Does Anyone Else Get Chest Pain From Eating Anything?

[Lori T.]

G.F. X2 years now and still do not have a handle on digestion. Better off with no food at all. So hungry that I eat quickly too. Am not one of the thin Celiacs either. Work for local school trans. dept., up 5am, shower, eat, on the road until 9am, back at l p.m. until 4 p.m., so I eat in between and sometimes even on the bus, so I need quick meals. Also, have husband, son and am primary caregiver for my 81 year old mother. The nutrition bars give me heartburn/stomach palps. Also, diabetic/rheumatoid/intolerant to all of the following: carrots, celery, onions,tomatoes,corn,soy,dairy,beef,pork,msg,artificial sweeteners,seeds,peanuts and peanut oil, and the list is growing. Always ate all of the above until 2 years ago. Ended up with an arrythmia that had to be fixed surgically and ever since taking the medications to regulate the heart beat until surgery, namely Toprol, have been sick as a dog. Even water must be sipped very slowly and I will still end up with heartburn and palps. Have tried eating only at home so that I know the food is safe, but I like to have a little bit of a life. Try to stick to plain salads when out, but beyond vinegar and oil, and they become questionable in some places, I cannot even eat dressing. The lettuce will digest 3 hours later and umpteen burps later. Not getting good help from the nutritionist here either. Told me to stop eating W.R.B.O. and avoid anything that seems glutenous!! Then gave me a diet that has so many carbs, I would be 500 lbs. in a week. Also told me to eat more fruit and I am diabetic. Getting very frustrated and always feeling lousy. Very depressed. IN need of a solid months diet plan accomodating all of these issues, but cannot seem to get the med. community to understand. They pat my hand and send me to the next quack. Triglycerides and cholesterol had been through the roof initially on the gluten-free diet but the carbs were cut way back and am walking/exercising more and it has helped, but with the right diet combo, am sure it would be much better. I know it is said that it takes time to get the stomach back in line after diagnosis and starting the gluten-free diet, but enough is enough. Sorry so grouchy and writing so much, but trying to give as much info. to anyone who may be going through the same thing, so I can get some help.

[ravenwoodglass]

"ever since taking the medications to regulate the heart beat until surgery, namely Toprol, have been sick as a dog."

This may be significant, has your pharmacist checked to make certain that this is gluten-free? And if it is a generic does he check it at each refill? Is there a different drug that your doctor could try for a bit to see if you are reacting to the Toprol?

[GlutenGalAZ]

Hi.

I switched over to Metoprolol this past year from what I was taking. Meteoprolol is generic for Toprol-XL. On your medicine bottle there should be the manufacture name that you can look up online to get a phone number or ask your pharmacy for the number to call and verify that it doesn't have something in it that is bothering you possibly. I have not had any problems with the one I am on but you never know b/c there are so many manufactures now.

What about rice? Can you have Rice and Chicken with some vegetables?

I haven't had chest pains in a while now -- but Thanksgiving I ate something that gave me really bad heart burn/acid reflux for a couple of days and I haven't had that in a LONG time ahhh.

About 2 years ago I was getting chest pain in my upper left side of my chest. My heart dr was running so many tests and everything came back fine. I finally went to a chiropractor and it ended up being that my ribs in that area got out of place (or however you would say that) and so I got an adjustment and felt SOOOO much better.

What about dairy? Have you tried cutting it out for a while to see if things change/improve? Are you avoiding spicey food (cause heart burn in some)?

I hope you figure things out.

Good Luck!

edit: Side note...Stress is also a factor with chest pain. I know when I get really stressed I will start to get chest pains. Oh forgot to ask...Have you or ever kept a food journal? This way you can write down what you are eating and how you feel to see if there is a pattern maybe with a food that you would have never thought bothered you.

[Lori T.]

"ever since taking the medications to regulate the heart beat until surgery, namely Toprol, have been sick as a dog."

This may be significant, has your pharmacist checked to make certain that this is gluten-free? And if it is a generic does he check it at each refill? Is there a different drug that your doctor could try for a bit to see if you are reacting to the Toprol?

