I've had PAF for about 18 mnths now. At first it was every few months but it's definitely getting more frequent. I've had two episodes this week, though luckily for me PiP Flec does the trick within an hour.
But my question is about the fact that it often seems to start when I eat. I'm not talking about eating a huge meal late in the evening, which I know is one of the standard triggers that's always mentioned. a) I don't eat huge meals, and b) I don't eat late in the evening. But I'm talking about a light lunch, for example, and it often starts when I've only had a mouthful of two.
It's really strange. Does anyone else experience this, or can shed any light on it?
Thank you.
Helen
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Atrial fibrillation is a progressive condition as you have now discovered. The old saying is AF begets AF. The more you have the more you will get. The vagus nerve (the neural superhighway twixt brain and many other organs including heart and stomach) often plays a part but the one constant is:- you have AF you will get AF.
My EP once told me searching for triggers is the way to madness but many people persist and if you are lucky enough to isolate a particular one such as alcohol ( as I did) then great for you.
In the mean time maybe discuss your treatment plan with your doctors to see if you can't slow down the progession.
That's an interesting perspective, Bob. It does seem like there's a lot of people on here though who've noticed patterns and triggers and have been able to work with them so I live in hope!
But 'Talk to my doctor'.....you're having a larf! Chance would be a fine thing. 😜
I too suffer sometimes during digestion. I have Gerd and take Lanzaprosole, I think the digestive system is so slow that when trying to digest food it puts a strain on the heart probably due to the acid build up and therefore can cause palps and even sometimes send the heart into AF. We have to eat to survive of course but all we can do is eat little and often and try cutting food into small pieces.
I've heard that kind of pattern on here before. In my case I don't think it's about digestion because I'm still eating - sometimes I've only had one or two mouthfuls - so the food has barely hit the stomach. I don't generally suffer from indigestion but I have Coeliac Disease so I'm careful in what I eat (apart from a weakness for Ice Cream Snickers Bars - see my comment to jeanjeannie 🤣).
until recently I continue to have fatigue and my EP told me going forward I should have other things looked at because he was sure it was no longer the a fib. We do have a tendency to focus just on a field and forget how many other parts of the body there are they can go haywire and cause issues. GERD is definitely one of them. I also have a large gallstone just one, but sometimes it moves and I can have problems for months when I eat certain things I am sure the snickers would do me in.
What sort of things are you eating for a light lunch?
At one point in my life I knew that as soon as I ate at lunch time I'd start feeling odd with my AF kicking off as soon as I walked anywhere. If I was out on a longish walk I knew to have nothing more than a banana and a few nuts for lunch. How I envied those eating sandwiches!I did wonder if carbs were a trigger.
That's interesting, jeannie. It sound like your body felt like it had enough work to do in digesting your meal and adding exertion on top tipped it over? Perhaps. Only you know how your body reacts to things and that sounds like a good catch.
A banana is primarily carbohyrdrate but not such a big 'hit' as two slices of bread, I guess. I was eating a salad (mixed leaves, tomato, avocado) with two small falafel....aaaand an ice cream Snickers Bar which is what did the trick this time, I suspect! The AF started while I was still eating. Other times it's started literally after I've had one or two mouthfulls of food.
as Bob said, it’s a merry go round to try and find triggers. However, in my case, tomato’s, brussel sprouts, any fruit that is acidy set off my AFib big time. Especially tomatoes whether it be in a sauce or by themselves or ketchup. I avoided tomatoes at all costs. One night also I ate a big bowl of brussel sprouts and had a doozy of an episode
My AF started with every couple months an episode in three years time by the time I went to Houston for my MiniMaze I was having episodes every five days it’s progressive for sure.
My belief and mine only is lone AFib is vagal AFib and anything that irritates the vagus nerve can cause an episode
even now if I have anything on, cold I feel it even though I have a pacemaker it’s like getting an ice cream headache in my chest and then the thump will begin It does not last long, but it’s there.
