To give a bit of background, I'm 19 years old and I had my first episode of AF about a year ago, I had no idea what it was at the time, it scared the hell out of me but I ignored it and it disappeared after just under a day.
The reason I am posting on here is because im confused as to what the doctor told me. Every time I have had an onset of AF ( 4 or 5 times now) it is a result of vomiting after a illness or ingesting far too much alcohol. It doesn't happen everytime i am sick, only when i really strain myself.
I tried telling the doctor this and he said the AF will make you feel sick, but i'm 95% certain that the AF is being onset from throwing up, it only ever happens then and aside from these episodes I don't have a high pulse rate or anything.
I have had an echocardiogram and the results for that came back fine.
I'd just like to know if anyone has or have heard about AF being induced through throwing up, as i can't find a great deal on the internet and my doctor just keeps telling me he has no idea what's happening.
Obviously i have stopped drinking to excess now i actually have an idea what's going on.
Thanks
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george19
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How frightening for you and especially when you are so young. Difficult for me to put myself in your shoes cos I'm a LOT older, but I think that what I do does affect my AF, so I can imagine that having binged will trigger it. I guess you are lucky in having some idea of what triggers it and either avoiding the triggers or putting up with it cos you know why it happened, rather than it creeping up on you when you don't expect it!
Hi George and welcome to our mad world. Of course there is a link. You obviously haven't yet seen a doctor who has much understanding of AF. Binge drinking is the number one cause of AF in younger people so I think you have an answer there to avoid too much booze in the future. AF almost always progresses once it gets a hold so better to stop it now..
What you are experiencing is vagal AF which is triggered by the vagus nerve. This is the main neural super highway between the brain and the heart, stomach and other organs. What affects one can back feed to others you see.
If you really look hard at your life style you may be able to stop AF progressing so it is worth trying healthy eating, avoiding too much caffeine, alcohol and other stimulants and get plenty of gentle exercise. (Over exercise is another classic cause, viz all the athletes who have it.) IF things don't settle down then you need to see an electrophysiologist who is a cardiologist with special interest in arrhythmias such as AF. There are treatments which can help control the condition should it progress but you won't get them from your GP .
Ask us any question and we will try to answer and support you.
Hi Bob, long time no chat. Are you keeping well? It's 38 C degrees outside today and must sat the A/C is doing a fine job on me. Are you still considering or indeed have you moved yet?
Been down in Devon now for ten years and not going anywhere. Too much invested ! Just got a Skyline R33 over from Japan for Mikey and currently being stripped for the first drift event next weekend. Cloudy but a mild 18 degrees here.
Alcohol does trigger AF the fact it happens when your sick may just be a coincidence, now you have reduced the alcohol intake you may find you no longer have a problem, I hope not, your very young to have this burden.
I don't remember saying I was constantly being sick.
Because I'm not.
Having AF so young must be a real pain... mine first came on after a bad coughing fit (really bad!) so I think that anything that hurts that part of your anatomy (lower ribcage) does have an effect in some people, and of course being sick would be similar. Does your AF come on overnight too, which is classic vagal AF?
I know it's tough to be told at that age not to drink too much but really, the one thing we have to learn, us AFers, is that our bodies don't respond like everyone else's and there's no point in arguing because your body wins every time. Tough, I know, but you'll end up a lot healthier for it, which is one consolation... Cut right down to just a few units a week and do a bit of research to find out how many units in your favourite drinks. I find I can drink up to six units a week and it doesn't affect me but everyone's different.
As others have said though, best not to aggravate the beast, you don't want it to get worse if that can be helped!
Hi George, sorry to hear that you have got this so young in life, I was only 28 when I started experiencing the on setts of AF, so whilst older than you, I know how this condition can interfere with a young man's life (mine too was often brought on by heavy nights out drinking alcohol), I also agree that vomiting can bring it on - I have noticed this previously, good to hear that you have reduced your alcohol intake, this will certainly help, I also reduced my intake but still get out for a few - it's important to find your level and not let this destroy all avenues of pleasure. There is some good advice on this site and I am sure that when you find the right EP you will feel more comfortable with this managable condition - best of luck - Karl
Yes, george19, it did in my early days. I wasn't as young as you when I first had AF but was a healthy and active 33 and used to have a few heavy drinking nights and a hectic lifestyle. I often found that vomitting during an attack of migraine would produce heavy irregularity and once, actually brought AF on. I understand exactly where you are coming from as I still fear being sick in case it sets the AF off. Why it should I don't know. Maybe the exertion of actually being sick? Whatever, if this seems to be happening with you then it should be looked at. For a doctor to say it will be the AF making you sick seems a bit of a cop out. Hope you get it sorted soon...you are too young to be worrying about this.
I have found that anytime my esophagus is irritated, so too apparently is my heart. A but of indigestion brought on my first day of brusts of AF. Sorry it's starting so young, but at least one trigger you know of can be avoided. Probably better for the rest of your body, too!
Indeed welcome to our world where you have nothing but caring friends. Before AF get a total hold on you I would be giving up alcohol big time. I should hate to think that at your age you are addicted to it and can easily find another way to spend you time. Time is the biggest thing we can waste in life to Alcohol followed closely by the money it costs. Therefore by one decision you have potentially cured at least three potential problems In your life. Reduce your AF problem, save more money and get a new past time and even meet new friends.
If the above isn't serious enough, anything that can realistically reduce the onset or frequency of AF should br grasped with both hands, at any age but especially at your age.
I'd like to thank everyone for the response, I really didn't think there would be anything like this much in terms of a reply.
