Thank you so much for bringing awareness to the stomach heart connection and validating what many sufferers of gastrocardiac syndrome know.
I was diagnosed with paroxysmal atrial tachycardia ten years ago. During my episodes of arrhythmia, I burp and soon learned that if I burped enough the arrhythmia would stop; however there have been times when my vagus nerve was so stimulated I couldn’t expel enough gas to stop the arrhythmia, even with simethicone. These attacks can last 8-10 hours.
During episodes my heart rate is irregular and forceful and if severe enough, my jaw aches. I’ve fainted twice flat on my back, knocking the wind out of me and interestingly the arrhythmia stopped as soon as I hit the ground. Luckily I haven’t had a severe injury, but it has left me a bit anxious about having another fainting spell.
My cardiologist posits that arrhythmia causes the gas/bloating rather than gas/bloating causing the arrhythmia. I contend that if gas is merely a by-product of arrhythmia rather than the cause, then burping shouldn’t stop A-fib or PVC’s. Burping would merely expel the gas that’s created and the arrhythmia would continue.
I was prescribed Metroprolol but it did not work for me. I’ve had a cardiac angiogram with excellent results. This is not a heart issue.
Its unfortunate that Dr. Roemheld was not able to further his research on Roemheld Syndrome.
I hope you can bring enough awareness to this debilitating condition so we can lead normal lives once again.
I am otherwise healthy and in normal weight range. As Dr. Roemheld came upon this condition while researching caloric intake I’ve decided it’s best to be on the thin side of BMI. I am following all the do’s and dont’s related to GERD and am currently taking a PPI for 6 weeks to see if I can gain more control over this.
Wish me luck:)
I’m finding this to be true as well. I say, “a burp is stuck.”
I was diagnosed as having PVCs after suffering from irregular skipped heart beats and was put on metoprolol. I felt that it was helping for a while. Now 2 yrs later this issue came back when I have gas pockets in my chest either after eating or when my stomach is empty. I try gasx sometimes burping helps but it comes right back. It’s very uncomfortable. I am happy that I found this site, i see it’s a condition. I should tell my doctor this connection before I am go ahead with more testing this week.
My “theory” on my gastrocardiac syndrome for now (based on various research papers I read) is the following:
Excessive gastrointestinal distension – aggravated by indigestion, constipation, a blocked GI tract, SIBO, gut dysbiosis and /or other temporary/permanent conditions – causes excessive acid reflux as this is apparently an automatic response of the body.
No wonder many gastrocardiac patients feel that their GI tract is “stuck” and no wonder small spaced out meals, managing to burp, occasional fasting may help in some circumstances.
The excessive stomach acids manage to seap thru the esophageal tissue, which seems to be connected the vagus nerve endings (Bodur et al 2021). The situation is obviously aggravated if the esophagus /stomach area/GI tract in general is already inflamed due to intake of coffee, alcohol, chilli, chocolate, allergens, food causing intolerances etc. In fact, sometimes, gastrocardiac symptoms may be triggered by “wrong” food choices (allergenic/inflammatory) only.
When the innervation around the esophagus/heart area gets “triggered”, the heart electric signals go “out of balance” and various cardiac symptoms appear such as Afip, tachycardia etc (see Bodur et al 2021). The brain further perceives a sense of threat causing a very tough-to-control physical anxiety response, which further aggravates the symptoms; there’s plenty of evidence that anxiety is not simply “in the mind” (it can “subconsciously” manifest at the physical level). At the point, very little helps if not some deep breathing exercise and, in various circumstances, immediate medical attention.
The management of the conditions seems to be strongly related to a balanced diet, spacing out meals, increased intake of fiber (tough on IBS patient, who reportedly need to get used to this slowly), inflammation management, constipation management, allergy management, and gut flora management.
In brief, this gastrocardiac condition is complicated and multi factorial, and while physical anxiety in some patients may aggravate all, seeing it as the “root cause” doesn’t appear as a sound observation.
We have a telegram channel (see below); feel free to join for us to better describe our symptoms to physicians and researchers.
David F
https://t.me/+aEeyh8NmRacxOGEx
Hello everyone,
David here (32 years old), very happy to be in touch with all of you. I was hospitalized on Feb 17, 2022 following an apparent indigestion (I ate Indian spicy food for lunch and chicken nuggets in the evening), which caused a lot of “uncomfortable warmth” in my stomach area/ solar plexus area while I was in a taxi going somewhere.
Suddenly this very uncomfortable warmth spread to the heart area/armpit and then it was accompanied by a sense of heaviness and pain shooting to my back. My heart rate (avg resting rate 55-65), started mysteriously “stalling” at 115bpm for a very long time while I was experiencing all those symptoms. My arms and legs also felt weird. I took hours for my heart to fall at around 80-100 (which is not great).
I received no diagnosis at the hospital where they told me my heart was fine even though those symptoms looked like those of an imminent stroke. Symptoms persisted and I was hospitalized a total of three times between Feb 17 and Feb 22, 2022 (I couldn’t sleep properly at night; I had headache and a sensation of discomfort in my arms until the wrist).
Then after researching and doing some introspection I myself realized it could be something gastrointestinal/gastrocardiac and I asked about it. Following a long medical discussion they finally decided to give me pantoprazole On Feb 22 and I started feeling super duper better after taking it (it is a proton pump inhibitor). However, it took around 10 days for me to feel better and feel again some appetite. I would notice that – unlike mild/moderate exercise – an excessive/“wrong” food intake was able to trigger gastrocardiac symptoms again.
In the meantime I went for a gastroscopy/colonoscopy which revealed mild inflammation of the esophagus and the stomach’s antrum, as well as erythema in the rectum, though to the doc all this seemed nothing worrying, so to speak. Also, all this was not enough to help with a diagnosis . Now I am awaiting further endoscopic (they took samples) and cardiological test results (holter/cardio stress test) though my cardiologist informally said that my heart at least “looked really good ” . I also sense this is something totally originating from the GI tract.
Some docs said that the phrenic nerve /vagus nerves may get irritated by inflammation or food intake occasionally but nobody really knows for now. As I said I started feeling better following a daily intake of pantoprazole (40mg) but on March 6 I took black tea and green tea, which brought my heart rate to 160 for 10 minutes (my irritated stomach is likely sensitive to caffeine though it had never been before), then my heart went back down to 60-85. This morning (Mar9) my stomach warmth accompanied by tachycardia started again though brief “fasting” seems to help.
Does anyone have any insights about what could trigger an excessive production of gastric acids? Gastric acids/warmth tend to accompany heart palpitations, which is something I never ever experienced before in my life.
Thank you all 🙏
Ps. Curiously a friend from the US had the same exact symptoms and also got no diagnosis. He was able to manage his conditions eventually.
Please keep us up to date with what your doctors are telling you. I can assure you that this community is reading your post, as it’s one of the more detailed to date.
I am suffering the same wish I knew the answer I have air so bad I belch and belch I get a run of pvcs I’ve had all the test they say nothing wrong this is going on 6 years . If I have no air or stomach irritation I have no skips. Someone has to know what this is I’m so depressed idk what to do but go commit my self I’m at my wits end thinking I’m about to die every day bc my heart will stop
Hey Denise!!! We are also convinced that these episodes are tied to gastro related issues too. We all talk in a Telegram group. https://t.me/+aEeyh8NmRacxOGEx
Some of the people in our group have done a lot of tests and we share the results with each other.
Ive started having a horrible spell of left upper stomach swelling, it persisted for a week. Horrible horrible swelling. Pain. Like trapped gas that i just couldnt get out. Till the point i went to the ER. They told me it was ibs and everything was fine until the tachycardia started immediately after. Ive been to doctor after doctor getting special tests to see what could be going on to the point they are getting aggravated with me. I always thought my stomach issues were caused by my heart but my stomach issues did appear first. It just never made sense to me. But now that i think on it i absolutely can see that my heart is triggered only when my stomach is. And im not sure what is triggering my stomach issues. Im on bisporolol and it works fantastic until my stomach is upset. Constant gas, Constant acid reflux worse than ever. I hope when i bring this up to my specialists team that they will look into it. Im so sorry you deal with this. I am only 26 and i am also severely depressed.
Have you ever looked into mast cell activation disorder. I have all of the same symptoms. It’s a histamine disorder.
Thank you all for your replies.
I took several tests, including a food sensitivity test, a test to ascertain potential nutritional deficiencies, and a urine test.
I am vitamin D deficient though this may not explain my gastrocardiac symptoms. The Cholesterol levels seem okay.
