Heart Complications?

[karkar892]

32 year old healthy woman, possible Celiac.

Have been off gluten for about 2 months and stomach pain resolved. However, went on a "gluten-binge" at an event about 2 weeks ago. Since then I've had (in the following order): Frequent urination, low-grade fever, abdominal and pelvic pain, fatigue, mental fog. Most of these have resolved. Had pretty severe constipation for about a week (only went twice) Last Wed I was in the ER for chest pain in the center of my chest (like a fist). Pain moderate and somewhat diffuse. Saturday I was back in ER for squeezing type pain in left chest, left upper arm, and left side of neck. Diagnosed with pre-ventricular contractions (PVCs) of unknown origin. Wearing halter monitor for 24 hours and have stress echo scheduled.

Still no diagnosis. Could this all have started from the gluten binge? Can celiac impact heart like this?

[Raven815]

I don't know, but I am 49 years old, just dx'd and I had triple bypass heart surgery at 42 years old. Coincidence? I wonder. I'll pray for you.

Laura

[IrishHeart]

Your symptoms sound like they are gluten-related. (and I had all the ones you list, including the pain in my chest)

Celiac disease is associated with MANY health problems and involves many organs: heart, thyroid, liver, kidneys, the skin. It affects the brain in ways that are many and varied. I wore a holter monitor 5 times in the last 20 years for erratic heart beat, a-fib and intense pounding, yet my EKG is always normal.

Off gluten, it is, essentially, resolved. But I still have heart palps and a sudden weakness in my body. My doc still watches me as both my parents had/have a-fib and my Dad ( a celiac if there ever was one) required an aortic heart valve transplant.

There are many Pub Med articles that show a relationship between heart disease and celiac. (just google and you will find them)

Here are the cardio symptoms listed in Recognizing Celiac Disease:

CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM PROBLEMS

Disorders of the heart and blood vessels.

Angina Pectoris

Aortic Vasculitis

Atherosclerosis

Cardiomegaly

Coronary Artery Disease

Easy Bruising (Ecchymosis)

Hypertension

Idiopathic Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Nosebleeds, Unexplained

I always say this to people who ask me if gluten is their problem:

If you go off gluten for a while and then reintroduce it and you have major debilitating symptoms, then yes, you may have a gluten issue.

You said you are a "healthy 32- year -old woman"

My first question is: what made you go off gluten in the first place ?

[christianmom247]

Wow--I never even thought about a possible connection here! A couple days before I got my official celiac diagnosis, I had a sudden fainting/seizure spell where my blood pressure went down so low it wouldn't even register! So far they haven't been able to find a cause--my heart valve isn't the best, but not THAT bad. I also have high blood pressure even though my weight is normal and my diet very healthy, no drinking or smoking, etc.

Seems there's so much about celiac that they still don't know! :-\

[Bubba's Mom]

32 year old healthy woman, possible Celiac.

Have been off gluten for about 2 months and stomach pain resolved. However, went on a "gluten-binge" at an event about 2 weeks ago. Since then I've had (in the following order): Frequent urination, low-grade fever, abdominal and pelvic pain, fatigue, mental fog. Most of these have resolved. Had pretty severe constipation for about a week (only went twice) Last Wed I was in the ER for chest pain in the center of my chest (like a fist). Pain moderate and somewhat diffuse. Saturday I was back in ER for squeezing type pain in left chest, left upper arm, and left side of neck. Diagnosed with pre-ventricular contractions (PVCs) of unknown origin. Wearing halter monitor for 24 hours and have stress echo scheduled.

Still no diagnosis. Could this all have started from the gluten binge? Can celiac impact heart like this?

If I get a small dose of cc, one of my first symptoms is throwing PVCs. I've gotten chest pain that radiated to my jaw, arm, and back too.

Before my Dx I had a bad chest pain episode and was taken by ambulance to the ER. My blood pressure was sky high. They did a heart cath and found no blockages. My EKG looks normal unless I'm having PVCs at the time. They had no explanation for the cause of it.

My hubby, who I suspect has Celiac had a nearly fatal heart attack at the age of 50.

My cousin, who I suspect has Celiac has had open heart surgery and is currently on a heart transplant waiting list.

Now that I'm gluten-free I only get heart symptoms if accidentally getting gluten by cc.

[mushroom]

I just last week had an ablation procedure for atrial fibrillation which I trace back directly to food reactions. It has been my major food problem. Used to cause fainting initially. I cannot state with certainty that it is gluten; I believe it to be lectins (a different kind of protein) that I react to.

[peeptoad]

I get PVCs even when I haven't been glutened... although so many things can be connected to the consumption of gluten that it wouldn't surprise me if the two were connected.

[1desperateladysaved]

recently learned that my blood pressure had been in 2007 as high as 180/115, My pulse was almost undetectable at times. I remember a nurse having trouble with that in my tiny second grade arm. Later symptoms included heavy periods, fluctuating weight gain and loss, water retention, intestinal irritablility, frequent urination, extreme thirst, skin numbness and temperature flushes. My blood pressure would plummet when I went from laying down to standing. In other words I was in serious trouble physically.

This condition was reversed by supplements that helped make up for nutrients I was deficient in. We did not know I had Celiac, though.

I just bought a copy of Gluteen-Free Living. There was a listing of Auto-immune diseases. "Cardiomyopathy is an inflammatory disorder of the heart=muscle." The kind assoicated with Celiac most often is congestive cardiomyopathy. The muscles of the heart swell and the heart gets weak. It states that a gluten free diet helps the heart to function better.

I expect that I will have some ineviditable consequences of living with 30 years of gluten intolerance or more. I expect to be amazed at the design of the body going forward and heal as best I can.

[Lucy Lastic]

If I get a small dose of cc, one of my first symptoms is throwing PVCs. I've gotten chest pain that radiated to my jaw, arm, and back too.

Before my Dx I had a bad chest pain episode and was taken by ambulance to the ER. My blood pressure was sky high. They did a heart cath and found no blockages. My EKG looks normal unless I'm having PVCs at the time. They had no explanation for the cause of it.

My hubby, who I suspect has Celiac had a nearly fatal heart attack at the age of 50.

My cousin, who I suspect has Celiac has had open heart surgery and is currently on a heart transplant waiting list.

Now that I'm gluten-free I only get heart symptoms if accidentally getting gluten by cc.

That's interesting. I didn't know what PVC was until after I read this and looked it up but I have had skipped heart beats and palpitations for the last 20 years which is the same length of time I have had IBS. They seem worse when my intestines and stomach are flared up too. Wow.

[karkar892]

Update:

Blood shows potassium and magnesium right on the dot for lowest possible level of "normal" but perhaps that is low and not normal to me bc of malabsorption?

Stress echo normal. Kicked up 1000 pvcs while on halter. Still having symptoms....

[mushroom]

Update:

Blood shows potassium and magnesium right on the dot for lowest possible level of "normal" but perhaps that is low and not normal to me bc of malabsorption?

Stress echo normal. Kicked up 1000 pvcs while on halter. Still having symptoms....

Lowest possible level of normal is not "normal". You need to really up your electrolytes, keep a 4:1 ratio of potassium to sodium,for the sodium/potassium pump to work properly, and make sure that your magnesium is getting into the cells, not just between them. Can't stress enough how important good levels of K and Mg are. There is a test called the Exatest to check your intracellular magnesium. When I find out how to get it I will let you know - I am on its path