Thanks for this information I’m going to talk to my Cardiologist about this I had atrial fibrillation for 20 something years and I know it has something to do with the digestive system but nobody believes me thank you so much for all your informati
What a fabulous video!! The visuals and explanation are fantastic and now I finally can understand -and see- the food/nerve/AF connection. Many thanks!!!
My twin brother is a heavy wine drinker and has problem with Afib. I have no problem but stay away for alcohol and watch my diet. I think this make sense.
Thanks for this information I’m going to talk to my Cardiologist about this I had atrial fibrillation for 20 something years and I know it has something to do with the digestive system but nobody believes me thank you so much for all your information
I definitely notice the eating and drinking connection with my afib episodes. I also notice that extreme hot or cold beverages can also bring on an attack.
@Black_No_Sugar Yes I can you idiot..you’re making an overly pedantic distinction you prat and trying to deny somebody a significant improvement in their lives..who do you think you are anyway? some sort of medical pontificator that decides what is truth? people like you should shut up..
@Black_No_Sugar lol..at least I don’t sit behind a key board trying to bully people with meaningless distinctions.. Do us all a favour and go win yourself a Darwin Award so we don’t have to listen to your nonsense..😀
Yes, all my AF episodes were on a full stomach. One occurred on after breakfast during exercise. I stopped eating before morning exercise. Also, fixing my Parathyroid Hormone levels eliminated the hypercalcemia and the AF went away. Eat lots of potassium rich foods.
Stress, alcohol, large meals, emot upset, caffeine…all triggers.I try not to eat after 4pm…smallest meal of the day.Have gone several months without afib, several times over the years
The evidence suggests that, if anything, caffeine is associated with a lower risk of AF e.g. a 2022 meta analysis Cao Y et al 'Association of Coffee Consumption With Atrial Fibrillation Risk: An Updated Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies' concluded that "One cup per day increased in coffee consumption was associated with a 2% reduced risk of AF"
Spicy food and mineral water... You forgot the laying down on uneven surfaces. And you got my problem 100 percent. A hotel bed I was using sloped down. And took me days to realize why I was having all my issues.
When I was a teenager, the simple act of burping after a meal triggered my AF on several occasions. Later, I experienced the other triggers: stress, alcohol and caffeine. I’m now 75 and haven’t had an episode in many years.
Big meals , alcohol, yawning ,burping and lying on my right side are all triggers for me . Thirty five years I have been burdened with this and the explanation here is so clear . I wish the cardiologists with to whom I have been referred would have taken a little time to explain this instead of shunting me out the NHS door with a wee prescription as quickly as they could .
Hey Groveland can you please tell us any tips or anything that's helped you? My uncle who's also my best friend got diagnosed with AFib about a year ago and had his heart put down and then "recharged".... anyways Thursday he didn't feel well so I took him to County ...then Friday he had the procedure done again!! We're both pretty shook( him more, obviously) so anything that you've learned would be a big help ...also is there anything you can do to deter an attack?
I was in the hospital waiting for a heart transplant during Christmas one year. A family member brought me this big meal and of course I ate it after eating hospital food for over a month. The moment I put the fork down, alarms went off and nurses and docs went rushing in. Needless to say, I got cardioverted. I'm a believer! That was 24 years ago by the way! 😁
@@hikerhobby1204 My sister is currently on the the lung transplant list. She has pulmonary fibrosis. Do you recommend any info? She is of course very scared about the surgery.
@@__documents2580 Hi there!!! I’m so happy and excited for your sister! My advise, put that oxygen on and walk then walk some more! Docs are right about being as strong as you can prior to surgery. Please tell her not to be afraid of the respirator. They’ll keep her sedated. That was my biggest fear. She’ll feel like someone punched her in the chest, it will heal. Also, she’ll be so tired as they never leave her alone! Tests, tests and more tests all day long. It will be worth it!!! I can breathe so well! My lung function went from 17% to 99%! I’ll be praying those lungs come ASAP! God bless you and sister!
@Wondering Why I’m sorry, I just now saw your comment. Four and a half years ago. Honestly, I was getting around soon after, driving in five weeks. However, to feel like my old self a year.
Thank you so much for explaining. We know it's way way beyond our comprehension. But we can really appreciate that we have doctor scientists dedicated to researching, reviewing and finding solutions to treat our physical health problems.
I agree with a lot of these comments in that cardiologists don’t believe their patients. I think we know better what triggers our afib than any cardio doc. It’s very frustrating. I have seen several cardio docs and the first thing they all go straight to is, lets do surgery. Makes me so mad bc there are literally dozens of afib meds on the market but cardiologist dont make money off writing your a prescription. They want to do surgery.
@Black_No_Sugar Yes, I hear you. But I strongly believe that my particular AFib is triggered by the vagus nerve. Because when I am in AFib I can strongly feel and see the pulse right beneath my ribcage beating Very Hard! If I press down firmly for a minute or so with my finger-tips, and do it several times, it really helps to start getting my heartbeat back into normal sinus rhythm. But it actually is NOT connected to eating with me. As this can happen on a completely Empty stomach!?🤔Go figure!
@@gloriamaryhaywood2217 I agree. I had a hiatal hernia decades ago and if I eat the wrong time of day it can trigger my heart due to reflux. Even a seatbelt too tight while driving can cause it. I thought I was having a heart attack until my GP at the time had me get a stomach x-ray. It will scare the crap out of you for sure.
Surgeons do get paid for writing prescriptions, a lot of money. My ex wife was a genetic screening nurse and she made money from it too. Now they have to do it on the sly, like get the Doc to meet them at the Gas station and fill their car with gas while they pitch the drugs and freebies, like vacations, etc. It still happens. Ever notice all the prescription advertising stuff in and around their offices? Notice the TV advertising telling people to ask their doctor for this stupid drug that has more side effects than poison... Billions of dollars made.
@@helicopterdriver There is a plethora of ads on tv for pharmaceutical drugs. Mostly Big Pharma profits off the drugs since they are the ones who create them and have patents on them. But several very commonly prescribed drugs are NOT real money makers as far as profits go. Statins are extremely Toxic and are probably the most prescribed drugs out there. But the patents have long expired and they are Cheap. Not money-makers. Same as many blood pressure meds. The fact is that the huge majority of Western doctors are not adequately educated about nutrition and human biology as pertains to how our bodies process food and, of course, different drugs. They are taught to treat the Symptom instead of searching for the Source that is Causing the Symptoms. So it's what they do. They prescribe drugs to try and counter-act health issues. And a Vicious Cycle gets created!!
My congratulations. I'm a collegue and a AF patient,. Your ezplanation makes sense and I observed that in 16 out my 19 episodes of AF a visceral reflex trigger might be responsible. Now I pay a lot of attention in eating/drinking and in some yoga suggestions and...it works!!Very good job !!!
Thank you! Another cause of AF is when too much food and gaseous drink, especially after late dinners, cause excessive pressure from below and from behind on the heart, causing pressure on the coronaries and excessive vagal stimulation by gastric churning and dilatation causing slowing of the heart, especially on people on beta blockers and calcium channel blockers, thus triggering ectopic atrial contraction stimulation which if excessive could cause an atrial flutter or fibrillation..
When i have a vagal nerve episode my heart takes a huge beat and goes from 60-70 bpm to 135-148 bpm. A yawn or twisting a certain way can trigger an attack which i think irritates the nerves. Excessive alcohol or stress or lack of sleep makes me more susceptible. I can usually get it back into rythmn by lying on my left side and focusing on trying to replicate putting pressure on the nerve in that location. My heart skips again and it goes back into rythmn. Drinking a glass of really cold water super slowly while I am lying down sideways through the side of my mouth to the point where I have to take a gasp of air can also cause the diaphragm to react like a hiccup which can also stimulate the nerve. When it happens the worst thing to do is panic i know its easy said but you have to try and relax and focus on whatever method of stimulating the vagal nerve works for you.
Thank you for sharing your story. This sounds like something that I need to look into myself- (vagal nerve episode), as I’ve got a heart beat that races with some activity.
Dr. Boon Lim you are brilliant! I’m a retired nurse started w Afib in my 40’s. Makes perfect sense as temperature affects me- too cold, msg a big trigger and now I see your anatomical chart- all makes sense. Btw- if it is msg and I didn’t do my reading labels or asking, a teaspoon of cream of tartar in a glass of water neutralizes it quickly. Thank you for affirming what I suspected.
This happens to me by the time i start getting full my heart starts going crazy ! It makes me cry talking about it people just dont understand its literally living in suffering ! It also starts when i lay down ! Its torture !!!
I found this was happening a few weeks ago after eating hot meals. I reasoned this to be due to a chest infection (possibly covid?) making me sensitive in some way. It was also associated with high blood pressure which for me is normally low. Aspirin helped. Infection passed,, i no longer have the problem.
