AFIB/IBS

[Trilby8]

Does anybody have a combination of the two conditions and finds AF is always triggered by IBS being 'active' the 'chicken and egg' senario ? And if so what do you do to sort yourself out? Thanks - Cathy

[CDreamer]

Yes I believe there is a very strong link - there is some ongoing research around gut health and many diseases, including a link to mental health. I had ulcerative colitis in my 20's, my mother died for acute ulcerative colitis when she was 32. I was treated with steroids at the time and just dodged a stoma. As a consequence I have had to be extremely careful about what I eat.

There are very strong links between heart and digestion and I believe - stress. All of course are linked to the sympathetic/parasympathetic autonomic nervous system of which the vagus nerve is the 'brain'.

Things that helped:-

First and foremost - diet. I went vegetarian starting with easily digestible, cooked vegetables, no wheat, no fat at all - but only for 6 weeks, absolutely NO sugar of any sort but I did have a little honey very occassionaly. I managed to stabilise after about 2 years and was then able to ditch the steroids.

hysterectomy - age 34 - I had a badly inverted womb which put pressure on the womb. I had an almost miraculous relief of gut symptoms.

I then saw a homeopath who with one treatment, eliminated all other traces of IBS.

I had occasional bouts which returned, never with the same intensity, but have always been able to manage purely through diet.

Smoothie every morning - water melon, Apple, root ginger & lemon.

Absolutely no gluten, wheat or dairy although I am ok on goats milk & cheese and any soured products such as live culture yogurts.

When symptomatic - take probiotic - expensive but well worth it - when not ensure I eat a lot of pre-biopics ie:- roughage in the form of tablespoon of physillium husks, a lot of raw vegetables and fruit.

Avoid red meat.

Low carbs and when symptomatic - no bread - when not avoid any wheat in bread. Remember wheat is in many products you don't even think of so read the labels of everything! My GP of the time (1976) told me that wheat was the problem and after experimenting for the last 49 years I have to admit that he was correct!

Rye or spelt breads work for me.

Last attack was last October and it is only in the last few weeks I have no symptoms.

I asked the same question when I first joined 3 years ago and i have noticed that a lot of people mention IBS.

[Trilby8]

CDreamer thankyou so much for that detailed helpful reply a lot to 'digest'.Do you find its a case for you of 'happy gut' happy heart? Cathy

[CDreamer in reply to Trilby8]

No, I couldn't say that, only that happy gut is far more tolerant to the meds and maybe unhappy gut triggers more events?  I had quite a few triggers for food and drink.

[Hidden]

Hi Cathy,

Paroxysmal AF was my diagnosis. I have been cleared of IBS and Coeliac Disease but that has not stopped me falling victim to any number of foods which cause bloating, severe and painful bloating, burping, intestinal gurgling and diahorrea. Not all at the same time but all at random which I think reflects foods I have eaten. I have gone gluten and wheat free and picked the eyes out of the FODMAPS diet and am also now added sugar free. My last recorded AF event was April 2015.

The bloating was the worst and that would trigger me into an AF event.

I consulted a nutritionist who put me on a short course of Probiotics then the diet. Its all connected with the vagal nerve which governs the function of the heart and digestive system .... and I might add influences many other organs and parts of the body .... its the wandering nerve. There are pretty good diagrams on line if you google it.

Dairy produce in limited quantities doesn't bother me but beans do, as does oats. I cannot take, runner beans, baked beans, even peas ... in fact the only beans I can handle are broad beans. No yoghurt. Pork - really bad for me. The list goes on and on.

Calm the vagal nerve calm the heart ... so yes, as you say, happy gut = happy heart.

John

[Finvola]

Yes - before my PAF was controlled by Flecainide a bout of IBS always triggered an episode. In my two years on Flecainide gut troubles cause only ectopics and heart wobbles.

I've not AF trigger full blown IBS but episodes were they always accompanied by bloating, gut pain and diarrhea so a definite link there.

My IBS is triggered by insoluble fibre so I try to avoid anything with wholemeal or wholegrain - not always easy.

[Trilby8]

Thanks for that Finvola - I was given Flecanide by my GP as PIP yesterday after a very unpleasant night on Tuesday with fast AFIB I think triggered by bloating with constipation/IBS not helped by being -on reflection -dehydrated from gardening in the day in the sun and not putting the fluids back in - I have taken Diltiazem 60 at night for some time which has been ok but increasingly the IBS has become more problematic so ' unhappy gut unhappy heart' and 'unhappy Cathy' !!!!!!!

[Finvola in reply to Trilby8]

Speak of the devil - something has triggered my IBS this morning but, so far, Flecainide seems to be keeping my heart steady. It's so easy to get dehydrated - which doesn't help in my case either.

