r/VagusNerve

27M, software engineer, working remotely for 5+ years, mostly desk work and long sitting hours.

Quick background: some time back I got a pain on the left side of my stomach that stayed for about a week. Went to a GP and got an endoscopy done. It showed erosive gastritis, small ulcers (peptic ulcer disease) and a lax LES with mild esophagitis. Took the full course of meds for 2-3 months and the ulcer side of things is cured now. Doctor said nothing serious, just eat less spicy food and fix the routine.

The problem: since then I have this weird sensation in my left underarm and left upper chest, and sometimes it travels behind my left biceps. It is bearable, but it never fully goes away, and because it is on the left side it obviously catches my attention.

What I have ruled out so far:

- ECG and 2D echo are normal
- Saw a second cardiologist with full blood reports and all heart tests, they clearly ruled out anything heart related
- A nerve specialist suspected it could be cervical, so I got a cervical spine MRI done, but I have not gone back yet to discuss the report (I know, that is on me)

I could think a few possibilities: the lax esophagus valve or GERD causing sensations on the left side, vagus nerve involvement, or something from the cervical spine(not very sure but that’s what some others subreddit post or claude suggested)

Lifestyle stuff that might be relevant: years of late nights, eating late, sometimes overeating, long desk hours, very little movement. Earlier I used whey protein, pre workout and creatine, and I always had bloating and would need the washroom right after eating. For the last 2 months I have been walking 10k steps daily and that also bcoz these sensations started on left side which is being constant for almost 3-4 months.

Questions:

1. Has anyone had this kind of left underarm, chest or arm sensation from GERD, a lax LES, or vagus nerve irritation after gastritis or small ulcer issues?
2. What should my next step be? Follow up on the MRI report, go back to the gastro, or something else?
3. Any lifestyle change or remedy that actually fixed this for you? I am even wondering if that can be fully cured because it’s really difficult for me to identify what’s causing this or why in first place this started. I don’t drink, never smoke. Really weird what’s happening, could be due to taking too much load/stress on the body about work or so but didn’t know this kind of things can happen suddenly with the body i use to do 100k benchpress with.

Just looking for directions and similar experiences Thanks.

I'm anxious basically all the time and I'm also a really sensitive person, so small stuff gets stuck in my head way longer than it should. I can calm myself down sometimes but it feels like my body stays tense even when nothing is actually wrong. I've been thinking about getting some kind of device that helps with relaxation or the nervous system, but I have no clue what's actually worth trying. Has anyone here used one and noticed a real difference?

Hello everyone,

Simple question, but interesting!

As for me, it was pure coincidence. I read a book on the subject 3 years ago and have continued to learn more about it ever since.

Have a nice day!

I’m sure a lot of you are familiar with this, but when I’m feeling pre-syncope placing an ice pack on the back of my neck and lying down has helped me significantly for getting back to baseline. I even do it for extreme anxiety as well. It activates your parasympathetic nervous system (vagus nerve).

Hey yall! I recently was daignosed with Vasgusvagal syndrome and i was wondering is the breathing techiques used for calming anxiety actually helpful? I end up panicking more cause of the inhale. Hold. Then out real slow direction i got from therapy. I end up just having to let to run its course then i feel better after. So is it sort of like how you shouldnt keep in tics? Like you can but youll suffer later? Thanks :)

I am 45 YO Male, 140lbs, (have RBBB- right bundle branch block) I suspected I have dysautonomia/POTS ever since my first episode of adrenaline dump which resulted in uncontrollable cold shivers for like 20 min, which resulted in a trip to the ER, docs ran blood tests, but everything came back normal. After that episode the next 24 hours I was so tired like my energy was sucked out of me. This was at least 4 years ago. I believe this was due to a combination of overheating on a summer hike followed by a big bowel movement that same day, the cold shivers and dizziness started right after the bowel movement (with straining). At the time guessed the episode was due to vagus nerve triggered by the big BM.

Since then, I've had more episodes in the past both tied to BMs (cold shivering and shaking after going #2 with big movements but not straining) and I figured it must be the vagus nerve.

