My AFIB episodes always occur at night after eating. It actually occurred just once during the day but also after eating a heavy lunch. Used to think it was alcohol that triggered it but happens without alcohol. I'm now certain that it is allergic reaction to some foods and it has something to do with the vagus nerve because I always feel strange in my stomach area. It's a hard to describe feeling, it's not fullness and it's not indigestion, it's actually more like an empty feeling even though I've eaten. I'm very averse to drugs so I'm going to try to see what foods trigger it.
Anyone else have the same kind of issue? That is food seeming to trigger the AFIB?
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swisslegend
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I have learnt not to eat big meals, it always starts my palpitations and the feeling I can,t breathe. I dare not drink any alcohol because the palpitations are so uncomfortable, on family occasions I,ve had a drink and had to pay the price afterwards.
I will definitely cut down on my eating. I have also seriously limited my alcohol consumption but I do still have one cocktail in the evening. I'm really thinking it's not the alcohol as much as food. I've had episodes without consuming any alcohol at all.
It may be high carbohydrate foods. My first test will be to eat mainly protein and vegetables and cut out the pasta and bread. If I still get episodes I'll try cutting out the cocktail but can I find some other way to reward myself for a hard days work?
Yes, I'm finding it too. It's to do with the vagus nerve. I'm trying smaller meals and less gassy food going forward, absolutely no fizzy drinks at all and chewing my food slowly and at least 32 times before swallowing...
Absolutely. I was diagnosed in January 2010. I began a ( hardly a diet) new food intake plan later that year, followed it through over the years and have now been AF free for a little over 2 years.
Seriously though - I consulted a Nutritionist. She put me on a course of Probiotics to sort out my gut flora.
She then recommended i go wheat free and gluten free.
Then came the FODMAPS diet - I found it a bit severe so I just picked out of it what I considered to be relevant.
At a later time I went oats free and added sugar free.
Drinks don't worry me that much but needless to say any beer with wheat gluten in it is OUT ! In fact I can generally only drink Peroni or Tiger beer. spirits - no problem. Tea and coffee no problem. Hot or cold or ice cream no problem.
Food - really weird !
Anything with gluten, wheat or oats is OUT !
So are raspberries, peas, runner beans, lettuce, onions. Can have a bit or rocket, no sweat - also shallots. Broad beans are OK - baked beans are not.
Yoghurt -out.
Strawberries and cream - OK (thank god).
Hard cheese, like Cheddar or Edam, OK - soft cheeses are OUT.
Pork and crackling - out.
Sausages - out.
White meats are Ok. Well cooked or BBQ'd red meats are fine. Gravy OK - so long as it is gluten free.
Roast is OK, lambs liver OK.
Amazingly - KFC and Macdonalds are also OK.
Hot (Chilli) type foods are well OUT.
Yes - eat small and not late in the day.
Hope this answers your question - if not get back to me.
Hi carneuny. Could you give me an update on your diet and condition. Have you made any modifications. I have the same same issues as you. Trying to eliminate possible triggers..Thanks
I see my post was 5 years ago. Wow! Time flies when you're havin' fun 🙂
Basically, where I have been able to eliminate diet food I have done so, what I mean is in many cases I have been able to eat normal stuff with none of the previous side effects. That said, 4 or 5 times a year I still get incidents of AF, can be anything from a few hours up to 12 to 15 hours. I've reconciled myself to that's as good as it's gonna get. I have never had any surgical intervention, I am still on medication, the same as with my original diagnosis except my Bisoprolol has been increased from 5 mg to 7.5mg.
I am going to edit my 5 year old post so that you can see my progress in real terms. I'll post this seperately ( hopefully anyway - watch this space).
I had been advised that often with diet if you stay with diet for a given length of time, then very, very gradually, go back to normal it can be successful, and this is what I have done over the 5 years.
At a later time I went oats free and added sugar free. (Still oats free, gone back to occasional added sugar, mostly with cups of tea. No sugar with coffee).
In fact I can generally only drink Peroni or Tiger beer. Spirits are no problem. Tea and coffee no problem. Hot or cold or ice cream no problem.
I still cannot drink draught beer be it canned from a supermarket or on tap in a pub.
Food - still really weird !