The urine test results also don’t fully explain my symptoms; however, they revealed lipase “minimally exceeding” the normal range (which may or may not signal something related to the pancreas/pancreatitis/gallbladder stones etc). My doctor also said it could be something related to an anaphylactic reaction. I had a few recent “episodes”; Eating two eggs caused one and I had another after drinking GI revive, which contains decaffeinated tea, something I may be sensitive towards amid the inflammation of the esophagus and the antrum. The point is that my respiratory tract gets slightly swollen, which suggests an allergic reaction. The doctor also thought of an excessive sensitivity to histamines /“mast cells activation syndrome”. This is (alas) something very difficult to diagnose. reportedly, when one goes to ER only the team there can test it and only soon after an episode (if requested by the doctor before).
On April 12, I am going to have an in-person medical visit; the doctor may also prescribe a food allergy test (which is different from the food sensitivity test, apparently).
I’ll update you all .
Please feel free to share your stories and updates.
Thank you all for your precious support
December 2022 update ❤️ I was just diagnosed with a sliding hiatal hernia (of 1cm, reportedly “stretchable” until 2cm during episodes), which was apparently not noticed by the previous gastroscopy (those below 4cm reportedly often go unnoticed).
This sliding hernia (very often confused with Roehmeld’s Syndrome) is mostly likely the driving cause of those debilitating issues I experienced in the past as the hernia may slightly push towards my heart and/or expose my esophagus/vagus nerve to acidity, triggering a cascade of symptoms from palpitations to confusion etc. (note: no wonder, the moment I drink/eat some acidic amid one episode, tachycardia is immediately felt and I can immediately get rid of it with baking soda.)
Amid those episodes, I have an uncomfortable pulsating stomach issue, which goes away, however, with hiatal hernia exercises (admittedly, sometimes, I got to wait things out; it takes time to see improvements with this condition).
In general, I have been successfully managing my symptoms.
What greatly helped has been: Lifestyle changes (standing up while working/never sitting after meals) , a special hiatal hernia/gastroparesis diet, daily diaphragmatic belly breathing, morning heel drops exercises, Tai chi, various other exercises, and losing weight (note: I lost 50lb; I used to be at the highest point of the overweight range ).
The previously reported Inflammation of the stomach lining and the esophagus has completely disappeared; it was most likely caused by coffee and/or maybe the first episode itself (amid not knowing how to get rid of it).
My hiatal hernia is a very small one and it is said that it has a chance of either shrinking, remaining unchanged, or growing over the next 30 years.
My apparent symptoms of Gastroparesis may have been linked to the hernia (perhaps the vagus nerve is impacted during the episodes).
Hope all this helps and that you heal soon like me ❤️ . You’re not alone. Feel free to join the telegram channel I mentioned somewhere above to be in touch with people affected by similar dynamics.
Have you ever looked into mast cell activation disorder. I have all of the same symptoms. It’s a histamine disorder.
Hi David, I am experiencing similar issues. Please contact me to discuss. I might have some very useful information for you.
pablodelapava@gmail.com
I messaged you Pablo and I also joined the Telegram channel that some of you recommended.
I sense it is a good idea to share insights on telegram, just to brainstorm and help us better describe our situation/symptoms to our respective doctors.
I am still waiting for my allergy tests since we suspected nerve compression, anaphylaxis in my case (strangely, a sense of fullness/some “wrong” foods seem to trigger tachycardia and occasionally respiratory tract swelling and some weird “circulatory” feelings/warmth in the stomach and the back).
I am still waiting for my allergy tests and for other tests.
Other tests results were inconclusive (except for some indicating mildly elevated lipase, mildly low neutrophils, mildly low lymphocytes, and mildly low white blood cell count).
The abdominal scan revealed nothing at all on liver, kidneys, pancreas, and gallbladder. Cardiological tests seemed to be really good (EKG, echocardiogram, cardio stress test, X-ray, holter – all normal – only a single ectopic beat in 2 days while I was sleeping!)
A friend of mine had “some” of my symptoms and was diagnosed with SCAD (Spontaneous coronary artery dissection). However, her ekg and echo did not show regularity, and she had jaw/neck pain, as well as pain shooting to the back without extending leftward from the “warm” esophagus area (also she felt no tachycardia, just pain).
I hope this helps. Here is the link to the telegram channel that someone posted. Talk to you there perhaps, I just joined:
https://t.me/+aEeyh8NmRacxOGEx
I too, have had 3 occasions where my heart jumps to 160 (no more, no less). And then eventually goes back down to 80-90s. How strange! Typically before it happens, my stomach just feels like a stone. And my PVCs and burning chest pain get bad. So strange! How are you now?
I’m so glad I found this forum! Mine started after getting pregnant with my first baby. I carried my babies super high and the later in my pregnancy the heart flutters always started. I gained a considerable amount of weight with my second pregnancy so I get heart flutters when I am gassy. I was told it could be due to a good intolerance and the build up of gas. Makes sense since I developed quite a few intolerances after giving birth
Currently dealing with the exact same situation will absolutely no resolve to the madness. I have lost weight due to my fear of eating as it appears to happen either during eating or shortly there after. I as well was placed on Metoprolol Succ ER. Even on this medication I experience the heart symptoms of either tachycardia or PVCS or PACS. My cardiologist is suggesting ablation. If the underlying root cause is not corrected then I’m not confident the ablation will resolve my health issue.
I had same symptoms
I am like urge to burp
And palpitation increases after eating food
And I continuously burp after food
Please is there any solution of it
It horrified me
Hi,
I am the person in this story (D’s story living with Roemheld’s syndrome) which was a self diagnosis that was incorrect. I was however diagnosed with PSVT during a visit to ER with erratic heart rhythms, which I do not believe is correct either as I have been symptom free for three years and feel compelled to help people struggling with unexplained arrhythmia.
As my arrhythmia episodes were increasing in frequency and severity over an eight year period, including two fainting spells, I was desperate and frightened. I came upon an article in the New England Journal of Medicine titled “GERD linked to cardiac arrhythmia” As I did not have classic GERD or acid reflux symptoms, it went undiagnosed for the entire 8 year period. I approached my GP with the article and was prescribed a proton pump inhibitor for three months. Within two days my arrhythmia stopped completely! I continued on the PPI medication for three months and switched to daily over the counter acid reducer thereafter.
I have been symptom free for three years. I met with my cardiologist and told him my story. He was intrigued. It’s hard to imagine how acid reflux or an irritated vagus nerve could cause my heart to stop, start, pound, cause jaw pain, dizziness and disrupt blood supply enough to faint, but it did.
I have read countless stories of people drinking a full can of soda or beer to belch and calm their arrhythmia. The need to burp during my arrhythmia episodes was my cue to a connection between my stomach and my arrhythmia.
I am eternally grateful to the researchers who published the article and have thought many times about sharing my story to help others who suffer with what was becoming a debilitating condition for me. Keep your stomach acid in check and your heart will be on beat.
Debra
Hello Debra,
Great information. I seem to be having the same issues. If you don’t mind me asking…What acid reducer did you take and what acid reducer are currently taking?
Thank you
Hi Debra
I just wanted to thank you for this follow up comment on your story. Because of this, I was prescribed a PPI, and was free of the cardiac symptoms within 2 days. I have only been struggling with this for about 5 months, and I had a suspicion it was GERD related the whole time, but I didn’t pull the trigger and try the PPI until I read this.
It’s incredible that these different systems can affect each other so much.
Thank you
Zane
How are you now? I’ve been struggling for 4 months. Only a few weeks ago i was getting so much better until I vomited a few weekends ago and now my PVCs are worse than ever. I’ve been wearing a holter monitor during this but my echocardiogram was fine. I’m just searching for answers as I’m at my wits end now. Started taking OTC esomeprazole yesterday in hope that it can cure me.
Thank you Debra!!! It is so kind of you to share your solution. Most people don’t take the time to do that once they are healed.
May i ask which PPI you were taking, what dose, and how many times a day? Thanks again!
Hi Debra,
I searched for that article in the New England Journal of Medicine (“GERD linked to cardiac arrhythmia”), but no such article came up. Can you tell me where I can find that article?
Thanks!
Thank you for sharing, I just starting having these episodes. After being prescribed anxiety, anti-depressant and allergy meds that I refused to take I’m here searching.
Loved this story! So hope filling that there is answers out there!! Thank you!
