Does anyone else ever experience this scenario?

[fibnum]

My Afib episodes tend to initiate in the early hours of the morning while I am still in bed asleep, and I am unable to sense the precursors to it.

On a number of occasions, however, I have had stomach bloating start in the evening, and when I lay down for bed, I soon felt gas pressures rising into my chest, and my heart started to beat more heavily. I quickly get up, taking good breaths through my nose, and take antacid meds, sip water and pace for a while. Since the threatening gas does not abate for hours, I know that if I should lie back down, I would very probably have an Afib onset.

Consequently, I sit up all night, walking off and on, taking the antacids, sipping water and breathing well. I also try to find relief on the toilet. On most of the occasions, I am able to dodge the bullet and outlast the threat until my stomach begins to gurgle and relax and/or I am successful at the toilet.

Have others had this kind of heads-up from trapped gas and been able to fend off Afib, also? Do you have other warning signs that enable you to take action to avoid an imminent Afib episode?

To me, this is pretty clear evidence as to the triggering of my Afib.

[mjames1]

The Afib/Gut connection as well known. Have you seen a gastroenterologist?

Simply taking antacids may not be a good long-term solution, and in fact can be counterproductive with the rebound effect.

A good Gastro would probably put you on a trial of PPI's to see if that helps. You might also do a food diary and see what triggers your symptoms. A lot of people have found some relief with the FODMAP diet.

Smaller meals, not lying down for three hours after eating and raising the head of your bed can also help. Also weight loss if you're overweight can make a big difference.

Lastly, if you haven't been tested for sleep apnea, that might be something to consider.

Jim

[Blearyeyed in reply to mjames1]

Great advice Jim

[fibnum in reply to mjames1]

You are correct, but I should have explained that I have checked all of the boxes you wisely recommended. I have celiac disease and consequently eat small meals, eschew gluten and other harder to digest, gas-producing foods from Fodmap. I also don't drink alcohol, carbonated drinks or excess caffeine. I lost 30 pounds, don't lie down until 5-6 hours after eating and exercise for an hour every evening. I stay hydrated and sleep with my shoulders elevated to help with reflux and turn to the right side slightly with cheek on pillow to avoid sleep apnea.

Despite that, the gas threat happens ever so often. It is very difficult to always be sure that what you eat will be approved of by a sensitive gut!

My question is whether others are able to sense the threat of an Afib episode and successfully ward it off at least some of the time.

Your advice is sound. It helped me be free of Afib for 14 months, but I have experienced recurrences over the past 3-4 moonths.

Thanks for responding,

Fibnum

[mjames1 in reply to fibnum]

You didn't mention PPI's, so if if you haven't tried them, that would be a good next step before throwing in the towel. Unfortunately, sometimes we can check all the boxes and afib doesn't seem to care. That's when we have to turn to anti-rhythmic drugs and or ablation.

This is from personal experience. I battled for a number of years with lifestyle changes but a couple years ago I went on daily anti rhythmics, and then I decided to get an ablation because I didn't want to wait any longer because of my age.

If I was younger, I may have stayed on anti-rhythmics a little longer.

Jim

[Karendeena in reply to mjames1]

Hi Jim, I am taking esomaprazole following ablation and it gives me gas!!! Checked with my GP and he says unfortunately this is one of the side effects. Ironically it can create the very symptoms you are trying to avoid. Always gets me when I lie down at night and it traps causing me discomfort in my throat

[Abbyroza in reply to fibnum]

Sounds very familiar. Every Afib episode starts that way for me: needing to release gas (burp) and not succeeding. It all has to do with the vagal nerve, which controls the stomach as well as the heart. ‘A nervous stomach’ my GP calls it, because the root trigger seems to be stress. Shallow but fast breathing -inadvertently- will accumulate air in my stomach and there I go!

I’m going to try PPI’s and Iberogast.

When Afib breaks through my meds (Flecainide and Bisoprolol) that way, I take an extra 200 mg. of Flecainide and that always gets me back in sinus within 4 hours. But I’d rather prevent the breakthroughs.

All the best, and keep us posted!

[fibnum in reply to Abbyroza]

Thank you!

[Abbyroza in reply to fibnum]

You’re welcome!

[pip_pip in reply to mjames1]

I was precribed Omaprozole for my Hiatus Hernia, and it stopped a lot of build up of gas which I was having a problem with. It does sound like you might have a HH and can be treated, to some extent, better than antacids. HH is notorious for triggering AF with the swelling. Best to see the doc and checkup on this issue.

[fibnum in reply to pip_pip]

Thank you!

[Peacefulneedshelp in reply to pip_pip]

someone asked the questions awhile back if anyone else on this forum had been diagnosed with HH and everyone that answered said yes. I myself also have one and try not to eat too much at a time. The joys!