Anything with gluten, wheat or oats is STILL OUT !
So are lettuce, onions.
I can have a bit or rocket, no sweat - also shallots no sweat. Broad beans are OK - baked beans I can now take but very rarely. Radish OK.
Yoghurt - still out.
Hard cheese, like Cheddar or Edam, OK - soft cheeses are STILL OUT.
Pork and crackling - STILL OUT.
Sausages I can now take but rarely and with care. Depends on the ingredient of the sausage.
White meats are Ok. Well cooked or BBQ'd red meats are fine. Gravy OK - so long as it is gluten free.
Roast is OK,
Lambs liver - jury still out on this - can upset my guts and create diahorrea.
Amazingly - KFC and Macdonalds are OK.
Hot (Chilli) type foods are well OUT. NO CHANGE
Yes - eat small and not late in the day. I am still working driving buses and occasionally have a late ish finishing shift, not home till 8pm. So Mrs. Carn Euny has now dispensed with a more traditional big meal and we have something light. Maybe just an omlette.
I don't like greens so they haven't been much of an issue. Except that when I fuss or get picky with my greens it upsets my INR as I am on Warfarin. But that's not an issue as I have been on Warfarin 12 years and probably know as much about it as my INR clinic does.
I have the same experience. My afib is 99% at night after eating. If I eat a full meal, and then go to bed within 3 hours, my PACs startup and they in turn sometimes move to afib. I've tried cutting out sugary foods, simple carbohydrates, and eating less wheat products. That seems to help so far. I also noticed that when I eat Salmon and fish, and only vegetables, I rarely have PACs? I also find sleeping on my left side after a meal will drive this. The weird part for me is that I read Sleep Apnea is associated, so I asked for a sleep test, and they told me I have moderate sleep apnea. I'm just been ordered the CPAP machine, so I'll see what that does? I also read high T-4 will drive Afib, and had that tested, and sure enough, although my TSH is normal, my T-4 was high, so just modified my treatment. All of this at once after I went months between afib episodes, I suddenly had them every week just before I found all this out. Anyways, the vagal nerves are associated and there are some possibilities being looked at for using devices to stimulate the vagal nerve via the outer ear. They claimed in a study that this restored healthy sinus rhythm in a study, better than the drugs, but it looks like there is a lot of work to be done.
Here's a link to the study. I have been identifying the points in the ear, and stimulating the areas when I have PACs (my warning Afib is about to try to engage my heart). So far, I have noticed the PACs slow down and go away, but I also take Magnesium drink when the PACs start. This seems to work for the short term, but I live in fear for my next afib event.
Thank you for that information. What amazes me is that doctors don't know squat about what the triggers or causes are. They just go here, take this blood thinner and call me in the morning. So we have to figure this out on our own. Thanks again.
By the way, I have now taken on a practice of trying to beat the PACs, not the afib directly, as the PACs lead to afib for me. I use a Kardia ECG device attached to my Iphone and check myself several times a day. When I have PACs, I can actually feel them, and can then verify them on the Kardia. When I do, I take a Taurine, Magnesium powder, Fish Oil, Turmeric, and a half dose more of my Atenolol (be careful as I take very little twice a day normally, so don't do up your meds without talking to your doctor). That usually, if I do it early enough will quell my PACs. I've not had Afib that didn't start with the PACs, so now stopping them is my target, although everyone told me they are harmless, I don't agree that PACs are harmless anymore.
I also eat a lot less now, have lost weight, and exercise aerobically every day for at least half hour a day. However, whenever I eat dinner (not breakfast or lunch), I usually get some PACs afterwards, and treat as I stated. I don't eat close to bedtime ever anymore. I eat a lot less at night, so losing weight has become a side-effect of that. That concerns me bit, as I am not really overweight, per my doctor. Alcohol just totally drives me into Afib, so I've stopped all of it, and now I dropped caffeine and chocolate forever now. I used to love a good glass of wine, chocolate, and coffee before my journey into the dreaded world of Afib.
