Arrhythmia

[mirabella]

Alot of the forum has been saying they cant sleep very well. I also have this problem, but I believe mine is due to arrhythmia. When I lay down to sleep at nite my chest just pounds. I thought at first this was just muscle spasms. I regularly take my blood pressure. This usally is around 119/79 and a pulse rate of 90ish. Here lately my pulse is 57, 59, 60. Ive also noticed my heart is skipping beats. I can tell this by the machine, it show a little heart every time your heart beats. All my other symptoms have been great except for my pulse and a little shakey.

any opinions or anyone have the same symptoms

[Amyleigh0007]

I have had my heart feel like it is skipping a beat and then beat really hard for a minute. It used to happen all the time. I had to wear a heart monitor for 24 hours but the doctor found nothing unusual. Big surprise. I haven't experienced that feeling nearly as much now that I am gluten free.

[mirabella]

Did your dr say why you felt like this or why the test came back normal when clearly you felt differently??

[veggienft]

I tend to Wolf Parkinson White ventricular short cycles when I slip off my diet. But on my diet I was getting similar symptoms to yours, including athletes brachychardia. That's where you stand up, miss a beat or two, and get dizzy.

So I challenged some of the foods I was eating.

The result? My on-diet heart arrhythmia was caused by mint, especially peppermint, and by tomatoes. Tomatoes are a nightshade. Further challenges showed that other nightshades harm me in other ways.

If you google peppermint, you'll find that it's used to slow down heart rate. I'm off it for good.

..

[lovegrov]

If you haven't seen a doctor about this please do so.

richard

[Amyleigh0007]

Did your dr say why you felt like this or why the test came back normal when clearly you felt differently??

He said since the test was normal there was nothing to worry about. My doctor is not the greatest. He is the one who dx me with IBS in 1989 and he also blew me off when my Celiac test came back normal. I tried to change doctors after my Celiac test and the new office must have called the old office becuase the old office called me and asked me why I wanted to see this other doctor when Dr. So and So already tested me and it was negative. I don't see him often, I always go to the Urgi Care for things like the flu or sinus infections. Anyway, I live in a small town and there aren't a lot of choices.

[Jenny (AZ via TX)]

I also had arrhythmia before I was diagnosed. It scared me so much I went to a cardiologist (heart disease runs in my family). I wore the heart monitor for 24 hours which showed I had a few skipped beats, but that all was OK.

I have only had that happen to me one time since being gluten-free and it was very brief, not like before. Also, my BP is better and so is my pulse. I think, for me, dehydration was partly to blame. I would drink 12-15 8oz glasses of water each day and my doctor would tell me I was dehydrated. I actually thought she was nuts. But since reading this forum, that is very common.

[veggienft]

You need doctors when you are sick, bleeding, or have cancer, or a broken bone. A large portion of doctors don't consider it their responsibility to cure you from constantly feeling bad. Your doctor obviously falls into this category. The second doctor you tried to see also falls into this category, or falls under the control of your first doctor.

Many uncaring doctors rely on medical tests, tests which habitually produce false negatives, to wash their hands of further treatment of such patients.

Your doctor is an (deleted). But you're the one relying on an (deleted). So who's the (deleted)?

Stop eating 1) Sugar, and 2) glutenous grain. If that removes your "feeling bad" symptoms, then what's the question?

If you continue having brachychardia, then try eliminating mint and nightshades. If that removes your symptoms, then what's the question?

Feel free during any of this to find a physician who doesn't view patient care the way your current physician does.

..

[mirabella]

I do have a family physician that is pretty awesome. I did notice this past visit she was a little distant. Of course I broke down and cried when she asked how I was feeling. I said like @#$%. She obviously said this is depression, and my immediate reply was WELL YEAH after months of feeling weak and can hardly do my chores around the house. frustrated with no clue as to what is going on. I have asked her about going to a cardiologist, but she said I have no symptoms or D is not a symptom of the heart. My GI dr saw the arrythmia and asked me to follow up with my family Dr.