[Buffafly]

Have you been tested for dairy intolerance? Just to make life harder, it sometimes goes with coeliac disease. My daughter gets very frustrated because some many restaurant or ready meals are both gluten and dairy free which makes them unpalatable. Otherwise I suggest you be more vigilant on the gluten front. I expect you know there are medications specifically for trapped wind which work much better than antacids.

[fibnum in reply to Buffafly]

Always open to more info -

[KiwiBlake]

If I get stressed, either mentally or physically stressed (long hard day at work), I get bloating. Stress causes me to go into Fight or Flight mode, and as a consequence my digestive system slows down or shut down. The other thing I've found helpful in my situation, (I work in Agriculture, which can be a physically demanding job) is to have a big lunch so I have the energy during the day, but then have a small dinner, so the food has time to pass out of my stomach before going to bed.

[fibnum]

I am retired and as long as my family are (is in US) heathy, I don't get much stress.

I can't eat any large meals, but you are certainly right about the small evening meal.

Thanks for the thoughts!

Fib

[Garaidh]

Hello there!

All my episodes... well 90%+ anyway... came on in the wee hours of the morning.

Sorry you've the additional tummy issues to deal with.

What has helped me desensitise my heart -

No eating after 8pm or so

Eating healthy, especially keeping my upper belly smaller as part of weight control - so it doesn't press against the heart

Staying hydrated even if it means getting up for a pee!

Not going to sleep on my left

Bisoprolol (for rate) I take in the morning and not at night as it made my heart too slow and this open apparently to misbeats

50mg Flecainide when I get into bed

If I'm feeling "iffy" I'll go to sleep sitting up

If I behave as regards the above, I pretty much have no problems at night.

Best wishes to you! 😊

[AussieHeart]

it’s expensive but give iberogast a go. My gastroenterologist is a professor now if that carries any weight on his opinion to try iberogast for many of the symptoms you mentioned. iberogast.com.au

[Cavalierrubie in reply to AussieHeart]

Hi, Does this interact with Warfarin or any of the other anticoagulants?

[AussieHeart in reply to Cavalierrubie]

You’ll have to check with your cardiologist… I think you can google or go to a site to see what ingredients interact but I don’t have that link at hand … the product is all natural and mimics enzyme SW5. I know that doesn’t answer your question but I’m not a doctor, just a patient who isn’t on anticoagulants

[Cavalierrubie in reply to AussieHeart]

Ok. Thanks.

[babs1234]

I have episodes in the early hours but know anything about it until I see the notification when I wake

[Cavalierrubie]

l have gastric problems along with AF. You have had some very good advice, but have you had your electrolytes checked? Taking antacids can deplete the body of some vitamins. I was borderline B12 at one point. When l began supplements of B12 and Magnesium my symptoms improved and AF lessened. You may be lacking a nutrient. The heart is like a car engine and sometimes needs topping up. It’s not a cure and we are all different, but it has certainly helped me.

[fibnum in reply to Cavalierrubie]

I will talk those points over with the GI.

Thanks

[Sixtychick]

I found that lying on my left side could bring on my AFib. Something to do with the vagus nerve I believe.

[fibnum in reply to Sixtychick]

I sleep turned slightly to the right. If I go all the way on my side, it seems to exacerbate the gas pressures.

[Tomred]

Personally i prefer a quarter to half a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate [baking soda] to relieve wind, gas, heartburn, stir into small glass of water and soon im good to go , antacids long term are not good.

[Ppiman]

I can relate to your experiences. I’ve posted a couple of times about an occasion many years ago when I was in my twenties. I had started to wake up with odd and quite loud clicking chest sounds.

I was packed off quickly to a cardiologist who told me that he’d left his breakfast to come to see me!

Well, the sounds turned out to be the strangest thing: my heart was slapping against the diaphragm which itself was pushed higher by my stomach. Gas and distension in this was pushing it upwards. I also had ectopic beats caused by the pressure and was told that this was what happens when the heart is in any way disturbed physically, and perhaps also not helped by my slim anatomy. He said that if I were lucky the palpitations would never become anything more important.

Well - they eventually did. En route to my sixties anxiety and panic were blamed a few times fit various of symptoms rather than arrhythmia. It took eventual atrial flutter then fibrillation for me to be told that those were likely not “panic” at all but were more likely caused by heart issues.

So, I think you are wise to try to get the distension down before adding to the pressure by lying down in bed.

Steve

[fibnum in reply to Ppiman]

Thanks, It is a daily issue no matter what I eat, and ever so often, I lose the contest.

I never had a problem with being too slim! Certainly not over the past 50 years.

[Pumpkkin33]

I get the same I guarantee if my tummy floats before bed it makes my heart go into af I do the same I take antacid sip water sit up in bed and walk about.

[fibnum in reply to Pumpkkin33]

It makes one really look forward to bedtime, doesn't it? Not!