Hello everybody!!

Their is with NO question, at least in my mind that GAS causes jumping of the heart muscle. I have sat down for many hours and closely felt my body and listened to my heart and when gas starts so does the a-fib. My a-fib only last for a few seconds at a pop but enough to make be full of anxiety!!

Any doctor that does not see this correlation should quit his practice and take up the legal profession!!!!

Magnesium and omega 3 fatty acids have helped but the most important thing that helped the most was PEPCID AC!!!!! LOL

Im cured!!!!

The vagul probably gets irritated during reflux and bugs the heart and esophagul spasms may even iritate the thyroid which in turn cause the heart stuff!!!

Anthony,

Great news that the palpitations have stopped with the Pepcid AC. I would respectfully suggest that it hasn't been AF you've been having, but short runs of ectopic beats. I agree completely as regards the link between acid reflux and palps/ectopics/AF. I just posted above about my latest AF episode, and should have mentioned that upon going to bed at 12-ish I had to guzzle 3 tums to rid myself of the heartburn which my excessive eating and drinking had precipitated.

Mike F.

But the real question is why are you having gas. Gas is not normal. The body is protesting. It is a symptom that suggests any number of scenarios, among them: incompatible foods have eaten , or acid balance is not right, or food intolerances, or wrong (junk) foods (fried, processed, etc) have been eaten, etc.

Antacids are not the way to go. The pharmaceutical companies love to get everyone taking them ($$), but they are not good for you. (Note the number of ads on t.v. for antacids and digestive problems. They are simply an indication of bad eating habits, an issue, which no one addresses because it isn't a money maker)

Carol

Another hypothesis could be that gas distends the stomach and distorts the diaphragm position.... the vagus nerve is right there in that proximity.

My theory is that when the vagus gets moved or crowded, it starts fibrillation.


I also agree with Carol that taking antacids should not be considered long- term effective or healthful. The most likely reason one has gas is due to insufficient stomach acid to digest the food.... sounds like a contradiction ... but it is documented.

Here's where taking natural digestive enzymes becomes important. Supplementing natural digestive processes just enhances what the body is meant to do. Antacids are the reverse.

If foods enter the intestinal tract, undigested or unbroken down to absorbable molecules, gas forms, nutrients cannot be absorbed, leaky gut syndrome occurs and food allergies are prevalent.

Stomach gas after a meal loaded with carbohydrates - (starches and sugars) - can indicate a yeast or candida condition. The consumption of starch feeds the existing yeast.... yeast expands as it grows and is full of gas. Candida needs to be destroyed.

There are alot of considerations in finding the sources of stomach gas that should not be glossed over by the use of antacids.

You are what you assimilate. Back to nature is best.

Jackie

Jackie,
Could you tell us what the names are of the natural digestive enzymes you are referring to? And how much and what form to get for this use. Excuse my lack of knowledge and thanks for the suggestion.

Tom

Anthony, I came to this conclusion too. I mentioned it earlier today in a reply to a post by Mike. Pepcid has been a God send for my afib.

Here's the question, though. Acid reflux and heartburn are not normal. I can eat most of my normal foods, and even drink alcohol in moderation, with no problem. But some things set it off--heavy meals, eating later than usual, even unknown things. My goal is to avoid gastronomical distress, but sometimes I fail. Ice cream, for instance, can bring me down, and I love ice cream--every now and again, I eat some. Pizza is an issue. Anyway, I try to avoid the pepcid when I can and maybe take it a couple of nights in a row every couple of weeks. I have considered asking the doctor about nexium, which is an every day prescription med for acid reflux, but I would really prefer not to be on meds to the extent possible. But it does stop my palpitations!

There's no question for me that gas/digestive problems are the cause of my afib. I have been taking digestive enzymes (Megazyme by Enzymatic Therapy, to be exact) for nearly a year and it doesn't really seem to help all that much. I am probably low in HCL, as Carol suggests. Does anyone have a good source for that?

I have to agree with others that antacids are at best only a short term fix and in the long run will do more damage than help.

I always had bad indegestion after a breakfast of cereal (wheat). Now I have fruit only and the indegestion has gone entirely. I have a couple of sandwiches for lunch and I have noticed I get terrible bloating and wind within a hour of eating them. This might be a wheat allergy so I am cutting the carbs and bread in particular right down. I am 61 and have vagal AF (currently well controlled by Disopyramide).