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Can Celiac Cause Heart Problems?

kellysensei

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kellysensei Apprentice
kellysensei
Posted

This fall, I went gluten-free for seven weeks but then went back to gluten on Dec. 9 to do blood work (which I'll have done next week). An EnteroLab stool test recently came back positive for gluten sensitivity.

 

About four weeks ago, I started having pains in my left chest. Sometimes they're sharp pains; sometimes it's a dull ache. Sometimes it feels like it's my ribs, but much of the time it feels like it's my heart. Yet I had an EKG and an echocardiogram (ultrasound) done, and they both came back normal. My doctor seems confused and said "this is a strange case." She basically just told me to take a bunch of Ibuprofen.

 

Could gluten be giving me chest pains, by any chance? I didn't think so, but the pain had subsided a bit last week, then I ate a bunch of gluten this weekend and the pain is much worse again today. I don't know what to think...

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ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

IMHO it is more likely you are experiencing stomach pains or it could possibly be gas. I get those pains when I get glutened or soyed. Many times a quick dose of brand name Pepto Bismal liquid will relieve it. Can't say that is the case for you. It does sound like your doctor is on top of this and has ruled out heart issues. That should give you at least some relief from that worry.

Hopefully you will be done with your challenge and be able to go back to gluten free soon and the pains will end.

w8in4dave Community Regular
w8in4dave
Posted

It can cause acid reflux, sometimes people go to the Hosp. because they think they are having a heart attack and find out it is acid reflux. It happened to me. I didn't go to the Hosp. but went to the Dr. after an episode. 

kellysensei Apprentice
kellysensei
Posted
  • Author

I was diagnosed with acid reflux in September, but that's not what this is. I've had a lot of bad heartburn this fall, and the pain I'm having now is not heartburn, nor is it stomach pain. The sharp pains I'm having are directly behind my left breast, and the throbbing pains are directly under and also to the left of that breast. 

kenlove Rising Star
kenlove
Posted

My doc has been trying to figure this out for more than 7 years.  My heart problems started after I got celiac in my 50s. They have tried to figure out why i have both atrial fibrulation and a flutter.  ive had to have cardiac ablation  which helped a lot  but now its 3 years later and have some of the same problems.  Just  took back the  monitor yesterday and waiting on the results. I did buy a BP machines which also gives pulse and tells you if you have an irregular heart beat. Not just about the pain  which I have some of the times. It comes and go but when my heart pops in and out of sinus or into a fib, it can  wake me up and give a lot of pain. A clinic i went to for a month had me go vegan about  4 years ago and I was fine. If I cheat which has only been about 6 times, i feel it in an hour. That is  cheat on being vegan not celiac.  Pulse stays about 88 even when resting but will go to 150 and sometimes drop to 40.

really makes it hard to be consistent.  Keep a record for your doc will help and getting that $100 machine will give you an idea of whats going on too. Good luck

 

This fall, I went gluten-free for seven weeks but then went back to gluten on Dec. 9 to do blood work (which I'll have done next week). An EnteroLab stool test recently came back positive for gluten sensitivity.

 

About four weeks ago, I started having pains in my left chest. Sometimes they're sharp pains; sometimes it's a dull ache. Sometimes it feels like it's my ribs, but much of the time it feels like it's my heart. Yet I had an EKG and an echocardiogram (ultrasound) done, and they both came back normal. My doctor seems confused and said "this is a strange case." She basically just told me to take a bunch of Ibuprofen.

 

Could gluten be giving me chest pains, by any chance? I didn't think so, but the pain had subsided a bit last week, then I ate a bunch of gluten this weekend and the pain is much worse again today. I don't know what to think...

frieze Community Regular
frieze
Posted

could be referred pain, coming from gut/stomache.  try gingerale/Maalox.

Jackie F Newbie
Jackie F
Posted

When I first started having issues after eating bread, etc my first symptom right away was heart palpitations. Then, an hour or so later I would have racing heart and sweating (somewhat like heart attack symptoms). After 8-12 hours of that, then the stomach pains, vomiting, fatigue, fog and finally the last stage is numbness in my wrists and face.  Granted, I was born with a severe congenital heart defect, but this disease is an autoimmune disease.  From what I was told by my cardiologist is that when I eat gluten (and now it is always by accident) the disease causes inflammation in my heart and attacks my heart.  I will have chest pains and palpitations for about a week after I eat gluten.  That is by far the worst part of the disease for me.  I can deal with the stomach issues, fatigue, but the heart attack symptoms are terrible!  Everyone is different, but this is the reason I never cheat on my diet, and if I eat gluten it is by accident. 

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eers03 Explorer
eers03
Posted

This fall, I went gluten-free for seven weeks but then went back to gluten on Dec. 9 to do blood work (which I'll have done next week). An EnteroLab stool test recently came back positive for gluten sensitivity.

 

About four weeks ago, I started having pains in my left chest. Sometimes they're sharp pains; sometimes it's a dull ache. Sometimes it feels like it's my ribs, but much of the time it feels like it's my heart. Yet I had an EKG and an echocardiogram (ultrasound) done, and they both came back normal. My doctor seems confused and said "this is a strange case." She basically just told me to take a bunch of Ibuprofen.