I had atrial fibrillation last monday for the first time, went to ER. I had a large dinner, salad spinach, cucumber, lettuce and Balsamic vinegar mixed with a prepared spice and mustard. Afib started 10:30PM Medication given at ER. at 5 AM had a BM and spontaneously, the Afib was gone. Doc didnt considered my theory about the meal. THANK YOU
I got diagnosed with Afib at 28. Likely linked to chronic stress, anxiety and alcohol use. Hoping there's people out there that can share their experiences in how they manage this condition with minimal reoccurence.
Very interesting. I have brought this up to my cardiologist that drink ice slush drinks/ cranberry juice, apple juice, fruit juice/ eat anything with chi or cilantro/ drinking sweet tea I will go into atrial fib. I demonstrated for a cardiologist who didn’t believe me. He was surprised.
I am almost 80. AF, as I do suffer infrequently, is not a heart or blood disorder but of nerves associated with food, drinks and excess exercise post-effect. Most minor AF incidence happened during sleep after the events described. Useful to popped up your head during sleep using higher pillow. Reflux due to old age also contribute to AF discomfort symptoms but may not register heart rhythm dissync. Dr Lim is spot on. My Public Hospital Cardiologist still insisted I take blood thinner to be safe. This is despite all the tests taken that there is no heart or blood pressure issues.
This is the best explanation yet regarding AF. No wonder whenever I have an AF attack, I feel much relief from taking 2 tablets of Gaviscon to relief my gastric reflux. This seems to help in the AF almost instantly. Try it the next time u have AF.
Thank you Dr. Lim - FINALLY a doctor who is able to pinpoint what I've experienced for almost 20 yrs and all my cardiologists and their puffed up ego's thought I was nuts. And yes, all after a full and/or heavy meal. Also, laying down (for me) seems to make it worse unless I lay on my right side, then it seems to settle after 10-20 mins.
I am in the same boat you were in. When I eat a meal most times I will suddenly feel very faint. I was told I was imagining it and told to eat more slowly!!! I wish you well.
I get a more rapid heartrate after eating, especially so if I workout and then have a meal. The heartrate doesn't slow down for a couple of hours after the meal.
@@alaskaaksala123 Charlie your a monster you lived the best life 🧬 I recommend fish oil 1st and light garlic supplement along with D3 and vitiman b6 for ankle swelling
This is called Roemheld Syndrome. I have had this for about 12 years now. There are ways to alleviate and prevent this if you can pin point your cause. For some it is the need to burp. If you want to see if this is behind it , when your heart rate is up after eating go and lay on your stomach or bend and grab your ankles, for about a minute. Then stand/straighten up and see if you burp. If so and you do this a few times then see a better heart rate that is the culprit. Other things that help me is drinking about 20oz of very cold water, sometimes I may put a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in the water. Or I get cold. I either give myself a sponge bath with ice water. Usually a big bowl of ice water and a wash cloth, or I will actually get into the shower and GRADUALLY lower the water temp or if it's winter time I will go outside with no coat, or just crank the AC. Next, assess your health. How is your blood glucose? Are you REMOTELY heading toward insulin resistance? If your liver and pancreas are remotely harboring fat it can cause this problem. Please note, you can be in the "normal" range but still be heading for the danger zone. "High normal" is just a nice way of saying, "There's a fire on the stove but we won't try to put it out until the whole house is burning." Tweak what you eat and see what happens with different foods, different types of fat etc... I have had great improvements after adjusting my diet. I have had times in the past where my heartrate after eating would go as high as 172 and stick there for two hours. Until the stomach empties. I hope you can get to the bottom of this for yourself. I can relate 100% to this misery. God bless you!
Paul get ahold of it now. That's how mine started about 18 yrs ago. They couldn't find anything then It lasted for days while I was away from home, I got back home to get cardioversion. If I would've known some of the info like we see now, and here and how bad it could get I would've changed some things !! Good Luck !!
@@tubetime39 Thanks for the support. My BPm does go back to normal after an hour or two. And it doesn't always happen, either. For instance, I got on the bicycle for a quick 20 minute spin downstairs this after noon, went on the net for a while and then had supper. Heart rate? Normal.
Pizza and red wine triggers my AF. Needless to say I rarely have large pizzas now and drink only once a week my cardiologist told me it was food driven .Plus I’m on Sotolol and rivaroxiban So I haven’t had a hospital ED visit in over 6 months. Good video.
My AFib starts immediately after the first or second bite of anything I'm eating. It dosen't have to be spicy food or alcohol, or a large meal. When I told my doctor he said to me "If I didn't know you well I would think you're crazy."
Yes!I have that issue. I never know when it will happen. Sometimes AF happens for no reason that I can find. I wasn’t stressed, or hadn’t just eaten, etc. Thankfully I have always been able to deal with it by laying down and allowing my body to adjust and recover. It was more difficult to do that when I was younger and participated in more activities, but I was always able to work through it..
@@terryaguirre8271 I looked it up. it appears to be a brand name anti-oxidant like coq10- but can lower your blood pressure. Not good if you’re on bp meds. I wouldn’t take anything unless approved by a Dr.
Let's not forget about pharmaceuticals. My heart issues evolved after being on an asthma medication. Started out as tachycardia and progressed to afib. It took over 10 years to figure that out.
@@SaddleRockManitou eat a clove of chopped garlic before bed, swallow it with a glass of water, also teaspoon full of tyne and one ginger in hot water opens the lungs, and vitamin D3 every day, don't believe your DR when he tells you your fine, and research your inhalers, make sure your taking the right one, and you should be using a aero tube, all these things help, i had severe asthma, i was on 3 inhalers a day, i only take 2 now once a day, also get rid of your carpets and pets, asthma can be caused through dust and pets, broke my heart when joey the budgie had to go.
@@jimjab3631Thanks for your post. In my case it was Advair. More specifically the Salmeterol ingredient of Advair. It's a long story but I'm the one who finally figured out the Advair was the culprit. The pulmonologist told me any of the ingredients that end in ****terol can affect heart rhythm. Wish he would've mentioned that. I use Flovent now on rare occasions along with even rarer use of albuterol. It's important to read about any med they put you on.
Same for me. My early episodes manifested as tachycardia which lasted minutes or perhaps an hour. Several years went by before the irregular heartbeats became a part of the experience. Of course, it was all frightening because I thought I would fall over and die any minute.
Me too. Started when I was advised by dr to take over counter decongestant for sinus and he knew I was on meds for high bp - also questioned him- and he affirmed.
I've suffered this for over 50 years. Just as others in the comments, I would tell my doctors that every time I ate anything with sodium bicarbonate or leavening as its also known as in baking - bingo off to the 150 pulse races we go. I learned over time just to burb and in about 10 minutes back to normal. It is true after like a thanks giving meal, I knew it would be rapid fire time again. There are times I am just sitting there, can feel a little tingle in my stomach and boom, away it goes. So the same thing a rub and a burb and 10 minutes later all good. I'm so glad I found this video, it confirms everything I have suspected for years. Thanks Doc.
Not just what you are explaining, BUT...those of us plagued with esophageal esophagitis (EoE), this ALSO triggers A-Fib, as well...as I found out yesterday live and in person. What was my trigger? A simple apple. :(
Me to I was in high school came off the basketball court sat down. Heart pounding out of my chest, short of breath, felt anxious. Am now 50 have random attacks maybe once a week or once a month no rhyme or reason sometimes just watching TV and i yawn or twist a certain way. My doctor keeps saying there is nothing wrong he is more concerned with my low range high blood pressure and giving me meds for that which i keep refusing.
This is very interesting, I don’t have a AFIB issue, but a hypertensive response to foods for example, plain oats, any vinegar, agave, soy, eating rice with any animal protein, however separately hours apart no response, the list is way to long to list here. Every BP medication we have tried has actually increased my blood pressure to hypertensive crisis levels, where i began to shake, stutter, shiver, 3 years since OHS and no doctor has been able to help… So yes I am living with food responses that are not allergy related.
@@spadarklysparkles1042 Thank You I will have to investigate further. Is this something you have come across personally? What type of doctor would I go to to investigate? Edit: Interesting, except no Hypotension (Unless I get Chia Seeds), or anaphylaxis, but that doesn't mean I am not having the response just the opposite, thank you. Edit 2: I just came across a graphic that shows high blood pressure tmsforacure.org/wp-content/uploads/MCD-Symptoms-Infographic.pdf, I think you are on to something.