Hi TopBiscuit--3 thoughts, as I also have gone into afib when I started eating. 1. The ice cream might be the culprit. Many people go into afib when eating ice cream or any cold drink. Once I have other food in my stomach, the ice cream seems to be OK. 2. The trick for me is SLOW EATING. I put one bite of food in my mouth and chew SLOWLY and calmly. Sounds crazy, but if I consciously relax my shoulders at the start, then chew each bite 40 times before swallowing, I am fine. 3. I drink herbal tea or water while eating so that the food goes down easily, & I stay hydrated. I drink an electrolyte drink every day bec. I think I'm deficient in potassium esp. & want to keep a balance w/ magnesium. Hope something here might help you cut down your episodes... we're clearly all in this together! Blessings, Diane S.
I rather think you've opened Pandoras Box ! AF is all things to all people - sure there are many common denominators ... but it is what it is. I was diagnosed back in January 2010 by September 2011 I was on a diet (plus my prescribed meds) to treat what may be described as a dysfunctional Vagal nerve. After many tests organised by my GP ( back in the day) I was cleared of the suspicion of having Coeliac Disease and IBS. I then made contact with a Nutritionist ( BANT have a website which would give details of a practioner near you ). She got me to go gluten free, wheat free and oats free .... just as a start point. Over the ensuing years I widen that food plan.
Make no mistake ... food plans are long journeys, I still maintain elements of my original diet, yet some foods I gave a way years ago I can now take to once more. With every respect to BobD, I just don't agree with his statements - 1) AF begets AF and 2) you have AF you will get AF. They are pretty wide sweeping statements which do not hold good for EVERY AF sufferer. Not so for me and right now I haven't had an AF event for at least 12 months maybe cloer to 15 or 18 months. But, I never relax the diet.
I can't comment on your Coeliac Disease but in the food situations that I am familiar with the last person I would ever consult is my GP ..... or any GP. For goodness sake, Cardiac Consultants and Gastroenterologists can't even agree on the Vagal Nerve.
My personal philosophy, based on my dealings with a Nutritonist are simply ......... calm the vagal nerve ... calm the heart. But I stress I am referring to my own experience of AF which I identified with food ( and also ingredients of food) inflaming or in some way distressing the Vagal Nerve. As distinct from any other cause of AF, i.e. genetics, stress ( and our response to stress), neglected blood pressure over time etc. etc.
Suggest you Google or Firefox 'Vagal Nerve Schematic diagram' and see what an amazing nerve this is.
Thanks for your thoughtful response. It's funny, because earlier in the day I'd been looking at an old thread from 6 years ago that was discussing food & AF and your responses were really interesting. And here you are! Good to see you back, though sorry you've had some life stress going on. I, too, left the forum for a while but came back and am generally keeping a low profile as I have a tendency to get a bit too argumentative for my own good 😊
So - dietary wise I haven't touched gluten - and therefore wheat, barley, rye and oats - for 25+ years due to the Coeliac Disease. CD is an inflammatory disease and I feel that I fight an ongoing battle with inflammation in general. I really need to get more serious about sugar; I have a sweet tooth but it definitely is bad for inflammation. I go through phases of being really strict about it but it's hard to stick with it on a permanent basis.
As for the vagal nerve, I've been working with that since pretty much the beginning of my AF journey in various ways and am still exploring that subject and other approaches in regulating the nervous system. Mine, I think it's fair to say, is pretty 'jangled' despite meditation, deep breathing and vagal nerve techniques etc etc. No doubt there's still much to learn.
Thank you for your input, I will certainly be exploring the food angle more closely.
He Helen. It might be worth keeping a diary of when Afib strikes, times, meLs (plus what you ate) times I'd medication & what. How you feel. Any supplements etc. I've always found this helpful in analysing better. Overtime it may show a pattern. It should show when you Afib occurs that you notice. I don't have an apple watch but if you do that would help too. I personally haven't found a specific food link. I too cannot tolerate any gluten at all. For others they do have a link to specific foods.
