Hi, I am a fit 56 year old who had a migraine, threw up and ended up with afib with rvr and a sustained pulse of over 150 for 40 hours. Usual resting pulse is low 50s. BMI is 22. This potentially happened once before 10 years ago under the same circumstances but it righted itself after 12 hours and before ekg. This time the urgent care called an ambulance and I ended up in ER. I had a cocktail of Beta blockers, and when the technician was conducting my EKG her hands were cold and my heart rhythm suddenly converted to normal. Does anyone else have this happen after throwing up? I don't think I have afib otherwise. My apple watch picked this one up but has not done so previously. I am thinking I don't need to be on a daily dose of beta blockers as it is lone fib. I'm sure it is to do with the vagus nerve. I won't stop the meds until I have had the ultrasound and seen an EP, but blood pressure is high normal and cholesterol is high normal. Am fit otherwise!
Afib after vomiting-is there such a t... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Afib after vomiting-is there such a thing?
RVR - rapid ventricular rate or response is quite a serious condition. Next time it happens remember the cold hands of the nurse and perhaps put something cold on your chest. It may or not have been that which put you back into normal rhythm. I feel you have no choice but to do exactly as you are advised by your medical team.
There is a forum on health unlock that deals more with arrhythmias like yours. I'll find the link and add it to this post.
Sorry I can't be of any more help.
Wishing you well.
Jean
healthunlocked.com/heartrhy...
Hi Jean.....I hadn't realised that AF with RVR was serious. This has often appeared on my notes when I've presented at A&E & subsequently dc cardioverted.
I'm no expert on it Jalia. Google and see what you can find out.
Thank you for the info. I didn’t know at the time it is serious until the dr called an ambulance. An hour before that I was running sprints to reset it! Ended up being wheeled out on a stretcher although I felt fine!
Yes it can. Here is e.g. one anecdotal report pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/637...
However, I would rather suspect a reaction similar to GERD. It depends a bit of time lapse between the last meal and the vomiting. The more stomach acid comes up the more likely this connection is.
Thank you. It obviously isn’t that common then I don’t think I need beta blockers on a daily basis but I will run it by the electrophysiologist. My resting hr is usually 53 but now it is in the 40s with the meds
Hi! I was 55 when I had first longer lasting bout of PVCs (2 weeks). After that, I realized that I have pretty regular bouts of AF, mostly at night. So, despite your good body condition, you seem to have come to the starting point. At your age, it is more than normal. I am now 71 and not taking any drugs. Not suggesting the same to you, it must be your free choice, but just to let you see, that it is possible to go that way.
What has happened in the past 16 years!? My otherwise sound heart has got accustomed to the new way of working (switching between NSR and AF) and I have no symptoms and no problems at all. I suspect that the same happens to a lot of people (screening in Denmark has shown that 40% of the population lives with AF and not only 1-2%, as formerly believed). But I have introduced a serious change in my life. Since I got 60, I have abandoned all exercise. My BMI is 25, my resting HR is usually 48, with the tendency to go further down in this past year (42-46), also without any symptoms and problems. When I sleep, it most probably goes as far down as 30+. It is nice to listen to it, beating slowly and steadily... If you have not done for your heart what had to be done until now, you will not improve its state through running with 56+. It is important to know when to stop. Our two cases are pretty similar, hence these details.
At the age of about 47, I had vomiting and feeling extremely poorly, which lasted for about 6 hours, all after strenuous activity, similar to running. It never came back with the same intensity, but here and there I recognized the signs of it coming back. But it never did...
All the best! P.
That is interesting, thank you!
I have had two episodes of AF so far both with definite triggers two and a half years apart . I react badly to beta blockers have awful withdrawal symptoms. After second episode EP said bisoprolol every day to which I said, why should I take a drug every day that disagrees with me when so far my episodes have been two and a half years apart ? She replied fair enough . That was the end of that conversation . Am afraid most of them dole out the same drugs to everyone on autopilot , so out in a polite challenge if you are not happy
Thanks! I think I will definitely talk to a dr about the meds. My echocardiogram came back normal…
Be careful with the betablockers though. HR around 40 may get dangerous. You may be right to suspect the vagus nerve which may be also be the primary cause of your AF. In that case betablocker may be contraindicated academic.oup.com/europace/a.... It's become almost a reflex to feed people with betablocker without looking further.
