Gluten And Difficulty Breathing?

[katshow]

Since I was 17 I had stomach problems that no doctor could pinpoint. I had my gallbladder removed and many other types of tests done to try to figure out the problem, but nothing ever worked. Then last year, a friend and I decided to go on the South Beach Diet. For the first 2 weeks, there are no starches allowed and during those two weeks, I felt SO much better! I continued to avoid mostly starches, but not eliminating them completely.

Then a month ago I went to the DR with a sinus infection and received antibiotics for them. At that time I also told her about my stomach troubles and how it seemed better when I didn't eat wheat. She suggested that I may have Celiac disease. At the time I thought, well, let's just deal with getting rid of this sinus infection first, then we'll delve into this Celiac thing. Well 4 days later (still eating gluten mind you) I had a terrible allergic reaction to the antibiotics and went into anaphylactic shock. I spent 2 days in the ICU and another week at home recovering, still with a very tight throat though and no voice. Halfway through my week at home, I cut out the gluten totally in my diet and I started to feel better.

So I've accepted that I cannot eat gluten, but I didn't think that the two were connected until last night. I had Thai food the night before (thinking that I'd avoided the gluten) and last night again, I had trouble breathing and with tightness in my chest. I know that I was allergic to the antibiotics, but did my condition stay bad because I was eating gluten? Is this something that happens to others? I had assumed that being Celiac meant more of a digestion problem rather than a full on "allergy". Any imput would be greatly appreciated.

I'm sorry this is so long! I'm just trying to get some help!

Thank you!

[CMCM]

Since I was 17 I had stomach problems that no doctor could pinpoint. I had my gallbladder removed and many other types of tests done to try to figure out the problem, but nothing ever worked. Then last year, a friend and I decided to go on the South Beach Diet. For the first 2 weeks, there are no starches allowed and during those two weeks, I felt SO much better! I continued to avoid mostly starches, but not eliminating them completely.

Then a month ago I went to the DR with a sinus infection and received antibiotics for them. At that time I also told her about my stomach troubles and how it seemed better when I didn't eat wheat. She suggested that I may have Celiac disease. At the time I thought, well, let's just deal with getting rid of this sinus infection first, then we'll delve into this Celiac thing. Well 4 days later (still eating gluten mind you) I had a terrible allergic reaction to the antibiotics and went into anaphylactic shock. I spent 2 days in the ICU and another week at home recovering, still with a very tight throat though and no voice. Halfway through my week at home, I cut out the gluten totally in my diet and I started to feel better.

So I've accepted that I cannot eat gluten, but I didn't think that the two were connected until last night. I had Thai food the night before (thinking that I'd avoided the gluten) and last night again, I had trouble breathing and with tightness in my chest. I know that I was allergic to the antibiotics, but did my condition stay bad because I was eating gluten? Is this something that happens to others? I had assumed that being Celiac meant more of a digestion problem rather than a full on "allergy". Any imput would be greatly appreciated.

I'm sorry this is so long! I'm just trying to get some help!

Thank you!

Oh my YES....in addition to all the digestive stuff, I have spent 25 years trying to figure out my breathing problems, which very much resemble asthma in many ways. Sometimes I'd just wake up with that tight feeling, almost like someone was sitting on my chest. I had this chronic, wheezy cough that would stick around for months and months. I had full testing for asthma (they said it wasn't), I had heart workups (they said it was probably caused by reflex, which I wasn't aware I had ??), and on and on. I never connected this to diet. The other weird thing is that I could actually go 5 or 6 months sometimes WITHOUT the cough and with only minor symptoms, and then BOOM, one day I'd wake up with full blown symptoms again. I got the tight chest/cough/difficulty breathing last June, and it went on non-stop until I stopped eating gluten & dairy and probably within a few days it all went away. For me, since I am both gluten and casein sensitive, I think they BOTH gang up on me if I'm eating these things. This may not be true for everyone....perhaps gluten sensitivity alone could cause these symptoms, or dairy alone, but for myself, I think they both have an effect. Since I've always minimized dairy anyway (always upsets my digestive system terribly), I have had periods in the past where I had virtually no dairy but I was eating gluten, and I had all the symptoms, so I'd say gluten is definitely a culprit.