Yes, that's a good idea and I keep meaning to do that! To be honest, my episodes were pretty infrequent so I had a 'mental note' of what preceded them but as times gone on of course there's been more episodes, and they've been more frequent the past several months so my mental notes are getting a bit lost in the fray! I do have an Apple watch, and I can always tell immediately I go into AF.
And yes, stress is definitely a trigger for me too.
Brilliant having the watch as it shows a clear record. Does it show the times when they occur too? Just thinking this would link to your food diary etc really well. And should help to spot patterns. Mine were rare but have increased too over the years... though am told I have atypical Afib! Just my luck! 🙄
John, Thank you so much for these comments. I usu. love BobD's advice, but I could not agree more that AF does not always beget AF, and that we are not doomed to increased episodes. In fact, I think it promotes anxiety & despair to think "I have no control over my AF, it will only get worse." Not true. I have lessened my AF burden significantly by changing my eating habits, reducing anxiety, and addressing vagal tone. Having stopped AF episodes with everything from singing, listening to therapeutic harp music, drinking electrolyte solution, walking, breathing, bending over, playing the piano and, incredibly, the didgeridoo (breathing is at the root of that one)--and sometimes taking flecainide PIP--it is obvious that this is a condition modeled uniquely from our own genetics, medical history, mental & spiritual states, habits, hobbies, and food choices. I also use the Dolphin Stim device for improving vagal tone and am with you on the importance of learning all we can about the vagus nerve, since it is implicated in so many of our AF cases. I'm also investigating red light & near-infrared light therapy for reduction of inflammation in the body. Thanks again for your insights. Best of health, Diane S.
Yes, you are quite right .... the thought that "I have no control over my AF, it will only get worse" would be the very worst mantra ever ... a terrible mindset. I am glad that your chase through the AF wonderland with all your ventures ( and adventures) including the didgeridoo is amazing. Well done you. Brilliant. I do think that genetics has a lot more to answer for than we properly understand ( or even admit to). Genetics plays a big role in my Dads side of the family passing down the line to me and my daughter. My Dads Dad died after a series of strokes. His nephew ( now my age) also was diagnosed with AF. My daughter, then in her early 30's was diagnosed with AF (of some species) during both her pregnancies. Now she has stopped breeding the AF has stopped. It will be interesting to see what happens when she lurches into her mid 60's and beyond. Thats all our family genetic history that I have discovered so far.
Not withstanding my food plan I still stay loyally to my Bisoprolol and Warfarin ( as well as some of my BP meds).
I'm really interested in your investigating red light & near-infrared light therapy for reduction of inflammation in the body. My right knee replacement worked well, this arose because part of my knee was damaged with osteoarthritis. I now have the same problem in both shoulders and whilst my regular doses of CoCodomol 30/500 keeps the pain under control I'd rather not pursue it for too long. I have also considered those light treatments but as we are now in summer when barometric pressure increases and humidity drops ( compared to the opposite in winters) its all on the backburner. I must get on with this before winter returns.
HI John, I will keep you posted on my research and experiences with the red light and near-infrared light therapy (also called LLLT, low-level light therapy, and photobiomodulation). The basis of it is that red & near-infrared light stimulates the production of ATP which is the energy module in cells; and that as age and illness depletes ATP, cells degrade. I had an inflammatory attack in knees 2 yrs ago, and after intense pain & problems walking for 2 yrs, I am almost pain-free after using a light-therapy belt on the knees. I am curious to know whether this therapy can improve inflammation throughout the body and thus impact AF episodes. Stay tuned! (The Platinum Biomax website has a great deal of information, I purchased one of their units & will report back in a few weeks on results.) Cheers, Diane
Thank you for that. I would really appreciate anything you can advise. I must do something now in readiness for winter. The thought of another 5 months of continuing pain is doin' my brain in 😱😱😱, and I must reduce my dependance on pain killing drugs.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading your comment, Diane - didgeridoo, that’s fantastic 😍😀!