Amyleigh0007 you need to get a Dr. Do you like the urgent care? Are you new in town? When I am sick I absolutely hate those places. One day I had to wait over 6 hrs to be seen with my son. We quickly found a family prac.

[mirabella]

If you haven't seen a doctor about this please do so.

richard

This is just so hard to figure out for all the Drs. involved

[Shelly D.]

I have occassional missed beats, and then thumping to catch up, especially when I lay down at night. It is scary. I've also had episodes where my heart beats out of control. Once I had to call the EMTs and they had me at about 230 beats per minute without being able to convert it back, so they used a med to stop my heart for a few seconds. When I went to the ER the doc said that it was Supraventrical Tachycardia (SVT) and if it only happens once every 35 years that I shouldn't take meds for it but that I should follow up with a cardiologist. I didn't, my bad. About ten years later I had an eppisode IN my family doc's office and then had to follow up w/ the cardiologist. He agreed with the ER doc. What I have isn't immediately fatal but it is good to be able to give it a name (just like finally knowing I'm gluten intolerant ).

I haven't noticed any change since being gluten free, bummer. I did notice that it happens more often when I've over-eaten though.

Keep trying with your doctors, and if they don't help try someone less embedded in the AMA establishment. Go to a LPN or a chiropractor or a nutritionist that can refer you to someone more caring.

I would think having your pulse within the normal range would be a good thing though, 90 seems high.

[Amyleigh0007]

I do have a family physician that is pretty awesome. I did notice this past visit she was a little distant. Of course I broke down and cried when she asked how I was feeling. I said like @#$%. She obviously said this is depression, and my immediate reply was WELL YEAH after months of feeling weak and can hardly do my chores around the house. frustrated with no clue as to what is going on. I have asked her about going to a cardiologist, but she said I have no symptoms or D is not a symptom of the heart. My GI dr saw the arrythmia and asked me to follow up with my family Dr.

Amyleigh0007 you need to get a Dr. Do you like the urgent care? Are you new in town? When I am sick I absolutely hate those places. One day I had to wait over 6 hrs to be seen with my son. We quickly found a family prac.

I love the Urgi Care doctor. He really listens. I have seen him ten times more than my regular jerk doctor, but he is not a family doctor. He is emergency care only. I have only seen my jerk doctor maybe three or four times in my life (he's been my doctor since I was 14 - I'm 33 now). When I told my mom I was making an appointment to see the jerk doctor for Celiac testing she begged me not to. She doesn't like him either. I do not plan on seeing him anymore. I am going to go to my husbands doctor from now on.

[VioletBlue]

Wow. Uh, hmmm, okay.

An irregular heartbeat can be caused by a lot of things; vitamin and mineral deficiencies, thyroid problems, anxiety, intolerances or allergies, side effects of specific medications, actual heart diseases or disorders, dehydration, electrolyte imbalances. The list goes on. There is no one answer that works for everyone.

You can go back to the doctor and insist on further tests or you can change doctors. Would you or could you travel to a neighboring city to see another doctor? What will your health plan allow? Please remember that the Doctors work for you. You are paying their salary. Being pushy with a doctor is not a sin, and sometimes it's the only way to get through to them.

A lot of us here have experienced irregular heartbeats. Mine was brought on by sever anemia. I also sometimes react to certain foods that way. If you're not already, perhaps you could try keeping a food and symptom diary to see if your symptoms get better or worse after eating certain foods. A diary allows you to look back and start to make connections if it is indeed something you are eating.

You need doctors when you are sick, bleeding, or have cancer, or a broken bone. A large portion of doctors don't consider it their responsibility to cure you from constantly feeling bad. Your doctor obviously falls into this category. The second doctor you tried to see also falls into this category, or falls under the control of your first doctor.

Many uncaring doctors rely on medical tests, tests which habitually produce false negatives, to wash their hands of further treatment of such patients.

Your doctor is an (deleted). But you're the one relying on an (deleted). So who's the (deleted)?

Stop eating 1) Sugar, and 2) glutenous grain. If that removes your "feeling bad" symptoms, then what's the question?