@Sean Coulson It could also be histamine intolerance or another issue with the way your gut processes foods. You could have low digestive enzymes like DAO. I'd probably see a gastrointerologist first because it is related to eating. Then maybe an immunologist. If beta blockers didn't help or made it worse, it probably isn't an issue with having too much adrenaline. Also, check out the meds you are currently taking. I had a red face that looked and felt like a sunburn, a headache, and hypertension after eating almost anything. It turns out that it was the Amlodipine that my doctor prescribed alongside Losartan and the diurectic Triamterene/HCTZ. Back on just Losartan, the diuretic, a magnesium supplement, and krill oil. My BP is finally improving.
@@spadarklysparkles1042 Thank you for the background on your situation. I was writing back and somehow everything got deleted. Anyhow No medications, I have been through the ones you mentioned 20 or more, Beta Blocker, Diuretics, Losartan ARB's, Lisinopril ACE's, Calcium Channel, Alpha Channel, Patch to eliminate possible binders, however my response is stroke level blood pressure from reacting to them, normally in the 155/140 to 115/105 range. I have many intolerances Gluten and Dairy (Cause Hypothyroid issues, including sky high Triglycerides in the 1,000's), Potato, etc. etc. However when I read the Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, graphics many look like my responses.
amazing I sometimes get some weird feelings of my heart racing when I drink carbonated water .It feels like my heart goes crazy I had a stress test a few years ago because I had a new Apple Watch and my heart rate was jumping from normal to super high.
I take about 850 mg of Reacted Magnesium/day which seems to help. My biggest trigger is dehydration. I've had two Cardio-versions and an ablation. Looks like I'm in line for another ablation. 😒 Great explanation of the stomach and heart nerve systems. Thank you
Dehydration has been mine as well, it’s a common cause. I lose a lot of potassium, low potassium levels trigger it . I don’t need ablation but I have to watch my potassium levels, if I get to 3.2 it will start.
Yes, not as much, I was dx with RCC , my left kidney was 4 times normal and over processing, I don’t have a fib anymore but I get Brady from bp meds have occasional pacs, walking or bike riding helps. I found eloquis to have a lot of side effects, including pacs and severe throbbing headaches. I keep it handy in case I go into a fib. I would start back on it, but I do better without it. Not giving medical advice we are different. My atrium is fine. Mine was a dehydration issue but it can be tricky for physicians sometimes to nail the cause. I had some hypertension to begin with so it complicated my dx and Rx.
@@TheAngeloMichael how did you/ dr determine side effects were from elliquis? I am wondering if that could be my situation for racing heart as I was taking 1 pill per day - though 2 were recommended - then went to 2 after recent attack. Had another one a week later.
I've noticed that when I eat foods high in sodium an a-fib attack almost always happens , my heartbeat does all kinds of.strange things from a very heavy hard bang of a heartbeat that you can see in my chest and hear 10 feet away , it sounds almost like a whip cracking , or my.heartbeat can completely stop for several minutes at a time , fortunately it does start back on it's own . I have seen doctors many many times , I've had 7 heart attacks and 2 open heart surgeries and one stroke , I now live in a nursing home and I'm under constant medical care they try to control the afib with medication , but I do have to.watch my sodium intake ,although the kitchen staff.just don't get it , neither does corporate dietary , I think it's on purpose , the food they serve here is anything but healthy let alone.heart healthy . j
I have afib many times this last July from stress and some other factors. It has gone away after I take MITO Q , a form of co enzyme Q10 that is absorb better into cells ,for about 30 days.
magnesium is the supplement you should take for afib...but not mag oxide...go look at a channel called ...York Cardiology ...he is a lovely guy and has 260k subscribers ....lots of info to be had from there..please take a look
@@WillyEckaslike I've watched a few of his videos. He's a nutter and behind on his science so I would caution taking anything he says as current best practice.
Dr Lim. Excellent video. I love the illustrative explanation. My Afib seems to be due to vagus nerve stimulation. Myh channel is about a old guy with Afib still racing bicycles.
I eat anything with a lot of butter and two hours later I have wild palpitations for about 20 minutes. No other food does that to me. I have had the complete diagnostics from a cardio doctor and everything checks out fine.
I actually know when my heart will start skipping and fluttering a little, it's right after I eat and as soon as my stomach starts growling then I know it's coming, it's almost like it's timing in sync with my digestive system, but usually only if I'm eating laying down if I stand up it goes away
@@edavidmartinez interesting you mentioned water because that's exactly what I do, I have my own Theory based on dehydration? when you eat your body uses a lot of water, a lot of blood is pumped to the stomach and I believe causes a drop in blood volume aggravating the heart
Thanks dr. I'm a visual type of man that does the learning that way I can't do auditory so this visual was awesome keep up the good work and I just subscribed to your Channel. I do have AFib
Thanks so much for the info. This is something I've suspected but wasn't able to get a good explanation. In my case, salt is a trigger - quite clearly. If I have just a few truffle oil potato chips, within 15 minutes, there goes the afib. One of my first episodes of afib was triggered by drinking pickle juice for a prebiotic effect. Boy did that ever backfire!
When I was diagnosed with afib, I asked my cardiologist if I should change my diet and he said absolutely not, continue eating the same things you always eat. The problem is he never asked me what I eat. For all he knows my diet could consist of cupcakes, chocolate cake and potato chips all day long.
My first Afib episode was 1977 at age 21. At the time it was considered an "old mans" disease. I now know exactly what caused that first episode... After a particularly difficult and strenuous workout I drank and ate and was in the process of chugging down a cold drink.
@@joannathesinger770 I am 65 now and I changed my diet because high blood pressure was causing other cardiac anomalies. I watched videos from famous vegan doctor's and chose an omnivore diet I can live with. Lost some weight, drink water before bed at night and feel much better. Be well
@@joannathesinger770 I don't want to scare you, but sudden cardiac death is a real thing I live with also. I am not sure they know what causes it, but I suppose electrical signals might be a strong candidate.
I'm 64, so we're right at the same age. I'm working with an electrophysiologist now and taking several meds to try and keep me out of A-Fib. I'm also following the change of diet rabbit hole. We'll see.
@@joannathesinger770 good luck. I am off all meds. They cause secondary effects to me. Dr Caldwell Esselstyn has the diet I chose. And I dropped most dairy after watching Dr Mills.
@DrBoonLim I knew it! I knew I was right. Each time I have been in afib (sometimes with RVR), I have had a vaso vagal synocopal or pre-syncopal episode. The very first time I experinced afib was when I regained consciousness from having a vaso vagal syncope episode. After that it has always been related to vaso vagal and I have those episodes on the toilet everytime. When I have this vaso "episode" I am ALWAYS having a very loose and many multiple B.M.'s. They have a very foul order each time. It lasts quite awhile. Even this last time, the night before I had a pre-syncopal vaso vagal episode on the toilet. I even called 9-11, but was fine once the EMTs arrived so, I sent them on their way. Lo and behold, the next night, I found myself in afib. This time it was not the type I could do a vagal move and get rid of it. I was shocked backed into rhythm.
The biggest trigger for me is caffeine. Afib happens every time I have caffeine. I don't get nearly as scared as I used to when Afib kicks in and I am thankful for my cardiologist and the meds that help me. Diane
It's So funny how one thing triggers certain people's AFib but does Nothing to somebody else's AFib!?🤔 I drink several cups of strong coffee per day. Always have. And I can go Months without even a slight disturbance in heart rhythm. Then, for No reason I can identify, suddenly there I am I in full-blown Afib!🤔 On the upside, I've only ever gone to the hospital One time for AFib. Which was the first time I experienced AFib at around 3:30 in the morning, a little over 2 years ago. Since then I have been able to bring my ownself back into normal sinus rhythm, usually within a few minutes to about an hour later!😉 I don't take the metoprolol to control my heart rate though I was prescribed it. Why? Because my heart-rate is usually at around 70-75 bpm already. I do take a blood thinner, though. And Lisinopril to control my blood pressure.😉
@@gloriamaryhaywood2217 You're right. Sometimes you can't figure out why Afib is triggered and other times not. The only sure thing I know is that caffeine for me is a definite trigger. I do have episodes that I can't figure out, too. Wow, with a heartbeat of 70-75, I wouldn't want to take Metoprolol either. I do take it, as well as a blood thinner and Lisinopril for BP. Sure do wish doctors could figure out how to stop episodes of Afib for everyone. Thanks for letting me know your experiences. Diane
@@jimmiepatrum I had a lot of chemotherapy about 6 years ago. Although very happy to report that I am Cancer-free, I can't help but think those toxic meds did some damage and my body probably won't ever be exactly the same as before.🤔 BUT I am basically Healthy (YAY!) considering everything, and of course getting Older (age 66)and That brings it's own set of issues to the Party!lol😉😎 Thanks for sharing and here's wishing you all the Best!😊
@@gloriamaryhaywood2217 Thank the Lord you are cancer free! My brother had liver cancer which eventually took his life, but he did have some good years. He used to say about the cancer meds: "If they don't kill, they'll probably make you well." So glad to hear that you are healthy. I pray you'll continue to have good health! I'm afflicted with A G E myself. :) Diane
I had this very thing. I recently stopped all sugar and carbs (as little carbs as possible) and noticed an incredible difference. No rapid heart rate or Afib! None!