My AF has also improved over time after initially seeming to get worse. With respect to the often cogent and excellent writer, I can’t stand the ‘AF begets AF’ adage which is churned out so often even if it can be the case, ‘CAN’ being the operative word. Loads of people say it and of course there’s SOME truth in it, but, to me, it feels a bit like a threat with a dash of smugness you know, “If you think that’s bad,…”, “You just wait…”, “Told you so” etc. We can, all of us, fall into the trap of assuming everyone will follow the same pattern as us. What I believe is the most useful advice (which is also churned out 😆) is that we are all different.
Food triggers are very common (and not to be dismissed!) and are a really great help in reducing AF episodes. MSG is one of my triggers but I don’t consume it now unless by accident (I eat very little ‘junk’ food but have always liked Quavers and eat them occasionally, with the belief that they were a reasonable choice as they’re quite airy but lo and behold, I felt a flutter and checked the ingredients straight away and there it was - MSG!) I make my own Chinese curry sauce now which is yum 😋. Coming from the north I used to love having gravy or curry sauce on chips!
There is compelling research now about how detrimental ultra processed food is to the health yet lots of us (most of us?) consume it because it includes so many common foods. I’m thinking it’s probably even worse for us dear Afibbers 🧐. I was interested in a definition of UPF as ‘food that has something in it that you wouldn’t find in your kitchen’ ie the implication that those chemicals like emulsifiers are worse for you than the usual culprits of fat, sugar etc.
Chocolate is another trigger for me but I won’t go on as there’s so much written about food triggers already.
I will end by saying it does seem like there are some common triggers so it isn’t that the list of ‘problem’ foods is endless.
Sorry, I must add that, for me personally, adding bisoprolol helped enormously. I often read that it can’t stop you getting attacks, just stops your heart beating as fast as it might have, but for me (some people have horrible things to say about bisoprolol so again, it varies massively between person to person!) it seems to go a long way to stopping my episodes.
So I guess eating well for my body, good supplements (though not continuously) and bisoprolol are working very well for me.
Apologies for rambling on and I wish the original questionner, Helen, well!
Hi Joolz, Yes, the didgeridoo requires very regular breathing and to my surprise, it has ended several AF episodes. Also agree, the "AF begets AF" mantra keeps getting "churned out," as you say, until I fear it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy for too many people. My theory, instead, is, "If it came--it can go." I want THAT to be my self-fulfilling prophecy! I've seen how anxiety very clearly triggers it, for ex.; and I'm interested in how red light & near-infrared light therapy has reduced my inflammation and pain from my autoimmune bowel disease. It's all connected, in my research and experience. Oh, and also, like you, I'm keeping up my daily beta blocker (metoprolol) which has been a big help, esp. with ectopic beats. But I also feel it has helped me to increase weeks between AF episodes. All good health and NSR! Diane
For me it was a really long journey. Paroxysmal AF was diagnosed in Jan 2010 it took until April/May 2010 for my body to accept the new gift and with medication I was settled enough to return to work (driving buses). By September 2010 I was convinced my AF was kicked off by food. I then consulted a Nutritionist who agreed that food and/or its ingredients could inflame/ aggravate/ make dysfunctional the vagal nerve.
She then put me on a course of gut cleaner (probiotics) and then recommended I go gluten free, wheat free and oats free. We also considered FODMAPS. She also trained me to keep a food diary - consequently, I found (with her help) alot more food stuffs/ingredients etc that were potentially doing my gut a lot of harm. Certainly, the old health mantra of eating 7 fruit and veg a day for good health led me to fairly long term occupancy of the bath room.
