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Suggest Treatment For Symptoms Of Roemheld Syndrome

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Posted on Fri, 4 Nov 2016
Question: I believe I suffer from Roemheld Syndrome but most doctors I have consulted do not recognize this. Are there any doctors on your site that can advise me on this topic?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (21 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Please see the discussion below.

Detailed Answer:
Hello,

Welcome and thanks for your query.
Abdominal pain, pressure and esophagitis and pressures are known to induce cardiac arrhythmias. This is the basis of Roemheld Syndrome. A syndrome is not a particular disease but a group of symptoms occurring together. So with your symptoms and the effect on the heart in terms of rhythm disturbances, it qualifies as these occur consistently.
Further investigations like MRI or blood tests are unlikely to contribute as these are functional disturbances occurring with specific stimuli and not organic.
Since PPIs have shown to benefit, your symptoms respond to acid suppression. Nexium at 40 mg twice a day could be used.
The arrhythmia is due to excessive sympathetic activity which ultimately occurs. I would also suggest you to try a Beta1 specific blocker like Nebivolol in a small dose once a day which would help prevent the arrhythmia through decreasing the effect of the sympathetic nervous system on your heart.
Do get back to me if you have further queries.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Noble Zachariah (39 minutes later)
Thank you for your reply. I understand why you believe the excessive sympathetic response by the heart should be seen as the problem and treated with a beta blocker. I respectfully believe the root cause of the problem is the inappropriate nature of the vagal reflex after each swallow. The excessive sympathetic response should be seen as an expected response by an otherwise healthy cardiac system. Many others suffering with Roemheld Syndrome report negative reactions to beta blockers. I have been dealing with this for quite some time now and feel like I am a living laboratory. This offers me unique insight and understanding about this problem. I was given beta blockers in the past and they did not improve my situation. The only thing that did was the PPI medication which speaks to some type of inflammation that is causing all this. I am going to try and make contact with the electrophysiologist that did my EP study many years ago and see if a followup EP study could perhaps show how the vagus nerve is causing this problem. Perhaps an ablation of those inputs could help. I did come across one example of someone who had exactly the same issue and an ablation was able to solve her problem.
The literature is ripe with examples of people stating that hiatal hernias have produced this syndrome. That is another avenue I would like to pursue. Having said all that, do you know of any medications or procedures that could reduce the inflammation of a vagus nerve? As crazy as this sounds, when I aggressively rub the xiphoid process area as I swallow, I can directly reduce the affect on my heart rhythm. Another thing I have found successful is to drink a glass of warm water and then do repeated drops from my toes to my heals. Immediately following these repeated drops, the swallowing trigger stops for a short period of time. This happens every time and is measurable on EKG. This makes me believe that a hiatal hernia may be part of this.
I look forward to your response.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (33 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
discussion continued.

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for your input and appreciate your research and knowledge in this little known entity.
Vagus nerve is implicated in producing bradycardia and this triggers a reflex tachycardia which may be associated with extrasystoles. Beta blockers in doses high enough produce bradycardia may do the same and it would be worse with less selective beta blockers like atenolol or propranolol. What I would suggest is 1.25 mg which is quarter of a 5 mg tablet of Nebilet ( it is easily divisible into 4 )which will not produce bradycardia to the extend of provoking corrective measures by the body.
Hiatus hernia is definitely a cause in whom the esophageal inflammation is a triggering factor. The acid reflux may produce overt or covert inflammation.
Warm water dilutes the acid and also soothes the mucosa reducing the stimulation. An Upper GI endoscopy would reveal whether you have hiatus hernia and if so adding an agent that increases the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter would help you.
I look forward to your views on the same.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Noble Zachariah (36 minutes later)
Thank you Dr. XXXXXXX for your response. I wish to inquire further with your suggested us of 1.25 mg Nebilet to control this problem. Are you suggesting that this medication will prevent the swallowing induced bradycardia from happening? If so, I would welcome its use. If not, I am not clear as to why I would take it. My main issue is the fact that each and every time I swallow I have a terrible disruption to my heart rhythm. As I said before, to have gone for the past 20 years completely free of this only makes me believe strongly that some type of inflammation needs to be corrected. I am able to engage in high intensity exercise when this is not happening. My heart has been put to the test climbing mountains, paddling rivers, hiking and biking around the world. I know the heart is fine and this has been proven with countless investigations. I need to find the answer as to why my vagus nerve wants to slow the heart inappropriately when it shouldn't (during exercise).
I will be seeing a cardiologist soon. Can you suggest any other ideas or things to test? I still hope there is a simple mechanical explanation for this. As an example, just prior to all this starting 25 years ago, I was involved in very heavy weight training. This might have caused some initial damage (sliding hiatal hernia).
I look forward to hearing your thoughts.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (29 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
No effect on the vagus

Detailed Answer:
Thank you.
Nebilet will not prevent the bradycardia due to vagus nerve stimulation, but it may prevent the tachyarrhythmia which follows the bradycardia.
Other than endoscopy to detect the hiatus hernia, you could also do manometric studies of the esophagus to see the presure changes when you swallow. It would also help in knowing the degree of gastroesophageal reflux .
These are my thoughts for now .
I shall appreciate it if you would let me know the thoughts of the cardiologist after the consultation.
Thank you for the thought provoking interactions .
Hope you will get to the bottom of this soon.
Wish you good health and a great day.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Noble Zachariah (11 minutes later)
Thank you for your thoughts. I will try to contact if I learn anything significant. Im not if there is such a mechanism to contact you once this discussion is closed.
Take care
doctor
Answered by Dr. Noble Zachariah (42 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Welcome

Detailed Answer:
It was nice interacting with you.
You can contact me through www.drnoblezachariah.com and there are no charges.
Best wishes and regards,
Note: For further follow up on digestive issues share your reports here and Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Noble Zachariah

Internal Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :1974

Answered : 2319 Questions

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Suggest Treatment For Symptoms Of Roemheld Syndrome

Brief Answer: Please see the discussion below. Detailed Answer: Hello, Welcome and thanks for your query. Abdominal pain, pressure and esophagitis and pressures are known to induce cardiac arrhythmias. This is the basis of Roemheld Syndrome. A syndrome is not a particular disease but a group of symptoms occurring together. So with your symptoms and the effect on the heart in terms of rhythm disturbances, it qualifies as these occur consistently. Further investigations like MRI or blood tests are unlikely to contribute as these are functional disturbances occurring with specific stimuli and not organic. Since PPIs have shown to benefit, your symptoms respond to acid suppression. Nexium at 40 mg twice a day could be used. The arrhythmia is due to excessive sympathetic activity which ultimately occurs. I would also suggest you to try a Beta1 specific blocker like Nebivolol in a small dose once a day which would help prevent the arrhythmia through decreasing the effect of the sympathetic nervous system on your heart. Do get back to me if you have further queries.