heart palpitations

[hey ya'll]

Hi friends!

I hope you are all doing well! I have been having heart palpitations and A-fib (as identified by my Apple watch) and am wondering if ya'll have thoughts on the cause.

I started a Stage 1 ticket seven weeks ago. Five weeks into the diet (with no real stomach improvement) I talked with my GI and started the Pepto challenge, which worked quickly and wonderfully! Normal stools on Day 3!

But on Day 4 of Pepto I felt some heart palpitations. I had a bit of this about a year ago and had my heart checked out and all was fine and then it went away for a whole year. I kept with the Pepto but the palpitations became worse until finally 2 weeks in, I stopped the Pepto since I was wondering if it could be the culprit.

I am also wondering about the foods that I am eating since I am eating such high quantities of the few foods. I'm eating about 5 oz. per day of sunflower seed butter and just learned that it can be high in cadmium - should I be concerned about that? My other foods are:

sunflower seed butter
turkey
sweet potatoes
cassava chips
bananas
apple sauce
avocados
buckwheat
coconut milk
salt

One other question - when my bowel activity improved with the Pepto, the uncomfortable feelings in my belly did not - still a lot of discomfort in the left side of my abdomen and bloating. Is that expected? I don't know what will happen with stopping the Pepto after two weeks - I'm sure hoping the good results will hold.

I am so grateful for this MC family.

Thank you!

[tex]

Irregular heartbeat can be a side effect of bismuth subsalicylate (Pepto-Bismol). It's always a good idea to check out irregular heartbeat with your Doctor. About five years ago my heart started skipping beats, which lasted for a day or so, and then resolved on its own. Three weeks later, I had a stroke. That said, I did go to the emergency department with the arrhythmia. They checked it out, and told me, "Yep you have an arrhythmia. But when I asked them what we should do, they just shrugged, and sent me home. I get the impression that the medical community concentrates on treating the after effects of health problems, not so much the causes of those problems.

Re: cadmium, I wouldn't overdo it, if I was sure that it was in there. I used to do a lot of welding, when building special equipment. If the welding fumes drifted up under my helmet, it didn't take long for me to feel as though I had the flu. When I was an engineering student, I took a welding course in college, where I learned that welding fumes contain relatively high amounts of cadmium, and they are toxic.

I hope this helps

Tex

[hey ya'll]

Thank you, Tex, for sharing your story and your thoughts on these things. I'm sorry that happened to you! Your observation about the medical community treating problems after they happen seems spot on to me. I'm more in favor of prevention myself.

I saw my PC doctor today and will have some additional heart tests done. Sure hope it all settles down soon. Feeling your heart flop around is a bit unnerving.

Wishing you all the best!

Hey Ya'll