Everything you have said about the nerve etc. makes perfect sense, I went to see another doctor today and they have referred me to an arrhythmia clinic to try and get to the bottom of it.
I am grateful that I know the trigger for this, as I can't imagine what it is like dealing with this constantly. I'm not too sure its the alcohol and more the actual throwing up, but then again I have no idea. I only say that because some nights I can drink a hell of a lot and be fine, and other nights I wont drink hardly as much but say on an empty stomach or I'm sick for another reason ( I get migraines occasionally too) and it has set it off.
I have also never had this happen in the night.
It's worth mentioning I haven't had this for around 4 months now since I was properly diagnosed (but I also haven't been sick)
I'm going to keep posting on here as I don't know anyone else who has this (especially my age) so its good to speak to people who also have it.
A lot of potential young AF sufferers don't know they have AF because it can although present faster heart rates, be un-symptomatic.
I don't drink alcohol and had a history of fast heart rate which spontaneously resolved itself. I was diagnosed with AF in my mid-20s after a lot of hospital visits.
Mild inflammation such acid reflux, asthma, infections caused by cold or flu viruses and exercise intolerance can bring episodes of lone AF with no other connected disease. This is particularly so in younger people.
In young people with fatigue, cyclic vomiting problems, arrhythmia and muscle strain - there can be channelopathy, mitochondrial or myopathy connections which are while exploring. Look out for eyesight changes too. It's worth asking.
I also think at 19, it's worth considering seeing cardio electrophysiology to have an ablation to bring about long term control.
Well if given the option of a lifetime on and off of medications, anticoagulant and implications for insurance and employment, at 19 I would consider effective control at the outset.
Sometimes the ablation needs repeating because the remodelling atria pathways can't be done in one go or reconnect.
It is really encouraging though that more you young people are being picked up earlier.
Like i said, It happened a couple of times and i just slept it off and ignored it ( I realise how stupid this was now but I think it was more not wanting to face up with what was going on)
Infact the only reason it was picked up is because it happened when I was sick as a result of too much morphine (haha) following pneumothorax surgery.
Makes me think how many other people have a similar thing going on and don't know anything about it.
A lt of people have AF but do not know. It is frightening when it first starts and you don't know what it is but as you learn, and you will if you read the posts on here, AF is also rather like a snowflake, every pattern is different. Some people can drink alcohol, others not. For me even one sip of alcohol brought on an attack. For you it may be the trigger is vomiting.
I had AF for about 10 years, diagnosed, but I think I had it from quite a young age as I can remember having short runs of palpitations as a child. Whatever, what we can assume is that AF can be progressive; it raises your risk of having a stroke by quite a lot; to treat it you either have to 1. Drastically change your lifestyle, many have done this and succeeded in eliminating or drastically reducing their episodes; 2. Face a lifetime of taking powerful pharmaceutical drugs which are very toxic over time and can make you feel pretty bad 3. Have an ablation (I had to have 2) which will eliminate the AF - at least for a while. If you have a tendency toward AF it will be for life so the sooner you deal with it the healthier you will be in the long term.
Pleased you have been referred to an arrythmia clinic, you have to be quite assertive with this condition so if you have any questions, ask away here, the depth and breadth of knowledge on this forum, along with the age range, is phenomenal.
Best wishes.
PS I am delighted to say that post ablation, I can now enjoy an occasional drink, or two!
I am no expert but it could be too much alcohol and vomitting as a result. Be guided by the medics sorry you are so young to have this miserable condition but with a change in lifestyle you could have less symptoms. Best wishes C
Hi mate Im 34 and have Paf. Alchohol and stress causes it and/or any infection, I also get premature ventricular contractions ( pvc's) which are different from the af and is something alot of people experience. It really does sound like your alchohol intake is causing this and yeah nausea can be a side effect of the af but I wouldnt have thought it would cause the af itself. However vomitting and any vagal stimulation commonly causes palpatations and premature ventricular contractions ( pvcs). Alchohol really is an irritant if your like us but I feel your pain cos I love going out and drinking with my mates - unfortunately though my ticker is more irritable than my mates. I once had a single bottle of wkd blue when I was 21 and I can remember my heart was jumping out of my chest, I didnt know the difference back then though. I now have flucainide which I take when needed, pill in the pocket approach.
The youngest person I have encountered on this site was 18.
Unfortunately the younger people tend to ask a couple of questions and then disappear into the ether, leaving us wrinklies, who in the main are still young at heart with just a bit more life experience!
Whos diagnoseď the af? And what evidence have they seen? Not all palpatations and irregular heart beats are af. PVCs are the ventricles prematurely contracting, u get an extra beat which most times are harmless. The atria can be completely normal. Still take it easy on the jagerbombs though. Oh and im not diagnosing u GPs know more than me.......
In that case the evidence is there as it was with me. Lots of younger people are presenting with similar problems so tryto keep an open mind about it. So you have to look after yourself! No big deal. As u get older people do develop problems its a part of life. No binge drinking and defo no drugs that would be silly. A healthy sleep pattern is a winner too! I work nights they ruin me!
George, please for your best start with life style adaptation not with ablation. Rate of ablation success is not always so high, there are some risks also. First life style it can not make it worse, than medicine and may be than ablation. Look at StopAfib.org Forum. There are medically educated people with upp today knowledge of Afib problems, different treatments and which treatment is most effective for different type of afib. Good luck to you!
Could you please tell me what happened with your AF. Do you take drugs or did you have an abalation? My son has just developed AF at 18 and I don’t know what to do.
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