[meadfoot]

A timely post for me. I have acid reflux and a hiatus hernia. Hernia and arrhythmia diagnosed within weeks of each other. Today I am not sure whether it's my hernia or heart playing up. It feels like a gripping pain which spreads across my higher stomach heart area makes me hot then subsides. Alivecor says rhythm ok. I am convinced stomach bowel heart are affecting each other via vagal nerve.

It's all very concerning and confusing and worrying so I sympathise with anyone dealing with such symptoms. Somehow medics seem to dismiss hernias and ibs until things get out of hand. The answers to your post are helpful. Hope you get sorted soon.

[Trilby8 in reply to meadfoot]

Oh dear Meadfoot it's a miserable situation isn't it - trying to pick out the cause is so complex and confusing isn't it as like me you must be trying to help yourself and get life back on track - hope you feel better very soon -Cathy

[meadfoot in reply to Trilby8]

Thank you so much for your reply and support. I hope you are well and continue so. Dee x

[meadfoot in reply to Trilby8]

I should have added well apart from your current issues. Sorry I was too quick to submit my reply doh!

[SRMGrandma Volunteer]

Hi Cathy! I used to have IBS before I eliminated all animal products from my diet and only eat whole grains and no processed food. (eliminated GERD at the same time!) But one thing that has come out is that Loperamide (Immodium) can cause heart arrhythmia. In fact I just put a link about that on my FB page yesterday. I'll try to find it again. But back in the day when I had IBS, especially with stress of travel, it took me a while to realize that every time I took Immodium I ended up in A.F.

[Trilby8 in reply to SRMGrandma]

Hello again Nedra - I'm about to start a daily journal of what I eat when and if IBS and or AF are active to see if I can find a thread - strange thing is I went through a very 'quiet' spell re IBS/AF recently which was so good. But I think it's all been upset by my taking Omeprazole a few weeks ago for a reccurence of painless oesophagitis ( GP and I think post nasal drip and a recent virus being the cause) but as I should have recalled Omeprazole did the same to me as it did last year only more so - within 3 days of taking it the IBS and was really active bloating ++ colic loose stools then short bursts of AF/ palpitations - as I felt the oesophagitis was improving a few days after stopping Omeprazole I took 3 days of Ranitidine as I remembered that last year I did this and the side effects were less - silly me it restarted the exact same IBS/ AF symptoms - and in a nutshell neither has settled properly since urghhhh!!!! Cathy

[CDreamer in reply to Trilby8]

It has just taken me since last October to get my gut settled again - the worst offenders for me - digestive pharmaceuticals.  The meds I take are known to cause gut problems so you are automatically prescribed PPIs, I took 3 for the bloating etc and I was so ill.   The only thing that works if things get out of hand seems to be liquid Gaviscon, which I think contains magnesium compound.

[Buffafly in reply to Trilby8]

I was prescribed Mebeverine for IBS but I stopped taking it because it caused very bad bloating which also upset my heart.

I had Omeprazole after my ablation, developed daily diarrhoea. The Arrhythmia Nurse told me to go back to Ranitidine, no joy. Then my GP told me to take only one Ranitidine in the evening. Eventually (not helped by taking immodium I suspect) I developed diverticulitis and was treated with masses of antibiotics which incidentally seemed to improve the Gord but I still had bowel problems so this week I decided to stop the Ranitidine altogether and things have improved.

The hospital drs were shocked I had been taking Ranitidine for years with no investigation!

[constabule]

I commented to a Doc that I was getting a bit of funny tum , pretty much as others have described and that after a heavy meal was feeling more full and uncomfortable than I would have in the past ( I avoid theme now) . I thought it might have been down to all the new pills . Got sent for echo sounding which revealed nothing not even a spleen

GP reckons it might be a mild touch of IBS . Recommended organic live yogurt and just take a little more care .

Wheat products in general dont seem a problem for me , but I avoid very acidic fruits and juices especially orange juice . Ive always been careful on that score but seem to react far more of late.

So chicken or egg - Ive no idea

[Gertsen]

IBS like AF seem to be triggered by different things in different people.

I kept a food diary for quite some time to try to figure out what it might be.

Still haven't really but those medicine I take seem to do the trick, I also have a hiatus.

But I am sure my AF is diet related, but different all the time 🙄

[RichMert]

I developed what they think may be mild IBS just prior to my second ablation. I suspect that the 2 conditions are linked and agree that you really have to watch the medication, in my case, possible Omeprazole. I use Fibogel now when I suspect an onset of ??IBS??.

[AtrialF]

Yes, I have had IBS for years and believe it has played a BIG part in aggravating the afib. Have had cardioversions and Just had second ablation a couple of weeks ago. Thought the tikosyn might be making IBS worse but, have been off since ablation. IBS not as bad but, still have some lousey days . I call them my "super bowl" days! One day at a time. Merle

[AtrialF]

Forgot to tell you ...Stanford fadmad diet helps IBS . Merle