Out..of..breath

[Jai]

I'm so tired of being out of breath. I've been gluten-free for 5 months now and it has definitely improved, but still randomly, I get so out of breath from very simple things...sometimes for no reason at all. I used to be an athlete and now 1 flight of stairs and I'm winded. I'm 33 years old, healthy, non-smoker. I'm tired of this.

Am I alone?

[domesticactivist]

Have you been checked out for asthma or IgE allergies?

[nikki-uk]

Could you be anaemic??

[sandsurfgirl]

It's really important you get checked for this. It could be asthma, allergies or a whole bunch of other things that are easy to fix.

[kwylee]

Just wondering, is it a feeling of being truly winded, or a feeling like no matter how hard to breathe in you don't feel like you're getting enough air?

I've had the latter in the last few months when I was going through a little weirdness with my stomach - that and a little chronic nausea. The breathing "thing" was pretty severe and I even underwent chest xrays, stress testing and breathing testing. All came back stellar. Right around the time the breathing thing started I had begun eating a slice or two of nitrate free bacon every morning, so I quit eating it altogether and it cleared up immediately (the nausea turned out to be minute cross contamination from supplements). But I've also noticed this breathing thing (to a much lesser degree) at times when my stomach isn't right, and sipping a glass of water seems to make it go away. So, because the breathing thing seemed to be connected to the bacon, I've wondered if it doesn't have more to do with dehydration than an issue of CC or anything else. Whatever it is, I know it's scary. Hope you can figure it out soon.

[IrishHeart]

Are you possibly anemic?

I was really short of breath for so long, even for a few months post-DX and gluten free. Just walking the length of my driveway had me breathing hard and feeling totally exhausted.

When I read that celiacs often have both B-12 and Folate deficiency anamia, I had my doctor test my folate level and sure enough, I had a FOLATE deficiency.

Once I was treated for 2 months with prescription folic acid, it stopped.

[Skylark]

For me it's low thyroid. I totally lose my exercise tolerance and a couple flights of stairs will have me red-faced and breathing hard.

[Chad Sines]

I have that out of breath feeling in my head (vs really not being able to breath) when I am having gut issues. I think some tummy gas is pushing the diaphragm up and messing with some nerves.

[Jai]

For me it's low thyroid. I totally lose my exercise tolerance and a couple flights of stairs will have me red-faced and breathing hard.

well, it is low, but not enough to treat...and it's always been low. I think that as I continue to recover/heal, it will go away, too....I hope anyways.

[sandsurfgirl]

well, it is low, but not enough to treat...and it's always been low. I think that as I continue to recover/heal, it will go away, too....I hope anyways.

Who told you it's not low enough to treat? Please read the website stopthethyroidmadness.com If it's low you need treatment. It's dangerous to have low thyroid, as you can see by your breathing problems. Get another doctor asap.

[Skylark]

well, it is low, but not enough to treat...and it's always been low. I think that as I continue to recover/heal, it will go away, too....I hope anyways.

You need a second opinion if you're hypothyroid and symptomatic and your doctor refuses to treat.

[DonnaMM]

I just found I have severe tachycardia (rapid heart beat) and often when my pulse goes really high sometimes over 200 I get very short of breath. Pay attention to how your heart feels when you are short of breath, if you have palpitations then she your doctor. I let it go for years blaming it on asthma and stress and now I am about one step away from heart failure, mind you I am only 24. Although I did get a drug for An illness that can cause heart damage but please be super careful!!!

[IrishHeart]

well, it is low, but not enough to treat...and it's always been low. I think that as I continue to recover/heal, it will go away, too....I hope anyways.

Jai,

Two things to consider:

What were the results of the thyroid antibodies test?

Do you have other symptoms indicative of hypothyroidism?

(And that is a good question, who told you it was "not low enough" treat?

A primary care doc or an endocrinologist?)

In MY case, my thyroid was sluggish and my TSH was always on the hypo side and when put on medications, it made me go nearly HYPER. (I was a jittery mess of anxiety and insomnia ) I was told it was okay to go OFF the meds when I questioned why I was on it in the first place. (no thyroid antibodies) My thyroid functions normally now, and some people report a similar recovery of thyroid function on here. Some people also have to adjust their meds after going gluten-free because their thyroid rebounds and they do not need as much.

They have changed the range that is used to judge what is "optimal range".

It used to be that a TSH of 4.5-5.5 was still considered "borderline" for hypo, but in 2003, the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists stated that doctors "consider treatment for patients who test outside the boundaries of a narrower margin based on a target TSH level of 0.3 to 3.0." Mine was 5.3 at one point, so going by the OLD range of 5.5, my PC doctor was reluctant to put me on medication. The endo disagreed--and as it turned out, my PCP was right all along. Even though THAT ONE reading was 5.3, it was also 4.2, .8 and 2.4 in the months that followed. Because of the un-DXED celiac, It was all over the place.

Now it is 1.8 - 2.4 and I feel fine.

If your numbers are outside of that range, maybe you need to see an endocrinologist for a second opinion? I would hate to see you go on medication and feel worse as a result. Likewise, it would be just as bad if you do not get APPROPRIATE treatment.

Blood work seems to be in order, in any case. Please do ask for a Folate level, though. It often gets overlooked (they check B-12 but not that) and is easily treated. Even my PCP said HE never would have thought of it. We have to be our own best advocates.

IMHO