Anyone have Vagus nerve problems causing strange, unnerving symptoms?

Posted by joannemm34293 @joannemm30809, Mar 23, 2023

Does anyone else have debilitating symptoms that affects the entire body, especially in the morning hours, and my Arrhythmia Dr told me I have Vagus Nerve malfunctions that causes major issues where my heart goes off beat, I have to continually use the bathroom and I get an overall body feeling of just feel sick, rush of nausea etc.

I still have the overall muscle twitching and strange internal vibrations as well as tinnitus and thumping sounds in my right ear.

Does anyone else have Vagus nerve problems that cause strange, unnerving symptoms??

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Was the diagnosis dysautonomia?

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Could be what I have as well as other issues, have those symptoms too but no dr has ever mentioned Vagus nerve but I have read about it on Internet but if go to Dr. and say I think have it, they don't seem to appreciate it. I used to get tingling in head before running to bathroom, mentioned it to Dr. he didn't bite but now years leater with internal vibrations and tinnitus mostly in right ear your comments make me wonder... but what to do about it??

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I was experiencing the same symptoms of muscle twitching, internal vibrations and feeling unwell. I have severe spinal arthritis and have been having a lot of pain in the neck area. I was wondering if the Vagus nerve might be an issue but when I mention it to doctors, they kind of glass over without a response.

Please provide your input if anyone is familiar with and has info re: this topic.

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Hi Joanne, I cant say it was definitely vagus nerve issue but prior to my heart transplant I had a similar twitching usually in my foot on the bottom. it would feel like a fast nerve end twitching. It didn't hurt and a few times it seemed to be prominent just before an episode of arrythmias. it didn't happen every time and may have been a coincidence but has not come back since my transplant.
But I do know that once the nerve was cut from my heart due to transplant a few new thigs happened but the twitching stopped. Now without a connection to the heart my fight or flight response is gone so when i start to exercise it takes about 15-30 seconds for my heart to realize i have started using large muscles and need more blood so we are taught to anticipate that and no to get up fast or break out in a full speed run to quickly. just some info I have experienced due to what my vagus nerve does now vs prior to transplant. Maybe it may help . I also know the vagus nerve has a lot to do with digestion and how the stomach and intestines process food. I've seem where it seems some afib sufferers will notice a connection between the stomach and heart issues.

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For what it's worth, so far no afib but I do have early stage CHF at age 77, am type 2 diabetic with fibromyalgia, arthritis, COPD, sleep apnea, and a 2022 diagnosis of gastroparesis docs say is linked to diabetic damage to the vagus nerve. I sometimes experience internal trembling early AMs and constant fine motor tremors in my hands the "experts" seem to think is related to nerve damage from the diabetes.

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Yes, in the summer of 2005 at 59 years old I was working on my car in the hot sun. I was sweating and came inside and drank a cold drink. Suddenly, my heart started doing flip flops and beating rapidly (Afib). I laid down immediately and started taking very deep breaths as I felt like I needed to get more oxygen. This went on for about 30 minutes and gradually dissipated. I went to see a cardiologist and he said more than likely it was the cold fluid effecting the Vegas Nerve. I had this phenomenon happen two other times drinking cold fluids when I was hot as the problem had slipped my mind. Going forward to 2022 I started having bad chest pains and had heart cath where a severe Myocardial Bridge in the LAD artery was discovered. Not sure if the two are related or not.

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I had an autoimmune disorder, Giant Cell Arteritis, which was not diagnosed for a while. Over a period of nine months, I had a number of gagging attacks, which were debilitating. They usually started at noon hour. I got a squiggly feeling behind my navel, nausea, sweating on the top of my head, then heaving. Would have to run to the bathroom. I would just keep gagging, dry heaves, and it felt like it was a straight line from my navel to my throat. The advice for vagus nerve attacks is to lie down flat and elevate the feet.
I started doing all kinds of exercises to retune my vagus nerve, humming, taking cold showers, etc (there's a lot on Google). Eventually, they went away, but they were hell. (Maybe the exercises to reset the vagus nerve worked).
I was diagnosed a couple of months after the last attack, went on Prednisone and have not had a recurrence, but it was strange. The gagging attacks are not listed as a symptom of Polymyalgia Rheumatica or Giant Cell Arteritis.
I hope you find some relief.

