Nausea and afib

[kocoach]

Hello everyone, just a quick question; Does anyone else get nauseous when in afib? I get severe nausea episodes on occasion when in afib and it's really messing with my head, just like it is doing now as I write this, BP is 130/99 and 100 HR. I was thinking it's because it's associated with the vagal nerve. Any thoughts and replies would be appreciated. Thank You

[heartmatters1]

Yes, it could be connected to the vagal nerve & digestion setting it off. I get a lot of stomach issues, which can set my heart rate all over the place, & also when the stomach is full pushing the diaphragm up impinging on the heart.

[kocoach in reply to heartmatters1]

Thank you so much for your reply. As so often it happens after I eat or if I am full (eat too much). I've had afib for close to 35 years now and am just lately hearing about the vagal nerve)

[BenHall1]

My personal view, based on my experience going back 15 years, is that something in your food, your diet is aggravating, causing a degree of inflammation of your Vagal Nerve.

I do suggest that you research Vagal Nerve and specifically hunt out a schematic diagram of where the Vagal Nerve sits in the body.

Basically, it is an information superhighway communicating with and linking the brain, the heart and the gut.

Again, based on my own experience I found my local family Dr. is unlikely to have the training or experience to enable this to be treated ..... even if you go to a 'Specialist' or 'Consultant' it is unlikely you'll get anywhere with a Cardiac Consultant .... if you spoke to a Gastroenterologist you would more likely get some sense.

In my case I let my Dr conduct blood tests to eliminate IBS, and Coealiac Disease as my problem and then I consulted a Nutritionist/Dietician who developed a food plan for me but it was no quick fix - after a couple of years it eventually calmed the vagal nerve and it all settled down and my AF subsided. Nowadays I might have an AF event every 4 years, even so, if I go out wining and dining and I'm a bit 'carefree' and forget myself I will eat something that will kick it all off. Remember it is not just food per se, BUT, specific and perhaps not obvious ingredients.

Calm the Vagal Nerve, calm the heart is my mantra.

[kocoach in reply to BenHall1]

Having afib for nearly 35 years I've just within the past year been alerted to the vagal nerve being a possible cause of some of my afib, yet when I bring it up to my EP he just brushes it aside. This is such a GREAT forum and contributor's such as yourself hep to ease the anxiety burden caused by this god forsaken health condition but I always look at it this way "it could always be worse". Thank You for your response.

[Cavalierrubie]

l have stomach issues that l am sure are connected to my AF burden. Worry and anxiety can also make me nauseous, so don’t know if you have any ongoing stress, apart from AF. It’s a viscous circle with anxiety. I find ginger tea helps or ginger biscuits. Hope you soon feel better.

[kocoach]

That's amazing you say that about ginger because I find a good ginger beer (no alcohol) helps ease the nauseous as well. Thank You very much for your input. Maybe we're on to something, ginger in some form or another for nausea relief! Thank You again Hope you're doing good as well.

[Auriculaire in reply to kocoach]

Ginger is a well known remedy for nausea. You can make tea by steeping peeled and chppoed up ginger root in water. A very quick remedy is to eat one or two small pieces of crystalised ginger. You can even buy ginger tea bags in the herbal tea section or in oriental groceries. It is good for digestion generally and even helps constipation. A must have in the cupboard!

[kocoach in reply to Auriculaire]

I was under the impression that tea has caffeine which is a known trigger for afib so I avoid tea, coffee and any soft drink with it, I also avoid sodium like it was the plague but that's very hard to do as the food manufacturers load most foods with it, even the healthy choices, it's like they're trying to get us in the grave as soon as they can (lol). Have a Great Day.

[Auriculaire in reply to kocoach]

There are no healthy choices in manufactured food. Only by cooking from scratch with mainly raw ingredients can you konw what is in your food. Even then it is better to source organic raw ingredients. Herbal teas are not the same as ordinary tea . They are made from plants other than tea. Avoiding all sodium is not healthy and can lead to cramps in hot weather

[Jetcat]

At the beginning of my Afib journey I too became nauseous when in afib, but looking back I now think it was the fear and worry that made me feel this way.? As time as moved on I don’t get as worried or frightened about it and I don’t suffer with the nausea👍

[kocoach in reply to Jetcat]

That's wonderful to hear that you've overcome the nausea, unfortunately I haven't yet after suffering from this dreadful thing called afib for close to 35 years. Thank You and Have a Blessed Day.

[Jetcat in reply to kocoach]

It certainly is an unpredictable and annoying condition which took up a lot my time with worrying and fearing daily life unfortunately.!

[Bluseman]

Hello Kocoach, sorry to hear you are suffering with Nausea at times, I feel also very Nauseous when Afib kicks off, my Nausea feels directly in my upper abdomen in the centre just below my Breastbone, is yours just a general feeling or is it in a specific place, best regards. John

[kocoach in reply to Bluseman]

Hello John, my nausea is in the same exact place you describe. I believe it's connected to the vagal nerve. I hope someday the medical community will find out what causes it. Thank You for your response.

[Bluseman in reply to kocoach]

Hello again Kocoach, just a quick add on to our conversation regarding Nausea, when you feel Nauseous when in Afib, do you get Lower Back Ache, I find that my lower back aches sometimes when I’m in this situation. John

[kocoach in reply to Bluseman]

I do, but I have pain over all my body from my boxing days so it's hard to tell if it's due to afib.