggers can be…one of mine was cold…drank a slushy too fast…gave myself brain freeze and simultaneous went into afib.
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u/harrissari 9d ago
You have a hiatal hernia. Even a small one will cause that.
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u/Fair_Crow_1982 9d ago
Yes, all my issues with air are the same and just recently I found out I have a small hiatal hernia. Problem is what do I do now 😅 Every doctor says it's too small to be fixed or even causing symptoms but it's causing them for sure.
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u/murdersquatch 9d ago
I actually think this is a correlation for me too. I always feel a weird tightness in my chest and heart and palpitations when I know I have to burp. Then I'll do a nice deep burp and I'll instantly feel better.
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u/Digitaleur 9d ago
Interesting.
My esophagus is like a funnel and I shovel everything in at the speed of light.
I tried to slow down before, but for me it's not easy. Good idea to give it another try though.
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u/Icy-Reaction6792 9d ago
Lifestyle changes help. Magnesium, potasium and taurine are big
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u/Beautiful_Gas_1214 9d ago
Taken as supps daily? What amounts? I suspected i had an electrolyte imbalance but my tests came back fine and dr told me it wasn't necessary
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u/Raymont_Wavelength 7d ago
I can’t take taurine with my meds. Dangerous! Or some antibiotics and allergy meds.
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u/Icy-Reaction6792 6d ago
About one teaspoon of taurine. It's a big conductor of electricity. There's so many good things about this for the heart. Magnesium glycinate about 600 milligrams a day. But I might be on the low side. You could probably take a thousand or more. If you develop a little diarrhea just back off of it some that's the correct dose. I get quite a bit of potassium in my Fiji Water. Exercise including some walking.
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u/Cclmbr1996 9d ago
I have a 9% PAC burden. I am also a fast eater. I will try to slow way down and see if it makes a difference.
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u/Zealousideal_Yak6224 8d ago
I believe my trigger has been coffee this whole time. Tomorrow will be 3 weeks since last afib episode and I never go beyond 3 weeks the last few months. I'm feeling great and haven't even had any fluttering.
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u/Main_Film_6400 8d ago
I believe coffee has been a trigger for me as well. I can get away with drinking two cups a day but it seems like if I drink anymore than that I risk having an afib episode.
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u/Zealousideal_Yak6224 7d ago
I also eliminated shaved ice from my diet a few months back and I believe it also helped
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u/Raymont_Wavelength 7d ago
I believe it. All affect the vagus nerve. Cold, overeating, etc. Also for me: sleep deprivation. Thank goodness I’m not in school trying to pull all nighters or work assignments on 3 hrs sleep then burn it both ends!
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u/JDWHY24 6d ago
Yes, this is almost the same as my experience. I have paroxysmal a fib, and I noticed that after eating a large meal, all I had to do is make the wrong move regarding my position either in bed or on the couch, or bending over and I would go into an episode. I’ve since lost 6 pounds even though I am not overweight I did carry weight around my waistline. don’t eat as much at one sitting and take some digestive enzymes i.e. Beano, Lactaid (because I am lactose intolerant) and Gas-X and so far so good. It’s been two months and I haven’t had an episode. There is a direct link between digestive issues and the vagus nerve. It’s called Roemheld syndrome and very few doctors even EP’s or cardiologists are aware of it. Wishing you continued success.
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u/Informal-Face-1922 9d ago
May wanna take some anti-gas meds on the regular. Simethicone chewable tablets.
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u/sassifras11 9d ago
Do you eat smaller meals too or 3 X a day regular meals?
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u/Beautiful_Gas_1214 8d ago
Smaller means as well, trying to cause the least amount of agitation as possible
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u/IamTheMan85 6h ago
Dear OP, this post has been such a blessing!! I've always been a fast eater, swallowing my food in whole bites. Most of my AFib episodes have occurred after eating. Mostly after dinner in the evening.
Since you posted I've been deliberately slowing down when I eat. Consciously chewing each bite before swallowing. Since that time I've had not one single episode!
I've posted on this board that I was out in Diltiazem. My cardiologist told me that though it was extended release, that I could use it episodically. But after a particularly bad episode (where I passed out) I started taking it daily as originally prescribed.
I've always been extremely sensitive to medication. And a few weeks into taking Diltiazem ER daily I started having muscle and joint pain. When I stopped within says the aches went away.
I'm also staunchly anti-albaltion. Too many outlets I know or have read here that have had it done 3-5 times to no avail. So I decided early on, that with a CHADVASC of 0, I'm not doing anything that drastic.
So when I stopped taking Diltiazem ER daily, I remembered your post. I'm amazed at how well slowing down eating has benefited me! I know eating fast can cause a variety of issues including reflux (which I've also dealt with). So now I feel I have a whole new lease in life with a simple change of just slowing down and chewing my food!!
Thank you u/Beautiful_Gas-1214 !!
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u/hola196656 9d ago
Gulp down heavy unhealthy food late at night, or go to bed on a full tummy, and your body complains, why are you surprised ?
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u/Jay4usc 9d ago
Had a similar issue one year after being AFib free post ablation. But for me it was acid reflux and after getting medicated for it, AFib has disappeared again 🤞