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Hi JoAnn,
I too am trying to put all the pieces together regarding an episode I had which my cardiologist said was classic visceral vagal. It did mimic a heart attack though and sent me to the ER. The cardiologist is doing a full work up to see why I am dealing with the palpitations and arrhythmia.
Like you I have been experiencing Pulsatile Tinnitus in my right ear. It is especially bothersome at night when I lay down. I haven’t seen a specialist for that.
My digestive system has been extremely compromised and I have daily bouts of nausea and diarrhea. I do see a GI doc and found through biopsies taken during endoscopy that I am not producing the digestive enzymes required. I take a few supplements for that and am on a very limited diet now. That doc has mentioned my vagus nerve for the last 3 years but with no treatment plan.
I’ve dealt with dysphasia (difficulty swallowing) and have yearly stretching done on my esophagus but last year it produced no results. After the endoscopy, I was told the gastritis is worsening despite the limited diet of no caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, etc…
I had been having right sided neck pain and mobility issues looking to the right so sought the opinion of my spine doc. (I have had lumbar fusions in the past.) The X-rays and following MRI showed many structural problems and arthritis. When I asked if my recent vagus nerve episode could be related I was told no.
When I looked up Vagus Nerve symptoms I can check off most of them. Who to see or what to do about it is confusing.
Have you gotten any answers by a neurologist or gone to Mayo?
I’m tempted to seek help at a Mayo Clinic if I would be accepted. Like you stated, mornings are especially symptomatic. I have so much arthritis popping up throughout my body but bloodwork showing nothing irregular so assuming it is osteoarthritis.
Please keep us posted on your journey.
Best wishes,
Molly

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@choosejoy

Hi JoAnn,
I too am trying to put all the pieces together regarding an episode I had which my cardiologist said was classic visceral vagal. It did mimic a heart attack though and sent me to the ER. The cardiologist is doing a full work up to see why I am dealing with the palpitations and arrhythmia.
Like you I have been experiencing Pulsatile Tinnitus in my right ear. It is especially bothersome at night when I lay down. I haven’t seen a specialist for that.
My digestive system has been extremely compromised and I have daily bouts of nausea and diarrhea. I do see a GI doc and found through biopsies taken during endoscopy that I am not producing the digestive enzymes required. I take a few supplements for that and am on a very limited diet now. That doc has mentioned my vagus nerve for the last 3 years but with no treatment plan.
I’ve dealt with dysphasia (difficulty swallowing) and have yearly stretching done on my esophagus but last year it produced no results. After the endoscopy, I was told the gastritis is worsening despite the limited diet of no caffeine, alcohol, spicy foods, etc…
I had been having right sided neck pain and mobility issues looking to the right so sought the opinion of my spine doc. (I have had lumbar fusions in the past.) The X-rays and following MRI showed many structural problems and arthritis. When I asked if my recent vagus nerve episode could be related I was told no.
When I looked up Vagus Nerve symptoms I can check off most of them. Who to see or what to do about it is confusing.
Have you gotten any answers by a neurologist or gone to Mayo?
I’m tempted to seek help at a Mayo Clinic if I would be accepted. Like you stated, mornings are especially symptomatic. I have so much arthritis popping up throughout my body but bloodwork showing nothing irregular so assuming it is osteoarthritis.
Please keep us posted on your journey.
Best wishes,
Molly

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For the past 10 yrs my heart rate has been fluctuating from 185/110 to 70/55 with a lot of dizziness and have passed out 7 times. From my research I found that the vagus nerve basically sends signals to the brain which tells the heart to regulate blood flow. Have been to numerous cardiologists and neuroscientists who have not given me an answer for passing out and dizziness after doing all their tests. I mention the vagus nerve to the cardiologist in Florida after passing out and winding up in the hospital again and basically tell me it is not the Vargas nerve causing the passing out episodes, which I still think it is. I am frustrated after all these years with no answers .

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@ativ1207

For the past 10 yrs my heart rate has been fluctuating from 185/110 to 70/55 with a lot of dizziness and have passed out 7 times. From my research I found that the vagus nerve basically sends signals to the brain which tells the heart to regulate blood flow. Have been to numerous cardiologists and neuroscientists who have not given me an answer for passing out and dizziness after doing all their tests. I mention the vagus nerve to the cardiologist in Florida after passing out and winding up in the hospital again and basically tell me it is not the Vargas nerve causing the passing out episodes, which I still think it is. I am frustrated after all these years with no answers .

Jump to this post

I once had an attack and the doctor told me it was the vagus nerve. He said the remedy is to lie down flat with the feet elevated and to do that if I felt another one coming on. Do you feel the attacks coming on, with sweats or funny feelings?
You can also Google Vagus Nerve and find many exercises to "reset" the Vagus nerve in addition to many books on the subject. A Functional Medical Practitioner might be more helpful if you can find one.

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