I need to stress that whilst I advocate this approach (working closely with a Nutrionist) to problem solving ... it's a very long term process and it is only now ( 12 to 13 years down the track) that I can proudly boast I am clear of AF ....... it's around 18 months since I last had a mugging from AF. Yep, I am still on my medication (for BP, anticoagulant and HR control) but diet has been the big winner for me. To the point that nowadays, in moderation , I can return to some foods that I haven't eaten since before AF, i.e. stew with dumplings. I still cannot eat roast Duck or roast Pork ... must be something in the fat produced in the cooking process. I still cannot eat too many tomatoes. No onions or traces of onions (shallots are Ok), no lettuce ! I can't eat much from a McDonalds menu but a KFC menu is fine. Oh yes, I went sugar free. That said I have now returned to half a teaspoon of sugar with a cup of tea. No sugar with other beverages. Diet Coke is Ok. Alcohol, beers and wines, have never affected my AF, nor has ice cream.
I'm afraid I can't give you a reference source because, as I've said I worked with and was guided by a Nutritonist. One thing is a must .... and it picks up on BobD's comments the other day .... I've always kept highly hydrated. To the point that even in winter I keep a plastic bottle of orange juice in my work bag and constantly, when on shift in my bus, when the opportunity presents I'm always drinking liquid. May not be water, may not be any particular quantity per shift but I do keep very well hydrated - even to the point of having a loo stop at the end of a trip and on my meal breaks.
For what its worth I hope this comment may be of some value.
my trigger is alcohol, coffee and anything with refined sugar. I once flipped into 5 days of ectopics after 2 sports drinks a ginger beer and at dinner 2 zero alcohol drinks and a custard desert all from 1pm to 7pm All had sugar. I have it naturally now with prunes, bananas berries all of which cause no problems. Try and see how you go, it’s difficult as most food and drinks add sugar
Yes, I do think too much sugar is a problem on a number of fronts. I generally don't eat foods that have sugar 'snuck in' or drink soft drinks but I do have a sweet tooth and have a weakness for chocolate and ice cream!
Most commercial ice cream is junk. Try making your own. Nigella has a really easy great recipe that does not involve having an ice cream maker and can be varied by adding dried fruit . Only eat a couple of squares of high quality dark chocolate. Look at the list of ingredients on the ice cream Snickers bars. How many of those things would you have in your kitchen?
It's an interesting point. I dug the Snickers box out of the bin to have a look and, to be honest, it was better than I expected - all identifiable food stuffs and no long chemical names - but some E numbers as stabilisers. But I do take your point! I used to have an ice cream maker when I lived in the US which I loved, and you've inspired me to make an impulsive ice cream maker purchase. 😀
I had some of my worst episodes after a pot luck lunch where I had a dessert - sugar generally seemed to set me off! Ablation did the trick and with any no problems with any foods since2018.
I suspect this is due to some sort of long term digestive issue and the mind is triggering an episode courtesy of the Vagus Nerve before the food even gets there.
I would talk to more Alternative Practitioners to get your whole gut 100%.
I would also book private appointment with your trusted cardiologist to discuss whether you should take the Flecainide 100gms daily or it may be necessary to do 200mgs (a medium dose). The reason being you are having too many episodes and PIP is giving the heart a roller coaster rather than calming it with the same dose each day. This suggestion is from my own personal experience, the downside (if you can call it that) when it works is that you become reliant on it; this has been my situation for 10 yrs AF free. Your call as it is an individual decision!
I'm definitely interested in looking into the digestive angle more....yet again....
I'll be honest, I suffered from Coeliac Disease for several decades, suffered a lot of ill health and spent a small fortune and a lot of time on alternative practitioners, some of whom were very highly rated. Nothing helped much until my CD was diagnosed by a regular ol' doctor, and that diagnosis was life changing. Once I knew about it it's hard to imagine how it was missed for so long as I had classic symptoms.
