Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Possible Explanation For Pounding Heart Beat After Eating Meals

krishna

Recommended Posts

krishna Apprentice
krishna
Posted

Hi,

I met my doctor recently to talk about the pounding heart beat symptom after eating meals and got some answers. According to him, it happens due to delay in gastric emptying. The food break down flow process in your body is in haywire and there's a timing mismatch between the time the food enters and the production of enzymes in pancreas. This causes the new food we eat to accumulate in the GI tract, which can then cause blockage. Also I learned that the neurons that transmit signals to our abdominal muscles to function correctly get weak and can contribute to the delay in gastric emptying too. All this can cause different mechanisms in our body to kick in and cause the pounding heart beat. My doctor said eventually the mechanisms will fix themselves but it can take up to 2 years. For now, the best thing to do is to eat smaller meals. He also told me to take Triphala, ancient Indian herbal medicine which was invented 2000 years ago so I got it and now using it after every meal. BTW, my doctor is also gluten intolerant and have had some of these symptoms as well ;)

Triphala wiki link:

Open Original Shared Link

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


burdee Enthusiast
burdee
Posted

Pounding heart beat or tachycardia is my standard allergy reaction to cane sugar, one of my diagnosed (by ELISA blood test) IgG mediated allergies. I don't even have to eat a meal with cane sugar to get that reaction. I only need to take a Tylenol caplet which has cane sugar coating. So my tachycardia is not related to delayed gastric emptying. I also get tachycardia if my thyroid dose is too high. Tachycardia is a hyper (too much) thyroid symptom.

However, I did have delayed gastric emptying for years, even after diagnoses of and abstaining from gluten and 6 other food allergies. My delayed gastric emptying (also called gastroparesis) was caused by inadequate stomach acid, which was diagnosed by a Heidelberg capsule test for stomach acid production. My symptoms of gastroparesis were bloating, gas, and feeling very full after eating very little, but not feeling satisfied. The food felt like rocks in my stomach. I also noticed lots of undigested stuff in my stool.

Now I take hydrochloric acid capsules with each meal. Those improved my stomach acid level. So I no longer have delayed gastric emptying or any of those indigestion symptoms.

I never heard of tachycardia being caused by gastroparesis. I have heard of triphala being used for constipation. So maybe triphala improves gut motility, which could improve gastric emptying time. Since gastroparesis could also be caused by undiagnosed food allergies or gluten intolerance, I'd like to hear from others who have delayed gastric emptying or gastroparesis ... What are your gastroparesis symptoms?

SUE

krishna Apprentice
krishna
Posted
  • Author

Pounding heart beat or tachycardia is my standard allergy reaction to cane sugar, one of my diagnosed (by ELISA blood test) IgG mediated allergies. I don't even have to eat a meal with cane sugar to get that reaction. I only need to take a Tylenol caplet which has cane sugar coating. So my tachycardia is not related to delayed gastric emptying. I also get tachycardia if my thyroid dose is too high. Tachycardia is a hyper (too much) thyroid symptom.

However, I did have delayed gastric emptying for years, even after diagnoses of and abstaining from gluten and 6 other food allergies. My delayed gastric emptying (also called gastroparesis) was caused by inadequate stomach acid, which was diagnosed by a Heidelberg capsule test for stomach acid production. My symptoms of gastroparesis were bloating, gas, and feeling very full after eating very little, but not feeling satisfied. The food felt like rocks in my stomach. I also noticed lots of undigested stuff in my stool.

Now I take hydrochloric acid capsules with each meal. Those improved my stomach acid level. So I no longer have delayed gastric emptying or any of those indigestion symptoms.

I never heard of tachycardia being caused by gastroparesis. I have heard of triphala being used for constipation. So maybe triphala improves gut motility, which could improve gastric emptying time. Since gastroparesis could also be caused by undiagnosed food allergies or gluten intolerance, I'd like to hear from others who have delayed gastric emptying or gastroparesis ... What are your gastroparesis symptoms?

SUE

From what I understand, tachycardia is different from pounding heart beat.. tachycardia is when you have a heart rate of 100+ beats per minute and pounding heart beat is just your normal heart rate (mine is around 60 - 75 bpm). You could have tachycardia and pounding heart beat but in my case I only have the pounding heart beat sensation.

I have tightness/cramping in my abdomen, tightness in throat, pounding heart beat, fatigue and either loose stools or constipation.