I’ve had similar problems for the last four years, but have never fainted thankfully. The chest pain and palpitations have really lowered my quality of life. I’ve had two sets of cardiologists run stress and bubble tests, the only thing they come back with besides sinus tachycardia is the fact that I have a PFO, which they say doesn’t cause chest pain, palpitations, or any other problems. No pulmonary problems have been found either. I had an endoscopy recently during which they found I have a hiatal hernia and esophagitis. I want my life back and I assume if I can fix my gastric problems everything will resolve.
I had same symptoms
I am like urge to burp
And palpitation increases after eating food
And I continuously burp after food
Please is there any solution of it
It horrified me
I also started having same symptoms a week ago a couple hours after eating a spicy Indian meal from a takeout restaurant.
Had 8 hours of palpitations, often every few seconds or even 4 or 5 in a row, went to ER and they saw PVCs and PACs on the EKG and monitor. Discharged a couple hours later because they found no problem with heart, troponin, etc. Had repeat episode 3 nights later, again lasting 8 or 9 hours. Went to my cardiologist and he saw an abnormality on EKG, t-wave inversion so he sent me by ambulance to the ER and they did a cardiac cath which was normal. I had previously had cath done 3 years ago and there was no change. I do have mild plaque, about 20% in each artery. After spending the night in the hospital following the cath, the next day my EKG looked good. They said maybe the EKG abnormality was from electrolyte issues and noted that my potassium was low
I am so glad you put this on this website. I have gone round the bend recently having these serious palpitations/irregular heartbeats that come and go. I noticed, just like you, that if I burped, and at times bought up some liquid, not acid, not bile maybe water brash, my very disturbing irregular heart beat immediately disappeared. Numerous times, but the trick is getting out the burp, Simethicone, I discovered by accident, can help. I started my own research when doctors simply looked at me as if I originate from an alien planet of serious deluded human like creatures when talking to them about palpitations and burping up gas and liquid to cure them.. I am so happy and grateful I discovered Dr Sanjay’s website, youtube, and consultation service. I am shocked that my GP’s over many years have failed to identify this issue. I was depending on GP’s, not just in the UK but also Singapore, to give me answers and solutions to the palpitations and gut problems being seemingly connected. Not likely. I had an experience years ago with a GP treating me with serious gastric problems for years with very little success. The problem went on and on almost without respite. This is severe pain almost pancreatic like in description. Eventually I was put on omeprazole which helped but not entirely. It happened I got a sore throat for which the doc gave me amoxicillin which helped but not entirely. So he added flagyl for the throat problem , so now I’m on amoxicillin, Flagyll and omeprazole at the same time. I was on this for 2 weeks and noticed at the start of the second week all of my years long gut issues disappeared completely. I remember telling the doctor about this almost miraculous improvement. He went ballistic in his office shouting at me and saying you have had these very serious stomach issues for years and now you tell me they all disappeared within the space of a week because I gave you antibiotics. Well yes! This guy just wouldn’t believe me. I left the practice immediately and went to a lady doctor that listened to me and asked me if I would take another couple of weeks of the same drugs to see if the stomach problems returned or not. I took them and I was cured after over 15 years of agony. The lady doctor admittedly couldn’t explain the recovery, but she listened to me regardless of the medical knowledge at that time. I got better without explanation. I knew though it was the combination of medicine. 6 years later I read a medical article in the Sunday Times about a miraculous triple therapy for the treatment of stomach ulcers, which I had been diagnosed with since age 17 even had scar tissue with other ulcers. At times at such a young age I despaired at the extreme pain and weight loss from being unable to eat. I couldn’t even swallow a spoonful of water at its worst. I say my claim to fame is that I discovered Helicobacter and its treatment triple therapy, but I also think the lady doctor had read something that stuck in her mind and popped up when I walked into her office. I’m glad I came to this website and ended up getting answers to my current problems of irregular gut and heart. Thank you.
Your story is copy of my story. Your discovery is also copy of my discovery that Helicobacter Pylori (HP) is one of the main reason for heart papilation.
All the food that enhance fabrication of HP increase burping and consequently heart arrhytmia.
Like wine, alcohol, sulphates, flavor enhancers etc.
The only problem is how to get rid off HP. Most of antibiotics does not help any more as they did before. Todays HPs are resistent on most traditional antibiotics. Finding solution to erase HP means also solution for arrhytmia. I 100% agree with this theory. Let’s all of us continue to try with eliminating HP and come back with report.
I have the same problems as a lot of you, mine mostly happen in the morning after getting up and eating breakfast. I was on a PPI after an RF ablation for aflutter that showed up after a cryoballoon ablation for Afib.
Originally diagnosed with Afib in pre-op for my first ever surgery in Dec of 2019. Placed on Diltiazem and a baby aspirin. Echocardiogram and nuclear stress test were all good. Started NutriSystem in Jan of 2020. Started having gallbladder attacks when I ate too much fatty foods (cheat meals) which culminated in severe pancreatitis mid May of 2020. Spent 5 days in the hospital waiting for my pancreatic levels to decrease. I was at 1300 and normal levels are 15-65. They thought I was a heavy drinker and I don’t even drink! Had laparoscopic gallbladder surgery and an umbilical hernia repaired. No Afib during my five days of monitoring or being under anesthesia during the surgery.
A few weeks later I was bitten on the left nipple by a tick. Waited a week before calling the doc because I had no issues until a rash (not bullseye) showed up all over my stomach and chest and went away overnight. Got a burning sensation near my left armpit towards my chest. Called my doc and he prescribed Doxycycline. 4 days into the dose of Doxy my eyes vibrated side to side and I got dizzy. Started getting burning sensations in my forearms and thighs. I got dizzy every time I stood up, etc.
Had two Lyme tests, both negative. And since the tick bite I’ve had about 12 blood panels and metabolic panels and all are normal.
In October 2020 I had a Linq cardiac monitor installed in my chest to track my rhythm and episodes.
Cardiologist changed me to metoprolol from Diltiazem and added Xarelto because I was having more episodes and sent me to an EP. Had a cryoballoon ablation the first of Dec 2020. That triggered aflutter so I had an RF ablation the end of Jan 2021. Didn’t really have any ongoing issues with my stomach until I came off the PPI the first of March which were prescribed by my EP for a month after my ablations as a precaution because of the TEE procedure and how close the left atrium is to the esophagus.
Started having burning sensations in my lower ribcage. Was prescribed more PPI’s and that went away. The weird part was before my first ablation I would sleep on my stomach and when I got up in the middle of the night to pee and the second I lay back down on my stomach I’d have booms in my upper stomach (originally I thought they were cardiac but my Linq doesnt pick them up) lower chest and I’d go into Afib. Had them before this too but they wouldn’t trigger me.
So now I sleep on my back uprightish on an adjustable bed. Don’t have any issue when I get up at night to use the bathroom.
I started having burping issues after I ate and this is now my Afib trigger. Also felt my stomach hurting when I hadn’t eaten. I came across H pylori and was like boom! It has to be that. I had a blood test for it and came back really high for antibodies but the other two markers said nope.
Had endoscopy and they took some samples and it came back negative for h pylori.
Now my Afib triggers sometimes in the morning if I drink water. I’ve had problems since I was a teen that if I drink water in the morning on an empty stomach it gives me heartburn. My GI doc looked at me like I was an alien when I told her this. But I only get episodes after eating and drinking. And it’s mainly when I just start walking around, never happens if I just continue to sit. Don’t know if it’s juggling in my stomach and hits my vagus nerve or not. I can sit and burp all day and nothing!
Very frustrating. I’ve talked to a cardiothoracic surgeon in VA about a mini maze and left atrial appendage clip to get off the blood thinners. I’d love to go see Dr Wolf in Houston TX who does the Wolf Mini Maze but the hospital there doesnt take my insurance.
I’m wondering if all this burping is because I don’t have any acid in my stomach to break down my food and it’s just sitting there fermenting and causing the gas that causes burping. I tried simethicone but it didn’t really help.
It is all frustrating. I’ve taken more medicine in the past two years than I’ve taken in the 49 years preceding. And because of NutriSystem and eating right I’ve lost 140lbs.
If anyone finds out how to fix “our” problem please let me know and add me to the email list too. I’m tennisbud23 @ yahoo.com
Thanks!
Hello John, any updates? Are you feeling better?