@@ceasaresquivel4344 Have you cut out sugar? I think sugar is the greatest evil of our time. What good is sugar? It has no value, yet it can adversely affect out health in so many ways. No sugar!
Two months ago I was drinking a cold fruit and protein smoothie. I took too big a swallow of it and it was too cold and it got caught in my esophagus and felt like it was burning my upper left chest (freezer burn). It was stuck there. And then it triggered "brain freeze." Both the esophagus burning sensation and brain freeze were terribly painful. As I was dealing with this pain I also had a sudden arrythmia come out of nowhere. My Fitbit resting Heart Rate went up to 96. My resting heart rate is usually about 50 to 60 when ambulatory so I figured I was having a PSVT episode as I have had them occasionally since I was a kid but the trigger for them was always "positional" in nature (i.e. when I crunched my torso into a weird position like doing ab exercises but never a cold drink). I learned early on to do vagal maneuvers for my SVTs so I was able to lower my heart rate from 96 to 68 after three attempts but I was left with severe, continuous ectopic beats and lightheadedness and fluttering in the upper left of my chest. I called my electrophysiologist who I see for a prolonged QT interval and told him I got an an arrhythmia and have skipped beats from drinking a cold smoothie. He sent me a patch monitor which confirmed I had been in Afib the entire time I wore it. So now I am going in for a cardio inversion to see if they can bring me back to sinus rhythm and talk about an ablation in the future. Having a long QT interval prevents me from using chemical cardioversion. Hopefully this will not become a persistent thing. The doctor laughed at me when I told him I gave myself Afib from drinking an ice cold smoothie and getting a brain freeze. He said "you didnt give yourself Afib from drinking a old drink." I have never had Afib before this. My PSVT episodes were rare, go back to childhood and had distinct different triggers and always completely cleared immediately upon doing vagal maneuvers. Have you ever heard of this brain freeze trigger for Afib? Can the uniqueness of the trigger mean perhaps it may only be a unique case and not become persistent?
Did you misspeak at 3:19 about "right upper plumonary vein"? I always thought there was a strong connection between the esophagus/stomach and my arrhythmias. Finally had the ablation done and ended years of suffering. A previous cardiologist of mine said that a lot of his patients also believed there was a connection but there were no studies to confirm it. Even the action of gulping water could trigger arrhythmias and sometimes lead to afib. Thanks for the excellent presentation.
Hmmm...I'm just sorting out things that have been happening since my late teens--my EoE and syncopic/near-syncopic episodes--and more recently, COVID-triggered A-Fib episodes. Also, in my early 20's, I was diagnosed with PVC's. I'm not a doctor, but I DO know my body better than anyone else through these past 64 years, and now that this reached a recent climax, I'm beginning to suspect that these are ALL inter-related...not just separate events.
@@joannathesinger770 10-4 on the Covid trigger! That's how I found out I was positive. Covid triggered it every day for four days running. Until a monoclonal antibody infusion stomped on the Covid like squashing a cockroach.......
wow i was explaining to my doctor has well soon has i ate a meal i could feel my heart racing real fast this has been going on since a heitieus hernia surgery
Thank you! An amazing video with an easy-to-follow explanation. Is it possible my love of spicy food could have had a part in my developing AFib?
4 месяца назад
I saw another video that could help some people where the woman said she took Gas-X before meals and it helped her a lot. Also, CoQ10 can help and taurine and arginine have been said to help.
You are the first physican to explain what I have been telling my EP and others for 22 years. So, what would be the treatment for this type of trigger?
Yes most of my afib occurences are after a large meal, usually after dinner which is my largest meal and when I am least active after eating. So I eat and then sit in front of the TV and the afib will just happen. Larger meals are the worst, but also foods that create gas that may expand the size of the stomach as well. Alcohol or caffene don't seem to matter. Just the amount, and also if I eat too fast. So I try not to pig out at dinner, and eat slowly. Great way to maintain weight. Also to maybe take a little walk or sit upright right after the meal seems helpul too. Luckily, my afib attacks don't last long, maybe 4-6 hrs, but I still hate the way they make me feel, anxious and agitated, so I try to avoid them as much as I can.
I started eating ginger in morning and evening .green tea .my palpitations are 90 percent gone .first time in my 59 years i have no palpitations .i'm gonna ask my doctor if i can get off the elequis .
Eliquis is a blood-thinner of course. May I ask how long have you been on it?🤔 ....it can cause clotting and heart attack if not weaned off of it properly. Also be careful about adding herbs and supplements while on a strong blood-thinner such as Eliquis. It can cause major bleeding with some folks! Here's wishing you all the Best!😉
We teach that heart transplant patients wont respond to Atropine due to the severing of the vagus nerve. So I wonder if heart transplant patients don't get these effects. I kind of control group. And finally does some nervation return after heart transplantation.
I noticed that a cortisol spike when just getting up in the morning used to trigger it for me. Taking some magnesium (A highly absorbable one like Magnesium Glycinate) dampened that morning Cortisol response.
Too much salt in a days food along with say 2 full glasses of wine has put me out into AF after having 2 years 10 months in sinus after my first Cardioversion. Not gone back to sinus after 20 days so I will need another shock! and then try not to slip up on the salt intake again.
I'm doing ablation in a few weeks then will be starting process for WLS to help keep my AFib away. It will lower my BMI , BP, have to eat small meals and limit certain foods so may as well. I was going through process but pandemic happened
Thanks for this information I’m going to talk to my Cardiologist about this I had atrial fibrillation for 20 something years and I know it has something to do with the digestive system but nobody believes me thank you so much for all your informati
What a fabulous video!! The visuals and explanation are fantastic and now I finally can understand -and see- the food/nerve/AF connection. Many thanks!!!
My twin brother is a heavy wine drinker and has problem with Afib. I have no problem but stay away for alcohol and watch my diet. I think this make sense.
Thanks for this information I’m going to talk to my Cardiologist about this I had atrial fibrillation for 20 something years and I know it has something to do with the digestive system but nobody believes me thank you so much for all your information
I definitely notice the eating and drinking connection with my afib episodes. I also notice that extreme hot or cold beverages can also bring on an attack.
Man Seeking Truth. Carbonated water might be a trigger for me too.
When I stopped drinking and went gluten free my a-fib decreased dramatically.
Stress is huge as well.
@Black_No_Sugar So their observation is meaningless?Should they return to eating gluten and get upset all the time?
@Black_No_Sugar Yes I can you idiot..you’re making an overly pedantic distinction you prat and trying to deny somebody a significant improvement in their lives..who do you think you are anyway? some sort of medical pontificator that decides what is truth? people like you should shut up..
@Black_No_Sugar lol..at least I don’t sit behind a key board trying to bully people with meaningless distinctions..
Do us all a favour and go win yourself a Darwin Award so we don’t have to listen to your nonsense..😀
I haven't smoked in 30 years. I was never a regular drinker anyway and haven't had a drink in several years.
@@paulbradford6475 nnn
Yes, all my AF episodes were on a full stomach. One occurred on after breakfast during exercise. I stopped eating before morning exercise. Also, fixing my Parathyroid Hormone levels eliminated the hypercalcemia and the AF went away. Eat lots of potassium rich foods.
How did you fix your parathyroid levels?
@@popgems He committed suicide.
Solve every problem.
@@popgems Probably thru surgery.
@@popgems no one will ever know.
@@adolfdyversiti6517 lmao. could be, no one has heard from him since !
Stress, alcohol, large meals, emot upset, caffeine…all triggers.I try not to eat after 4pm…smallest meal of the day.Have gone several months without afib, several times over the years
I totally agree with you. Also intermittent fasting cleared mine up due to the autophagy on slightly longer fasts.
The evidence suggests that, if anything, caffeine is associated with a lower risk of AF e.g. a 2022 meta analysis Cao Y et al 'Association of Coffee Consumption With Atrial Fibrillation Risk: An Updated Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies' concluded that "One cup per day increased in coffee consumption was associated with a 2% reduced risk of AF"
Spicy food and mineral water... You forgot the laying down on uneven surfaces. And you got my problem 100 percent. A hotel bed I was using sloped down. And took me days to realize why I was having all my issues.
When I was a teenager, the simple act of burping after a meal triggered my AF on several occasions. Later, I experienced the other triggers: stress, alcohol and caffeine. I’m now 75 and haven’t had an episode in many years.
