Anyone have Vagus nerve problems causing strange, unnerving symptoms?

@tsc ...I'm sorry for replying so many years after you posted...but I am wondering how you were finally diagnosed with GCA? How did they think of testing you for it? Thanks.

@mew1967 , I had a temporal artery biopsy, and some symptoms of GCA - tender scalp, neck pain, visual disturbance, a non productive cough. I haven't had a recurrence of those gagging attacks. How are you doing?

When I was 26, I had ulcers that weren’t cured with medications. I was hospitalized because my stomach was at the point of perforating. They resectioned the top part of my stomach and performed a vagotomy. I was told they clipped the vagus nerve to stop the acid from pouring into my stomach. That was 46 years ago. You learn to regulate your diet after so many years to accommodate the changes. In 2014 I was diagnosed with CML Leukemia. I do believe it is all related. After a stomach resection you don’t absorb Iron. Before the leukemia, I was getting iron infusions every 2-3 years. I am thankful to be in remission for the leukemia.

The vagus nerve controls many involuntary functions essential for survival and health, including heart rate, breathing, and digestion. It also influences the immune system, mood, and reflex actions like swallowing, coughing, and vomiting. It acts as a crucial connection, relaying sensory and motor signals between the brain and the body's major organs.

Vitamins and minerals that support the vagus nerve include
B vitamins, magnesium, vitamin D, and choline. These nutrients are crucial for nerve health and function, with B vitamins supporting nerve health and neurotransmitters, magnesium playing a role in nerve transmission, vitamin D aiding in nerve health, and choline being essential for acetylcholine production.

Key vitamins and minerals for the vagus nerve:

B Vitamins: Particularly vitamins B6 and B12, are important for nerve health and the synthesis of neurotransmitters.

Magnesium: A mineral involved in hundreds of bodily functions, including nerve transmission and muscle function. Low magnesium levels are linked to irregular heartbeats (arrhythmias), such as premature beats or atrial fibrillation. Maintaining adequate magnesium levels can usually prevent these conditions.

Choline: This nutrient is vital for the production of acetylcholine, a primary neurotransmitter for the vagus nerve.

Vitamin D: Adequate levels are essential for nerve health and may help reduce inflammation.

Antioxidants: Vitamins C and E, along with polyphenols found in foods like berries and green tea, help protect nerve tissue from damage.

Key functions of the Vagus nerve:

Cardiovascular regulation: Controls heart rate and blood pressure.

Respiratory function: Regulates breathing.

Digestive system: Manages digestion, gut motility, and the production of stomach acid and other digestive processes.

Immune response: Helps modulate the immune system and inflammation.

Gut-brain axis: Facilitates two-way communication between the brain and the gut, affecting mood and stress responses.

Reflex actions: Controls reflexes such as swallowing, coughing, sneezing, and gagging.

Sensory functions: Provides sensory information from organs, the throat, and the skin behind the ear.

Autonomic nervous system: It is a major component of the parasympathetic nervous system, which governs the "rest and digest" state.

The above stated supplements corrected many issues I used to experience 20 years ago, especially Magnesium for Afib and the others for my stomach issues. So basically, it's a nutritional deficiency that causes malfunctions of the Vagus nerve.

As a 20 + year student of Epidemiological studies of the cranial nerves, this is their conclusion about the Vagus nerve. (Cranial nerve 10).

Yes. Following a spine impact injury had constant atrial fibrillation and urinary symptoms that were ultimately diagnosed as detrusor sphincter dyssynergia. Both are due to vagal nerve issues. Be carful with that - the 1st urologist wanted to do surgery.

@tommy901
What kind of magnesium do you take and what dosage?
Thank you.

Yes,
Type and dosage of magnesium would be helpful. Is age a determinant? I'm 86.
Les

Tommy might not reply soon enough for your optimal use, so I'll hazard a guess and give a generic reply, NOT what he does or thinks you might want to try.

The most easily uptaken form of Mg is the citrate formulation if we want something off the shelf that is widely sold in pharmacies. Other common salts of Mg are bis-glycinate, taurine, and malate. There are others, and some of the literature suggests that some formulations are better for one condition than another.

How much? Anywhere from 200 mg to 1000 mg is what some people use, but never blindly and never without consulting a physician or knowing what their typical serum baseline is for the element. IOW, don't jump up and pop 500 mg every day for the next month hoping to see some kind of improvement to your health. In fact, you may find yourself going downhill rather quickly if you have weak kidneys or if you ingest and retain a lot more Mg than you think you do. So, please, read literature, consult your physician, and educate yourself about whether you should be barking up the Mg tree at all!

My doctor said Magnesium Oxide 400 mg once a day. I found baths in Epsom Salts more effective, maybe because I absorbed the magnesium better? Not sure if there is any science behind my idea here.

@tommy901

Thank you so much for this information. I am new to both this forum and Vagus nerve issues.

My story is a strange one. One morning, in May 2025, I fainted. Passed right out onto my living room floor. I had some small stomach upset, a little pain. I was used to having unrest in my digestive system and that discomfort was nothing special. But passing out was not common at all!

I then had a seizure, sitting in my living room chair- about half an hour after I passed out. My friend then brought me to the hospital.

In the emergency room, I then coded/was blocked several times! My heart was stopping and I was passing out due to that. I was given an external pace maker and placed near a code cart.

In the ICU, I got really sick and vomited. I didn't have any pain at this point but the nurse thought I should get an abdominal MRI. It was determined that I needed an immediate appendectomy! My heart was being stopped by my appendix.

It has been several months since that occurred. I still have some issues stemming from the vagul nerve; my BP fluctuates, my gut has been unhappy for years and is worse (constipation being a major issue), there are moments of overpowering nausea and dizziness, I have restless legs while trying to sleep, and I am tired- more than I suspect I would be normally at 60yo. Any thoughts?