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:)