I was initially misdiagnosed with gastritis by another doctor and took Nexium (acid blocker) for 15 days. Do you think this could be causing my acid production and causing it as well?

burdee Enthusiast
burdee
Posted

Sometimes I just have 'palpitatios' or what you call 'pounding heart beat'. However, I had tachycardia when I had hyperthyroid overdose as well as reactions from cane sugar.

My celiac symptoms were also initially misdiagnosed as gastritis. So I was prescribed zantac and Tagamet for several years. Also took Mylanta and maalox tablets for waaaay too long. Now I have diagnosed hypchloridia.

In answer to your question about Nexium ... ABSOLUTELY. Those acid blockers limit acid production long after you stop taking them. Low stomach acid will delay digestion and even cause indigestion when undigested proteins and fats enter the intestines. Do you notice any undigested food in your stools? That's a sure sign of malabsorption which can be caused by insufficient stomach acid or pancreatic insufficiency.

Reflux is almost never caused by too much stomach acid. Reflux is caused by the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) opening at inappropriate times. Some foods (chocolate, coffee, alcohol, onions, peppermint), certain drugs (demerol, NSAIDS, etc.) and lifestyle habits (going to bed right after dinner, tight waistbands and overeating) can all make the LES relax and open at inappropriate times. Also LOW stomach acid can cause reflux, because adequate stomach acid triggers the LES to stay closed during digestion. See "Why Stomach Acid is Good For You" by Jonathon Wright, MD for more info about reflux and low stomach acid. He also talks about gastritis, which can be caused by food allergies, celiac disease, prescription drugs and even H. Pylori bacteria.

SUE

  • 2 weeks later...
Gutsy Girl Rookie
Gutsy Girl
Posted

I've had magnesium deficiency a number of times (deficient enough to go to ER and get an IV with Mag dripping for several hours), and the pounding heartbeat is one of my clearest symptoms. I also get palpitations, much worse as my Mag deficiency becomes more severe.

Dehydration (a problem if you're often still having diarrhea or you just don't drink enough) can definitely play a part as well, and this only magnifies the heart pounding and palpitations.

I'm going to have to learn more about gastric emptying it seems, as I've suspected for a while that my GUT CLOCK that times where things go and when has been "off" for a long time. Good post.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. SamAlvi
      - SamAlvi replied to SamAlvi's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      7

      High TTG-IgG and Normal TTG-IgA

      Thanks again for the detailed explanation. Just to clarify, I actually did have my initial tests done while I was still consuming gluten. I stopped eating gluten only after those tests were completed, and it has now been about 70 days since I went gluten-free. I understand the limitations around diagnosing NCGS and the importance of antibody testing...
    2. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

      Blood tests for thiamine are unreliable. The nutrients from your food get absorbed into the bloodstream and travel around the body. So, a steak dinner can falsely raise thiamine blood levels in the following days. Besides, thiamine is utilized inside cells where stores of thiamine are impossible to measure. A better test to ask for is the Erythrocyte...
    3. lizzie42
      - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

      Neither of them were anemic 6 months after the Celiac diagnosis. His other vitamin levels (d, B12) were never low. My daughters levels were normal after the first 6 months. Is the thiamine test just called thiamine?
    4. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine. Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine. Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats. Meat, especially organ...
    5. lizzie42
      - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      6

      Son's legs shaking

      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc. Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food....
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,871
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Koyanna
    Newest Member
    Koyanna
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • SamAlvi
      High TTG-IgG and Normal TTG-IgA

      By SamAlvi · Posted

      Thanks again for the detailed explanation. Just to clarify, I actually did have my initial tests done while I was still consuming gluten. I stopped eating gluten only after those tests were completed, and it has now been about 70 days since I went gluten-free. I understand the limitations around diagnosing NCGS and the importance of antibody testing and biopsy for celiac disease. Unfortunately, where I live, access to comprehensive testing (including total IgA and endoscopy with biopsy) is limited, which makes things more complicated. Your explanation about small-bowel damage, nutrient absorption, and iron-deficiency anemia still aligns closely with my history, and it’s been very helpful in understanding what may be going on. I don't wanna get Endoscopy and I can't start eating Gluten again because it's hurt really with severe diarrhea.  I appreciate you taking the time to share such detailed and informative guidance. Thank you so much for this detailed and thoughtful response. I really appreciate you pointing out the relationship between anemia and antibody patterns, and how the high DGP IgG still supports celiac disease in my case. A gluten challenge isn’t something I feel safe attempting due to how severe my reactions were, so your suggestion about genetic testing makes a lot of sense. I’ll look into whether HLA testing is available where I live and discuss it with my doctor. I also appreciate you mentioning gastrointestinal beriberi and thiamine deficiency. This isn’t something any of my doctors have discussed with me, and given my symptoms and nutritional history, it’s definitely worth raising with them. I’ll also ask about correcting deficiencies more comprehensively, including B vitamins alongside iron. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and taking the time to help. I’ll update the forum as I make progress.
    • knitty kitty
      Son's legs shaking

