connection between irregular heartbeat and indigestion/heartburn?

[lirael]

I have suffered from frequent PVCs (Premature Ventricular Contractions) all my life and have just finished a long round of tests which showed that they are causing my heart to pump less efficiently, though there is no underlying heart or artery disease. In the last 12 years or so (since having my children) I've also developed digestive problems (indigestion and heartburn) which have got steadily worse, especially since I entered menopause. I definitely notice a cause/effect relationship between the two - my PVCs become more noticeable after eating particular food. I've been reading about the vagus nerve and wondering whether treating my digestive problems could help calm my heart down (its not working the other way round as I'm on a high dose of beta blockers which hasn't made any difference to my digestion at all). Any experience or thoghts would be welcome.

have you been checked for a stumock ulcer?
I have not taken beta blockers but some medications can cause stumock ulcers.
maybe you could go back to your GP for further advice?

stomach

No answers, OP, but am having similar thoughts about funny beats so hoping you get some good replies.

Not sure if this is relevant but I have had bad palpitations after eating and drinking too much. I have been wondering about the vagus nerve as well but couldn't find any clear enough information on my meanderings around the web.

I had to look closely to see if I had typed this post on my sleep. I have had gastric problems/IBS for 25+ years and first started having ectopic beats, whilst pregnant 16 years ago. I blamed pregnancy, then night shift, then tiredness or stress. I have been investigated to the hilt and no cause found. I have had one episode of AF (atrial fibrillation) again no cause found. On Monday night I had a fast heart rate (although not irregular). It had not resolved on Tuesday morning so I went to A&E. again non cause found and resolved with a beta blocker.

When I got home I said to dh that I thought it was related to my gastric problems and started googling. I can't do links but if you google GERD and tachycardia there is quite a lot of information.

I am now convinced of the link.

This is so interesting. I'm seeing my consultant on Monday - he is considering an ablation - but I want to consider all possible underlying causes first. I wonder if he'll take me seriously if I mention it?

I experienced severe palpitations two years into my Menopause.

My Cardiologist diagnosed Vagal Nerve irritation and advised me to totally cut Caffeine out of my diet as well as any other known gastric irritants (I am a Coeliac and suffer a number of food sensitivities such as Banana's, Mango, Oranges).

I did as advised and rarely ever get palpitations now. If I do I immediately review what I have been eating.

I cut out caffeine a couple of years ago (though I still eat chocolate and find that even this brings on the PVCs sometimes). I am gradually becoming aware of the things that bring on my gastric issues - onions, garlic, tomatoes, citrus, high fat foods - it would be lovely to think that cutting these out would resolve the heart issue!

I have similar problems and have never realised there may be a connection, despite them starting at roughly the same time. Diagnosed quite far apart so possibly that's why I didn't connect.

I don't find that they are both necessarily bad at the same time though.

I don't have any underlying condition for the ectopics or palpatations but am about to go back to GP re acid as it's been different and worse recently. Realise this may be due to festive overindulgence so giving it a few more days to see if things change again. Tried quite hard not to go daft though so not sure it is the cause.

Interesting to hear other's experience.

Yes mine have been worse over Christmas too - probably not hard to see why! Both my gastric issues and palps get better when I take Zantac.

Oops pressed Send too soon - I was going to say that although they get better, the effect only lasts for a few weeks and then it's as if the Zantac stops working so well - my GP said this often happens. Unfortunately I can't take the one that works better (can't remember the name but it starts with 'omp') as I had an allergic reaction when I tried it years ago.

Omeprazole - my GP has never been keen to prescribe it. I think Zantac is cheaper!

My poor cardiologist - he's going to be faced with a long list of questions tomorrow! I haven't had a discussion with him yet (saw the registrar in the early stages but I've been upgraded ) - but he was lovely when he did the angiogram and CAT scan.

Not looking forward to the prospect of an ablation though :( . Think it will be what he suggests as I'm on 10mg of beta blocker (max dose) and although my heart function has improved it's still 'moderately impaired'.

