Why this story is interesting
This story was submitted directly to Roemheld.org by the author. It describes years of unexplained episodes of rapid heart rate, panic, and severe anxiety despite extensive medical evaluation.
What makes this account particularly noteworthy is the consistent relationship between gastrointestinal symptoms and cardiac episodes. The author observed that attacks occurred only when her stomach was bloated with gas and that symptoms could resolve almost immediately after a sensation of gas shifting in the upper abdomen. Over time, she also identified an inability to burp normally as a recurring feature of her symptoms.
Although this experience cannot establish a causal relationship, it illustrates a symptom pattern reported by many patients with suspected gastro-cardiac syndrome: episodes of tachycardia associated with gastric distension, followed by relief as abdominal pressure decreases. Such recurring observations may help generate important questions for future clinical research.
Patient Profile
Current Status: Symptoms significantly improved through lifestyle changes, trigger avoidance, and symptom management (patient report)
Name: Lauren Boehm
Primary Symptoms: Episodes of rapid heart rate (tachycardia), panic attacks, sweating, lightheadedness
Symptom Duration: Several years
Associated Gastrointestinal Symptoms: Bloating, trapped gas, inability to burp normally
Suspected Trigger: Gastric distension (gas buildup)
Symptom Relief: Lying down; relief following movement or release of trapped gas
Medical Evaluation: Multiple causes investigated; POTS considered but not confirmed (patient report)
Lauren’s Story
It started as anxiety attacks. Out of nowhere, I would feel my heart rate skyrocket, and I would go into a complete state of panic. I was convinced I was dying.
Several years were spent afraid to drive in case an attack hit, afraid to leave my house, afraid to do anything. I didn’t even want to go for a run because no doctors could figure out why my heart rate would jump into the 180s for no discernible reason.
Then, during an attack one day, I felt a shift in my stomach while lying down—gas moving. Within seconds, my heart rate was back to normal, I stopped sweating, and the lightheadedness was gone.
The next day, the same thing happened—attack, lie down, normalize.
This happened almost daily for months.
They tried to tell me it was POTS, but the attacks only happened when my stomach was bloated with gas.
Now, I’ll add here that I cannot burp normally. I get maybe one good burp a day, and I have to force it out once it feels like it wants to come up. This meant my RH symptoms were happening every day.
Finally, one day, I guess I just Googled the correct string of words and found a blog about Roemheld Syndrome. It was like reading my own words. The symptoms were exactly what I had been experiencing for years.
I cried, not going to lie.
There was finally a name for it. It was real.
Now I know how to live in a way that minimizes the risk of attacks. I can avoid foods that trigger gas, take anti-gas medication, and if all else fails, I know I just need to lie down and wait it out.
It has taken all of the panic out of it now that I understand what is happening to me, and that has helped my mental health immensely.
I am no longer the shell of myself that I had become.
No doctor has formally recognized my Roemheld Syndrome, but I have several years of monitoring my symptoms, and by this point, everything else has been ruled out.
Lauren Boehm
Editor’s Note
Lauren’s story highlights an aspect of Roemheld Syndrome that receives relatively little attention in the medical literature: episodes of rapid heart rate (tachycardia) occurring alongside gastrointestinal symptoms, rather than isolated palpitations or ectopic beats.
While Roemheld Syndrome is not currently recognized as an official medical diagnosis, similar symptom patterns have been described in historical publications, modern case reports, and by many patients who report an association between gastric distension and cardiovascular symptoms.
This account represents one individual’s experience and should not be interpreted as scientific evidence or medical advice. However, carefully documented patient observations such as these may contribute to a better understanding of gastro-cardiac interactions and help guide future research.