If you continue having brachychardia, then try eliminating mint and nightshades. If that removes your symptoms, then what's the question?

Feel free during any of this to find a physician who doesn't view patient care the way your current physician does.

..

[Amyleigh0007]

VioletBlue: Wow. Uh, Hmmm, okay. I really feel like you are either mocking me or think I am a total moron. I realize that irregular heartbeat can be caused by many things. It has gone away since I became gluten free which was the point of my original post. Most of my health problems have gone away since I eliminated gluten. You mentioned allergies. I am getting tested for those tomorrow. You also mentioned a food diary. I have kept one and it was helpful. You mentioned thyroid problems. I have been tested for that too (by a different doctor) and all was good. I also had severe anemia but only when I was pregnant. I am okay now. If I was still experiencing heart problems I would certainly be proactive in finding a different doctor. I really believe gluten is the cause of my health problems and if I felt like there was something else going on I would be on top of it (hense the allergy testing). Please do not imply that I am stupid. I joined this forum for support and to vent to people who understand. Not to get attacked.

[celiac-mommy]

but she said I have no symptoms or D is not a symptom of the heart.

But 'D' can cause dehydration and dehydration can cause arrhythmias, did she mention that?

I'm a cardiovascular technologist, I have an extensive cardiac history as well. I know that (like mentioned before) that arrythmias can be cause by MANY things, they are very common, and most people notice them more at night because they are finally sitting or laying still so they become more noticeable, especially if you are laying on your left side because your heart is on the left side of your chest (in most people) and then the apex-the bottom of the ventricles/main pumping chambers--roll out towards your rib cage and you feel the skipping beats more. 90 bpm is still within the normal range, but everyone's normal is different so you need to know what yours 'normally' runs for what is right for you. 'Normal" is between 60-100, but some people's normal is in the 50's (usually runners) and some are pushing the 100's. If you think there is something wrong, you need to listen to your body and find someone who will listen to you. You know your body better than any doctor can possibly.

[mirabella]

I appreciate everyones input. I do have a dr appt. on Friday. And with everyones help I have made a list of things to go over so I do not forget what to mention. Laying on my left side is how I sleep. so this does make alot of sense why I feel this more at nite. I have to learn to be more aggressive when it comes to knowing what all test have been done. I dont know what the panels are.

Amyleigh0007 It makes it alot easier if you like the Dr. I just done wanna seem like the person who complains or moans if she cant find anything wrong. NEXT she will think I am a hypochondriac.

[hawaiimama]

I have this happen when my ferritin is in the toilet.

[purple]

A friend told me her heart did that when she went through menopause- related to the thyroid. I tried to read up on it b/c mine acts like Amyleigh0007. Sometimes it goes a week without beating funny. Anyway I read somewhere that you can have a reaction to Phenylalanine...its an amino acid. Something to add to the list.

[mirabella]

I have this happen when my ferritin is in the toilet.

WHAT?

[hawaiimama]

I get weird heart beast when my ferritin is really low. I think it has something to do with oxygen in my blood or small hemoglobin. Never fails. I can tell that my ferritin is low from the way my heart feels. Am I a freak?

[mirabella]

I have never heard it put in such wording. I thought someone was being creepy.

Everyone has different symptoms. Are you a smoker? my grandmother use to tell me the same thing but after she smoke a cig.

[hawaiimama]

nope have never as much as lit a cigarette let alone ever smoked one. I have had heart tests too and its all fine. Its definatley blood realted with me. Happened to my friend when she was preg too. She was really freaked out by it and I told her to ask them to test her iron and it was low.

[mirabella]

I haven't a clue what my iron is like. Is that in just a regular blood work panel or do you have to ask for it seperately??

[hawaiimama]

no its not in a CBC. Ferritin is your iron stores. If it gets low your hemoglobin start getting smaller because your body has less stored iron to call upon. hemoglobin is in a cbc though.

[mirabella]

Hmm! who needs higher education when you have the forum.

thank you