I've been recommended ablation. I'm having 2nd thoughts at the prospect of having nerves singed.
So did you change behaviours like quit coffee or alcohol?
Big meals , alcohol, yawning ,burping and lying on my right side are all triggers for me . Thirty five years I have been burdened with this and the explanation here is so clear . I wish the cardiologists with to whom I have been referred would have taken a little time to explain this instead of shunting me out the NHS door with a wee prescription as quickly as they could .
Hey Groveland can you please tell us any tips or anything that's helped you? My uncle who's also my best friend got diagnosed with AFib about a year ago and had his heart put down and then "recharged".... anyways Thursday he didn't feel well so I took him to County ...then Friday he had the procedure done again!! We're both pretty shook( him more, obviously) so anything that you've learned would be a big help ...also is there anything you can do to deter an attack?
@@davidschmidt270 l.p.
I was in the hospital waiting for a heart transplant during Christmas one year. A family member brought me this big meal and of course I ate it after eating hospital food for over a month. The moment I put the fork down, alarms went off and nurses and docs went rushing in. Needless to say, I got cardioverted. I'm a believer! That was 24 years ago by the way! 😁
Did you get your new heart? I had my double lung transplant four years ago on October 16th.
How long after the transplant did you start feeling normal again ? I am a believer in the cardioversion also.
@@hikerhobby1204 My sister is currently on the the lung transplant list. She has pulmonary fibrosis. Do you recommend any info? She is of course very scared about the surgery.
@@__documents2580 Hi there!!! I’m so happy and excited for your sister! My advise, put that oxygen on and walk then walk some more! Docs are right about being as strong as you can prior to surgery. Please tell her not to be afraid of the respirator. They’ll keep her sedated. That was my biggest fear. She’ll feel like someone punched her in the chest, it will heal. Also, she’ll be so tired as they never leave her alone! Tests, tests and more tests all day long. It will be worth it!!! I can breathe so well! My lung function went from 17% to 99%! I’ll be praying those lungs come ASAP! God bless you and sister!
@Wondering Why I’m sorry, I just now saw your comment. Four and a half years ago. Honestly, I was getting around soon after, driving in five weeks. However, to feel like my old self a year.
Utterly fascinating! I forwarded this to my mother who has afib.
Thank you so much for explaining. We know it's way way beyond our comprehension. But we can really appreciate that we have doctor scientists dedicated to researching, reviewing and finding solutions to treat our physical health problems.
I agree with a lot of these comments in that cardiologists don’t believe their patients. I think we know better what triggers our afib than any cardio doc. It’s very frustrating. I have seen several cardio docs and the first thing they all go straight to is, lets do surgery. Makes me so mad bc there are literally dozens of afib meds on the market but cardiologist dont make money off writing your a prescription. They want to do surgery.
@Black_No_Sugar Yes, I hear you. But I strongly believe that my particular AFib is triggered by the vagus nerve. Because when I am in AFib I can strongly feel and see the pulse right beneath my ribcage beating Very Hard! If I press down firmly for a minute or so with my finger-tips, and do it several times, it really helps to start getting my heartbeat back into normal sinus rhythm. But it actually is NOT connected to eating with me. As this can happen on a completely Empty stomach!?🤔Go figure!
Right. Surgeons want to cut.
@@gloriamaryhaywood2217 I agree. I had a hiatal hernia decades ago and if I eat the wrong time of day it can trigger my heart due to reflux. Even a seatbelt too tight while driving can cause it. I thought I was having a heart attack until my GP at the time had me get a stomach x-ray. It will scare the crap out of you for sure.
Surgeons do get paid for writing prescriptions, a lot of money. My ex wife was a genetic screening nurse and she made money from it too. Now they have to do it on the sly, like get the Doc to meet them at the Gas station and fill their car with gas while they pitch the drugs and freebies, like vacations, etc. It still happens. Ever notice all the prescription advertising stuff in and around their offices? Notice the TV advertising telling people to ask their doctor for this stupid drug that has more side effects than poison... Billions of dollars made.
@@helicopterdriver There is a plethora of ads on tv for pharmaceutical drugs. Mostly Big Pharma profits off the drugs since they are the ones who create them and have patents on them.
But several very commonly prescribed drugs are NOT real money makers as far as profits go. Statins are extremely Toxic and are probably the most prescribed drugs out there. But the patents have long expired and they are Cheap. Not money-makers. Same as many blood pressure meds. The fact is that the huge majority of Western doctors are not adequately educated about nutrition and human biology as pertains to how our bodies process food and, of course, different drugs. They are taught to treat the Symptom instead of searching for the Source that is Causing the Symptoms. So it's what they do. They prescribe drugs to try and counter-act health issues.
And a Vicious Cycle gets created!!
Wonderful animation and explanation. Thank you, sir.
My congratulations. I'm a collegue and a AF patient,. Your ezplanation makes sense and I observed that in 16 out my 19 episodes of AF a visceral reflex trigger might be responsible. Now I pay a lot of attention in eating/drinking and in some yoga suggestions and...it works!!Very good job !!!
Thank you it was very interesting to see how it all fits inside the body. We are truly a miracle.
Thank you!
Another cause of AF is when too much food and gaseous drink, especially after late dinners, cause excessive pressure from below and from behind on the heart, causing pressure on the coronaries and excessive vagal stimulation by gastric churning and dilatation causing slowing of the heart, especially on people on beta blockers and calcium channel blockers, thus triggering ectopic atrial contraction stimulation which if excessive could cause an atrial flutter or fibrillation..
When i have a vagal nerve episode my heart takes a huge beat and goes from 60-70 bpm to 135-148 bpm. A yawn or twisting a certain way can trigger an attack which i think irritates the nerves. Excessive alcohol or stress or lack of sleep makes me more susceptible. I can usually get it back into rythmn by lying on my left side and focusing on trying to replicate putting pressure on the nerve in that location. My heart skips again and it goes back into rythmn. Drinking a glass of really cold water super slowly while I am lying down sideways through the side of my mouth to the point where I have to take a gasp of air can also cause the diaphragm to react like a hiccup which can also stimulate the nerve. When it happens the worst thing to do is panic i know its easy said but you have to try and relax and focus on whatever method of stimulating the vagal nerve works for you.
Thank you for sharing your story. This sounds like something that I need to look into myself- (vagal nerve episode), as I’ve got a heart beat that races with some activity.
@@mechellespillekom5891 me too! Good info
This is LITERALLY me...
Top Notch Symposium! Top Notch.... Clear concise AND comprehensive. Thank YOU!
Best explanation I’ve heard, given ECG’s and echocardiograms show nothing of concern.
Dr. Boon Lim you are brilliant! I’m a retired nurse started w Afib in my 40’s. Makes perfect sense as temperature affects me- too cold, msg a big trigger and now I see your anatomical chart- all makes sense. Btw- if it is msg and I didn’t do my reading labels or asking, a teaspoon of cream of tartar in a glass of water neutralizes it quickly. Thank you for affirming what I suspected.
What?
What does cream of tartar in a glass of water neutralize???
Thank you Dr. The graphics are crazy good!!
This happens to me by the time i start getting full my heart starts going crazy ! It makes me cry talking about it people just dont understand its literally living in suffering ! It also starts when i lay down ! Its torture !!!
I found this was happening a few weeks ago after eating hot meals. I reasoned this to be due to a chest infection (possibly covid?) making me sensitive in some way. It was also associated with high blood pressure which for me is normally low. Aspirin helped. Infection passed,, i no longer have the problem.
I had atrial fibrillation last monday for the first time, went to ER. I had a large dinner, salad spinach, cucumber, lettuce and Balsamic vinegar mixed with a prepared spice and mustard. Afib started 10:30PM
Medication given at ER. at 5 AM had a BM and spontaneously, the Afib was gone. Doc didnt considered my theory about the meal. THANK YOU
Allan. Me too. Mine was almost Sam’s ingredients in salad you described. Sitting and relaxing. Then boom.
9
Thanks - very helpful in further understanding my AFib. Amazing presenration.
Hmm, that's interesting. That may explain why I start having random nerve pain all over my torso after a heavy meal. It's not bad but noticeable.
I got diagnosed with Afib at 28. Likely linked to chronic stress, anxiety and alcohol use. Hoping there's people out there that can share their experiences in how they manage this condition with minimal reoccurence.
Very interesting. I have brought this up to my cardiologist that drink ice slush drinks/ cranberry juice, apple juice, fruit juice/ eat anything with chi or cilantro/ drinking sweet tea I will go into atrial fib. I demonstrated for a cardiologist who didn’t believe me. He was surprised.
