<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
Whew, I can't believe all the responses I got from the group. Thank you all
so much. I'm going to my doctor this afternoon, for my first follow up since
going on a gf diet a month ago. I'm with Kaiser, and need to get a doctor's
note before I can see any type of specialist. Hopefully my doctor will now
let me see an allergist. I'm really tired of feeling sick and tired.
I'm going in armed with copies of all the e-mail responses I got.
Jeanne Barkemeijer de Wit
I received 14 responses to my question. Most from people who have
themselves suffered from non-specific cardiac reactions. I also received
two different lists of resources. The written responses have been placed
below.
NOTE:
I received one response referring to Dumping Syndrome, in case anyone's
interested, the symptoms are weakness, sweating, palpitations, and explosive
diarrhea. Ironically the same symptoms seen during an acute allergic reaction.
My Question to the group
Do you, or anyone you know, get cardiac reactions to food.
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I have not noticed a particular arrhythmia that I can trace to foods.
I do have it when my magnesium levels get low. I also have wound
up in CCU with rapid heart rate and low blood pressure. Both were
brought back into balance with magnesium infusions.
I will check the next time I have a problem with the arrhythmia to see
if I can pinpoint a certain food--it sure would help to save a trip to ER.
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Yes, I have had this as well, and still get it when I make a mistake.
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Yes. Had lots of problems while eating wheat. Now get the same thing,
but less intense, after eating rice. I think that increasing my vitamin
B intake helps some. Have had everything checked out and my heart is
healthy.
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I don't think heart problems are generally related to Celiac disease. I have
a periodic racing heart and it has not improved on the diet, nor have my
allergies. It is very important to be diagnosed properly before going on the
gluten free diet as you will start to heal and the doctors will not pick up
any damage, if you later want to be biopsied.
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I don't know about CD causing cardiac changes, but food allergies definitely
can do so. Read DR BRALY'S FOOD ALLERGY AND NUTRITION REVOLUTION
by James Braly MD. Very informative. Your problem could be wheat allergy or
celiac disease or even BOTH.
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Hi! I used to get this rather frequently, too, before going GF.
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I get elevated cardiac problems too. I saw a cardiologist but nothing showed
up. I also think there is a connection to my food allergies. Have you had a
saliva IGA or IgG test yet? I had that and it showed up that I had Celiac
disease. I went gluten free on my own like you because I saw the similarities
of the symptoms but my daughter who gets similar problems came up clear of
celiac disease, she has food allergies. The milk one gave her the most
problems. But your symptoms sound like mine and I have the disease.
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You surely have the right symptoms for celiac disease. There is some
disagreement on this list about the difference between celiac and gluten
allergy. I don't want to get into that, but you may find that you are
wondering. If so, you are not alone, but the end result of both is that
you must eat a gluten-free diet.
I sent a post to the list recently about a health conference I attended in
Minneapolis about 18 years ago at which we were told that if we were
"allergic" to foods, then our heart rates would go up or down after eating
them. As I said in that post, after lunch, there were physicians, nurses,
and lay people like me, all sitting around on the floor of the hotel,
checking our pulses. Strange sight!
Doctors love to fall back on stress. That simply means they do not know
the answer, but must give one or lose face, so they say the symptoms are
caused by stress. A real cop out! Many undiagnosed celiacs gain weight
rather than lose it - I was one of those. Canned tuna fish frequently
contains casein (a milk protein - don't ask me why - I really don't know)
and it could have been that rather than the tuna fish that caused your
reaction - or, of course, it could have been the bread or the dressing if
the cook used salad dressing instead of good mayonnaise.
I am not aware of cardiac reactions to gluten in my own case, but it is so
many years since I've had gluten, it would be hard to say. Sugar and
caffeine and dairy can cause increased heart rate for me, however.
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I have read that some people with food allergies will experience increase in
heart rate,
some also an increase in body temperature.
Just one more thought, just what you need, huh! :)
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Prior to diagnosis, I used to get what was called "dumping
syndrome" after eating. Doctors had some kind of weird answer to why it
happened. After going gluten free for a period of time, it never happened
again. It was a rapid heart beat and a feeling of stress. We all have a
lot to share, don't we?
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Definitely I have had numerous "attacks" of a cardiac nature prior to CD
diagnosis 2 years ago. My husband will tell you that he has had to race me to
the ER with cardiac symptoms; thousands of dollars and many hours later, I
would be told it was "stress." I have had pounding, thudding heart beats,
chest and arm pains, and all sorts of other scares, but not one thing out of
the ordinary since going GF. This is not medical advice, but I would consider
going GF for 3-6 months and be very strict about it. I would bet that you see
a dramatic improvement in most of your problems.
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I rarely post directly to the list, but I have had similar symptoms that you
describe. It baffles my physician, who will chalk it off to stress, etc. But
when I switched to a gf diet those symptoms disappeared. And it seemed that
stress was also not as hard to handle for me, something's just don't bother me
so much anymore :)
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absolutely--in fact, I was talking to my friend the pharmacist about
this just this week--this is a typical allergic reaction. since going
gf, my bp, for example has gone down 40 pts. with no meds.
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