Hi Paul. I’ve just been reading your post and something struck a chord with me. I was diagnosed with IBS in 1984. I have constant bloatedness and tenderness in my stomach and gut areas. A few years ago whilst in Sri Lanka I had food poisoning. A doctor put me on amoxicillin and for the first time I can ever remember I had no pain or tenderness in my gut. I’ve still got awful gut issues, but just thought your article was very interesting and may help some people knowing this. All good wishes, John
I think I maybe suffering from this, I am so thankful to find a site where other people are discussing this condition, I will read all the comments from everyone.
Thank you.
John Collins
I have had this for 3 years. For me it comes in flares getting worse for a period of time where I end up having severe anxiety and fear with eating resulting in rapid weight loss causing severe depression and deconditioning . I am currently in one of these phases. I did a food sensitivities test and have eliminated gluten and the other sensitivities that were rated as high as I am sure the belching is from an inflammatory process not GERD as PPI are always the recommendation but don’t do anything for the belching . I also was prescribed Metroprolol but am weaning off that because I have lightheaded ness and dizziness all the time. I am on a gentle diet to calm my digestive system while allowing the small intestine to heal while removing inflammatory foods. When I have heart palpitations I have long runs of Ventricular Bigeminy which feel like skips and can have 20 in a row if I ate something that causes me to have lots of trapped gas .. I also have short runs of SVT if I have to belch while exercising . I have also been told that this is a functional G.I. problem and that sometimes anti-depressants help with the innervation of the stomach and G.I. tract so I tried SSRIs and wanted to kill myself and now I am trying a fraction of a dose of Remeron I am taking 1.875 which increase my appetite a little bit and maybe calm down a little bit but after a lot of reading I really think that My gluten sensitivity is causing a lot more damage than just a mild sensitivity so I will keep monitoring my symptoms and trying to reduce the intestinal gas which is the culprit stimulating the vagus nerve and causing the palpitations.
I have been dealing with this forever and no doctor would believe they are connected; not my cardiologist, my internal medicine doctor, or my gastroenterologist. I have spent a fortune on doctors. I am scheduled for an MRI on Monday, prior to my third ablation!!!! Third ablation! I have been dealing with stomach pain, bloating, and belching that I decided to google that along with my diagnosed PVC’s, PAC’s and Tachycardia. And I found this site!!! I can’t tell you how wonderful this is. I am not going to have a shorter life span, I can go hiking again! I don’t need a third ablation! I am not resigned to a chair because I can’t breath!!! This is the greatest news ever!!!
Me too, I am looking for a third ablation, I also have short runs of SVT. What have you done to stop it? Thanks
Hallelujah that I just found this site.
Is this Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s site ?
Let’s do some studies let’s do some trials and tests on curative measures rather than ablation!
I’ve had PVCs and skipped heartbeats for about 15 years but just recently in the last few months it has turned into tachycardia spells always brought on by burping and completely relieved as soon as I throw myself onto the ground with my hands extend up above my head literally goes away in two seconds.
I do medical research as a hobby since I was premed 40 years ago and there’s no way in my mind that this is not connected to a gut and Vegas nerve issue.
Let’s all work together I would love if the people who are making comments here if we could all be in a zoom group together and work with each other on causative and curative methods
(I’m talking about natural methods not medicines and ablation!)
Hallelujah that I just found this site.
Is this Dr. Sanjay Gupta’s site ?
Let’s do some studies let’s do some trials and tests on curative measures rather than ablation!
I’ve had PVCs and skipped heartbeats Brought on by gas and burping pressure in my upper got between my ribs, for about 15 years now. But just recently in the last few months it has turned into tachycardia spells always brought on by excessive gas and burping pressure. And completely relieved as soon as I throw myself onto the ground with my hands extend up above my head literally goes away in two seconds.
I do medical research as a hobby since I was premed 40 years ago and there’s no way in my mind that this is not connected to a gut and Vagus nerve issue.
Let’s all work together I would love if the people who are making comments here if we could all be in a zoom group together and work with each other on causative and curative methods
(I’m talking about natural methods not medicines and ablation!)
Hi Cynthia I’m totally down to make a group chat or something I suffer from PAC episodes as of late and believe it is a stomach issue as 5 cardiologists tell me I’m fine. My email is marianecci37@gmail.com
Suffering from exactly the same issues. I would love to get a group chat going!! My email is pablodelapava@gmail.com.
Hi there, I am also suffering from skipped beats, bloating and gas. Did you ever set up a group? Would love to join. Please let me know!
Please add me to any group chats that may form to discuss this topic. I’ve been suffering from runs of pvcs, pacs, atrial runs, and recently periodic bouts of Atrial Flutters. These episodes have been occurring for years and have ruined my quality of life at 58. My cardiologists, yes plural, all have different opinions as to what’s happening. The latest diagnosis by my Electrophysiology Cardiologist is I suffer from proximal atrial flutters and is suggesting I have an immediate Ablation, which is pretty unnerving. Earlier last year, another cardiologist diagnosed I had proximal AFIB. So I’m not sure which is it Atrial Flutters or AFIB. My overall heart function exams show my heart is healthy with slight plaque buildup, with nothing more out of the ordinary. My stress cardio test never cause my heart to flare up and produce any irregularities. I am not on any meds, as I refuse to take medications since I believe this is a gastrointestinal issues that predates to my hiatal hernia diagnosis back when I was in my 20s. Not one cardiologists is willing to concur or further investigate my theory, they in turn immediately suggest some sort of heart rhythm medication. Just today, while lying down I started to have irregular heart beat runs after eating. Once I stood up and burped a couple times, the irregularities subsided. I truly feel the condition I have and the flare ups of heart rhythm irregularities are caused by some sort of gastrointestinal issue and when these flare ups occur, anxiety and fear compound the problem and cause the heart rhythm to produce irregularities until I either burp, calm myself down or drink cold water. My email for a chat group is rubiodre@aol.com
I am so glad I can put a name to what I have been dealing with, I just happened upon this site, and this explains everything. I have palpitations/PVCs after meals, but also occur sometimes when I feel there is excess gas. Last night for example, laying down, I started having the palpitations. I knew in my heart for the longest time it is stomach related, and vagus related. I got up, took an extra strength gas pill and a metoprolol and it stopped. I also have GERD as well, and had a flare up in the last two weeks followed by the palpitations. The only combo of meds that remotely helped was the Simethicone and the Famotidine. Doctors looked at me like I was nuts, but I KNEW it was gastrointestinal in nature. I am so glad I am not alone.
Same as all of you and sooooo happy I found this. Also Always felt it was trapped gas and vagal nerve associated…but when it hits it can be very scary. A forum would be amazing.
I have been experiencing the same as all of you. For the past couple years I have been having bouts of feelings of heart palpitations and then burp or have the urge to burp. This can last for a couple hours at a time. Of coarse it makes my anxiety rise which doesn’t help. I have told my GP about this and she told me it was probably esophageal spasms. I don’t agree with this at all bc it’s not painful. I wore an event monitor a couple years ago and it came back normal. I’m 37 and and not obese. I think my doctor thinks I’m crazy too. I would love to be part of this group to try natural ways to help this. I have tried PPI’s but I don’t think they work well for me. I do feel like I have GERD. My email is erickson.mkst@gmail.com
I feel the same as all of you… no one could ever tell me what it was so tho I always suspected it was trapped gas and Vagus nerve related. Extremely scary when it comes on. I take Gas-X but wonder if there’s more I can do.
A forum would be so helpful! Just not to feel ‘crazy’ and alone with this.
I’m experiencing the same thing. Although I recently had gallbladder surgery the problems started a week or two before the surgery. Mine mostly only happens when I lay down for bed I’m assuming it’s because I’m laying down and can’t physically get the burb up. It wakes me up several times a night an the palpitations don’t stop until I burn and sometimes I can’t burb. So I’m up on and off all night long. I’m 31 years old and before the onset of these issues I was over all a healthy person. I’ve been to the ER several times an they recommended me to see a cardiologist and a GI doctor in which my primary Cary doctor won’t do because she’s got it in her head that all this is stemmed from anxiety and depression which I’ve never been treated for depression only anxiety because things like this scares me when I keep being told I’m fine. I’m not taking any medication for this besides mylanta and if any one has any medicine ideas or natural remedies to help it would be greatly appreciated as I just want my life back 🥺
Hey Jaqueline. Can you give us an update?
