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Comment by MPSimmons | Hacker News Reader

Dude. Yes. I have ocular migraines on occasion, and when that happens, I know that I will have to go to the bathroom in an hour or so. It doesn't happen every time, but whenever it happens, that's what causes it.

Likewise, I have PVCs (extra heartbeats) whenever I have matter going through my large intestine (I think it's the transverse segment).

It's also tied to left arm pain for me, and occasional panic attacks.

It's been very obvious to me that something is 'wrong' with my Vagus nerve for around 10 years, but I started getting the symptoms a few years before that. I had every kind of non-invasive heart examination I've ever heard of, up through cardiac radiology, and my heart is absolutely fine. I pass EKGs, I pass stress tests. I just sometimes have extra beats, and they're correlated to when I need to go to the bathroom.

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I've had very similar symptoms. After 15 years I've managed to reduce my symptoms by doing an elimination diet (apparently my intestines are sensitive to many kinds of food) and taking the FODMAP diet to its natural conclusion: reducing all things fermented and fermentable in order to reduce my dysbiotic intestinal bacteria. This means avoiding FOS, "soluble fiber," resistant starches, sugar alcohols...

At some point I figured out that it was all about the intestinal microbiota, so I had decent success at reducing the dysbiosis with with caprylic acid and undecylenic acid. Intestinal bacteria, even the "good" ones, sometimes produce histamine, and always produce gas. The "bad" ones produce literal toxins.

Recently I added S. Boulardii and I am now 60-70% improved as long as I maintain this admittedly difficult diet (while making sure to avoid vitamin, mineral and fat deficiencies).

My life has been hell since the age of 11. I was "drunk" and sick to my stomach for decades before the trial and error paid off. The doctors I saw kicked me while I was down. It is quite a dark realization that the industry sucks for entire classes of illness, although I do recognize its merits in treating stereotypically presenting illnesses.

How is your core strength ? Ie can you do v-ups balancing on hands? 30 pull ups ? I found digestion and stomach issues can be resolved with a good diet and physical training regime. Also try and find a teacher who can show you nauli , exercise where you churn your stomach innards , acting as internal massage and strengthens pelvic floor. Stop wasting your time with doctors — up to you to self experiment since you know yourself best

Are you me? I have the exact same symptoms, especially the left arm pain and panic attacks. Full heart checkup and nothing was found to be wrong but I always suspected it had to do with my nervous system.

Yup, that sounds like a badly wired myocardial pain circuit.

There are well known instances, like the Markus-Gunn syndrome where the mastication commands projects onto eyelid muscles. Similar bugs may occur in other circuits.

https://youtu.be/g7e2rFua0Sw?t=7s

You should read about TMS by John Sarno (see divided mind). Maybe it can help you too like it helped me. Your symptoms sound a lot like it but ofcourse you need to read it and decide.

Not the original grandfather, but I'm a fellow migraineur. I read Sarno's book, and found it to be unhelpful. From what I remember, the gist of it is that "unresolved emotions" cause a great deal of physical problems in some patients. That's not a theory I'm willing to trust.

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