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Blood tests for thiamine are unreliable.  The nutrients from your food get absorbed into the bloodstream and travel around the body.  So, a steak dinner can falsely raise thiamine blood levels in the following days.  Besides, thiamine is utilized inside cells where stores of thiamine are impossible to measure. A better test to ask for is the Erythrocyte Transketolace Activity test.  But even that test has been questioned as to accuracy.  It is expensive and takes time to do.   Because of the discrepancies with thiamine tests and urgency with correcting thiamine deficiency, the World Health Organization recommends giving thiamine for several weeks and looking for health improvement.  Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses.   Many doctors are not given sufficient education in nutrition and deficiency symptoms, and may not be familiar with how often they occur in Celiac disease.  B12 and Vitamin D can be stored for as long as a year in the liver, so not having deficiencies in these two vitamins is not a good indicator of the status of the other seven water soluble B vitamins.  It is possible to have deficiency symptoms BEFORE there's changes in the blood levels.   Ask your doctor about Benfotiamine, a form of thiamine that is better absorbed than Thiamine Mononitrate.  Thiamine Mononitrate is used in many vitamins because it is shelf-stable, a form of thiamine that won't break down sitting around on a store shelf.  This form is difficult for the body to turn into a usable form.  Only thirty percent is absorbed in the intestine, and less is actually used.   Thiamine interacts with all of the other B vitamins, so they should all be supplemented together.  Magnesium is needed to make life sustaining enzymes with thiamine, so a magnesium supplement should be added if magnesium levels are low.   Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  There's no harm in trying.
    • lizzie42
      Son's legs shaking

      By lizzie42 · Posted

      Neither of them were anemic 6 months after the Celiac diagnosis. His other vitamin levels (d, B12) were never low. My daughters levels were normal after the first 6 months. Is the thiamine test just called thiamine? 
    • knitty kitty
      Son's legs shaking

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine.  Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine.  Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and  Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats.  Meat, especially organ meats like liver, are the best sources of Thiamine, B12, and the six other B vitamins and important minerals like iron.   Thiamine has antibacterial and antiviral properties.  Thiamine is important to our immune systems.  We need more thiamine when we're physically ill or injured, when we're under stress emotionally, and when we exercise, especially outside in hot weather.  We need thiamine and other B vitamins like Niacin B 3 to keep our gastrointestinal tract healthy.  We can't store thiamine for very long.  We can get low in thiamine within three days.  Symptoms can appear suddenly when a high carbohydrate diet is consumed.  (Rice and beans are high in carbohydrates.)  A twenty percent increase in dietary thiamine causes an eighty percent increase in brain function, so symptoms can wax and wane depending on what one eats.  The earliest symptoms like fatigue and anxiety are easily contributed to other things or life events and dismissed.   Correcting nutritional deficiencies needs to be done quickly, especially in children, so their growth isn't stunted.  Nutritional deficiencies can affect intelligence.  Vitamin D deficiency can cause short stature and poor bone formation.   Is your son taking anything for the anemia?  Is the anemia caused by B12 or iron deficiency?  
    • lizzie42
      Son's legs shaking

      By lizzie42 · Posted

      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc.  Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food. The only processed food they eat regularly is a bowl of Cheerios here and there.  Could shaking legs be a symptom of just a one-time gluten exposure? I guess there's no way to know for sure if they're getting absolutely zero exposure because they do go to school a couple times a week. We do homeschool but my son does a shared school 2x a week and my daughter does a morning Pre-K 3 x a week.  At home our entire house is strictly gluten free and it is extremely rare for us to eat out. If we eat at someone else's house I usually just bring their food. When we have play dates we bring all the snacks, etc. I try to be really careful since they're still growing. They also, of course, catch kids viruses all the time so I  want to make sure I know whether they're just sick or they've had gluten. It can be pretty confusing when they're pretty young to even be explaining their symptoms! 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.