Rapid Heart Rate only during Bowel Movement

I'm so thankful I've found this board. My racing heart with bowel movements started this April. I ate some takeaway Chinese food, which gave me intense diarrhea, and during that episode, my heart sped up as though I were having a panic attack. Since that day, I have been having the shaking sweats and rapid heart beats at least a few times a week, when I take a BM, and sometimes the shaking and fast heart starts right before I go to the bathroom, or even when I wake up and have to go.

I should also mention that I am a domestic violence survivor, and I suffered from regular bouts of anxiety for years afterwards. I was diagnosed with PTSD in 2005. I chose to remain un-medicated, because the thought of having to be weaned off of the meds later on is even more frightening to me than having panic attacks. I was doing well for a while; about a year panic free, and then this happened out of the blue right after that bad takeaway meal. It is so strange! I also now have hemorrhoids, a bloated, distended stomach, gas and belching, acid reflux, and I'm in Perimenopause; I'm 47. I'm now about 15-20 lbs overweight, but because I have barely been able to eat anything, my weight is going down, and I have been losing one to two lbs a week. Another odd thing about this is that even though I eat very little now; I'm lucky if I manage to get 1200 calories in me a day, when I make a BM there is a lot of it. More than the food I am eating.

I recently had my thyroid checked with a blood test, and the levels came up normal, but my mother and half sister both have Hashimoto's thyroiditis, so I'm going to get tested for that specifically. The worst part of this is that it is a vicious cycle. The anxiety causes stomach problems, which cause the rapid need to go to the bathroom, and the rapid heart rate, and then the rapid heart rate causes more anxiety.

I just found this on the web, and it explains a lot!

#23 Sep 27, 2013
OMG your symptoms sound just like mine, it starts with low, rhythmic abdominal pain, and I start to feel hot. Then I feel nauseated and start sweating like crazy- I mean my whole body dripping. Then my bowels start to get over active. Eventually, I start to become cold, and then I'm freezing, shivering and can't get warm. I occasionally pass out randomly. Most of these episodes begin in the middle of the night. The doctors have told me I have a vagal response for seemingly no reason. Fortunately, it doesn't happen as often as it used to. It happened a lot when I was going through a divorce and before that, when I was so unhappy in my first marriage.

My mom has kind of a similar problem except that she's had a stomach surgery before after my sister was born in 2002 then a couple of years ago she started to get this dizziness and ibs. Now she gets rapid heart rate when she gets diarhea. Did you figure anything out yet? I hope u get this but it was posted a year ago so maybe u found an answer pls help!!!!

I went to the ER again today (only went one other time - last Friday). I was sitting watching TV when suddenly my heart began to race, I felt dizzy, then warmth ran up and down my body and I felt like I had to BM and vomit at the same time. I began timing it and after 25 min I decided I better go to the doctor. I was again afraid I was having a heart attack. Once I got to doctor, of course everything's calm again except some shaking. After an AKG, an ultrasound of my heart, blood work looking for thyroid issue and blood clots, I'm normal. Came back home and suddenly I felt it coming on again. This time I thought I would try the bathroom right away and after I had the BM, my symptoms are nearly gone. Tomorrow I am supposed to pick up a halter to monitor my heart for a period of time. I think I will consult with my doctor first since I see more than one person in the world has my same issue! If I'm told anything new or other than what are in these post's, I will follow up. Thanks all for your stories, it makes me feel much better.

I've now had three bad experiences similar to what y'all are describing. I have sleep apnea. I sleep religiously with my machine. I'm on a low dose of bp med. No blockers. Heart checks out fine. I do have Fibromyalgia and Lupus. I have IBS as well. Each time the same scenario plays out...I get all flushed feeling in my chest, my head feels like it's going to pop off, the roof of my mouth feels funny, my hands get tingly and I have diarrhea. Then slowly the symptoms go away and leaves me with a mild headache. I have all this weird stuff that happens to me. I'd love to know the cause. I'm thinking gastrointestinal or thyroid. Being a nurse I try to diagnose myself. This makes you nervous when this kind of c**p (literally) happens.