I am almost 80. AF, as I do suffer infrequently, is not a heart or blood disorder but of nerves associated with food, drinks and excess exercise post-effect. Most minor AF incidence happened during sleep after the events described. Useful to popped up your head during sleep using higher pillow. Reflux due to old age also contribute to AF discomfort symptoms but may not register heart rhythm dissync. Dr Lim is spot on. My Public Hospital Cardiologist still insisted I take blood thinner to be safe. This is despite all the tests taken that there is no heart or blood pressure issues.
This is the best explanation yet regarding AF. No wonder whenever I have an AF attack, I feel much relief from taking 2 tablets of Gaviscon to relief my gastric reflux. This seems to help in the AF almost instantly. Try it the next time u have AF.
Thank you Dr. Lim - FINALLY a doctor who is able to pinpoint what I've experienced for almost 20 yrs and all my cardiologists and their puffed up ego's thought I was nuts. And yes, all after a full and/or heavy meal. Also, laying down (for me) seems to make it worse unless I lay on my right side, then it seems to settle after 10-20 mins.
Exactly the same for me how are you doing now ?
I am in the same boat you were in. When I eat a meal most times I will suddenly feel very faint. I was told I was imagining it and told to eat more slowly!!! I wish you well.
I get af episodes and this is the best expilination I come across so far as to why
I get a more rapid heartrate after eating, especially so if I workout and then have a meal. The heartrate doesn't slow down for a couple of hours after the meal.
I get a harder heartbeat. Almost like walking up a flight of stairs even though I can be laying down..not always, but sometimes
@@alaskaaksala123 Charlie your a monster you lived the best life 🧬 I recommend fish oil 1st and light garlic supplement along with D3 and vitiman b6 for ankle swelling
This is called Roemheld Syndrome. I have had this for about 12 years now. There are ways to alleviate and prevent this if you can pin point your cause. For some it is the need to burp. If you want to see if this is behind it , when your heart rate is up after eating go and lay on your stomach or bend and grab your ankles, for about a minute. Then stand/straighten up and see if you burp. If so and you do this a few times then see a better heart rate that is the culprit.
Other things that help me is drinking about 20oz of very cold water, sometimes I may put a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar in the water. Or I get cold. I either give myself a sponge bath with ice water. Usually a big bowl of ice water and a wash cloth, or I will actually get into the shower and GRADUALLY lower the water temp or if it's winter time I will go outside with no coat, or just crank the AC.
Next, assess your health. How is your blood glucose? Are you REMOTELY heading toward insulin resistance? If your liver and pancreas are remotely harboring fat it can cause this problem. Please note, you can be in the "normal" range but still be heading for the danger zone. "High normal" is just a nice way of saying, "There's a fire on the stove but we won't try to put it out until the whole house is burning." Tweak what you eat and see what happens with different foods, different types of fat etc... I have had great improvements after adjusting my diet. I have had times in the past where my heartrate after eating would go as high as 172 and stick there for two hours. Until the stomach empties. I hope you can get to the bottom of this for yourself. I can relate 100% to this misery. God bless you!
Paul get ahold of it now. That's how mine started about 18 yrs ago. They couldn't find anything then It lasted for days while I was away from home, I got back home to get cardioversion. If I would've known some of the info like we see now, and here and how bad it could get I would've changed some things !! Good Luck !!
@@tubetime39 Thanks for the support. My BPm does go back to normal after an hour or two. And it doesn't always happen, either. For instance, I got on the bicycle for a quick 20 minute spin downstairs this after noon, went on the net for a while and then had supper. Heart rate? Normal.
Fascinating and very articulate expansion for a complex phenomenon.
Pizza and red wine triggers my AF. Needless to say I rarely have large pizzas now and drink only once a week my cardiologist told me it was food driven .Plus I’m on Sotolol and rivaroxiban So I haven’t had a hospital ED visit in over 6 months. Good video.
My AFib starts immediately after the first or second bite of anything I'm eating. It dosen't have to be spicy food or alcohol, or a large meal. When I told my doctor he said to me "If I didn't know you well I would think you're crazy."
Catheter ablation? Did they suggesy
Yes!I have that issue. I never know when it will happen. Sometimes AF happens for no reason that I can find. I wasn’t stressed, or hadn’t just eaten, etc. Thankfully I have always been able to deal with it by laying down and allowing my body to adjust and recover. It was more difficult to do that when I was younger and participated in more activities, but I was always able to work through it..
I have success with MITO Q. After a month of taking it my afib went away.
Stress can trigger it.
@@lindas96 What is MITQ?
What is that?
@@terryaguirre8271 I looked it up. it appears to be a brand name anti-oxidant like coq10- but can lower your blood pressure. Not good if you’re on bp meds. I wouldn’t take anything unless approved by a Dr.
@@lindalamb7512 Thank you, Linda
amazing video and thank you Dr Boom for explaining how Alcohol and food triggers AFIB.
Let's not forget about pharmaceuticals. My heart issues evolved after being on an asthma medication. Started out as tachycardia and progressed to afib. It took over 10 years to figure that out.
@@SaddleRockManitou eat a clove of chopped garlic before bed, swallow it with a glass of water, also teaspoon full of tyne and one ginger in hot water opens the lungs, and vitamin D3 every day, don't believe your DR when he tells you your fine, and research your inhalers, make sure your taking the right one, and you should be using a aero tube, all these things help, i had severe asthma, i was on 3 inhalers a day, i only take 2 now once a day, also get rid of your carpets and pets, asthma can be caused through dust and pets, broke my heart when joey the budgie had to go.
That's what asthma inhaler like albuterol does. Stimulates the sympathetic system and that will bronchodilate.
@@jimjab3631Thanks for your post. In my case it was Advair. More specifically the Salmeterol ingredient of Advair. It's a long story but I'm the one who finally figured out the Advair was the culprit. The pulmonologist told me any of the ingredients that end in ****terol can affect heart rhythm. Wish he would've mentioned that. I use Flovent now on rare occasions along with even rarer use of albuterol. It's important to read about any med they put you on.
Same for me. My early episodes manifested as tachycardia which lasted minutes or perhaps an hour. Several years went by before the irregular heartbeats became a part of the experience. Of course, it was all frightening because I thought I would fall over and die any minute.
Me too. Started when I was advised by dr to take over counter decongestant for sinus and he knew I was on meds for high bp - also questioned him- and he affirmed.
I have had this happen...now I understand why. Smaller meals here I come!!!
I've suffered this for over 50 years. Just as others in the comments, I would tell my doctors that every time I ate anything with sodium bicarbonate or leavening as its also known as in baking - bingo off to the 150 pulse races we go. I learned over time just to burb and in about 10 minutes back to normal. It is true after like a thanks giving meal, I knew it would be rapid fire time again. There are times I am just sitting there, can feel a little tingle in my stomach and boom, away it goes. So the same thing a rub and a burb and 10 minutes later all good. I'm so glad I found this video, it confirms everything I have suspected for years. Thanks Doc.
Not just what you are explaining, BUT...those of us plagued with esophageal esophagitis (EoE), this ALSO triggers A-Fib, as well...as I found out yesterday live and in person. What was my trigger? A simple apple. :(
I told my doctor this 30 years ago, I suffered AF since 15 years old,
He told me I was crazy.
Me to I was in high school came off the basketball court sat down. Heart pounding out of my chest, short of breath, felt anxious. Am now 50 have random attacks maybe once a week or once a month no rhyme or reason sometimes just watching TV and i yawn or twist a certain way. My doctor keeps saying there is nothing wrong he is more concerned with my low range high blood pressure and giving me meds for that which i keep refusing.
Outstanding presentation…thanks!
Many thanks for explaining the link with food intake, this makes so much sense for me personally. I’ve now got a plan of attack.
Thank you very much for explaining everything using fabulous visuals.
This is very interesting, I don’t have a AFIB issue, but a hypertensive response to foods for example, plain oats, any vinegar, agave, soy, eating rice with any animal protein, however separately hours apart no response, the list is way to long to list here. Every BP medication we have tried has actually increased my blood pressure to hypertensive crisis levels, where i began to shake, stutter, shiver, 3 years since OHS and no doctor has been able to help… So yes I am living with food responses that are not allergy related.
@Sean Coulson Look into Mast Cell Activation Syndrome.
@@spadarklysparkles1042 Thank You I will have to investigate further. Is this something you have come across personally? What type of doctor would I go to to investigate?
Edit: Interesting, except no Hypotension (Unless I get Chia Seeds), or anaphylaxis, but that doesn't mean I am not having the response just the opposite, thank you.
Edit 2: I just came across a graphic that shows high blood pressure tmsforacure.org/wp-content/uploads/MCD-Symptoms-Infographic.pdf, I think you are on to something.
