bloating

[Shoshov]

hi guys hope your all well and having a great sunday. i don’t suffer from swollen ankles which i’m grateful for but recently iv put on a stone and a half in weight and have what seems to be bloating round my middle like a big spare tyre. i feel myself bloating as the day goes on and feel my clothes getting tighter. i lost 4 stone after my ha last year and wonder in this could be water retention. can you even get that across your middle as iv only heard of people talking about it in they’re legs and ankles. any input would be great. ❤️shiona

[Hidden]

Hi Shiona,

If you click on my user name and trawl through some of my previous posts you may well find much I've posted on here on this subject. That said, many others on this forum have also experienced this in one way or another, shape or form. If they see your post they may well comment. All their experiences seem similar to mine but the devil is in the detail and each person has many variations. The issue seems to involve a dysfunctional Vagal Nerve, which reputedly has significant control/influence over the heart and digestive system.

So, in a nutshell, yes I have experienced this almost right from the beginning of my AF journey way back in 2010. In Sept 2011 I ended up consulting a nutritionist and after following her advice I had pretty much controlled my AF having experienced only one AF event between April 2015 and to day. That was in February 2018 sleeping on my left side.

All that said, and whilst bloating hasn't yet tripped me into AF (it has caused much pain just above the left lower rib) in the last few months digestive issues have re-emerged, including bloating and have contributed to a very miserable life including a worrying day when I was away from home when I felt like death, my heart beat and thumped like it was trying to get out of my chest and my heart rate bobbed around between 46 and 113 bpm.

I am seeing a Nutritionist this coming Tuesday.

In the past I have watched my belly inflate as if it were attached to an airline at my local garage pumping up my car tyres.

John

[Shoshov in reply to Hidden]

oh dear. you’ve been through the mill. i’m not in pain. i just have this big tyre around my middle that shakes like a water bed🤣

[Buffafly]

I had bloating before I had an ablation - I thought it was weight but it turned out to be mostly fluid. You should tell your doctor (before you do, weigh yourself in the morning before eating or drinking, and again in the evening so you know the daily change). Bloating can be caused by several things especially if you are a woman so best to get it checked.

[Shoshov in reply to Buffafly]

thanks for reply. i’ll make appointment this week

[drlaim]

Firstly, I do not wish to alarm anyone, this my experience only.

I know I hadn't been managing my AF as well as prescribed. I started to experience abdominal swelling and lower leg/ankle swelling (oedema). As that progressed my breathing was starting to be affected. I believed this to be the various beta blocker side effects. I was wrong.

After a horrendous week of being unable to sleep, as I struggled to catch a breath, I called NHS24 during a particular difficult night. A smart NHS24 doctor obviously recognised these symptoms and ordered an Echocardiograph.

The subsequent action from this test was to report to the Cardiology consultant. I was informed that I now had Congestive Heart Failure.

Please, understand I'm only sharing this to make sure you don't dismiss symptoms like I did. Of course, oedema can caused by various conditions and reasons. Just be careful.

Oh, and I still have AF along with CHF. I stupidly thought the CHF would supersede the AF.

[LindaDaisy]

I was feeling breathless on very mild exertion. Had no swollen ankles but felt bloated and had put on weight over a few days. Went to doctors who sent me to A&E. They put me on Furosemide. Lost half a stone in 12 hours. Felt great. I was told that some people will carry their excess fluid in the trunk rather than in the ankles.

I think you need to go to the doctor.

[Shoshov in reply to LindaDaisy]

oh wow. i always thought we had to be aware of it in the legs and ankles. i’ll defo chase this up❤️

[Pippy36]

I had the same thing - really bloated around my middle. I was also getting very out of breath. Furosomide was prescribed and that solved the problem. This was a few years ago and I still take Furosomide at a lower dose and keep a eye on my weight. If weight increases I know to take more Furosomide for few days.

[Shoshov in reply to Pippy36]

thanks pippy. i’m also getting breathless❤️

[Shoshov in reply to Pippy36]

just saw go. she doesn’t think it’s heart related she said if it was water retention it would start off in ankles. gravity and all that. she thinks it’s my hernia causing it. iv to get it scanned but i’ll talk to cardiologist about it when i see him next week. thanks for all your input❤️shiona

[Pippy36 in reply to Shoshov]

Hope you get it sorted out. I didn't have swollen ankles but everyone is different. Mine is due to HF.

[Shoshov in reply to Pippy36]

yeah i understand that. good luck to you too sweetheart