I have had ectopic heart beats for most of my life but last year they went worse. I get them every few beats for most days and nights. I’m fairly certain they are linked to my stomach issues. I can’t sleep when they are there and they’re driving me crazy at the moment so I know how you are all feeling
I have gut motility disorder/gastroparesis, hiatus hernia and GERD
I’ve seen a few here mention how much they would love a forum and I think that would be an excellent idea so I’ve started to create one here. Let’s see if we can all become a good support network to each other.
https://heartyfriends.boards.net/
I believe I am suffering from the very same thing. I am 47 years of age. I’ve always suffered random PVC’s most of my life. However, recently I have a new sensation of PVC that is starting to get alarming. I’ve been having severe bloating and discomfort on the left side of my body. Sometimes the bloating gets so bad I get some severe PVC’s that are frightening. I’m recently experiencing this new sensation that when I lay on my right side, flat on my back, or elevated on my back with a wedge pillow, I’ll get this type of PVC where it happens every beat, like my heart is under distress. It will remain doing that unless I get up or move to change positions. I’ve been to the ER many times and every time blood work is fine and ECG is fine. I’m scheduled for an echocardiogram soon and a treadmill test.
I’m 6’1 and currently weight 260 pounds, I’ve also had double hernia repair with a mesh across my belly. I’m not sure what to do, and I feel like I’m at my whits end. I just want this to go away.
Hi Adam
This sounds like exactly what I had. When I would roll onto my right side, as my heart would start to slow down, I would have a run of PVCs or PACs (I can’t tell the difference between!), but then I would have several very fast beats in a row, at around 120bpm. This would also happen when I stand up or move suddenly.
My fix was simple… I started on Omeprazole which is a proton pump inhibitor and it has reduced it significantly. I am hoping once I have been on it for a few weeks the symptoms will disappear completely.
The left atrium lies against the esophagus. For people with bad GERD (even silent reflux!) and sensitive hearts, this inflammation can be enough to overstimulate the atrium and cause tachycardia and arrythmia
Give the PPI a try, you have nothing to lose
Zane
I get a slow pounding heart when I lie down it sometimes feels almost like my heart is coughing although it’s normal on an ecg. The pounding in my head is so intense that lying down is unbearable for more than a few minutes. It always feel like I have gas stuck at the left of my stomach. IT often means I don’t sleep for 4 or 5 hours or sometimes I go days or 4 or 5 days without sleep. Often finally I burp and will immediately stop and I will be asleep in seconds. When it goes on for hours I get sharp chest pains and intense headaches and generally find it hard to think clearly or even roll over in bed.
It’s been the bain of my life because sleep deprivation makes it much more likely to happen I just end sleeping when I can and have because any sleep routine makes me extremely ill. I have been unable to work since it started 20 years ago yet no doctor has taken it seriously. Ranging from it’s because you are too thin, and then put on weight and was told I was too fat, too young, to stop thinking about it to you’re anxious. The most common thing is they tell me at length that I am not going to have a heart attack and then write on my notes that the patient was reassured. Yet I’ve had it happen thousands of times I know I’m not going to have a heart attack, it doesn’t make me anxious unless it’s been going for 5 or 6 hours I just do something to distract myself but I can’t sleep with it or have the energy to do anything productive and over the years I’ve lost so much life because of it.
I’m considering having a hiatus hernia wrap fix but am concerned it may make it worse because it can stop your ability to burp and if I can’t do that I’m worried I will be up for days.
I’ve been having issues for over 10 years. I have GERD, hiatal hernia and frequent gastritis. I was diagnosed with PAC’s 5 years ago. I’m having a bout of them now and am wearing an event monitor. I’ve had 3 cardiac work ups in the past 10 years, including 3 catherizations. I can’t tell you how many trips to the ER and how many hospitalizations I have been through in the past 10 years! My cardiologist tells me that my heart is strong but won’t acknowledge that it could be gastro related. I feel this is ruining my life! I’m a 63 year old female and feel I have no life. Reading your comments have given me hope that I won’t have to live in extreme fear every day.
Finally!! Something that explains what I’ve been experiencing I think my drs think I’m crazy I’ve been diagnosed with type 3 achalasia and the chest pains are unreal I’ve been having palpitations and feels like my heart is racing and I’m constantly burping all the time my drs say it’s anxiety but I’ve never been an anxious person by nature and I know for a fact it’s not that I’ve had my heart checked stress test, halter monitor and echocardiogram and all came back fine..this started when all my gastro issues started and I know it’s related I’m scheduled for an e poem to correct my esophagus spasms hopefully the issue goes away after my surgery just trying to stay hopeful.
Same as you all. I have had hard hitting PACs for about 6 years. 41 here. I have esophogial esophagitis and a gluten allergy. I take a ppi daily. I had a good 9 months with no pacs, but they are back pretty much every night once I start to wind down and / or immediately after eating. The burps come eventually and the PACs usually go away shortly after until I lay down. At that point I can feel about 4 a minute until I fall asleep. I completely believe it’s my esophagus messing with my vagus nerve. They bother me really bad when my anxiety is up, but lots of time I just try to ignore them and live. But there is 100% a connection between the gut and the PACs. I hate to say this, but I love that I am not alone in this battle.
Hey guys,
I’ve had PVC’s for roughly 7 years now. For years I struggled with countless dr’s appointments, online research, and every supplement I could throw at them. It wasn’t until a couple years ago that I realized that they were positional and accompanied with gas and bloating. I manage through them as normally I’ll get a few a day, but if I aggravate my stomach, they may stick around for a week with multiple a minute. Here’s a trick that has worked for me to get me through the rough patches. Drink 2-3 LARGE glasses of warm water. Go to a firm flat spot like a concrete floor, hold your arms parallel with your chest and grab onto your forearms. Stand on the balls of your feet, and drop down with all your weight to your heels. Breath out with every drop. After 20 drops or so, lay down on a flat surface, place your finger tips under your sternum, and press downwards towards your belly button. Do this until you feel movement or gas relief. Basically this method helps drop your stomach to a more comfortable position and settles the vagus nerve. I find that this fixes it longer term or short term depending on how much air is trapped. Hope this helps!
I have been suffering the same kinds of problems for years. For me, it most often occurs late at night. I have found that taking one extra strength simethicone pill and one low does aspirin at the same time provides fast relief of my problems. My hope is that taking these two otc medications at the same time, once a day, nearly every day, is safe for the long term.
I’m soooo happy I googled the combination of burping with AFib. I’m in my eighth year of these episodes…every test, monitor, hospital visit etc you can have. My cardiologist says if I have one more episode he wants me to have an ablation. I sooooo don’t want it. He’s also of the thought that the burping has no relation.
My last three episodes (I’ve started logging them)….have been right after lunch. October, December and now February. It MUST be related!!
Please continue to post your findings. I’m so over this and worrying every time it happens if today is my last day on earth.
I appreciate all of these posts!
Hey Bonnie!!! We are also convinced that these episodes are tied to gastro related issues too. We all talk in a Telegram group. https://t.me/+aEeyh8NmRacxOGEx
Some of the people in our group have done a lot of tests and we share the results with each other. You will have a lot to offer us with your 8 years of experience. We are also doing our best to stay away from ablations.
WOW….I can’t believe I finally found people having the same issue I’ve been experiencing for years. I’m 53, exercise a lot, but do experience stomach (GERD) Issues quite a bit. I can definitely tell, especially over the last couple of years, that my heart flutters are much worse when my stomach is acting up. Last year, I was experiencing severe stomach issues. After I would eat, it was almost like someone was pumping my stomach full of gas, and I would belch for 30 minutes solid. And, of course, my heart would go nuts with the palpitations. What I’ve always thought was weird is that when I feel a palpitation coming on, I also get the urge to burp, and if I burp it sort of short-circuits the palpitation. I have had heart calcium tests, ECGs and an echocardiogram. All of which were normal.
I see my GP in a week for my yearly checkup. I’m going to bring this up to him and see what he thinks. I’ve been seeing him for 20 years and he knows me pretty well. Maybe he can hook me up with a cardiologist that has seen this before.
Hey Glen!!! We are also convinced that these episodes are tied to gastro related issues too. We all talk in a Telegram group. https://t.me/+aEeyh8NmRacxOGEx
Some of the people in our group have done a lot of tests and we share the results with each other.
Can you give us an update from your meeting with your doctor? Did he listen to you about our gerd suspicions?
So sorry about the late update. I did have my meeting with my doc and he said that we could do a heart monitor test and extra testing to rule things out (Stress tests, etc.) if necessary. The palpitations have gotten much better, but still happen occasionally with stomach issues. I’ll join your Telegram group. Thanks!
Pls put me in your chat group.