@Sean Coulson It could also be histamine intolerance or another issue with the way your gut processes foods. You could have low digestive enzymes like DAO. I'd probably see a gastrointerologist first because it is related to eating. Then maybe an immunologist.
If beta blockers didn't help or made it worse, it probably isn't an issue with having too much adrenaline.
Also, check out the meds you are currently taking. I had a red face that looked and felt like a sunburn, a headache, and hypertension after eating almost anything. It turns out that it was the Amlodipine that my doctor prescribed alongside Losartan and the diurectic Triamterene/HCTZ. Back on just Losartan, the diuretic, a magnesium supplement, and krill oil. My BP is finally improving.
@@spadarklysparkles1042 Thank you for the background on your situation.
I was writing back and somehow everything got deleted. Anyhow No medications, I have been through the ones you mentioned 20 or more, Beta Blocker, Diuretics, Losartan ARB's, Lisinopril ACE's, Calcium Channel, Alpha Channel, Patch to eliminate possible binders, however my response is stroke level blood pressure from reacting to them, normally in the 155/140 to 115/105 range.
I have many intolerances Gluten and Dairy (Cause Hypothyroid issues, including sky high Triglycerides in the 1,000's), Potato, etc. etc.
However when I read the Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, graphics many look like my responses.
What a wonderful, clearly defined video. I just loved the model and all the moving parts. ❤
Wonderful graphics... thank you....
Excellently presented and thanks for sharing and the very best of luck!
Thank you so much for this! I continue to suffer from this connection. Your animation and explanation are fascinating.
amazing I sometimes get some weird feelings of my heart racing when I drink carbonated water .It feels like my heart goes crazy I had a stress test a few years ago because I had a new Apple Watch and my heart rate was jumping from normal to super high.
I take about 850 mg of Reacted Magnesium/day which seems to help. My biggest trigger is dehydration. I've had two Cardio-versions and an ablation. Looks like I'm in line for another ablation. 😒 Great explanation of the stomach and heart nerve systems. Thank you
How's your blood pressure. Most Afib is related to enlargement of the right atria.
Dehydration has been mine as well, it’s a common cause. I lose a lot of potassium, low potassium levels trigger it . I don’t need ablation but I have to watch my potassium levels, if I get to 3.2 it will start.
@@TheAngeloMichael do you have potassium levels checked by blood work?
Yes, not as much, I was dx with RCC , my left kidney was 4 times normal and over processing, I don’t have a fib anymore but I get Brady from bp meds have occasional pacs, walking or bike riding helps. I found eloquis to have a lot of side effects, including pacs and severe throbbing headaches. I keep it handy in case I go into a fib. I would start back on it, but I do better without it. Not giving medical advice we are different. My atrium is fine. Mine was a dehydration issue but it can be tricky for physicians sometimes to nail the cause. I had some hypertension to begin with so it complicated my dx and Rx.
@@TheAngeloMichael how did you/ dr determine side effects were from elliquis? I am wondering if that could be my situation for racing heart as I was taking 1 pill per day - though 2 were recommended - then went to 2 after recent attack. Had another one a week later.
I've noticed that when I eat foods high in sodium an a-fib attack almost always happens , my heartbeat does all kinds of.strange things from a very heavy hard bang of a heartbeat that you can see in my chest and hear 10 feet away , it sounds almost like a whip cracking , or my.heartbeat can completely stop for several minutes at a time , fortunately it does start back on it's own . I have seen doctors many many times , I've had 7 heart attacks and 2 open heart surgeries and one stroke , I now live in a nursing home and I'm under constant medical care they try to control the afib with medication , but I do have to.watch my sodium intake ,although the kitchen staff.just don't get it , neither does corporate dietary , I think it's on purpose , the food they serve here is anything but healthy let alone.heart healthy . j
I have afib many times this last July from stress and some other factors. It has gone away after I take MITO Q , a form of co enzyme Q10 that is absorb better into cells ,for about 30 days.
You know what triggers most of mine? Eating raw apples, baby carrots, and occasionally, wheat products.
magnesium is the supplement you should take for afib...but not mag oxide...go look at a channel called ...York Cardiology ...he is a lovely guy and has 260k subscribers ....lots of info to be had from there..please take a look
...
ruclips.net/user/YorkCardiology
@@WillyEckaslike I've watched a few of his videos. He's a nutter and behind on his science so I would caution taking anything he says as current best practice.
Dr Lim. Excellent video. I love the illustrative explanation. My Afib seems to be due to vagus nerve stimulation. Myh channel is about a old guy with Afib still racing bicycles.
I eat anything with a lot of butter and two hours later I have wild palpitations for about 20 minutes. No other food does that to me. I have had the complete diagnostics from a cardio doctor and everything checks out fine.
Then don't eat butter drenched food! You have simple answer. I think it has to do with it having to work harder getting enzymes to cut thru that mess!
I actually know when my heart will start skipping and fluttering a little, it's right after I eat and as soon as my stomach starts growling then I know it's coming, it's almost like it's timing in sync with my digestive system, but usually only if I'm eating laying down if I stand up it goes away
Same thing happens to me! If I get a full glass of water it’ll stop almost immediately
@@edavidmartinez interesting you mentioned water because that's exactly what I do, I have my own Theory based on dehydration? when you eat your body uses a lot of water, a lot of blood is pumped to the stomach and I believe causes a drop in blood volume aggravating the heart
@@fixitright9709 good analogy. Do you recall if Dr. Gupta did a video of dehydration?
Thanks dr. I'm a visual type of man that does the learning that way I can't do auditory so this visual was awesome keep up the good work and I just subscribed to your Channel. I do have AFib
Please keep educating us…
Best video ever on the subject.
Thanks so much for the info. This is something I've suspected but wasn't able to get a good explanation. In my case, salt is a trigger - quite clearly. If I have just a few truffle oil potato chips, within 15 minutes, there goes the afib. One of my first episodes of afib was triggered by drinking pickle juice for a prebiotic effect. Boy did that ever backfire!
When I told my doctor eating certain foods caused irregular heartbeats he just laughed at me.
I’d find another doctor 🇺🇸
Same here, when I told him burping triggered my episode.
Oreo's, Hershey's chocolate bars (but not Kisses), and Milk Duds all trigger mine and usually before I finish eating them. Nothing else.
Yeah... Doctors know how to push drugs. Not much else.
When I was diagnosed with afib, I asked my cardiologist if I should change my diet and he said absolutely not, continue eating the same things you always eat. The problem is he never asked me what I eat. For all he knows my diet could consist of cupcakes, chocolate cake and potato chips all day long.
Thanks so very much for your explanation on vagal AFib.
My first Afib episode was 1977 at age 21. At the time it was considered an "old mans" disease. I now know exactly what caused that first episode... After a particularly difficult and strenuous workout I drank and ate and was in the process of chugging down a cold drink.
That's happened to me, too...and sometimes I flat pass out!!!
@@joannathesinger770 I am 65 now and I changed my diet because high blood pressure was causing other cardiac anomalies. I watched videos from famous vegan doctor's and chose an omnivore diet I can live with. Lost some weight, drink water before bed at night and feel much better. Be well
@@joannathesinger770 I don't want to scare you, but sudden cardiac death is a real thing I live with also. I am not sure they know what causes it, but I suppose electrical signals might be a strong candidate.
I'm 64, so we're right at the same age. I'm working with an electrophysiologist now and taking several meds to try and keep me out of A-Fib. I'm also following the change of diet rabbit hole. We'll see.
@@joannathesinger770 good luck. I am off all meds. They cause secondary effects to me. Dr Caldwell Esselstyn has the diet I chose. And I dropped most dairy after watching Dr Mills.
@DrBoonLim I knew it! I knew I was right. Each time I have been in afib (sometimes with RVR), I have had a vaso vagal synocopal or pre-syncopal episode. The very first time I experinced afib was when I regained consciousness from having a vaso vagal syncope episode. After that it has always been related to vaso vagal and I have those episodes on the toilet everytime. When I have this vaso "episode" I am ALWAYS having a very loose and many multiple B.M.'s. They have a very foul order each time. It lasts quite awhile. Even this last time, the night before I had a pre-syncopal vaso vagal episode on the toilet. I even called 9-11, but was fine once the EMTs arrived so, I sent them on their way. Lo and behold, the next night, I found myself in afib. This time it was not the type I could do a vagal move and get rid of it. I was shocked backed into rhythm.