I absolutely cannot do the alcohol either! Until flecanide, all my afib episodes had to be cardioverted, a total of 8. My first afib event lasted 3 1/2 months straight, off work the entire time as it was debilitating at high rates of 140-160. My afib is like a curse, it stays in afib no matter the medications they tried until flecanide, These days I do not miss my medication, staying hydrated, using my cpap for sleep apnea, getting adequate sleep and trying not to over stress myself. I understand everyone is different, but I am very compliant to whatever it takes to avoid afib.
That's terrible, that you had it so long. Mine always start in the evening, last all night and go away in the morning once I get myself moving and ready for work. They seem to lessen in the morning after two cups of strong coffee, which is pretty much a life long habit.
I'm cutting my night time meals in half and cutting down on bread, pasta and the like. Also learned to not put to much Cayenne pepper on stuff, which I love but am sure triggered my most recent attack.
Good luck to you and I'm glad you found something that helps.
I have the exact same experience. If I eat even a bite of anything with Cajun type seasoning, I go into Afib anywhere from 20 minutes - 2 hours after eating that food. Certain sauces trigger it too. Last episode major episode was triggered by shrimp with seasoning that I was unaware of. In Afib for 9 days (March 2017).
I'm so sorry that your episode lasted so long. That is really scary. Good luck figuring out your triggers. Eat light and early if you can. Plenty of fluids, avoid dehydration.
Hi. Yes all my episodes happen at night. Also nearly always when at home. Either in bed or just before. The last time was 30 minutes after cheese and oatcakes for supper !!
I definTely think food and digestion are triggers somehow. I always feel full of wind after an episode.
Yes, this is one of those things the doctors really don't know about yet. Could be many different triggers. In my case I'm in excellent health, been a runner and cyclist all my life. I'm 70 and can still get on a spin bike and have my heart rate at 145 or higher for better part of an hour.
I, and others, are beginning to realize that it's probably related to vagus nerve irritation which in turn is probably food allergies. Keeping careful notes of what we've consumed when episodes happen should help us get a handle on the problem ourselves without doctors telling us we are imagining things.
I read recently that some people are having luck with Xanax, that it will stop an AFIB episode within 15 minutes. That seems worth a try if you think it may be stress related.
I wish you luck and hope you never experience another episode.
There is shedloads of anecdotal evidence that proves that where food triggers AF the culprit is an inflamed/dysfunctional Vagal Nerve. GP's don't have this in their training and Cardios can't even spell it. Talk to a Nutritionist and/or Gastroenterologist and you'll get some understanding. Oh! the joys of wetsern medicine.
I did use xanax once while on a vacation. It was hot out, been traveling, sleeping in unfamiliar bed and woke up in afib next morning tired. I am a person that cannot nap in daytime and only sleep about 6 hours at night, took a xanax which put me to sleep while family went to the beach. I woke up 5-6 hours later and it was gone, very very rare for me. Anything worth a try
I was diagnosed with AFIB 4 years ago and had an ablation almost 3 years ago in Cleveland. Everything was great until the other night, my wife and I went out to eat and I had Curry Chicken at our local Thai restaurant. 4 hrs later and I was at 170bpm and in worst afib I've ever had. Put 2&2 together, the first episode I ever had was when I made curry shrimp for dinner. During this last episode, I went into the emergency room and was admitted. I told the doctors of the coincidence that of having curry the first time and that night and not having it in between and they all shook it off. Every new doctor that came into the room all started off with saying jokingly, "Heard it was the Curry." I went to the allergist who never heard of this but wants to do testing to see if I'm allergic to a spice in the curry.
One thing I've definitely learned with this is that you have to do your own research to help figure it all out.
Agreed. I hadn’t had an Afib episode in many months. Had a coconut macaroon last Saturday and wound up with off and on AFIB till this morning.
It’s the garbage in our food supply. I’ll no longer eat anything packaged or from a restaurant. You simply don’t know what your getting.
Doctors are trained robots for the most part. If they didn’t learn it in school it doesn’t exist. There are very few doctors that look beyond they’re training for creative solutions. We have to be responsible god our own health.
I ate a pasty and had a few shortbread biscuits then was up 5 times in the night for a wee and the next day was almost passing out with 200 bpm plus, episodes. It also makes me empty bladder and bowls. I know it happens with these specific foods and have now proved it beyond doubt and I give in. No more processed food. Best advice I can give myself is never go out hungery!