[katshow]

Thank you! I'm happy there is at least one person out there that has had the same issues. Thank you again!!

[Rachel--24]

Have you been tested to see if you're allergic to wheat? You could have an an allergy as well as having Celiac. 2 totally different things but it is possible to have both.

[katshow]

As I've been reading up more on Celiac and a wheat allergy, I was thinking that I may have both. I was actually just about to call my DR to see if I can get an allergy test. I'm nervous though because my DR had to look up what Celiac was on the internet. I don't know how confident I feel in her ability to find more information about these issues!

[Rusla]

Believe me what I have gone through this weekend because suntan lotion had it in it, I will never forget. I am still having problems and this was not just my wheat allergy but my Celiac and an allergy to another substance. After my calling the company and getting their assurance their was no gluten or wheat in it. It sounds like you also have a wheat allergy.

[slpinsd]

[Yes, yes, yes!

my symptoms were: an anxious feeling during or just after eating, with a tightness and pressure in my chest, feeling like my breathing was restricted. it was very asthma-like, but i was never diagnosed with asthma. about a week after i went gluten-free(1 month ago today), the "reflux", or whatever that was, stopped. It comes back if i get re-glutenized. Also, I had flutters in my chest after eating. I do not have a wheat allergy, just an intolerance. That's evidence right there of gluten sensitivity causing reflux/asthma symptoms.

[Rad3737]

Found out I have Celiac Disease Nov. 1, 2005/ went gluten free immediately. Intestial problems are much improved, but Mid-December started having breathing problems. Had asthma in Michigan 5 years ago, but nothing since moving to New Mexico. So am perplexed, with low energy and tightness in chest. Yesterday was tested for asthma and passed, so that's good news. Have allergy testing next Monday. Anyway, appreciate this topic; perhaps this is all related.

Dianna

[CMCM]

Found out I have Celiac Disease Nov. 1, 2005/ went gluten free immediately. Intestial problems are much improved, but Mid-December started having breathing problems. Had asthma in Michigan 5 years ago, but nothing since moving to New Mexico. So am perplexed, with low energy and tightness in chest. Yesterday was tested for asthma and passed, so that's good news. Have allergy testing next Monday. Anyway, appreciate this topic; perhaps this is all related.

Dianna

Dianna....what is your situation with dairy? I firmly believe my breathing/asthma symptoms are also connected to dairy as well, not just gluten. I think either one contributes to it, but individually they also can cause it as well.

[SuzieQ]

I am sooooo thankful to find this thread! For the last 6-8 weeks I have had the tightness and the feeling of someone sitting on me in my chest that many have described here. When I went gluten free, the pain went away. Since I have been eating gluten again to prepare for my endoscopy - which is tomorrow morning- my chest has hurt so bad. I am too young for heart problems, I think, but this pain mimics heart problems so much. It was a comfort to read that others experienced what I've been experiencing. I am sorry for your pain, but it is nice to know I'm not alone.

Thank you so much.

[Guest cassidy]

My mom has dh. When she mistakenly eats gluten, she feels like her throat is closing up and she can't breathe. She takes benadryl and 20 minutes later she can breathe better, but she still has the rash to deal with.

[debbiewil]

I went gluten-free in September (well, August, but I made a lot of mistakes the first few weeks LOL) and my breathing problems have cleared up a lot. But I still have some problems, and I've been thinking of going dairy free. Haven't done it yet, because I LOVE cheese as a quick easy snack, and it's hard to find good gluten-free snacks like that. Sigh, but I think I'll try DF for a couple of months and see if that clears up everything.

