Swollen gums and breathing issues - maybe an undiagnosed allergy or a coeliac related deficiency?

[corkfella]

I've been diagnosed as a coeliac a long time over 35 years. No major problems with the diet until 3 years ago when a number of issues cropped up. Swollen gums. intolerant of most processed foods, dairy, soya etc.

Side effects include itchy skin, raised rash, sore gums sometimes very painful.

Also breathing issues in any kind of environment with fumes ranging from air pollution to coffee shops to restaurants and bakeries to just cooking smells at home.

Very debilitating and limiting as you can imagine.

I've been to an ENT and lung specialist for tests - found nothing

Had blood tests done recently found that my vitamin D and B12 levels are in the normal range but low. 

Taking a multivitamin and cal mag with vitamin D combo for years.  About to start Vit B12 and Vit D mouth spray.

Feel like I'm at the end of the road with regard to medical investigations.

 

Anyone else have a similar experience?

[Scott Adams]

Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months.

Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal.

This article may be helpful:

 

 

[trents]

Have you had the ALCAT food sensitivity test done?

[corkfella]

Have not heard of the ALCOT test. Did get tested for dairy grass pollen soya and dust and was told my dust allergy level is 4 times above the norm. Have taken steps to address this at home.

[trents]

40 minutes ago, corkfella said:

Have not heard of the ALCOT test. Did get tested for dairy grass pollen soya and dust and was told my dust allergy level is 4 times above the norm. Have taken steps to address this at home.

 

[Wheatwacked]

Vitamin D - In a study of 54 adult asthmatics, subjects with vitamin D insufficiency had lower lung function and increased airway hyperresponsiveness   https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4369152/

It could be the vitamin E or vitamin A in your multivitamin.  

       The New Dark Side Of Vitamin E.   High levels of gamma-tocopherol were linked to a 10 to 17% reduction in lung function.   [maybe not so new, just buried. PUBLISHED: JUN 4, 2014]

      Two Faces of Vitamin E in the Lung    we recently demonstrated in a study with 4,500 individuals (20% with asthma) that plasma γ-tocopherol is inversely associated with lung function (FEV1) and that plasma α-tocopherol is positively associated with lung function (FEV1) in subjects without and with asthma (unpublished observation). 2013.

       NIH Vitamin A Factsheet   The study randomized participants to take supplements containing 30 mg beta-carotene plus 25,000 IU (7,500 mcg RAE) retinyl palmitate or a placebo daily for about 6 years to evaluate the potential effects on lung cancer risk. The trial was ended prematurely after a mean of 4 years, partly because the supplements were unexpectedly found to have increased lung cancer risk by 28% and death from lung cancer by 46%; the supplements also increased the risk of all-cause mortality by 17%.

 

[knitty kitty]

@corkfella,

There are more vitamins than B12 and Vitamin D.  You would do better to add a B Complex and Vitamin C to your regimen.

Vitamin C deficiency can cause swollen and inflamed gums, as well as rashes on the skin and trouble breathing.  

Here's an article about Vitamin C deficiency.  See if your symptoms match these.

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vitamin-c-deficiency-symptoms

 

[cristiana]

On 8/22/2023 at 3:39 PM, corkfella said:

Also breathing issues in any kind of environment with fumes ranging from air pollution to coffee shops to restaurants and bakeries to just cooking smells at home.

 

I had some mild breathing issues when I was suffering with reflux a few years ago.  I also had irritation in my throat and chest which I noticed worsened after meals.  I found Gaviscon after meals helped, and my doctor gave me a Salbutamol inhaler which I was to use, two puffs a day, morning and evening.  After a few months the problem subsided.  If my reflux starts to play up again, I notice things like scented candles really irritate my throat, and make me want to cough.   

 

[Russ H]

On 8/23/2023 at 6:33 PM, cristiana said:

 

I had some mild breathing issues when I was suffering with reflux a few years ago.  I also had irritation in my throat and chest which I noticed worsened after meals.  I found Gaviscon after meals helped, and my doctor gave me a Salbutamol inhaler which I was to use, two puffs a day, morning and evening.  After a few months the problem subsided.  If my reflux starts to play up again, I notice things like scented candles really irritate my throat, and make me want to cough.   

 

Me too. From what I have read there is a connection between the oesophagus and lungs, so that reflux can trigger wheezing and asthma. Obviously it is possible to inhale gastric contents while sleeping with bad reflux but I recall reading that there is a neural connection so inflammation of the oesophagus affects the lungs. I'll try to find the article.

[Scott Adams]

These two articles may, even though they are old, may be helpful:

 

 

[cristiana]

10 hours ago, Russ H said:

Me too. From what I have read there is a connection between the oesophagus and lungs, so that reflux can trigger wheezing and asthma. Obviously it is possible to inhale gastric contents while sleeping with bad reflux but I recall reading that there is a neural connection so inflammation of the oesophagus affects the lungs. I'll try to find the article.

This is a totally unscientific way of putting it, but I remember after an endoscopy I mentioned my breathing issues to my consultant and he said to me (and I really can't remember the word he used) that the fumes/gases (see what I mean!) that emanate from the gut can be very irritating to the throat and lungs. 

Apologies for the poor explanation, but I'm pretty sure that is what he said (and it wasn't the effect of the sedative wearing off!)

He asked me if I used Gaviscon and if I did, did it help, because it should with this particular issue.  I noticed once I started to use Gaviscon Advance after each meal I saw radical improvement.   I didn't use it long term but if I feel the issue coming back, I go back to it for a few days.

I would also suggest sleeping with a wedge pillow or raise the bed where your head is, as that helps prevent reflux getting into your lungs at night.  Try not to eat 2-3 hours before you go to sleep.

[Russ H]

3 hours ago, cristiana said:

I would also suggest sleeping with a wedge pillow or raise the bed where your head is, as that helps prevent reflux getting into your lungs at night.  Try not to eat 2-3 hours before you go to sleep.

I used to have a couple of house bricks under each leg at the top of my bed. Any more than that and I used to slide off the bed in the night. Luckily my reflux has disappeared now.

There's an article about reflux and asthma here:

https://www.everydayhealth.com/asthma/symptoms/surprising-connection-between-gerd-asthma/

 

 

13 hours ago, Scott Adams said:

These two articles may, even though they are old, may be helpful:

 

Thanks, that is interesting.

[cristiana]

Yes... I read about the two bricks but in the end bought a wedge pillow which quite often I discard halfway through the night, as sometimes I find it is a bit uncomfortable.
 

Also, I meant to say one thing - I believe it is possible to have reflux without realising you have it, so you may be getting breathing issues without actually realising you have reflux.   

[trents]

cristiana, yes. It is true that you can have reflux and not know it. It's called "silent acid reflux" I believe. Although, if it is bad enough, you will know it. Another little known fact about reflux is that it can happen even when you are upright, even though you aren't aware of it going on. I have GERD and I am careful to not to do tasks that involve leaning over soon after eating a meal. Years ago I bought a motorized articulating bed so that I can raise the head and/or the foot of it with a remote during the night. If I don't raise the foot of it I get a stiff lower back by morning but there are brief periods when I want to lay on my side so with the remote I can flatten it out for those times. When the grand kids were young they used to have fun with it.