Hower the other day I was on a short hike (5 miles) in the 70s weather, but I was carrying a heavy pack, halfway thru the hike I got a feeling that came out of nowhere and came in really fast, I felt really nervous and anxious and right after I noticed my heart rate was around 140 bpm, (check using my Samsung galaxy watch 7) I laid down for a bout 15 min to let is pass but still feeling panic almost like anxiety attach, also felt lightheaded and dizzy, also felt like my legs was running out of energy I guess it had to do with the heavy pack and maybe due to getting overheated? I took it easy on the way back walked slower, breathing slower, sipping water, etc. got to the car and made it home (I was not the driver) that day felt a bit tired and worried.

For the past 4 months I have been showering at night, only, taking hot showers right before bed as I feel it made me feels better and maybe even help me sleeps better. However yesterday I had to go to a dinner, so I took a hot shower around 4 PM, usually my hot showers are 15 minutes long. when I got out of the shower, I noticed by breath was lighter and not as deep, I was not taking on enough oxygen it was a weird feeling, I had to make myself take long breaths to make sure my body remembered to take longer breaths. around 5 PM got in the car (my wife was driving) and head out for dinner, in the car maybe around 5: 30 PM or 5:40 PM had the AC blowing on my skin but feel weird like it could not tolerate the cold AC on my arm, but I was also feeling like i was not breathing fully, still having shortness of breath and having shallow inhalation. then out of nowhere i got this sensation in my brain like something is very wrong, maybe even felt like my blood pressure dropped in a split second, and my heart started raising, my watch said my BPM was around 98 to 100, I panicked told my wife driving to cancel and drive me home as I was not feeling good.

Got home and sit down and started to calm, but I was very panicky on the way home.

This morning I was laying down in bed after waking up haven't had anything to eat since yesterday when I decided to try to make the poor man tilt table test, I did like like 3 times but only one time i was able to see my Hearth rate spike over 30 BPM. Laying down my BPM is around 60, then the one time my HR raised it was around 95 BPM around 1 minute after standup up from laying in bed, the other times i try the test my BPM only elevated 15 t 20 BPM max, so i might have to try this again just to confirm.

I think for now on i will have shorter showers with look warm water in stead of hot. Also I have been trying to have a BM everyday to prevent accumulation and prevent straining and possible upset my vagus nerve.

Also will probably start taking simple electrolytes (without b vitamins) in the morning to make sure my blood volume is increased etc.

Anyone have similar experiences? i would like to hear your unique experiences and also what do you do to come with this.

Note I have never been diagnosed with or tested for dysautonomia or pots.

[supprimé]

Hi,

I’ll start by saying that I have a lot of problems with my stomach, sleep problems, difficulty swallowing (sometimes food feels like it gets stuck), heart palpitations, and fatigue. My stomach problems are probably related to my hiatal hernia, which causes some of these symptoms. I won’t go into much more detail about my medical history in this thread.

I don’t feel particularly stressed or anxious, but somehow my mind won’t shut down when I’m trying to sleep. It feels like it is always “on” 24/7.

My question is whether there are any alternatives to devices such as Nurosym, Pulsetto, VaguStim, etc. that work in a similar way. I’m thinking that these devices might be quite overpriced for what they actually are. They use electrical signals with specific waveforms, polarity, frequency, pulse width, amplitude, etc. For example, if you buy a TENS unit, what would be the difference between that and these more expensive vagus nerve stimulation devices?

It feels like Nurosym, for example, is very expensive when other devices might be able to perform essentially the same function. I might be completely wrong, though, as I’m not an engineer.

Unfortunately, I can’t afford any of these devices. If I could, I would probably just buy one and try it. Are there any TENS units that can be used for vagus nerve stimulation, and if so, which ones? I would really prefer not to spend €100s or more on a device if I can buy something much cheaper that does the same thing.

I’ve read a bit about the TENS 7000, but I’m not sure whether it would be suitable for this purpose.

In the worst-case scenario, I could stretch my budget as far as the price of a Pulsetto because I’m desperate to try something. However, I would really prefer not to spend that much money on an expensive device that might not even work for me.

Br,

I've been dealing with anxiety for a while now and breathing apps only got me so far. Calm, breathwork, all of it. They're fine I guess but I need something more physical. I especially need this for after workout when I'm trying to wind down and my brain is still firing like crazy. I'm seeing several vns devices that should help with this, Pulsetto, trugvaga… etc. The reviews are kinda diverse tho. Is this like a mix of skepticism and hype or whats going on here?