Debbie

[mookie03]

I have had breathing problems my whole life-- i stopped breathing and was rushed to the hospital several times as a baby and now wont go anywhere without my inhaler. The worst time i can remember was right before going gluten-free, when i was at my worst physically and would wake up in the middle of the night each night unable to breathe...it was positively awful! I still get it sometimes, but it is much milder, so i dont know if it is connected to the gluten or if eating gluten just aggravates my other health problems (which seems to be more likely the case)

[Guest Robbin]

Omg, you guys would not believe what happened to my idiot self today. I went to the health food store to get some flours, etc and in the midst of gluten-free products I see Newman's cookies-like oreos-that said in big letters- wheat free. I am sooo hungry, so I got excited and bought the bag and hurried and ripped them open in the car like a crazed lunatic and crammed two in my mouth. They were so great, so I'm driving down the road and my mouth and throat start burning and I thought huh, maybe chocolate is bugging me now too. So I stop the car in a Wendy's parking lot and on the back in fine print (I am poor sighted) I see BARLEY FLOUR!!! I have this sore throat, my chest feels like someone inside it is filling up a balloon and a lump in my throat I can't swallow down so I went through the drive-thru and got a biggie iced tea no sweetener and use my inhaler (I do have asthma) and get my stupid butt home. I took a tablespoon of benadryl just to be safe, but it really wasn't like an asthma attack, it was more like fullness and a huge lump in my throat. The only thing I had with me was the inhaler which I hate to use since I get nervous, but now I feel like I am going to croak. Dear friends, learn from the mistakes of this idiot and do not go shopping starved, or you will forget to read the fine print!!!

[minibabe]

I have the same problem, I am acutally going to talk to my doctor because I was talking with someone else that also has the same symptoms and they have arthritis (spelling?) in there chest. I am not sure if there is a test for that but I am going to speak with my doctor about it.....I will let you know when I find out. I have the same symptoms, I feel like someone is sitting on my chest and i cant breath.

Amanda NY

[jecareborn]

Any Celiac with at least two of these symptoms within an hour of eating

Tightness of chest

Fluttering in chest

Chest pains

Asthma like breathing

Breathlessness

Difficulty breathing

Rapid unexplained heart beats

may want to see a doctor and ask about an activated iron supplement. My Doctor has me take activated iron for about 2 weeks after an exposure to gluten. The reason for this, as I understand it, is that after an accidental gluten exposure, iron leaches out of your system. The tightness in your chest and difficulty breathing is from temporary anemic. Since you have less iron in your blood, as iron is crucial for transporting oxygen in your blood, your lungs have to work harder to get the same amount of oxygen into your blood stream - thus the tightness in your chest the restricted feeling of breathing, and the labored breathing at times. Additionally, your heart beats faster to move the blood quicker to make up for the decreased oxygen intake - thus the fluttering or rapid heart beats. After about 2 weeks, the initial damage of the accidental exposure subsides, and iron levels maintain themselves again and then the supplement should be discontinued. DO NOT SELF MEDICATE. See a doctor first. A person can over dose on iron, NOT a good thing. So see a KNOWLEDGEABLE doctor too. Since it is temporary anemia you can get tested and not have it show if it has been awhile since your last exposure. If you can’t see a knowledgeable doctor and the symptoms are severe, try eating foods high in iron, and see if it makes a difference.

Hope this helps. It has made a HUGE difference to me. In addition, if I get the tightness now, I know to look at what I eat. Most of my other symptoms have gone away, and this has been a good double check to make sure I am really gluten free in my eating habits. It’s a lot harder than I originally thought. Cross contamination sucks. However, at the end of the day it is worth all the effort! I like not being sick all the time!

[jecareborn]

Additionally, I have been figuring out that some of my hold over symptoms may be from other intolerances. So, as many of you already know, if symptoms pop up after going gluten free, it may just indicate that there are other intolerances to look at as well.