I will put you in the chat group easily. Send me your email or follow this Telegram link. https://t.me/+aEeyh8NmRacxOGEx
I deal with them now really bad. Seems like no one has solutions but mine are basically the same as you guys.
Do you guys have a group to chat and support? Its so scary and hard to deal with.
Has anyone been diagnosed with SIBO?
I have been dealing with them too.
I know intuitively it’s coming from the gut.
So I don’t eat anything that is acidic or things that could trigger it.
No Gluten, dairy, soy, sugar, large meals, pickled foods etc.
looking for answers and have no idea how I found this! But glad I did going to discuss with all my holistic doctors!
Hey Jonathan!!! We are also convinced that these episodes are tied to gastro related issues too. We all talk in a Telegram group. https://t.me/+aEeyh8NmRacxOGEx
Please join.
Absolutely mind blown by this site! I have been suffering the same issues for 3+ years now. Every time I bring up the “burping” issue they look at me like I am nuts or just brush it aside and put in my chart that I have gas issues.
Thank you so much for everyone’s thoughts and experiences. None of us want to hear other people are having these VERY scary episodes but feel a bit more at ease when we know we are not alone.
One thought, not sure if I missed anyone mentioning in their comments but I wonder if anyone has tried being on a regular probiotic? I have wanted to try this to see if it helps but the really good ones are so expensive.
Please share if anyone has tried?
If you get a Kiefer/yogurt drink at the store that is an inexpensive probiotic. Aldies store has it. I think $2 or so for a large bottle will last you at least a week.
My sister has all of the symptoms for this. She’s not slept a full night in 9 months. Some nights she gets no sleep. She feels like she is dying. Any help for slerp is appreciated.
I am also a sufferer with many of the same symptoms as you guys. I created a Telegram Channel to talk about this stuff.
I see that someone started a blogpost at “heartyfriends.boards.net” but there is not much activity there. Telegram app may be a better way of interacting with each other since it is available on our phones.
Telegram Link below.
https://t.me/+aEeyh8NmRacxOGEx
I have only been dealing with this issue for 10 months. It feels like an eternity, but I see from many of your posts that most have been dealing with this much longer.
I have had 3 ER visits so far; the first I was convinced was a heart attack but was oddly painless, ECG normal and blood tests negative for heart attack. Panic attack, they said, probably stress from the pandemic. I have no history of anxiety or panic. I was scared, however, from the incident. I cut out alcohol entirely.
A month later I was back. Same tests, same results. “I don’t know, try some Maalox” they told me. (an anti-gas, antacid medicine) Indignantly I did so. And it helped a bit!
I started with a new PCP, and he switched my blood pressure med to metoprolol. I suggested a PPI and he agreed, put me on 2x/day for months. The feeling of pressure in my chest slowly got better, discomfort just beneath my clavicle waned. Throughout all of this the gas was intense!! So much burping. And the anxiety… I’ve never felt anything like it. Start seeing a therapist for the first time to deal with it, even try an anxiety med but not sure if it contributes to tingling feeling in fingers, lips, tongue.
Slow return towards “normal” over the next several months. I start relaxing back into old habits with food/drink. Continue improving to the point where I feel almost normal. Last week, I got a sinus infection. Doc over the phone puts me on new antibiotic, and I wonder if it screwed up my micro biome. Since taking it I have not been passing gas as normal. I had a salad at a fast food place for lunch. Checked the sodium on it and decided to only eat half, then finish for dinner but when dinner rolled around I didn’t feel hungry. Skipped dinner, but still had a few drinks. Not enough to cause a hangover or much of a buzz. Next morning, waiting for breakfast, boom, first heartbeats go up in the 140’s then BP drop from 185/85 to 57/41. Profuse sweating. Almost pass out. Back to the ER. Tests normal, just like always. Absolutely back to not drinking again.
PCP has ordered a holter test, but maybe hasn’t seen the connection between gastro issues and heart behavior. I have definitely seen it.
Burping absolutely improves how I feel, but I never seem to burp normally. The burps are massive and several in succession. This happens throughout the day.
Sleeping is difficult, but mostly in the mornings. I have a wedge pillow and lately have been waking up early due to some internal feeling. I’ve learned to stand up and start walking to manage the anxiety and also avoid another crisis and another ER trip. With walking comes burping. I have not yet been successful at returning to sleep. It’s tiring.
Im an adult male, 5’8, 181 lbs. I have been diagnosed with:
High blood pressure
Elevated cholesterol
GERD
Panic Disorder (not so confident in this one)
My symptoms include:
Tachycardia
Bradycardia
Anxiety
Chest pressure
Gas (oral)
Dizziness
Near-Syncope
What seems to help ME is:
PPI
Gas reducers like simethicone
Avoiding GERD triggering foods
Posture awareness
Cracking my back
Wedge pillow for sleeping
Sleep on left side
Chamomile tea
NO caffeine
No bubbly drinks
Walking during episodes
Burping
Going to try yogurt as a probiotic.
I’d love to email exchange for ideas to help, etc. Set up new email for this, ecrGERD@gmail.com
Probably check weekly.
Whoops, BP should read 135/85, not 185!
I have tried the link to the telgraf group, however nothing happens when I click join group. Could some add me?
KarenVF@yahoo.com
Wow, I too have experienced these symptoms, I’m a farrier (shoe horses), so I’m constantly bent over. On top of that, I’ve always eaten too much, including just before work, at which I would experience breathlessness and belching for many years, it was only last year that I experienced the heart Palpitations. Like all of you, the doctors seem to have NO clue, I’ve had the scope and the heart tests all came back clear. I do have IBS also.
Hiatus hernias seem to be quite common in my trade and it seems to be the direct correlation that we all seem to have in this thread, which is no revelation, but it’s interesting. We need a doctor/scientist who has also experienced what we are all going through…
Also, I’ve stopped eating in the morning before work, I leave 2.5 hrs for digestion at lunch before going back to work, this has helped the palpitations DRAMATICALLY!
I also get ringing in the ears and tingling in hands, and psoriasis.
I’ve recently tried the CARNIVORE DIET, yes it’s extreme but I was at my wits end! My psoriasis has almost completely disappeared and my gas and flatulence from IBS has also settled majorly! I got this idea from Mikhaila Peterson, if you haven’t heard of her, look her up.
I wish you all good health.
Ive joined the telegram channel
Also, trying the low lectin diet but Dr Gundry, when I break my carnivore diet I still try to eat things that are low in lectins.
Hi
I am 37 and have suffered since the age 24 when I had a spinal tap due to suspected meningitis which I tested positive for. After the procedure I started developing stomach issues and over the next 13 years I had a crazy amount of investigations which led to absolutely nothing.
I had a whole list of symptoms which I’ve got down to a couple of lingering symptoms . Over the years I have removed gluten and lactose from my diet , I have taken hair analysis tests ,blood test etc as well as all the investigation I had from the Dr. I had such severe bloating and shortness of breath as well as palpations that lasted 20 minutes several times a day and severe stomach pain . I was in an ambulance at least twice a week for nearly 10 years. It ruined my life, my poor children would watch me in agony and gasping for air and just not being able to get a full breath. I was diagnosed with having anxiety and depression.
I came across this site because I have been having night time palpations which wake me up and my heart is racing. I noticed again that this happens when I have an upset stomach, which isn’t very often anymore due to my strict diet and from taking my supplements.
I am so thankful to have found this page and found a name for something I could potentially have been suffering with all these years. I would love to join a group chat my email is hattygrace123@gmail.com thank u
A major help for getting relief for me is “HOT” drinks. (Even coffee if nothing else is available) Sometimes hot or cold can make things worse depending on the person. Cold drinks make things worse for sure but hot tea for me, relaxes the esophagus and allows trapped gas to burp out and provides some relief in a few minutes. It’s been a miracle for me anyway. Decaff would probably be ideal as caffeine can often contribute to this condition. Once the relief comes, I stop drinking the hot drink. Worth a try.
I am 49 and have suffered with this for 20 years, and in the past 10 years maybe more so. I notice nearly all the time I get skipped beats, etc, that I burp. And if they last for a while I seem to also be constantly burping and feeling trapped has in the throat, and stomach, etc.
Years ago, I had a couple of trips to the emergency, I have seen cardiologists, and all said at the time your okay, and to live with it.
I have tried things like Pantoprazole (20-40mg), diet changes. And all help, but never cure.
When I get nervous, the gas, burps and skipped beats, and usually a heart rate around 100 seems to be on offer. This is always the case when I am at a doctor. Or stressing about something (usually about my health.)