I’ve been looking into a few of the machines, but the more looking the more apprehensive I become. A few thoughts:

1. Nuropod had skyrocketed in price, it’s now 1.5x more expensive than just a few months ago. Seems wild, and unjustified.
2. They claim millions of sessions, that must translate into a healthy number of users. Yet no reviews of their app, just a single rating. Anything that I’ve come across is BS marketing nonsense articles with clearly fake comments propping it up. I’ve also seen videos of their ‘head of research’ doing interviews for wearables that aren’t the Nuropod, that are very poorly done and scammy. Makes me think she, if she even exists, that she’s shilling out to any one of these bogus devices that’ll pay her (this other one is super blatantly scammy).
3. Digging a bit deeper all the claimed research is for older participants, like 60-80 year olds. Their site doesn’t mention that at all, it just totes the effects for ‘everyone’.

There is a laundry list of other concerns I have, but bottom line is does it work? Does it do anything a $50 tens can’t? Has it works for you or not, any unpleasant side effects?

Some people talk about “the vagus nerve” as if it is a single pathway that controls one specific function. But the reality is much more fascinating.

The vagus nerve is actually a complex network of nerve fibers that connects the brain with multiple organs, including the heart, lungs, and digestive system.

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🧠 It carries different types of information

The vagus nerve is not simply a signal from the brain telling the body what to do.

A large amount of communication travels from the body back to the brain, providing information about internal states, such as digestion, heart activity, and changes happening inside the body.

This constant exchange helps the brain understand what is happening throughout the body.

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🌱 Why does this matter?

It may help explain why our physical sensations and emotions can feel so connected.

For example:

• stress can be felt as stomach discomfort
• excitement can change your heart rate
• poor sleep can influence how your body feels the next day

The brain and body are constantly sharing information.

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🔬 Scientists are still learning more

Recent research is giving us a more detailed view of the vagus nerve, showing that it contains many different fibers with different roles rather than one simple “on/off” pathway.

The more we learn, the clearer it becomes that the nervous system is not just about sending commands, it is about communication.

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I’m curious: Have you ever experienced a moment when your body seemed to “know” something before your mind did?

For example, a gut feeling, physical reaction to stress, or changes in your body before you understood the reason?

So i think i have stomach indigestion and gastric issues (already diagnosed)

Now i feel blood accumulation in my hands, physically feel it, heaviness and eyes, heabime in limb muscles

I think it has something to do with meals because it definitely changes when I'm hungry or after I eat. Any help about what it is?

Wanted to know if anyone have similar experience.

I almost never experienced anxiety in my life until I damaged my vagus nerve.

I was on a backpacking trip and had to go #2 on the woods, and the squatting position I believe messed my vagus nerve every since. that one time i feld so TIRED after i was done, that that night i had cold shivers. After that every few months 6-8 or maybe 12, if I have a big Bowel movement, then right after my nerve would act up, i feel impending doom, cold, dizzy and have uncontrollable cold shivers, and get tired and dizzy after that. lately i have also been getting very fast heartbeat along with the dizzy spells. I don't have any idea how to manage this. My vitamin D is 40, haven't measured B12, my iron panel is normal. The only way i "manage" this is to make sure i have a bowel movement every day to prevent accumulation and thus a big one if I skip a day. Anyone have any tips on what to test? who can help me? how to cope or manage this?

Hi everyone, I’ve had a constant gnawing/hollow hunger-like sensation in my upper stomach for years. It’s there almost 24/7, even after eating, and I also experience bloating, weakness/shakiness and symptoms that sometimes feel like low blood sugar.
I’ve had H. pylori, which I treated, but the gnawing has continued.
I’m wondering if vagus nerve dysfunction could be contributing to this. Has anyone experienced similar symptoms, and if so, did anything help regulate your vagus nerve/gut-brain connection?
I’d really appreciate any advice or experiences. ❤️

Anyone tried to stimulate vagus nerve with like neuropod or another device? Did it help? Nothing?

