Diet

[123Abc123]

I have AFib and take warfarin and digoxin. I find that if I eat too much - especially for breakfast and lunch - the feeling of fullness makes my heartbeat fast and hard and this may persist for hours. It is not always easy to judge the appropriate amount of food. Is this a general finding?

[Hidden]

This is not at all unusual.

The answer here is to limit your food intake , not to eat to feel full and concentrate if possible on a plant based diet.

I certainly understand what you mean by eating too much at breakfast. It would make me feel extremely tired above any thing else and yes, could also start a few palpitations . Similarly , eating a large meal late at night is asking for trouble.

[Hidden]

I agree with Yatsura, Not at all unusual.

Breakfast and lunch are not an issue for me anyway, as I only have small helpings, dinner is.an issue. However, some 4 months after I was diagnosed with AF I found food and in particular my dinner, triggered an AF event.

Nowadays I eat small and have learned ALSO that it is the type of food I must avoid. I used to suffer massive bloating which in turn put pressure on my heart - it would also cause a rapid and large increase in blood pressure in a matter of a few hours and which would take 5 days to return to normal.

I consulted a Nutritionist who advised me on a food plan and general diet and also who trained me to keep a food diary and so over the years I have varied my own diet to suit and have eliminated the troublesome foods. My last AF event now was April 2015.

The common denominator here is the vagal nerve, do suggest you take time to Google this - basically it controls many organs but in particular the heart and digestive system. The type of food that causes this can vary very much from person to person, I can't eat Pork, Strawberries are OK - Raspberries are not. I can't eat peas, long green beans or baked beans, yet, Broad beans are OK. I now have to be Gluten and Wheat free. I am also now added sugar free, just as a small example.

I should add I am on Warfarin and Bisoprolol for my AF and my food plan does not impact on these or any other drugs in my party bag. I am also on a statin and two blood pressure meds - Ramipril and Felodopine. Again - no side effects at all.

John

[CDreamer]

Agree with comments above and would add - avoid ALL cereals or bread for breakfast or any other meal for that matter!

That was my main contributor for triggering the vagus nerve. They also fill you up, cause acid reflux which also triggers vagus nerve.

Agree - stay gluten free. Keeping a food diary is the only way to go - laborious as it is but there are a few apps which help and will do the analysis for you.

[CDreamer]

Just seen that Sanjay Gupta ha ps posted a video on Vagal AF - suggest you check it out,

[Grannycake]

I had the same problem..... food

Little often and plenty of fibre

[Hidden]

Same here, little and often. I only eat almost child-sized meals and graze during the day more. If I eat a normal-sized meal my heart will play up. It doesn't bother me because I know what's caused it so I just sit it out.

But as you say, the real thing is to never fill myself up, or anywhere near it. After years of doing this, I hate that full-up feeling, and even though I have never been fat, I've lost weight as well.

What the food is doesn't make any difference to me, but I avoid too much sugar. We only eat natural food and also avoid caffeine, and no alcohol.

Koll

[123Abc123]

Thanks everyone, it's a relief to know that there are things which will relieve the symptoms of AFib. I originally though bisoprolol caused the 'feeling full' problem; that medication gave me lots of side effects. I have digoxin now which is much better.