Still, I'm back on the case and have an initial (telephone) appointment with a nutritional specialist later this week.
And, sorry, but I can't resist...."...book an appointment with your trusted cardiologist" 😂😂🤣. Would that be the man I had an 8 minute appointment with after 18 months of being diagnosed and who got most of the information wrong in his follow up letter to my GP?
Ha ha. 'trusted cardiologist' was indirectly referring to my experience when I did not connect with my first cardiologist and because of the importance I changed to some one on my wavelength and to whom I have visited annually for many years which has built a beneficial relationship.
I have no doubt, from my own experience and some tests I had done many years ago, that some people's stomachs (mine included) can push up against their diaphragm muscle and cause this to touch the base of the heart. This can cause an ectopic beat to happen which is, of course, safe for anyone except an AF sufferer, in whom it can trigger the arrhythmia. Any action that causes the stomach to move, to be gassy, or whatever can, in my experience, have the potential to do this - and I believe that is happening in your case. It isn't "vagal" but physical.
That's an interesting theory, Steve; I'd like to know more about that. Can I ask how you identified that for yourself? It sounds quite uncomfortable - can you feel it when that's happening?
With Coeliac Disease I certainly do have some digestive issues and sometimes blow up like a balloon and look heavily pregnant (sorry for the TMI 😂) but that hasn't been the case in any of the episodes that I've been aware of. Of course, CD affects the intestines, not the stomach per se but there could be something else going on as well.
It’s an odd story from long ago. I woke in my twenties to hear clicking sounds from my chest - quite audible. I’d had some chest pains, too, so went to my GP who called all his colleagues in to listen, then sent me straight to A&E where a cardiologist came specially to see me leaving his breakfast half eaten (that’s what he told me!).
He X-rayed my chest and showed me that the left side of my diaphragm was pushed by my stomach against the base of my heart. He said it was unusual for this to act like an echo chamber - hence the clicking sounds - but was otherwise not that unusual and was something that can cause ectopic beats and mild tachycardia. At that time, I had no AF but did have many ectopic beats.
Since then, I’ve never had the sounds recur, but often find that eating or sitting scrunched up can bring on ectopic beats.
I once did find a report of something similar on the internet as a trigger for AF.
That's quite a story, Steve! Thanks for clarifying.
I can't say I suffer from ectopic beats generally, though of course I get the occasional one. Since developing AF I've been hyper aware of everything my heart does and I rarely experience that tell tale 'thud'.
Steve, I'm another one who has to be careful not to get "scrunched up" or AF/ectopic beats ensue, so maybe I have a similar morphology to yours. Also may be why eating small meals is helping me avoid AF episodes... cheers, Diane S.
Hi Diane. I can’t enjoy a large meal at all. I’m quite pleased really as it’s definitely a way for me to keep my weight from increasing. I’ve read from several people here who have seemingly gastric related AF but not this. I find if I kneel down say to decorate or wash the car wheels, I feel oddly out of sorts and have extra ectopic beats. I have asked doctors about it when I’ve had scans and similar but nothing has ever shown up since that first time. When my heart is especially bad - racing, ectopics or AF - I often get a kind of diaphragm pain on the left side.
Hmmm... I think I know just what you mean about a weird feeling & extra beats when you're in a certain position. I have not had the diaphragm pain, that I recall, but we all have our specific organ placements and I think one thing rubs against another in certain positions. You'll get a kick out of this--I have to run an event tomorrow on a paddlewheel steamboat on the Ohio River in Kentucky, & there will be a lavish luncheon spread. Of course, I'm already figuring out (a little sadly) that I'll just have a little of the tenderloin tips on rice, some salad, spoonful of mixed veg, maybe a dab of whipped potatoes (my weakness) with a teaspoon of rich brown gravy ... and that MIGHT leave room for a few bites of cheesecake .... no buns, extra roast chicken or extra gravy!! But being on the river on an early summer's day should be a calming experience for everyone's heart, esp. mine! Happy summer days to you, Steve. Diane
Goodness that sounds a fantastic way to spend a day. I would definitely have to leave room for cheesecake. Baked cheesecake is up there with my favourite desserts.
