Connect
Anyone diagnosed with PV AFib but actually had vagal ?
Hi everyone, I’m sharing my story to help others who may be misdiagnosed.
I was originally told I had paroxysmal AFib likely caused by pulmonary vein triggers. But during my ablation, no electrical activity was found in the pulmonary veins. Instead, activity was found in the right superior ganglionated plexus, nerve cluster confirming that my AFib was vagally mediated.
Looking back, the signs were there all along—but they were easy to miss:
I had no underlying heart disease and a structurally healthy heart.
I’m under age 55 and had episodes mostly at rest, especially after meals or lying down.
My heart rate was calm before going into AFib, unlike the stress- or exercise-triggered episodes more typical with PV-AFib.
Beta blockers made my symptoms worse, increasing fatigue, gas, and vagal pressure.afib episodes
This type of AFib reacts very differently to standard treatments. I wasn’t told about vagal AFib before the ablation, and I wasn’t given the chance to explore more aligned approaches beforehand.
If you’re dealing with strange symptoms, if your episodes don’t fit the typical pattern, or if you’re getting worse on medications that are supposed to help, you might want to consider vagally mediated AFib.
I’d be happy to share more about what I’ve learned and what’s helped me recover. You’re not alone—and your AFib might not be what they first said it was. Vagal is not the same as pv afib.
Like
Helpful
HugInterested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart Rhythm Conditions Support Group.
Connect
I would be very interested in hearing about your management/recovery of your afib issues. I also have been diagnosed with PV-afib but have many of the same symptoms that you've talked about.
When I initially talked to the EP, I got the feeling that he didn't want to hear about the possibility of the vagal nerve being a cause of my afib. I have not had an ablasion yet.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI like to hear more about it. I’m just started acupuncture to stimulate the vagus nerve . I hope it stops my random Afib.
There’s only a few doctors nation wide that practice gut to brain Afib.
I need someone on the west coast
I’m right there with you! If you find someone tell me.
I just started acupuncture for this. I hope it helps.
I’ve been doing vagal stim of my right costa conchae daily since March. I credit it with helping me reduce my afib episodes from weekly to once every 3.5 weeks. My PV were ablated in May, no afib since, but if I skip vagal stim I have a lot more PACs. I use an ear clip, ultrasound gel, tens device at 20 hz in my right ear for about 30 minutes. I can usually tell when it’s time to stop. I do it before bed. Cheap, easy and effective for me. I can provide references and links to what I use if anyone is interested. My heart rate is always bradycardic, vagal stim at the intensity I use doesn’t decrease it. I monitor it to make sure. I definitely had vagal triggers for my afib, but I think my pulmonary veins were the instigators. It is a lot easier and safer to do the PVs. I asked my EP to map me prior to ablating but I don’t think he did, at least I couldn’t find any tracings in my medical records. My heart is SO MUCH BETTER after my ablation.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI used to stick an acupuncture needle in my tragus and do the electrical stimulation but I think my tragus is innervated by more than just my vagal nerve, I had weird eye and jaw sensations when I did it. The ear clip I was using was horrible and the acupuncture needle hurt a lot less. But now I have a better clip and the costa conchae feels a lot better.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI would be very interested if you can follow up with me and let me know what you learned and how you are treating your Vagal paroxysmal atrial fibrillation - thank you!
Hello, I would be very interested in more detail your treatment that you found useful in your treatment for mediated Vagal Afib, thank you very much for your help!
I have struggled with this since Covid booster in 2022. Fit 61yr old runner. After complete heart eval showed no structural focused on triggers. Dehydration is a big one for me since I don’t drink much after dinner. Cutting out alcohol definitely helped. Magnesium glycinate, Vit C and taurine supplementation have helped also. Mine come at night especially if I sleep on left side. Once I get up, hydrate and go for a run they generally go away. Hope this is helpful.
Thanks for your input, especially about sleeping on your left side. I had Aflutter, and cardioversion restored NSR for 14 months. Then I started AFib, and unsuccessful cardioversion produced NSR alternating with AFib. Breathing helps return to NSR. I mentioned to the EP (he wants to do an ablation) that my symptoms increased when I slept on my left side, and he said there was no connection. I am 82, live alone, able to get by with the breathing, so I cancelled my ablation appointment. I am tired much of the time but happy I was able to travel, etc. as much as I did before this heart thing. I hope I've made the right decision.
I have also been diagnosed with Paroxysmal AFib. My symptoms almost always occur at night as I am falling asleep or when I am sleeping (it wakes me up). Big meals are also a trigger. When an episode occurs, I stand up and will do jumping jacks or run in place for up to a minute and then repeat after a few minutes. It will return to NSR within minutes to 45 minutes. I can sometimes return to NSR with breathing exercises. I am an otherwise healthy 60 year old runner who stays in really good shape without any other contributing factors. Since being diagnosed, I have stopped drinking alcohol and caffeinated beverages. Sleeping on my left side is a trigger. I take Magnesium Glycinate, COQ10, and D3/K2 supplements. I have seen two EPs. Only one was willing to consider the Vagal Nerve as being a contributing factor. When I explain what I am doing when I have an episode, they brush it off as being coincidental. I have ordered a TENS unit and will report back if there is improvement. I am convinced that my AFib is caused by the Vagus Nerve and I am hoping to treat it without having an ablation. I would really appreciate hearing from others on this topic.