1. Community
  2. Heart Health
  3. Cardiac Arrhythmias

Increased heartbeat after eating

Posted , 7 users are following.

youngatheart1
youngatheart1

Hi I am also having all these strange heart related problems for over a year now, they started for no reason.  I am female 57 and live in UK, like everyone on here I have had several ECG's, X Ray, Blood Tests, Stress Test, Scan etc and am due to have a 24 hour monitor next week.  Today has been particularly bad this morning sitting at work for no reason I could feel my heart racing, I felt dizzy and left arm a little numb, but for me I seem to have the added thing of sharp and dull pains under left breast and into middle of sternum, this sometimes goes through to back and throbs through chest.  I Then walked home sat down and off they went again, checked heart rate, 99, not high I know but when normal resting is 72 or lower it is so worrying. I do suffer GERD and have noticed that when I eat my heart will sometimes race.  I was told last time I was in A&E after 2 GP's spoke to me that they were flumoxed and that there is not always an explanation to why these things happen, but I am getting to the point that I am concerned to do anything or book anything too far ahead in case I have a heart attack and to be honest I am not sure if I would even know if I have one as I get pains with my palpitations.  I know GP's say not to worry but how can we not when a fast beat could cause an attack.  Sorry to sound so down but I feel so worried and am at the end of my tether with them and just want to get back to being happy and full of life which is how I was 18 months ago before all this started.  Thanks for reading

1 like, 14 replies

14 Replies

  • PJoy
    PJoy youngatheart1

    Posted

    I know for sure Anxiety does that-if if happened to you once while eating you will then think of your heart beating while you will eat and it will cause the racing heart. Sounds like they did a lot of tests. I would keep on top of them until they have an answer for you. Keep us posted and Hope you get to the bottom of this and feel better!
    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 PJoy

      Posted

      Thanks for your reply, I think you are right, I am getting a bit worried about eating in case it happens, will be speaking to GP about this to see what reaction I get, apart from the usual look of "oh really".  LOL. Take care

  • Abuabu
    Abuabu youngatheart1

    Posted

    Can relate and sorry you are suffering. Anxiety certainly worsens things so if you can control would help but I know it's difficult. After being stented I continued to have discomfort and eventually after all the tests you have had I was given an MRI which simulated exercise affect and result was a diagnosis have had heart attack previously without being aware specifically and heart muscle is damaged. There's no great rhyme or reason but periodically I get palps and discomfort and frequently these happen after eating but not every time. Also if I do not keep well hydrated seems to worsen things. Have you had an Angiogram? To me this seems the definitive test for blocked arteries (ischaemia). The MRI would be great alth expensive and feel NHS are reluctant to give. As someone else has said keep pushing the Docs for a resolution. Good luck

  • Pam143
    Pam143 youngatheart1

    Posted

    Just a swift reply to let you know that heart arrythmias after eating are common, at least in the people with AFib that I talk to!  I have them, too, as does a close friend of mine.  I suspect that the full stomach presses on the vagus nerve and that is what sets if off.  Try eating smaller meals, more often.  See if that helps.  Take a probiotic and perhaps peppermint oil. I would also recommend telling your GP how bad your symptoms are.  Even if he or she just smiles (as mine did!) at least your symptoms will be on record.  Try not to worry too much, worry makes it worse.
    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 Pam143

      Posted

      Hi Pam, I had read about the vagus nerve, I do suffer with reflux and although I thought it was under control maybe that it not helping either.  As I mentioned above eating is getting a bit of a worry now so will be speaking to my GP, who likes yours will smile.  When I have my 24 monitor next week I intend to note down all the times the heart does funny things and see if there is a pattern.  I am taking a probiotic and also a magnesium supplement, although I read that too much can actually cause palps, you do not know what to do for the best sometime.  Thanks again
    • derek76
      derek76 Pam143

      Posted

      The vagus nerve is a big factor in AF after eating. Not all doctors agree but my one does at least say that probiotics can help.
    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 derek76

      Posted

      Hi Derek, thanks for your reply. I suppose my next question is does the vagus nerve actually cause the heart to beat faster or is it just that they touch and you feel the heart more easily?  Good to know probiotics are useful, so will keep taking them as you often get varying reviews.
    • derek76
      derek76 youngatheart1

      Posted

      Twice my vagus nerve has been stimulated during a procedure and I went into AF.

      It is a very long nerve going all through your body. The stimulation of my vagus nerve during a digital rectal examination of my prostate  caused my BP to drop and I went into atrial fibrillation and needed a week on a beta blocker to get back in sinus rhythm.

      The same thing happened after I had a colonoscopy in 2013. That time I needed a cardioversion to get back in sinus rhythm.

       

    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 derek76

      Posted

      Hi Derek, how scary, I never really took much notice of what it does but will have a read about it and talk to my GP about maybe causing my problems, especially if nothing shows on 24 hr monitor next week.
    • derek76
      derek76 youngatheart1

      Posted

      During the colonoscopy my BP went down to 40/29 and my heart rate to 30bpm.

      I was looking at the monitor and thought when are they going to do something then they went into panic mode giving me water and pumping drugs into me.

  • Abuabu
    Abuabu youngatheart1

    Posted

    I massively believe the Vagus nerve can affect your heart and cause palpitations.  For every doctor who feels the two dont interconnect there appears to be another who does! Have a Hiatus Hernia and when this is playing up my heart follows. If you have refux this may be what you are suffering from. What I dont know but will ask at next heart doc review is whether the triggered palpatations pose any risk. By way once an episod starts seems to take about a week to calm down and then can feel quite normal. 
    • youngatheart1
      youngatheart1 Abuabu

      Posted

      Hi, I do suffer with GERD and have been recently checked for hernia but nothing there.  Like you when my palps start they go on for a few days and then disappear until the next time.  This is what scares me really as if they were always there I would accept it as being normal but it happens every couple of months and usually whilst sitting down.  I am a bit overweight around the middle so maybe that is what is causing this to happen, especially if I sit in a funny position without realising it and press on chest/stomach area. Take care
    • derek76
      derek76 youngatheart1

      Posted

      I think posture also has a lot to do with it. My BP also goes very high at the same time as I have the worsening AF.
  • njag
    njag youngatheart1

    Posted

    Hi, just curious, did you or anyone else here ever find an answer for this?

    I'm 27, M, living in Canada. I've been experiencing very similar symptoms for the past 4 weeks. After eating, typically after dinner, several times I've felt heart palpitations and an increased heart rate, typically accompanied by sweating, nausea, dizziness, and numbness in my legs. I've also felt the exact same chest pain you've described, though I'm not sure it's related. I occasionally feel a sort of sharp stabbing or crushing pain, usually on the left side of my chest, but occasionally it spreads to the right side of my chest, or to my left arm or shoulder.

    I've been to the hospital ER twice for this because I was concerned I was concerned I was having a heart attack. Both times I had a blood test done which found no evidence of this (very low troponin percentage in my bloodstream) and all other blood test results came back pretty normal with the exception of elevated but not extreme levels of glucose and liver ALT. I'm a pretty overweight and not too healthy guy lol.

    I've had these episodes on and off for the past weeks where I notice I have an elevated heart rate after eating. My normal resting heart rate is ~86, and it goes up to 105-120. Sometimes these episodes happen while I'm eating, sometimes as much as 2 hours after, and they typically last for an hour before going away just as suddenly. Afterwards I tend to feel very tired and sore, like I'd just ran a marathon.

    I did a blood test and echocardiogram last week and awaiting results. I'm also scheduled to do a Holter monitor test next week. I think it's likely just anxiety problems but I'm concerned that it may be something worse.

Back to top

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.