For context, I’ve been working out(lifting weights) for 9 years. I started out doing more of a bodybuilding style, but do functional fitness with mainly just dumbbells. However, I’ve been under incredibly stressful issues for the past 1.5 years. I got two viral illnesses back to back, end of March early April and then again mid April. The first one was confirmed influenza A and the second one I never tested for anything but I got exposed to 2-3 people with confirmed RSV. I don’t know what I had for sure. It could’ve been anything. For the second virus I developed a headache and it never went away, but I felt better. I do feel better for the most part. I have bad days, I am able to walk sometimes. Doing my workouts which make me so happy, I can no longer do. I know it has to be my nervous system in a chronic fight or flight. I also developed anger issues due to a traumatic experience and it’s been like that since then. I’ve been going through family issues now for 1.5 years. For an example, I freak out and lose it if my husband has a slight tone in his voice. I cannot handle people being upset with me after this traumatic experience with my family. I lose it and I want to run away. Now since I got sick in May I started to rerun to working out after a few weeks off to heal from my sickness. I did fine for a bit, I felt a bit weak but nothing crazy. One morning(I always got up at 4-430 to workout) and I crashed. Shaking! Like literally internally shaking. It’s like my body cannot handle any more stress in any form, and it views my high HRs as bad/alarming. I know I do have post viral syndrome but it seems to be affecting my nervous system and now movement is just not happening. Is there a way to fix this? I started doing low-dose nicotine patches and that has honestly helped my PEM but I don’t think I’ll be able to lift till my body feels safe again. I’ve implemented deep breathing, going to counseling, and getting good sleep. What else am I missing?

*edit to add I seem to do okay with walks with my HR around 111-120bpm. I do them on my walking pad in the AC. Lifting (functional training) though, I cannot do.

This product is an absolute scam. Instead if you want to fire up your Nerves, buy a CareMax EMS/TENS machine for a quarter of the price.

I own both... the neurosym is total dog shit.

Ive spent 6 months plus working a remedialassagr therapist using EMS Stimulation. Recently ive made major headway into fixing my parasympathetic nervous system.

The 2 keys. EMS and Wim Hoff Method (breathing)

EMS PADS the charge of electrical current you can absolutely go way beyond what the neurosym is capable of doing. Its a poorly made down right shonky product.

Dont believe me, my whole parasympathetic nervous system shut down after 2 decades of drug addiction. Neurosym didn't do a god dam thing.

Wim hoff method and EMS electrical muscle Stimulation, break the game.

Like i actually feel again.... did you know you can forget to feel??? I fucking did.

Anyways hope this helps someone save some money and also heal.

Looking for any form of hope. I was a prescription benzo user for 15 years and unfortunately was a heavy weekend drinker for the same amount of time. During the last 10 years I've come to realize that I get severe anxiety due to pressure on my vagus nerve due to gas or potential hernia. Also irritation from reflux. The benzos used to keep the anxiety at Bay but I've had to stop that 2 years ago and thaf has created its own host of problems. I've had all the checks under the Sun and they cannot find any issues in my digestive tract although I am convinced I have a sliding hernia that presents itself during stress.

Basically I can be feeling completely normal and within minutes of physical stress, IE lifting weights. Or if I feel the gas shift and feel tightness and pressure in my chest, I start getting an uncontrollable crawling in my skin feeling and severe anxiety symptoms present immediately. They will disappear as quickly as they come when I feel the gas shift in my chest. When they are extremely bad I can usually feel reflux in my throat during the same time. I think my anxiety due to benzo withdrawal causes chest tightness which exacerbates the situation.

I've tried elimination diets. Advil, more sleep. Cold packs do seem to help but it's very temporary.

Seeing as this is going on for almost 10 years I'm wondering if I did permanent damage to my nerve from the excessive drinking during the weekends. I would drink a bottle of vodka every weekend almost.

Is there any hope of this healing or ever going away? My quality of life is complete ****.

Hallo!

Ich würde gern ein Gerät zur Vagusnerv Stimulation ausprobieren. Die gängigen (Neurosym, Pulsetto etc.) sind ja leider extrem teuer.
Habt ihr mit den Geräten Erfahrungen?
Ich habe auch gelesen, dass Leute ihre TENS Geräte mit Ohrenclips benutzen. Hat das für jemanden positive Effekte beim pacing gehabt?

Danke und einen milden Tag für euch 💞