Guest guest Posted September 2, 2004 Report Share Posted September 2, 2004 In a message dated 9/2/2004 1:54:59 PM Pacific Daylight Time, ric94_1836@... writes: > I am also concerned that diet (duh!) may play a role, as I had > just shoveled in a chicken and steamed rice/vegetable meal with a > healthy dollop of a red pepper condiment--in fact, the A-Fib started > directly afterward. On Tue. I experienced lack of sleep and a hastily > gulped down Diet Pepsi. Do these sound like " trigger items " ? Has > anyone else had a similar event after consuming this stuff? > Whoa! Oh yes, eating the combination you mentioned would send me into a whopping afib episode on top of severe stomach distress. I have learned to be extremely careful about what I eat because what I eat is directly tied to vasovagal stimulation and thus to afib. Drinking a cold Pepsi would do it, too. Some afibbers like me just have to face the fact that eating and drinking anything we like is a thing of the past if we want to avoid afib. Also, the severe symptoms of the ping pong ball in the chest have probably been felt by most afibbers at one time or another. I can really sympathize with you because I have been there. It's extremely unnerving. However, I think you should ask your doctor whether or not you should go to the E.R. when these episodes strike because he or she has a holistic knowledge of your total heart condition whereas we on the Internet can only speculate. I have never gone to the E.R., but everyone is different, so what works for me might not work for you. Good luck. in sinus in Seattle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 2, 2004 Report Share Posted September 2, 2004 In a message dated 9/2/2004 1:54:59 PM Pacific Daylight Time, ric94_1836@... writes: > I am also concerned that diet (duh!) may play a role, as I had > just shoveled in a chicken and steamed rice/vegetable meal with a > healthy dollop of a red pepper condiment--in fact, the A-Fib started > directly afterward. On Tue. I experienced lack of sleep and a hastily > gulped down Diet Pepsi. Do these sound like " trigger items " ? Has > anyone else had a similar event after consuming this stuff? > Whoa! Oh yes, eating the combination you mentioned would send me into a whopping afib episode on top of severe stomach distress. I have learned to be extremely careful about what I eat because what I eat is directly tied to vasovagal stimulation and thus to afib. Drinking a cold Pepsi would do it, too. Some afibbers like me just have to face the fact that eating and drinking anything we like is a thing of the past if we want to avoid afib. Also, the severe symptoms of the ping pong ball in the chest have probably been felt by most afibbers at one time or another. I can really sympathize with you because I have been there. It's extremely unnerving. However, I think you should ask your doctor whether or not you should go to the E.R. when these episodes strike because he or she has a holistic knowledge of your total heart condition whereas we on the Internet can only speculate. I have never gone to the E.R., but everyone is different, so what works for me might not work for you. Good luck. in sinus in Seattle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 2, 2004 Report Share Posted September 2, 2004 In a message dated 9/2/2004 1:54:59 PM Pacific Daylight Time, ric94_1836@... writes: > I am also concerned that diet (duh!) may play a role, as I had > just shoveled in a chicken and steamed rice/vegetable meal with a > healthy dollop of a red pepper condiment--in fact, the A-Fib started > directly afterward. On Tue. I experienced lack of sleep and a hastily > gulped down Diet Pepsi. Do these sound like " trigger items " ? Has > anyone else had a similar event after consuming this stuff? > Whoa! Oh yes, eating the combination you mentioned would send me into a whopping afib episode on top of severe stomach distress. I have learned to be extremely careful about what I eat because what I eat is directly tied to vasovagal stimulation and thus to afib. Drinking a cold Pepsi would do it, too. Some afibbers like me just have to face the fact that eating and drinking anything we like is a thing of the past if we want to avoid afib. Also, the severe symptoms of the ping pong ball in the chest have probably been felt by most afibbers at one time or another. I can really sympathize with you because I have been there. It's extremely unnerving. However, I think you should ask your doctor whether or not you should go to the E.R. when these episodes strike because he or she has a holistic knowledge of your total heart condition whereas we on the Internet can only speculate. I have never gone to the E.R., but everyone is different, so what works for me might not work for you. Good luck. in sinus in Seattle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 2, 2004 Report Share Posted September 2, 2004 Ric, sorry to hear about your afib. Sounds like you are having a tough time right now, as you say, falling into high anxiety mode. I have also experienced the chest bombs you talk about and have had some very hard, pounding episodes with fast rates (150-180). I avoid going to the ER like the plague, but there have been a few episodes that really frightened me, where going to the ER seemed like the lesser of two evils...waiting it out in extreme fear and loathing, or going for a few harrowing hours in the hospital (yes, only to have to ride it out anyway). My worst episodes have been after consuming a large meal, usually Mexican food. I tried (and failed) that " experiment " several times, because I love Mexican food. I love not having afib, too, so I don't " test " myself anymore. If I hastily gulped down a cold diet Pepsi, I can tell you I would be in afib faster than a New York minute. I think because it's cold, it's fizzy, and it's a mega-vagal stimulator. And God only knows what the artificial sweeteners in diet drinks does to us. My suggestions would be to 1) learn some relaxation techniques to control the anxiety when you need to, and 2) eat several small meals instead of one large one. I hope you are feeling better by now; let us know. Good luck, and keep on dancing. Sandy ric94_1836@... writes: > > Hello to Everyone, > It's been awhile, but now I am experiencing an annoying (not to > mention frightening bout with a-fib. It began on Tue., waking me from > a sound (and then driving me into a troubled) sleep, sorta " backed > off " on Wed., and is now ping-ponging around my chest even as I write > this. I know and ER visit will be an even more fatiguing waste of > time, but when my a-fib strikes it's almost as if somebody is > punching me in the area that unites the rib cage, and hard. I am > falling into high anxiety mode, though I can be thankful that it > didn't strike during my ballet class earlier today. Do any of you > suffer from the above-mentioned chest bombs? And if so, how on Earth > do you deal with it,particularly if you have to weigh the > consequences of spending several harrowing hours in hospital, only to > be told to ride it out until NSR is re-established ? I mean, the > hospital bills are astronomical enough; it would pain me to insist on > being checked out, get an EKG reading that turns out negative, then > get hustled out the door to make space available for a patient with a > REAL problem! > I am also concerned that diet (duh!) may play a role, as I had > just shoveled in a chicken and steamed rice/vegetable meal with a > healthy dollop of a red pepper condiment--in fact, the A-Fib started > directly afterward. On Tue. I experienced lack of sleep and a hastily > gulped down Diet Pepsi. Do these sound like " trigger items " ? Has > anyone else had a similar event after consuming this stuff? > Just writing this has provided me with some semblance of > normality, as anxiety probably tends to make the situation worse. > Last question of the day: How do you know when NOT to worry, as > opposed to standing on the brink of a near death experience? I would > hate to have that happen while in a classroom with comely leotard- > clad nymphettes! > Thank you for any assistance; thank you for being here period. > ric > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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