Pounding heart after eating

[Jordan Carlson]

Hey everyone! Wondering if anyone else experiences this. After eating a larger, my heart starts to pound to the point where I can feel my heart beat in my ears. Also experience heart palpitations along with it and usually an anxious feeling. Almost like my body has a massive stress response after the meal. Thinking maybe keeping meals smaller while my stomach heals may help? If anyone has experienced this and has found a way to cope well with it I would love to know!

[Scott Adams]

I believe you meant to say "after eating a larger meal," but correct me if I am wrong.

One common symptom of getting gluten in your diet if you have celiac disease is the feeling of dizziness, almost like vertigo, which can create panic attacks in some people, which can include a racing heart. I had symptoms like this for many years before getting diagnosed, and even after if I got trace gluten in my diet. Is it possible you got some gluten in something you ate? If you eat at restaurants still this is quite common.

[Jordan Carlson]

Hey Scott! I have experienced the vertigo many of times and know exactly what you’re talking about. This is a little different though. I guess a better way to put it is that it is a major change in blood pressure rather than heart rate. 

[Scott Adams]

A drop in blood pressure can be a symptom for someone with celiac disease who ingests gluten, although it is not a common or direct symptom. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder where ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. This can cause a variety of symptoms, including gastrointestinal issues, nutrient deficiencies, and systemic effects.

A drop in blood pressure could occur indirectly as a result of several factors related to celiac disease:

• Dehydration: Severe diarrhea, a common symptom of celiac disease, can lead to dehydration, which can in turn cause a drop in blood pressure.
• Malabsorption: Chronic inflammation and damage to the small intestine can lead to poor absorption of nutrients, including those essential for maintaining blood pressure, such as electrolytes.
• Adrenal Insufficiency: Chronic stress on the body from untreated celiac disease can sometimes lead to adrenal fatigue or insufficiency, which can cause low blood pressure.
• Immune Reaction: An intense immune response to gluten could potentially lead to systemic effects, including changes in blood pressure.

Just to be on the safe side be sure to bring up your symptoms with your doctor.