I also have a hiatus hernia.

I can relate to what everyone is saying. Just had a bowel episode. It is worse when constipated. I have been to many doctors. One Cardio top doc at Cedars says it is POTS. I do not relate to all symptoms of POTS but it is related to Autonomic Nervous System. My heart rate will sometimes elevate 40 Bpm more when just standing. I have to keep my blood volume high by increasing my salt intake. I use a teaspoon of Celtic Sea salt twice a day and drink a lot of water. This fixes the standing heart rate issues. But the bowels act up if constipated. Don't know why I developed this but stress was likely part of it but it is difficult to be living normally then have your body seem to turn in you. At least i know what to expect and episodes do pass. Bowel episode resolves immediately after passing. Standing HR resolves with fluid and salt. But I feel I have to babysit my body constantly.

Hi all!!!! Im 26 well 27 this Friday! And I feel so much better that I'm not alone. I greatly appreciate everyone putting up their stuff. I'm going through the same thing right now, I'm feeling better though. we all need to to diet more and walk more I think. It's hard I know, but we all most try little by little.

How did you get the candida diagnosis?

I was told about the vagas nerve being compressed, as well, and I believe it's the cause of the heart palps and light headedness but I'm not sure why it only happens with some bowel movements. I also have found that I'm allergic to gluten. No doctor tests gave me that conclusion. I found a site that told some symptoms of gluten allergy and decided to go gluten free for six weeks. I felt GREAT and had NO episodes! So, just to be sure, after that 6 weeks I ate some bread. I was in the bathroom all night with one of the worst episodes I've ever had. 3 years and $30,000 in doctor bills later I've learned (via the internet!) that my body has just had it's fill of gluten and I can't eat it anymore. It's been 4 months now with no episodes, and I used to have them all the time. I hope this helps some of you!

I also have this problem and really believe it has to do with an irritated vagus nerve. The vagus nerve runs through the spine into the stomach.  I also have had problems with irritated nerves in my spine long term and think this is linked.  (I go through times when I have back problems and other times I am fine). At the moment I have inflammation in my upper spine and am wondering if this is why I have also got the digestive problem at the moment.  I admit that when it happens one feels as if it may be your last day on earth. I dont think it has to do with anxiety, except that when it happens one feels more anxious obviously. I can wake up in the morning feeling just fine, go about my business and suddenly get a pain in my stomach and from there the numbness in my face, light headedness, racing heart etc. Once my stomach has worked it can take about 1/2 hour for heart rate to go back to normal.  I dont even go to the two doctors nearby anymore because they immediately call it anxiety (which is what they all do). Even heart specialists have poo pahed the vagus nerve theory, but I am convinced of it.  I am going to a gastro enterologist next week and wonder what his take on it will be. I honestly believe it is linked to nerve irritation. Will come back to you after visiting the gastroenterologist.

"vasovagal reaction google this ... I have rapid heartbeat as well... over the  years has gotten worse.... Hope this Helps .... I hate when Doctors keep telling me it is anxiety ....

Same problem here.

I feel I am getting somewhere with problem. I have discovered there are certain things that make it worse and for me, probably if I had those items in very small amounts once in a while I think I would be fine. Sweetcorn, peas, lentils etc. are a huge culprit for me. I had mielies (sweetcorn) in a salad three days running and the nest morning woke up rapid heart rate etc. I am coming to conclusion it is an allergy with me and that aggravates vagus nerve in stomach. Keeping a food diary is also very handy so that you can start to get a pattern of when it occurs. I have actually cut down meds a lot this way.

I see that this was a year ago. Did you ever find relief? I'm having the same issues. Seems to have started after a round of Cipro and high stress. I hope you're feeling better.