The biggest trigger for me is caffeine. Afib happens every time I have caffeine. I don't get nearly as scared as I used to when Afib kicks in and I am thankful for my cardiologist and the meds that help me. Diane
It's So funny how one thing triggers certain people's AFib but does Nothing to somebody else's AFib!?🤔 I drink several cups of strong coffee per day. Always have. And I can go Months without even a slight disturbance in heart rhythm. Then, for No reason I can identify, suddenly there I am I in full-blown Afib!🤔 On the upside, I've only ever gone to the hospital One time for AFib. Which was the first time I experienced AFib at around 3:30 in the morning, a little over 2 years ago. Since then I have been able to bring my ownself back into normal sinus rhythm, usually within a few minutes to about an hour later!😉 I don't take the metoprolol to control my heart rate though I was prescribed it. Why? Because my heart-rate is usually at around 70-75 bpm already.
I do take a blood thinner, though. And Lisinopril to control my blood pressure.😉
@@gloriamaryhaywood2217 You're right. Sometimes you can't figure out why Afib is triggered and other times not. The only sure thing I know is that caffeine for me is a definite trigger. I do have episodes that I can't figure out, too. Wow, with a heartbeat of 70-75, I wouldn't want to take Metoprolol either. I do take it, as well as a blood thinner and Lisinopril for BP. Sure do wish doctors could figure out how to stop episodes of Afib for everyone. Thanks for letting me know your experiences. Diane
@@jimmiepatrum I had a lot of chemotherapy about 6 years ago. Although very happy to report that I am Cancer-free, I can't help but think those toxic meds did some damage and my body probably won't ever be exactly the same as before.🤔 BUT I am basically Healthy (YAY!) considering everything, and of course getting Older (age 66)and That brings it's own set of issues to the Party!lol😉😎
Thanks for sharing and here's wishing you all the Best!😊
@@gloriamaryhaywood2217 Thank the Lord you are cancer free! My brother had liver cancer which eventually took his life, but he did have some good years. He used to say about the cancer meds: "If they don't kill, they'll probably make you well." So glad to hear that you are healthy. I pray you'll continue to have good health! I'm afflicted with A G E myself. :) Diane
I had this very thing. I recently stopped all sugar and carbs (as little carbs as possible) and noticed an incredible difference. No rapid heart rate or Afib! None!
I've been suspicious of sugar and carbs, I'll cut them out and see what happens, Thank you.
The opposite happened to me, I cut all carbs now my heart beats really fast. Can you plz help
@@ceasaresquivel4344 Have you cut out sugar? I think sugar is the greatest evil of our time. What good is sugar? It has no value, yet it can adversely affect out health in so many ways. No sugar!
@@geoknee yes, I can't remember the last time I had sugar. I'm diabetic and it seems every thing has sugar or carbohydrates
Two months ago I was drinking a cold fruit and protein smoothie. I took too big a swallow of it and it was too cold and it got caught in my esophagus and felt like it was burning my upper left chest (freezer burn). It was stuck there. And then it triggered "brain freeze." Both the esophagus burning sensation and brain freeze were terribly painful. As I was dealing with this pain I also had a sudden arrythmia come out of nowhere. My Fitbit resting Heart Rate went up to 96. My resting heart rate is usually about 50 to 60 when ambulatory so I figured I was having a PSVT episode as I have had them occasionally since I was a kid but the trigger for them was always "positional" in nature (i.e. when I crunched my torso into a weird position like doing ab exercises but never a cold drink). I learned early on to do vagal maneuvers for my SVTs so I was able to lower my heart rate from 96 to 68 after three attempts but I was left with severe, continuous ectopic beats and lightheadedness and fluttering in the upper left of my chest. I called my electrophysiologist who I see for a prolonged QT interval and told him I got an an arrhythmia and have skipped beats from drinking a cold smoothie. He sent me a patch monitor which confirmed I had been in Afib the entire time I wore it. So now I am going in for a cardio inversion to see if they can bring me back to sinus rhythm and talk about an ablation in the future. Having a long QT interval prevents me from using chemical cardioversion. Hopefully this will not become a persistent thing. The doctor laughed at me when I told him I gave myself Afib from drinking an ice cold smoothie and getting a brain freeze. He said "you didnt give yourself Afib from drinking a old drink." I have never had Afib before this. My PSVT episodes were rare, go back to childhood and had distinct different triggers and always completely cleared immediately upon doing vagal maneuvers. Have you ever heard of this brain freeze trigger for Afib? Can the uniqueness of the trigger mean perhaps it may only be a unique case and not become persistent?
Did you misspeak at 3:19 about "right upper plumonary vein"? I always thought there was a strong connection between the esophagus/stomach and my arrhythmias. Finally had the ablation done and ended years of suffering. A previous cardiologist of mine said that a lot of his patients also believed there was a connection but there were no studies to confirm it. Even the action of gulping water could trigger arrhythmias and sometimes lead to afib. Thanks for the excellent presentation.
I totally agree with your described association based on my own experience. I am a retired internist myself.
Hmmm...I'm just sorting out things that have been happening since my late teens--my EoE and syncopic/near-syncopic episodes--and more recently, COVID-triggered A-Fib episodes. Also, in my early 20's, I was diagnosed with PVC's.
I'm not a doctor, but I DO know my body better than anyone else through these past 64 years, and now that this reached a recent climax, I'm beginning to suspect that these are ALL inter-related...not just separate events.
@@joannathesinger770 10-4 on the Covid trigger! That's how
I found out I was positive. Covid triggered it every day for
four days running. Until a monoclonal antibody infusion
stomped on the Covid like squashing a cockroach.......
wow i was explaining to my doctor has well soon has i ate a meal i could feel my heart racing real fast this has been going on since a heitieus hernia surgery
Brilliant ! Brilliant !
Great explanation
Absolutely brilliant video 😎. Thank you 😊. Just subscribed 😊
I've always wondered about this. thanks
Wonderful information, thank you!!!
Thank you! An amazing video with an easy-to-follow explanation. Is it possible my love of spicy food could have had a part in my developing AFib?
I saw another video that could help some people where the woman said she took Gas-X before meals and it helped her a lot. Also, CoQ10 can help and taurine and arginine have been said to help.
Food is not a trigger for me, but alcohol seems to be.
Great video, thanks.
You are the first physican to explain what I have been telling my EP and others for 22 years. So, what would be the treatment for this type of trigger?
I would think the mini maze surgery as you need to treat the outside of the heart not the inside with ablation.
Yes most of my afib occurences are after a large meal, usually after dinner which is my largest meal and when I am least active after eating. So I eat and then sit in front of the TV and the afib will just happen. Larger meals are the worst, but also foods that create gas that may expand the size of the stomach as well. Alcohol or caffene don't seem to matter. Just the amount, and also if I eat too fast. So I try not to pig out at dinner, and eat slowly. Great way to maintain weight. Also to maybe take a little walk or sit upright right after the meal seems helpul too. Luckily, my afib attacks don't last long, maybe 4-6 hrs, but I still hate the way they make me feel, anxious and agitated, so I try to avoid them as much as I can.
So basically don't overeat nor eat processed or unhealthy food-like substances.
Does that work for you to prevent Afib. Are you free from it?.
What a great demonstration of the anatomy as well as mechanism of triggering A- fib. What software was used in the video?
I have also faced the same A fib episode after eating food.
I started eating ginger in morning and evening .green tea .my palpitations are 90 percent gone .first time in my 59 years i have no palpitations .i'm gonna ask my doctor if i can get off the elequis .
Eliquis is a blood-thinner of course. May I ask how long have you been on it?🤔 ....it can cause clotting and heart attack if not weaned off of it properly. Also be careful about adding herbs and supplements while on a strong blood-thinner such as Eliquis. It can cause major bleeding with some folks! Here's wishing you all the Best!😉
This is fascinating!
We teach that heart transplant patients wont respond to Atropine due to the severing of the vagus nerve. So I wonder if heart transplant patients don't get these effects. I kind of control group. And finally does some nervation return after heart transplantation.
Interesting thought!
Thank you so much for your amazing videos dr.
I noticed that a cortisol spike when just getting up in the morning used to trigger it for me. Taking some magnesium (A highly absorbable one like Magnesium Glycinate) dampened that morning Cortisol response.
Too much salt in a days food along with say 2 full glasses of wine has put me out into AF after having 2 years 10 months in sinus after my first Cardioversion. Not gone back to sinus after 20 days so I will need another shock! and then try not to slip up on the salt intake again.
I'm doing ablation in a few weeks then will be starting process for WLS to help keep my AFib away. It will lower my BMI , BP, have to eat small meals and limit certain foods so may as well. I was going through process but pandemic happened
hi how are you doing today? did you have any episodes after ablation? please share us your experience
Nice program, thanks.
Great video!
Brilliant
Australian GP
Thanks
Ok but how do i fix this problem what doctor's should i see for this problem any advice would be greatly appreciated.
gosh al mighty, this explains sooo much, thanks a million :-)
Chiropractors have known this for many years!
Explain that please.
This is great - thank you