When my episodes happen, I can get skipped beats, can be every second beat, 3rd, 4th, 5th, beat and so on. It can change, I can usually stop the run if I move, change position, or burp.
Like I can get a skipped beat run that may skip a beat, every 3rd beat for like a minute, then I move, burp, etc, and sit down again and it may change to every 7th beat. Then it usually vanishes.
Trying to explain this to a doctor does my head in. Cause nothing is usually the same when I have these episodes.
I can get them happening at times and it will last on and off for minutes, hours, days? Then might get nothing for weeks.
Hey all
So as everybody above had already stated, in the five years suffering with a hyatis hernia and severe gerd I’ve had every symptom known to man. When I get to a point that I think I’ve got it under control, some completely new symptom pops up and the cycle continues. To name a few, I’ve had the arm pains, the chest pains, the numbness in different areas and so on. The new symptom on the block seems to be that every time I eat or drink anything other than water I get severe flutters in my chest and a skipped beat which can be a skip every 3-4 beats to 10 a minute and to be quite honest it’s driving me utter insane and quite scary to the point it takes over my life. In the five years since being diagnosed with the hh I’ve ended up in a and e more times than I care to remember, thinking I’m about to die of a heart attack only to be told my heart is fine. I’ve had every test known to man on my heart including a week long holter monitor, a ct dye scan on my heart and more blood tests and ecgs than hot dinners, all to come back as perfectly normal and put down to the gerd/gastritis or anxiety. What seems to help is a lanzoprazole 30mg in which I’ve now been prescribed to take 2 a day taking straight after food. Up until these skipped beat episodes (3 weeks) I’ve had the hh and gerd under some decent control by taking my lanzoprazole and a herbal tablet called slippery elm which does wonders if you suffer with gerd. But now I feel I’m back to square one. All I’ve done in five years is read forums upon forums and as much as I really do pity anybody who goes through all this, it is comforting to know I’m not alone. Any help on dealing with these skip beats would be my bit appreciated and I’m happy to share any tips I’ve taken to get this far( which now don’t seem far at all ha) and visa versa
Keep going people we will one day get to the bottom of this stupid disease which it seems not one doctor on this planet seems to have a definitive answer to it
My email is Midge1984@icloud.com if anybody wants to help or ask for any advice feel free to email me.
Also one last thing I’m happy to be added to any groups discussing gerd/palps, etc
I am so glad I came across this site. I’ve been experiencing burping along with palpitations for years. I’ve explained this to my cardiologist only to be met with odd looks. I’ve mentioned to my dr I’ve read up on the correlations between the two, still nothing. I’ve been put on Metoprolol without much if any success. After reading these posts, I don’t feel alone or crazy. I was feeling unheard by my cardiologist.
My episodes seem to come and go in spurts. When the burping and palpitations start they can go on for weeks. When they finally stop, the same thing, I may not have any issues for weeks. It feels great when I am able to live “normally” even if for a short period of time.
I don’t feel the heartburn, it feel more like air coming up my esophagus. If I don’t burp, there goes my heart. I had to go to hospital a few times because it was so fast and wouldn’t go back into rhythm. One time I had to have adenosine administered. This whole experience can be so scary.
Reading your posts has been so helpful and helped not to feel alone any longer. It’s so difficult trying to explain what this feels like to my dr only to be met with those odd looks.
I’m really hoping there will be a time, sooner than later, when something can be done about this.
BTW… I don’t remember reading if anyone had an ablation for this? My dr has been pushing me into this direction. I know I’m not a dr however I don’t believe it’s related to an electrical issue. I believe there is a connection between GI and vagus nerve creating the heart issue.
I have been reading how others are trying to manage these episodes. I will give some suggestions a try. Again thank you for this site, I am no longer alone in this.
Research a rare condition called MALS syndrome. It can cause palpitations
Very interesting, I will be trying some of these ideas! I too have noticed the leftsided gas and then of course the palps and the burping etc. It is hard to sleep and it’s hard not to get down about it but I am encourged that maybe we can help ourselves. I’m willing to try anything. I do think that there are many things that trigger these episodes. I know one trigger for sure, eating too many carbs/sugar at a meal. Blood sugar soars, insulin and adenaline pour out to rebalance the body, this really gets the pvcs going crazy. Likewise when the blood sugar crashes and the blood sugar is too low out come the pvs. Being dehydrated also seems like a trigger. We all know that the gut has a huge influence on the ticker. I hope and pray we all get better!
Wow, I’m a bit late to the party here but I can’t believe I’ve found this page. This is exactly what I’ve long suspected to be my problem and more often than not it gets rubbished by doctors that insist on going down the cardiac route.
I’ve had noticeable PVCs now for a long time with really uncomfortable bouts of quadrigeminy lasting anywhere from 5 minutes to an hour. I am never short of breath, don’t have pain and actually getting up and walking around feels like it helps.
When I have an episode, if I take an anti-acid and burp it feels like pressure in the middle of my chest is relieved and my PVCs stop.
Tonight I had a coffee on an empty stomach and whack – it happened within about 10 minutes a really bad run. When I finally burped it was super acidic.
I’ve been waking up in the night with PVCs and have had to walk around and drink tons of water to stop them.
Thanks so much for posting this – honestly what you have described is exactly how I feel. PVCs bought on by some kind of gastric problems. No problems with heart so far as I know after the various testing.
I am soooo glad I found this site. I have always suffered with IBS and Gerd and been on omeprazole in the past and weaned myself off them a few years back
I had AFib 3 times once in 2014. 2015 and 2016, all 3 times converted back within 24hours and haven’t had it since.
BUT
About once or twice a year for a month or so my stomach goes mad and I get loads of skipped hearts beats, seen cardiologists and told they are benign PACs but I can get hundreds an hour, sometimes every other beat skips for ages.
I have found like many people on her that burping helps!
I also get crazy anxiety whenever I have them which reduces me to a wreck who doesn’t want to leave the house and spends half my time googling for solutions / reassurance.
It’s a horrible thing. I’m 51 but my dad died when he was 48 so I have severe health anxiety especially when it’s the heart.
Feels like a curse and other people just don’t understand how horrible it is.
Tried so many things like Magnesium and not eating but everything helps for a bit then it’s back then one day, bang, it’s gone for 6 months.
Also don’t seem to have them in the morning or after 6pm at night. Never affect me sleeping or in the night?
It’s so reassuring I’m not alone. It’s clearly stomach related but solving a bad stomach is so hard. Tried probiotics and stuff like that and my stomach goes insane!!
Going to try omeprazole again. I have found a swig of gaviscon liquid always calms my palps down for a bit.
Good luck all!!
OMG.. so thankful for this thread.. at least its comforting knowing im not the only one experiencing this. Mine started 5 years ago while i was driving with a friend one day. I suddenly felt this pressure like a stuck burp and then my heart fluttered and i started burping. This was extremely distressing and caused me to have my first panic attack. Of course i did not know i was having a panic attack and thought i was having a heart attack. Well this was the start of a snow ball as whenever i was feeling this same digestive issue it would lead me to have a panic attack which turned into panic disorder. I lost about 20kg as i knew my symptoms where caused by a digestive issue. Also.. whenever i get anxious i will start burping. Now 5 years later i have learned to manage my anxiety better. Bur the reason im here now is i just had a bad “stuck burp with heart flutter episode which i have not had in a while which sent me desperately googling again for answers.. so glad i found this as it at least reassures me that its a a real issue that does not seem life threatening which affects other people as-well.
Have all of these symptoms and also feel pain in left arm sometimes shoulder wondering if anyone else gets this as well? Pain goes away with the burping only lasts a few seconds.
I do hope we continue to post and this is a relief to read other people with same symptoms.
I am so happy I have found this thread and website. I have the same exact symptoms as everyone here. My PVC episodes always start out with me feeling like I have to burp. The more I burp, and it’s excessive, the more I feel like my esophagus is getting irritated and I cant get a deep breath in. After a few minutes of that the PVC’s start. I am fairly certain that the root cause of my PVC’s are gut related. It is a viscous cycle, first the gut issues/GERD/burping, followed by shortness of breath then PVC’s. I know gut, cardiovascular, and respiratory are all connected. I also agree that trapped gas could be contributing. Because most times I feel like there is a trapped burp, when I finally can get it out, my PVC’s go away completely or at least become less frequent (every may 7th beat rather than every other). I was also recently diagnosed with gut dysbiosis, so I am trying to work on resolving this. Hopefully, that will also help eradicate the skipped beats.
