Hi there,

Ive noticed them in the past when eating pizza, but they would usually go away. The last few weeks they have been waking me up around 5am, but usually I could drink a glass of water and they would go away. Not anymore. I am getting them a lot these days (even when eating quinoa).

Its disturbing my sleep and waking me up. It usually comes on strong when I lie down and towards the afternoon (I can feel the heavy blood rush in my ears at times). Even when I move in bed it can make them worse.

I went to a cardio recently and had blood, ecg, houlter, x-ray and all were fine. I have been taking sumial and lorazapam for the last 9 days to help me sleep. I have come off them today and hoping I can sleep tonight.

I was wondering if it was my fairly strict vegetarian diet (I do cheat and eat fish I am a vegetarian (I do cheat and eat fish). Some sort of food allergy. I really don't know anymore.
Possible things some co-workers have said might be causing it:
I was eating more than 1 tlbs of cinammon with my porridge each morning.
I was taking half a teaspoon of sodium bicarbonate each morning which Ive stopped doing.
I have two humidifiers on my desk which pump a lot of water into the air and me.
Well, I hope there might be some clues that you guys can pick up on.
Yaaawn, sorry I only had two hours sleep last night due to the palps and so am a zombie today.

Good luck everyone.

I agree with Big Country.

And I can tell you that many people have used many hours to try to find causal connection between whatever you do and whatever you eat - end the occurence of palps. I still can't help looking now and then.

There certainly can be a connection between what goes on in your stomach and intestines and palps, since the vagus nerve connects these organs and can "tranport" wayward impulses to the heart and make it beat and an extra beat or ten ...

I also sometimes get them late at night or in the middle of the night. Or late morning
And I'm quite sure that a trigger for me is late eating of big meals supplied with a liter of beer (or a bottle og wine) So that I try to avoid.

Several other GI-"episodes" can probably trigger them as well: Too much acid. Air. Position (many people have written that lying on the left side is worse ...)

If you find obvious triggers: avoid them if possible. If you don't, you probably have to accept them for some time. Accepting might make them fewer. And think this: Have they EVER developed into something worse?

I have had them for 8 years - some quite bothering episodes - but I never fell to the ground and died. They always stopped at some point. Sometimes after 4-6 hours. Sometimes more quickly.

Good luck!

I don't believe that would have anything to do with it. And searching for details in what you eat as a trigger of palps will drive you crazy!

ok, another night without sleep. I ate some white potatos and drank a small amount of alcohol and the palpitations came on instantly. Could not sleep at all.

So high gi food definitely affects them.

Not sure what I can do? Any help would be very much appreciated.

Thanks.

Brian

Many on this site have tried to find a simple food cause for their palps but I have not read of any success.  I agree with Bigcountry, the more you think about your palps, the more you will get.

I will, however, throw one idea your way as it has helped me.  Many of us find that the trigger for our palps is wind.  We swallow air when we eat (my wife can go to 8 months pregnant after a hasty meal) and, I understand, this pressure can cause the vagus nerve to start the palps.  It is worse for me if I lie down after a meal.  Also, fizzy drinks contain 3 times their volume in carbon dioxide gas, much of which must be released into the stomach.  Beer and lager contain up to 1.5 times their volume in gas.  Your vegetarian diet, though healthy, may produce more gas.  I find that I can reduce my palps by having a good burp after meals, or massaging my stomach while lying down which can release trapped wind (up and down!).

Whether you can control them or not, the most important thing is to try not to let them interfere with your life.

I also agree that the more you think about your palpitations the more they are inclined to increase. I know that if I am totally distracted with something I don't feel any ectopic beats at all. On the other hand, if I feel one and then start worrying about it I find that they start coming one after another for hours on end. I used to be able to control them but a few months ago I started finding it harder and harder to do so. Sometimes you think you aren't thinking about them but you really are. There is a difference between being truly distracted and telling yourself that you are distracted. Moreover, the very act of telling yourself that you are distracted means that you aren't distracted at all. I think the answer lies there.

Jonp wrote on Jun 7^th, 2013, 3:19am:




I do have a lot of wind (but always have, so no real change there).

I have been lying down a lot, usually after a meal in the evening (about an hour and a half afterwards). Could lying down too much cause palps?


Last night I could not sleep at all. Did not have palpitations, but had crazy adrenaline rushes just as I am about to fall asleep. This happened all night. I was lying down a lot that day. Could that be it?
Will exercise at 8pm tonight to see if that helps.

Thanks for the advice guys

maybe an interesting thread

http://forum.asktheneurologist.com/post-neurology-questions-f6/arrhythmia-caused-vagus-nerve-t396.html