New pattern of AF

After going into AF last night Kardia is now reporting that I am back in normal rhythm. However I still have the strange “indigestion” pain which seems to come snd go, and am still getting lots of ectopics, maybe four per minute. This is unusual for me as I normally come out of PAF “cleanly”, i.e. everything is calm and normal once an episode of PAF. Have been told to go to A and E, but don’t want to go for obvious reasons.

[CDreamer]

It may be a new pattern for you but experiencing ectopics after converting to NSR was very common for me and I believe others on this forum, as was the indigestion pain. Especially after ablation.

Many people report gastric issues alongside AF, many threads in the last few days.

Have you watched the Dr Gupta video explaining why that happens? I would recommend because when you understand it, I think it reduces the anxiety.

My remedy was - slow breathing techniques for the ectopics - which are harmless and sipping hot water to settle stomach and keep sipping until the feeling disappeared. Can’t tell you why it works in settling the stomach but it’s sort of like an internal hot water bottle. I still take a mug of hot water after most meals to aid the digestion - always after eating - never before.

Hope that helps

[Hidden in reply to CDreamer]

I will try the hot water treatment. Do you have a link to the video?

[Elli86]

Hi Sam.

Have you had an ablation recently? Only ask as I’m getting a similar indigestions/bloating feeling last few weeks and was wondering why. I’ve had it on and off since ablation but seems to have ramped up last few weeks.

[Hidden in reply to Elli86]

I haven't had an ablation. I have read that an ablation can cause the symptoms you are describing because of the proximity of the vagus nerve to the atria. These symptoms should settle after a few months apparently.

[Ppiman]

I have very similar sounding digestion symptoms and mind can extend to my back. I am convinced that these are causing the cardiac issues, but my cardiologist was far less convinced. Early last year I saw a gastroenterologist for digestion issues and a scan revealed nothing of concern and he could see no reason for the AF except from my small hiatus hernia. I was only thinking yesterday how our specialists seem set on looking only at their particular areas!

[Hidden in reply to Ppiman]

I suspect that part of the problem is that there simply haven't been that many empirical studies that show a causal relationship between, say, indigestion and AF. It's known that the two systems do indeed interact, but the lack of empirical studies makes it difficult for specialists to propose a particular treatment.

[Ppiman in reply to Hidden]

I agree with you and wonder why the impetus hasn’t been there but I expect the gastric cause often to be such a transient one that it would be hard to measure. In my case it was sheer luck that I was X-rayed at just the right moment to see the stomach / diaphragm / heart link, and if it hadn’t been for the echo-chamber effect, I doubt there would have been any interest. As it was I had the whole medical practice staring in fascination at me.

Steve

[Swimsyroke]

When I get something like that it usually means I am suffering with silent reflux. it can, for me trigger frequent afib attacks and if it is bad enough I take omeprazole or esomeprazole for a short while until I feel the reflux is better which then can reduce my afib attacks.