I was diagnosed with AFib after continuous vomiting after being prescribed an anti biotic that did not agree with me. I took the first one at lunchtime and the vomiting started, resulting in tiny flecks of blood. Worried about this I phoned the Drs rooms and was told to go at once. My pulse was 140 and the ECG showed AFib. Worried about a dissection, the GP rushed me off to the Cardio hospital where I was admitted. When the Cardiologist examined me I was back in NSR (the GP had given me an injection to stop the nausea). He kept me there for two nights and I have been taking Biso and Eliquis ever since - I do apparently have symptomless familial FM,(all my sisters have it) so the vomiting was fortunate, as I may never have been diagnosed until I had a stroke !
Back in 2019, my arrhythmia (AFl) started on two separate occasions when I was stretching with my hands above my head and climbing stairs, so pulling at my diaphragm and stomach area. It frightened me, I can tell you. The first time went away quite quickly and I put it down to my hiatus hernia and panic, the second tome required bisoprolol and a hospital visit with eventual ablation.
Retching also pulls at the stomach and diaphragm which causes it to press against the base of the heart, which is a known cause of ectopic beats and, in those prone top them, atrial arrhythmias.
Steve
Do you have a long qt syndrome in your family? After you lose electrolyte your long qt syndrome could activate.
about long qt syndrome:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_...
They didn’t pick up long qt. But i think it could be an electrolyte thing that causes the migraine that leads to the vomiting…
Could you please read the Wikipedia article about long qt syndrome? It is intermittent and can happen when you are malnutritioned plus hereditary predisposition (genetic). Did they drown while swimming etc. it is a life threatening condition when you can lose consciousness without even realising for seconds just enough to drown while swimming.
Thank you for giving the link. I have read it. I am very familiar with long qt syndrome because my daughter was misdiagnosed with it by two cardiologists misreading an ekg following syncope a few years ago. She underwent many tests and saw a top electrophysiologist and was cleared We do not have a family history and I have worn a monitor before. Obviously it is possible that I could have it and I would like to undergo a stress test and to wear a monitor for longer but I would be surprised. Thank you for the information and concern.
Afib seems to be a personal thing in the triggers which set it off. I haven't vomited in a while so I don't know whether I would have to add it to my own list of triggers. A heart rate of 150 for 40 hours doesn't sound like too much fun.
I would also suspect that the vagus nerve is to blame as most lone AFib is vagal AFib. Your episodes are few and far between but I would suggest you look at a couple you tube videos with Dr Randall Wolf of Houston Methodist Hospital. He is a thoracic surgeon and an expert on AFib. I suggest this only for information on AFib as he believes AFib is a nerve problem and has had tremendous success treating AFib from the outside of the heart on the vagus nerve vs catheter ablation on the inside.
I’m not suggesting you need to pursue any of this. I just thought might give you some insight into AFib and its workings. I’ve attached a link to one such presentation.
youtube.com/live/TXw0g-k3N8...
That’s really helpful-especially as I live in Houston. I may just make an appointment with him! Thanks!
You might also want to join the Facebook group wolf mini maze live AFib free. Lots of info there.
Thank you!
the only time I have experienced Afib is after throwing up. I’m 34 years old. I am not on a regular medication since I know when it triggers into Afib
It’s bizarre, isn’t it? After the November episode my heart has been a little more fragile but I haven’t thrown up since. Most drs say I need an ablation but I think that’s just protocol in the US
A & E visits while waiting for an ablation
how many of you refuse an ablation 
Help with understanding strange feeling after my first afib episode
How long will my irregular heart beat last?