Should have stated that I have not been on the Toprol since the surgery 12/05. But the little I have been able to read in depth about the drug, it has the nasty side effect of doing stomach damage!! As soon as I took the first pill, I did not feel right. Loss of sensation in limbs, dizzy. Told the doctor and got changed to something else, but I think the damage was done. Was always hungry, but never got filled up and ended up over 350 lbs. Had the surgery and just got sicker until diagnosis 10/19/06. Funny to remember the exact day. Got so sick after surgery that I lost 50 lbs. just from the stomach issues-pain!! Went doc to doc being told I had lost my mind until meeting a spec. gastro. who found Celiac, changed my acid meds to Protonix, about the 10th med for that and showed the first sign of a doctor who cared. Most of the very severe pain has subsided, but still living with so much stuff that sometimes I think I am losing my mind. I can say though that since I found this site, I have read a lot peoples frofiles and problems and can see that Celiac has sure dealt a rough hand to a LOT of people. So many common traits but a lot of long term issues as well. Does it ever truly get better?? Thought I was on the perfect road when first diagnosed, but still trekking to find the answers. Have been checking all meds, makeup, of course food and anything else my hysterical mind can think of to make sure nothing non-gluten-free gets in. I am sure your journey in this crazy life has been interesting as well. Sorry to be so negative sounding, but I was writing at 4am because I couldn't sleep with my stomach on the move so much and needed to vent. How do you get through it?? Hope you have a support system. Don't have as much understanding as I would like, but they do try here. Don't know what state you are but I am upstate N.Y. and the Celiac info here is limited. Hope you are doing well with your medicals and the diet. Thanks for listening.

[Lori T.]

Hi.

I switched over to Metoprolol this past year from what I was taking. Meteoprolol is generic for Toprol-XL. On your medicine bottle there should be the manufacture name that you can look up online to get a phone number or ask your pharmacy for the number to call and verify that it doesn't have something in it that is bothering you possibly. I have not had any problems with the one I am on but you never know b/c there are so many manufactures now.

What about rice? Can you have Rice and Chicken with some vegetables?

I haven't had chest pains in a while now -- but Thanksgiving I ate something that gave me really bad heart burn/acid reflux for a couple of days and I haven't had that in a LONG time ahhh.

About 2 years ago I was getting chest pain in my upper left side of my chest. My heart dr was running so many tests and everything came back fine. I finally went to a chiropractor and it ended up being that my ribs in that area got out of place (or however you would say that) and so I got an adjustment and felt SOOOO much better.

What about dairy? Have you tried cutting it out for a while to see if things change/improve? Are you avoiding spicey food (cause heart burn in some)?

I hope you figure things out.

Good Luck!

edit: Side note...Stress is also a factor with chest pain. I know when I get really stressed I will start to get chest pains. Oh forgot to ask...Have you or ever kept a food journal? This way you can write down what you are eating and how you feel to see if there is a pattern maybe with a food that you would have never thought bothered you.

Avoiding all of the list that I mentioned. In the beginning, before final diagnosis and an allergists diagnosis as well, I was eating small amounts of things thinking that it would go away, but live and learn I did!! Just wrote a reply to one of the other members telling her my story as well that the Toprol has been stopped since surgery 12/05, but the damage is obviously done. Found some info on it on the web and all state severe stomach damage is noted in some patients. Only took it until I could get the doc on the phone to tell him it was making me sick, but I guess the little I took was it. Have not kept a food journal but that is a great idea. I did make a log of all my doc visits and tests and allergies-food and meds, just that I and the docs could keep track. But a day to day log would be a good idea. Started something like that and just made the allergy list instead because that's what doc wanted. To answer your question, I do eat rice, chicken, fish, turkey and veggies but most anything takes forever to digest. I burp for hours and the pain that creates is not worth it sometimes. But they don't make me the same kind of sick the other intolerance foods make. That is sheer torture. I go to the chiropractor anyway due to a bone spur in my neck, so I know about how good it feels to be adjusted. Seems like when he does my upper back, the chest pain is worse though. Told him last time and he is adjusting his method to accomodate. It has definately helped my mood relieving the general pain in the neck:) But, I agree that when I am stressed, I am much worse. Hate to admit that I finally did resort to taking a trip to a Psych. He uses older methodsmeds that work pretty well for me. Don't take all the time, but if I need it, I do. Have had all of the gastric tests imaginable and all are coming back negative, except for Celiac biopsy. Mri's, CT's, blood-poked and prodded from all angle and nothing other than what I stated before. Just dealing day to day. Sorry to be so negative. Bad day. Hope that things have improved for you. I am sure you have not had the easiest ride either. None of the people on this site or any other pertaining to Celiac have. Thought the diet would be the answer.