I’ve seen the Mississippi only once during a visit to Louisiana. What I remember most is the rain forest we went around with its amazing animal life.
I've had Paroxysmal AF for 27 years, during which time eating has been the predominant trigger. Late last year, 3 episodes started unexpectantly. The first after eating a single cornflake that fell off my dish as I prepped breakfast, the second after eating a few crisp crumbs at the bottom of a packet and thirdly after taking lansoprosol tablets. The other common factor was that all occurred on an empty stomach and started withing half a minute of taking the stuff.
The last episode has left me in persistent AF lasting 8 months to date. If you find an answer to your issue I would be very grateful.
I'm sorry to hear that, Alan. I think you make an interesting point though - when it's happened to me it's always, as you say, on an empty stomach and almost immediately. It's happened with alcohol on an empty stomach too (G & T while waiting for my meal to be served on a 'plane). I've never had an episode start some time after eating, if it doesn't happen straight away I'm in the clear. It's intriguing....in an annoying sort of way!
The actual “trigger” for AF, I’ve come to feel, is more likely to be internal and physical rather than specific food related. Until I saw my own X Ray, I never realised that my heart was as close as it is to other organs and is also connected by webs and bands of sinew and fat, too, I gather, so is naturally and easily pushed and compressed. There are several papers online that show how the heart can become stretched for various reasons and that AF can be the result.
Oh...woah.....it just happened again! I was just heading out the door to walk to the shops and took three gulps of room temperature water before I went. And felt my heart really speed up and I really thought it was going to go into AF. Sat down, took some deep breaths and did an ECG on my Apple watch.....and watch my heart drop down to low 50s from mid 70s during the course of the 30 second ECG.
Hi 😊 my eating habits have certainly changed since a fib. Last December when I was at my worst, I pretty much lost all appetite and thirst. I’m not sure why, but I was in tachycardia constantly, and had barely any circulation including being able to walk.
I think one of the first things I discovered for triggers for a fib was eating PERIOD. It did not matter how much I ate. I would feel it start to THUMP a little bit. If I ate when my stomach, it already said stop but my mouth wanted more, I would really feel horrible before I even got to the car because usually this happened at a restaurant. Same with alcohol. I am not much of a drinker, but there is a Mexican restaurant that we love. I love their sangria freshly made. Unfortunately, one mouthful pretty much starts me off, so no more sangria for me. It’s not worth it.
The same with stress. Unfortunately this is something hard to control. If You have a way then use it. I had medication to use as needed. Recently, my EP has stated he believes I should be on it all the time. He said he thinks I need it more than I realize so he obviously was seeing something I did not see. I also discovered ice cream will trigger me lol I wonder if my pacemaker gets cold when I eat ice cream? It seems like one spoonful.is all it seems to take and it’s like having an ice cream headache in my chest and yes, the thumps begin.
We are all different one good thing I got out of all of this is that I have dropped about 50 pounds already and even I can see the difference in myself where usually I don’t notice. I make sure that what I eat now is healthy because my appetite has diminished so much. It’s important to make sure you get the proper nutrition when you do eat. I have a feeling more than just you and I feel the way we do. A fib is quirky. and does what it wants to do when it wants to do it remember there’s no such thing as coincidence so if you keep doing something and you keep having events chances are pretty good. You found a trigger it gets easier as you go along not easier that it feels good but you will realize it just is what it is try to get your mind off of it, or it will ruin your life. Best of luck.
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... and that MIGHT leave room for a few bites of cheesecake 
.... no buns, extra roast chicken or extra gravy!! But being on the river on an early summer's day should be a calming experience for everyone's heart, esp. mine! Happy summer days to you, Steve. Diane
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