I have been experiencing this for years. Not sure when it started, but it was mostly an irregular heart beat after my first meal of the day. I’ve been doing intermittent fasting for over a year. 16-8 and 20-4. Lost about 50 pounds, but I would notice almost everyday after my first meal I would have an irregular heart beat. In February it got so bad I called an ambulance and went to the ER. I was diagnosed with Afib. My mom had Afib and had to have surgery to correct it. I’m also morbidly obese. I’ve tried everything to lose weight, but I’ve been unable to keep it off.
After 9 years of trying different foods and logging EVERYTHING I ate, I found sugar was the culprit. Each person has a different tolerance - and it changes as you get older, so you need to count every gram of sugar you eat every day (including natural sugars in fruits, etc.). My tolerance level was 190 grams of sugar per day 8 years ago - it's 85 grams today, so AFIB episodes are more frequent and last longer. If you keep your intake of sugar below your tolerance level your AFIB will not happen again. It's not the food - it's the sugar IN the food that's causing your problems. Try it and you will see - should only take you 3 or 4 months of trial-and-error to find your tolerance level.
I completel agree with you. What I havent figured out is where the carbs and Alcohol fit in as they are sugar too when metabolised in the body. The first time I had Afib it was in the morning after having had several beers in the evening.
After 9 years of trying different foods and logging EVERYTHING I ate, I found sugar was the culprit. Doctors don't want to hear this - there is no money in telling patients to eat less sugar. Each person has a different sugar threshold - and it changes as you get older, so you need to count every gram of sugar you eat every day (including natural sugars in fruits, etc.). My tolerance level was 190 grams of sugar per day 8 years ago, 85 grams a year and a half ago, and 60 grams today, so AFIB episodes are more frequent and last longer. If you keep your intake of sugar below your threshold level your AFIB will not happen again. It's not the food - it's the sugar (or salt - see below) IN the food that's causing your problems. Try it and you will see - should only take you 3 or 4 months of trial-and-error to find your threshold level. And for the record - ALL sugars are treated the same (honey, refined, agave, natural sugars in fruits, etc.). I successfully triggered AFIB by eating a bunch of plums and peaches one day.
Also, in addition to sugar, if you are dehydrated - this will trigger AFIB as well. It seems (but I have no proof of this) that a little uptick of salt in your blood is being treated the same as an uptick of sugar - both cause AFIB episodes. The root problem is that our bodies are not processing sugar/salt properly and no doctor knows why, but the AFIB seems to be a symptom of this and not the primary problem, but medicine is not advanced enough to know the core reason that causes AFIB at this time. Good luck! - Rick Hyer (RickHyer@outlook.com, 636-528-4840).
After 9 years of trying different foods and logging EVERYTHING I ate, I found sugar was the culprit. Doctors don't want to hear this - there is no money in telling patients to eat less sugar. Each person has a different sugar threshold - and it changes as you get older, so you need to count every gram of sugar you eat every day (including natural sugars in fruits, etc.). My tolerance level was 190 grams of sugar per day 8 years ago, 85 grams a year and a half ago, and 60 grams today, so AFIB episodes are more frequent and last longer. If you keep your intake of sugar below your threshold level your AFIB will not happen again. It's not the food - it's the sugar (or salt - see below) IN the food that's causing your problems. Try it and you will see - should only take you 3 or 4 months of trial-and-error to find your threshold level. And for the record - ALL sugars are treated the same (honey, refined, agave, natural sugars in fruits, etc.). I successfully triggered AFIB by eating a bunch of plums and peaches one day.
Also, in addition to sugar, if you are dehydrated - this will trigger AFIB as well. It seems (but I have no proof of this) that a little uptick of salt in your blood is being treated the same as an uptick of sugar - both cause AFIB episodes. The root problem is that our bodies are not processing sugar/salt properly and no doctor knows why, but the AFIB seems to be a symptom of this and not the primary problem, but medicine is not advanced enough to know the core reason that causes AFIB at this time. Good luck! - Rick Hyer
My AF triggers are cold drinks,or ice cream,eating too much!and chocolate, I only drink decaf tea or coffee, no alcohol.I also get a horrible feeling in the vagus nerve area just before an attack.
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