10 years + I had severe food poisoning abroad in Madrid and have not been the same since. I have IBS and a self diagnosis of food issues such as onions, brassica family, alcohol intolerance, red meat and fat.
I had my inflamed gallbladder removed in France 6 years ago. I was a 125lb bodybuilding female at the age of 41. I just couldn’t understand why a ‘healthy and fit’ individual would have something like that?
Fast forward to now…I ended up in A&E twice last year with ‘gastritis’. I seem to contract it on average of 3 times a year, get given Lansoprazole PPI’s for it come back after months later. I don’t eat high fat or high fibre, no alcohol and minimum processed foods.
I’m currently going through bereavement and recently had a diagnosis of ADHD/ADD combined after the perimenopause flagged a change in coping mechanisms. I belive that a change in hormones, stress and gut issues caused my latest 8 month IBS flare.
My GP recently told me that he would investigate arrhythmia if I titrate again to 36mg from 18mg of Xaggitin. I had one day of intense palpitations on the increase and had to go back to original dose. I reckon I might have MVP.
The Xaggitin methylfenidate for ADHD did cause extra gastric upset, lack of appetite and increased palpitations for 6 weeks. I was feeling better on the gastric front and with a great improvement of domains including concentration but….the palpitations are worse than ever and today my digestion went back downhill after 2 days of almost ‘normal’.
I’ve only come across this syndrome today after searching for years knowing it wasn’t just IBS. I don’t have the burping/relief mechanism but I have noticed that Gaviscon Dual Action tablets have reduced palpitations within 15 minutes. I take Wind Eze simeticone, Lansoprazole when I really need to, Colofac mebeverine hydrochloride to reduce bloating and relax bowel muscles and Kwells for nausea.
I will stop dairy and gluten but not together in order to see if these are to blame. I did have a negative Coeliac and lactose intolerance test many years ago but I think that you can still have problems regardless.
So I’m not sure if what I’m experiencing at the minute but it certainly sounds pretty similar. I had an episode in hospital last August for an infected salivary gland which resulted in 5 days intravenous antibiotics and a week’s worth when I got home. I was also suffering from bad acid reflux (which I have suffered with on and off since being pregnant over 35 years ago) and was given quite a lot of gaviscon liquid. Since then I have not been well and at the beginning of this year was told I had a folate deficiency and have been taking folic acid for last 2 months, however since about Xmas I have been suffering with heart palpitations and towards the end of Jan I nearly passed out and ended up in A & E and it was discovered my blood pressure was 195/116 but my heart rate was low as usual. Between 50 and 60 beats a minute. I’ve been given felodipine for my BP which is now well under control but I was still having heart palpitations which seemed to also make me feel really anxious even though I wasn’t. I have noticed over the last couple of weeks that my palpitations seem to come on more after eating and if I have bad heartburn they are worse. I’ve had to cut out alcohol as this caused me so much acid, (I love my prosecco). I don’t have caffeine and have cut out as much carbohydrates as I can and then I’ve now realised chocolate is also not good for me 😪 I’ve started to take Guardium (esmeprazole) which seems to help with the heart palpitations and reflux so will take for 14 days as recommended and will then see what happens. I am waiting to be seen by Cardiology but think there’s quite a back log so don’t think I will be seen soon if they rule out and heart problems then I’m sure it’s to do with this gastric cardio problem. I just basically want some answers.
I’m 61 and was put on Metoprolol seven years ago for SVT. The SVT’s stopped a couple years ago and I rarely have one but now I have pvc’s ALL the time. They are almost ruining my life. I wake up in the night having them. Seems like I can’t lie on my left side anymore without having lots of them. I mean every other beat, then every three beats, ten beats, etc. I used to always lay on my left side to watch tv and never had them. I get them when laying on right side too but left seems worse. Anyone know why? Last night I was asleep two hours than woke up and had to sit upright in bed (I have adjustable bed) to make the pvc’s calm down. Sometimes I just get out of bed for awhile which is aggravating because I just want to sleep. Mine are definitely worse after eating but I try not to eat much before bed. I do have a hiatal hernia and I’m having an EGD and colonoscopy in a few weeks. I wonder if my small hiatal hernia has gotten bigger. It’s been 7 years since last one. I do feel heartburn at times. I have taken PPI in the past and I do think it helped with the pvc’s but I’ve never been on it longer than two weeks because I’ve heard they are so bad for you if you take them long term. I will see how my esophagus looks in a few weeks then I may resort to taking them again. I can’t keep living this way. It’s getting depressing. I fear I’m having too many pvc’s and it’s gonna weaken my heart. Glad I found you guys. At least I have someone who understands what I’m going through.
I’m the same RoCancel, but I think I have an Hiatus Hernia (gastric) that fills with gas because after burping it relieves the system. So now I take aluminium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide (Maalox, Mucogel) five minutes before I get into bed and so far I’ve been getting a good nights sleep, whereas before I had to get up with continues Bigeminy beats (feels like every second beat is missing) and thinking it was doing my heart some harm.
This is a really interesting read, I was taken to A&E by ambulance a few months back with racing heart and chest discomfort… yes I suspected the worst… after arrival I was give the “pink liquid” and numbing additive which quickly relieved the issues. ECG was monitored for a few hours and no issues seen.
Booked to see a doctor and no issues were seen on their ECG and it was put down to stress and anxiety, it was not long after that I had the same symptoms and drove myself to A&E. After 12 hours there, another ECG, another dose of “pink liquid” and a chest x ray no issues found.
Went back to my GP and was referred for a calcium score (October 2023) on my heart, happened very quickly and score was 0 (not bad for a 42 year old)! Did a trip back to the UK in late October 2023 and had two really bad attacks. They went away after a few hours but all the same very scary, spend 4 hours in a service station on the M5 pacing around with anxiety.
Booked back to see my local GP when I got home and an ECG which finally picked up a PVC.. was lucky and able to get a Holter monitor the next day and wore for three days… the results were that the PVC was evident less than 3% of the time and was put onto Pantoprazole Sodium. Helped initially but finding now it is not so effective. Even this weekend heart starts to race and feeling of heaviness / bloating / discomfort in my lower and upper chest… get pains shooting through to my back and also spot pains in my arms and legs. Do feel as though I am lightheaded but never actually passed out. Always get the feeling of being full at the back of my throat and sure enough a few good belches (can take a few hours) feel better.
Can see the PVC when I watch my pulse on my wrist, know it is not heart related but the fear of an issue is always there which am sure makes things worse.
I always thought something had been missed with the medical consults but reading the above my symptoms line up with what a lot of people are having which gives me with some confidence.
The waking up multiple times a night I feel is part of this overall issue, hoping to get the stress out of my life and get back to feeling “normal” as when this happens it feels like the end and panic sets in taking me out of any moment I am in.. so debilitating.
I also started having same symptoms a week ago a couple hours after eating a spicy Indian meal from a takeout restaurant.
Had 8 hours of palpitations, often every few seconds or even 4 or 5 in a row, went to ER and they saw PVCs and PACs on the EKG and monitor. Discharged a couple hours later because they found no problem with heart, troponin, etc. Had repeat episode 3 nights later, again lasting 8 or 9 hours. Went to my cardiologist and he saw an abnormality on EKG, t-wave inversion so he sent me by ambulance to the ER and they did a cardiac cath which was normal. I had previously had cath done 3 years ago and there was no change. I do have mild plaque, about 20% in each artery. After spending the night in the hospital following the cath, the next day my EKG looked good. They said maybe the EKG abnormality was from electrolyte issues and noted that my potassium was low
Interesting article, I’ve had PVC’s with greater regularity lately (7,000) daily. Had GERD (maybe) for many years and took prilosec. Finally weaned myself off the med but regularly have many similar issues as those writing these comments (gas, burping, minor breathing issues, etc.). Have an upcoming appointment scheduled with an electrophysiologist, along with yearly PC visit. Have Type2 DM controlled by a low carb diet. Heart tests are otherwise normal, some plaque. Elevated LDL (140), but like most Keto /Low Carb not a concern, not interested in statins. Normal BP, weight 155 (5′ 8″). Thanks for the post will discuss with treating physicians
I came across this syndrome in this blog. My docs can’t figure it out. Thank you so much Dr. Gupta , I have hope now.
My people! has anyone lost weight and found it to reduce symptoms?
My bouts of a heart arrhythmia can last up to 30 hours alongside the trying to burp and bloating stomach – a bowel movement can knock my heart back in to rhythm! Totally fed up with it !