Afib Triggers: Mine is my neck or body position, yours?

My afib episodes also appear to be triggered by neck position, particularly if my chin is jutting forward when I am awake, or if my head slides down from its position on a raised triangle-shaped foam pillow when sleeping.. Also feel it coming if inhale too much air when exercising or have pressure on chest when lifting light weights over head. Another trigger is accumulation of mucus in throat. Perhaps it is a response to narrowing of space for breathing or pressure on vagus nerve? Forcing myself to burp sometimes works to stop an episode from progressing. Anyone else experience these triggers or finding that burping helps?

my episodes are only in the morning when using my ipad, seemed like a vaso vagal episode, did not link it together, attributed it needing to eat! Will investigate this. Thank you.

I have had afib now for over 2 years. My triggers are all the normal culprits - coffee, wine and a hot shower will trigger an afib reaction. I have had one ablation which helped but my afib came back in about 2 months. My doctor has put me on multaq 400 mg. It has helped a lot. My cardiologist has recommended a second ablation. Do you think it's better to have a second ablation or stay on multaq 400 mg probably for the rest of my life. I am a 72 year old woman.

My PAC's are brushed off my my EP, I lose a day every two weeks with steady high heart rate. The NP mumbled once that perhaps (?) they were caused by my heart trying to fib... makes me wonder if this is a default diagnosis? This is the limit of my knowledge unfortunately, that's why I wanted to get a work up at Mayo but I'm excluded for some reason?

I am so "happy" to hear another patient has the same problem. Also, I too have PAC's. How can we investigate further as to why this happens? I feel if there is some reasonable connection then there is some possible trigger that brings it on. My afib always occurs the first thing in the morning. I have asked the dr. about vegus, heart, lung connection to afib but got no info on how it could trigger afib. Have you any info to read?

YES, my ears get clogged and stuffy, my EP sees no connection. I am post ablation diagnosed with PAC (post atrial contractions) Abbott implanted chip says no fib. BTW I was denied an appointment at Mayo with this diagnosis.

I have chronic a-fib and have noticed that when in sinus rhythm (after 2 ablations and 5 cardioversions) they have all occurred at night and when awakened by the onset, I'm usually on my back. I use my CPAP religiously and the Sleep Center cannot see anything unusual in the output readings from my machine. Conversations with my EP have centered on doing another sleep study and "working" to have me sleep on my back to see if another episode (or the beginning of) can be observed. Have also discussed the lung and heart association with the vagus nerve and how these are so interconnected as being a possible cause.

I also take multaq and eliquis and have breakthroughs every 2-3 weeks. Oddly, when afib occurs my ears get clogged and stuffy. i asked the nurse/doctor and they said there is no connection. Have you had this happen? I also had episodes only once a month early on and now they have increased. The dr. wants me to take a different rate pill. My episodes are always the first thing upon awakening. What is the trigger?

Yes indeed, all this makes sense. Thank you for your perspective. I take Mg orally but have not tried the liquid version, which I may do. I have recently started adding Taurine to my supplements. Cutting out sugar and alcohol has helped a lot.

I've been having episodes of Afib for the past 17 years. In the beginning they were very infrequent, but the past 2 years, every 1, 2 or 3 weeks apart. I'm now on an anti-arrhythmic (Multaq) and Eliquis, but still having breakthroughs. I have also discovered many triggers that change over time. In the past my triggers were indigestion, overeating and/or constipation. and sometimes alcohol. About three years ago I started a plant-based diet which seems to help some if I stay on it. About 2 months ago I started taking liquid Magnesium every night and changed to sleeping on my left side. This seems to help because my episodes always begin about an hour or two after I go to bed and when I'm laying on my right side. I hope this makes sense.