Update - consultant dismissed pretty much any connection between the PVCs and gastric problems (as I expected). But I'm cleaning up my diet and drinking 1.5l water a day and already feel better, so whether there's a connection or not, that's what I'm going to do. He also said there's no need for an ablation atm - we can keep it in reserve if the PVCs get worse - so am relieved about that. He did say, though, that it's important to keep the rest of my heart as healthy as possible as a weakness in another area (furred arteries etc) would have a greater impact on me because of the weaker ventricle function. So a good diet is essential for both conditions

Drat!
I'm not sure what PVCs are, presume they are not the same as ectopics or palpitations?
Funny that Jinty found lots of evidence re GERD and fadt heart rates.

I don't take anything as I don't really get on with Betablockers, wonder if I really should, am concerned it'll wear out quicker (genuinely not in a flippant way)

At least yiu don't face the prospect of the op immediately, and it doesn't hurt to be healthier in all other aspects anyway.

Eyes up Xmas leftover snacks.

Just read up think they sound the same thing as ectopics or certainly produce the same sensation.

I'm a bit more concerned that I should push for meds but I was told BBs don't always help with ectopics just the palpitations.

Beginning to wonder if the info Ive had is correct.

Mine started around two years ago so not as long as you but Ive not been advised to continue getting things monitored or if I should ever seek medical aid in certain curcumstances.

I never Google, wish I hadn't

I'm not sure what PVCs are, presume they are not the same as ectopics or palpitations?

PVC is another way of saving ventricular ectopic. Palpitations are the feeling you get that can be cased by PVCs, SVE or a few other things.

OP

Although there is no direct link between digestion and PVCs when you eat your stomach and after that the other bits of your digestive system need a larger blood supply to actually digest food.

Indigestion and a heart attack can also look like each other (not that you are having a heart attack) so symptoms of one can feel like the other, hence the term heart burn - nothing to do with your heart.

Anyway one way for your body to get more blood to the digestive system is to speed up, so that might be why you are noticing palpitations at this time.

Sashh - do you think then that my digestion might be slightly slowed down by the reduced pumping capability of my heart?

Jbck - I wouldn't worry if you haven't been told you should be monitored. My cardiologist said that ectopics (or PVCs) are nearly always seen as benign and most people don't have a reduced heart function as a result, even if they have 1000s in a 24 hour period, like me. I'm just unlucky in that I'm one of the few that are affected in this way. He also said that while reduced left ventricular function (what I've got) is associated with a slightly decreased life expectancy, that's only if it's untreated and I'm being treated. Though I don't get that really, because the BBs haven't made any difference to my ejection fraction (45%) and only a slight difference to the number of ectopics so I might as well be untreated?

Lirael

I don't think so, but although I know a lot about the heart I know less about digestion.

It is possible.

What are you doing after eating? If you are running around then your heart is sending blood to different places at the same time and obviously has to work harder.

It can also depend on what you eat / drink, coffee is notorious for causing palpitations.

The menopause is also another factor, hormones can do strange things, and not always the way the textbook says they should eg I get SVT when my thyroxine is too low, it's supposed to happen when it is too high.

Has your cardiologist tried different BBs? 45% for an EF is quite low. But obviously they need to be given time to work.

Beta blockers (well they block the beta receptors but their effect is) slow your heart rate and strengthen the contraction which is why the EF should go up because the heart is not beating as often but the 'beat' is stronger.

Different ones work slightly differently and unfortunately for patients the only option is to try different ones / different doses.

I think I remember earlier posts from you Lirael, if I remember correctly you are more aware of your heart's activity than most people.

I have an underactive thyroid too and for a while GP altered my thyroxine as levels had suddenly gone bonkers, took almost a year of trying different doses and I evetually ended up on almost what I was on at the start of it all.

I had been fine for 16 years so no idea what caused it.

Thyroid levels have been fine and not symptomatic for a year or so since they settled butstill getting the palps and ectopics.

Oh it's rubbish being a woman