Heartburn Andstrange Spasms In The Esophegus

[T. Willick]

For the last several years I’ve been having this problem where right before I have to burp I get these weird sensations in my chest. It’s a though my heart or something in my esophagus is jumping upwards and sometimes it makes me feel lightheaded for a second or two. Other times it feels like something is squeezing my esophagus for a second.

Last fall my doctor sent me to two specialists. One was a general surgeon who detected my celiac disease positive test through a biopsy. The other was a neurologist who suggested that my symptoms could be suggesting an irritated vegas nerve.

My doctor said that normally celiac disease causes abdominal cramps and diarrhea symptoms. My general surgeon said that my symptoms should improve once I’ve been on a gluten-free diet for one month. My symptoms did improve in the first month and then they started to worsen at times over the last couple of months making me think that my mind interpreted the Gluten-free diet as a placebo. Then it makes me wonder if I have something else that could show up as celiac disease on the test.

After talking to some people with celiac disease they said that their symptoms didn’t all go away until after 6 months.

Is there anyway I could get retested without having to go through another endoscopy test?

Thanks, Tim

[chrissy]

one of my girls used to have alot of trouble with shortness of breath. the ped gi said that the reflux could be causing spasms and making her feel that way.

christine

[jerseyangel]

Hi Tim--I believe that if you were diagnosed positive for Celiac, via the biopsy, then there is no question about it--you have Celiac. Celiac has a great number of symptoms (around 200) and everyone experiences them differently. I have been gluten-free since last June. In December, I started getting reflux--for the first time, ever. To make a long story short, I saw an allergist recently who diagnosed me with bronchial spasms caused by reflux. We're both relatively sure that the Celiac is behind the reflux--so you see how all of these things can go hand in hand. Rather than thinking your diagnosis is incorrect, I would be more inclined to think that the Celiac may well be behind this. Just a thought

[slpinsd]

Tim,

I agree w/Jersey Angel. Since you were diagnosed Celiac by biopsy, then Celiac is definitely behind your symptoms. I have/had the same thing going on. Just after eating, I would feel instant reflux felt as "flutters" in my esophagus. It felt like palpitations or bubbles, and then my breathing would feel restricted. After 5-6 days, for the most part, that stopped. But it returns immediately when I get glutened, and now, I think that other food intolerances, like dairy and sugar, may be causing it. Sometimes I wonder if it was gluten at all. I was also diagnosed with asthma recently, which I think is due to the reflux as well.

Congratulations on getting a clear diagnosis! What other symptoms did you have? Was the heartburn your chief symptom? I would love to know. I second guess my diagnosis all the time. I was not clearly diagnosed as Celiac, and I often wonder if Celiac could cause only the upper GI symptoms. Did you have any other things like weight loss, anemia, fatigue, joint pain, or anything like that? I would say that the reflux was one of my "primary" symptoms.

It may take awhile to heal, hang in there. Could you be possibly getting glutened accidentally, which is bringing back your symptoms?

Kristen

[Carriefaith]

For the last several years I’ve been having this problem where right before I have to burp I get these weird sensations in my chest. It’s a though my heart or something in my esophagus is jumping upwards and sometimes it makes me feel lightheaded for a second or two. Other times it feels like something is squeezing my esophagus for a second.

I get heart problems from gluten, but I don't know if they are celiac related or wheat allergy related. I can get severe heart palpitations and mild to moderate heart pain and I can also feel dizzy and like I am going to pass out. My guess is that your symtpoms may be related to accidental gluten ingestion. Heart problems and feeling faint are related to wheat allergy or intolerance:

Symptoms of a wheat allergy or intolerance:

* Arthritis;

* Bloated stomach;

* Chest pains;

* Depression or mood swings;

* Diarrhoea;

* Eczema;

* Feeling dizzy or faint;

* Joint and muscle aches and pains;

* Nausea or vomiting;

* Palpitations;

* Psoriasis;

* Skin rashes;

* Sneezing;

* Swollen throat or tongue;

* Tiredness and lethargy;

* Unexplained cough;

* Unexplained runny nose;

* Watery or itchy eyes;

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[trents]

For the last several years I’ve been having this problem where right before I have to burp I get these weird sensations in my chest. It’s a though my heart or something in my esophagus is jumping upwards and sometimes it makes me feel lightheaded for a second or two. Other times it feels like something is squeezing my esophagus for a second.

Last fall my doctor sent me to two specialists. One was a general surgeon who detected my celiac disease positive test through a biopsy. The other was a neurologist who suggested that my symptoms could be suggesting an irritated vegas nerve.

My doctor said that normally celiac disease causes abdominal cramps and diarrhea symptoms. My general surgeon said that my symptoms should improve once I’ve been on a gluten-free diet for one month. My symptoms did improve in the first month and then they started to worsen at times over the last couple of months making me think that my mind interpreted the Gluten-free diet as a placebo. Then it makes me wonder if I have something else that could show up as celiac disease on the test.

After talking to some people with celiac disease they said that their symptoms didn’t all go away until after 6 months.

Is there anyway I could get retested without having to go through another endoscopy test?

Thanks, Tim

Wow! What impresses me is that a general surgeon thought to check for Celiac disease. Did you tip him off or did he think of that himself?

[T. Willick]

Hi thanks, for the adive. One question would my family doc be able to prescribe something that would calm down my palpatation spells or some treatment that would cure my nurves until the part of my system that wasn't feeding my nerves heals.

Thanks, Tim

[TCA]

My 1 year old has severe reflux and a heart condition. She has these gagging episodes about a dozen times a day. She refluxes and her hiatul hernia spasms. She is gluten free and on a number of reflux meds - carafate, reglad, prevacid..... I've asked what could cause it of so many doctors and they really don't know. some say it's the hernia, other a vagal (sp?) response due to nerve irritation, others say just the reflux. All seem to think she will outgrow it. I wonder if it could be some other food, though I have eliminated soy, dairy, nuts and fish systematically with no improvement. I'd be interested in something to lessen the vagal response too.