 

Could gluten be giving me chest pains, by any chance? I didn't think so, but the pain had subsided a bit last week, then I ate a bunch of gluten this weekend and the pain is much worse again today. I don't know what to think...

You are not alone!  I think this is very common.  During my last trip to Mayo for follow-up on my celiac disease, I met a phlebotomist who had the same problem.  She was scared it was some kind of heart issue.  All of her tests were coming back negative.  She eventually found out she had celiac disease.  After a few months of eating gluten-free her symptom went away and has not returned since.

 

I had the exact same problem.  Saw a cardiologist and everything was fine.  After being on the diet for a few months those sharp sensations eventually went away.

bartfull Rising Star
bartfull
Posted

https://www.celiac.com/forums/topic/105835-mast-cell-activation-syndrome-mcas/

anti-soprano Apprentice
anti-soprano
Posted

I was diagnosed with acid reflux in September, but that's not what this is. I've had a lot of bad heartburn this fall, and the pain I'm having now is not heartburn, nor is it stomach pain. The sharp pains I'm having are directly behind my left breast, and the throbbing pains are directly under and also to the left of that breast. 

It seems that some people do have actual heart problems associated with their disease.  But I can tell you I had the exact same pains as you have experienced and have no diagnosed heart issues, despite several EKGs over the years before diagnosis and a stress test after diagnosis. The pains are mostly in the sides of my ribs and wrap around to the breast bone- running right under my breasts at times and sitting on my sternum others.  I have had them on both sides, but admittedly notice it more when it happens on the left due to fear about the heart.  

 

I had these pains for 10 years.  I tried pain killers and they did nothing.  I was on acid reflux meds for 6 of those ten years because I thought the pain was from GERD.  When I finally met the saintly GI doc who diagnosed me, the first thing she told me was the pain I was experiencing (as you described) was NOT acid reflux and I needed to go off my meds and have an accurate test.  The bravo implant test showed no reflux, but while she was down there, she biopsied my small intestine and viola!- celiac.

 

I sometimes still have these pains with no gluten.  I've researched it on the forum and there is another(!) autoimmune condition that simply causes inflammation of the cartilage where it attaches to the breastbone (sternum). Open Original Shared Link

Really, I just chalk it up to that since my heart has been tested many times.  There are a list of other illnesses that "feature costochondritis". Celiac is not listed but the others that are seem to be autoimmune related as well.  It's possible that many of us have it and it simply isn't documented yet.

 

Shellie

1desperateladysaved Proficient
1desperateladysaved
Posted

I had some heart trouble before my diagnosis.  My blood pressure would plunge when I stood up.  My problem improved with supplements.  I feel these troubles were brought on by celiac.  I had a very nutritious diet, but my nutrient levels were low.

 

D 

anand Newbie
anand
Posted

Pl. rule out sarcoidosis ..it is another autoimmune which can occur along with celiac. Sarcoidosis can cause heart tissue damage..

A PET CT is needed to rule out any heart muscle damage... Ibubrufen works for sarcoidosis as do all NSAIDs... You doctor is probably guessing there maybe some autoimmune action taking place and that's why giving ibubrufen...

In short, ask ur doctor to rule out sarcoidosis and get a pet ct of heart if possible.

kellysensei Apprentice
kellysensei
Posted
  • Author

At my follow-up appointment yesterday, my doctor continued to insist it's not my heart, because of the normal tests. She can't say what IS causing my pain, though. She prescribed me an anti-inflammatory drug called Naproxen. Until I have time to pick it up, I'm taking Ibuprofen a few times a day (starting today; I'd really only taken it twice in the last two weeks). We'll see if either has any effect. Today the pain was mostly in my ribs instead of my breast or heart. It changes all the time; grrr.

 

Thanks for the responses; it's a bit comforting to know that other people have experience chest pains, too, and are still alive and well. LOL

anand Newbie
anand
Posted

Do u have any breathing problems..

kellysensei Apprentice
kellysensei
Posted
  • Author

Nope, no breathing problems, no nausea, dizziness, breathlessness, numbness, or anything like that. Exercise doesn't bother me. That's what makes all these pains so weird...

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    • knitty kitty
      Accuracy of testing concerns

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @McKinleyWY, For a genetic test, you don't have to eat gluten, but this will only show if you have the genes necessary for the development of Celiac disease.  It will not show if you have active Celiac disease.   Eating gluten stimulates the production of antibodies against gluten which mistakenly attack our own bodies.  The antibodies are produced in the small intestines.  Three grams of gluten are enough to make you feel sick and ramp up anti-gluten antibody production and inflammation for two years afterwards.  However, TEN grams of gluten or more per day for two weeks is required to stimulate anti-gluten antibodies' production enough so that the anti-gluten antibodies move out of the intestines and into the bloodstream where they can be measured in blood tests.  This level of anti-gluten antibodies also causes measurable damage to the lining of the intestines as seen on biopsy samples taken during an endoscopy (the "gold standard" of Celiac diagnosis).   Since you have been experimenting with whole wheat bread in the past year or so, possibly getting cross contaminated in a mixed household, and your immune system is still so sensitized to gluten consumption, you may want to go ahead with the gluten challenge.   It can take two years absolutely gluten free for the immune system to quit reacting to gluten exposure.   Avoiding gluten most if the time, but then experimenting with whole wheat bread is a great way to keep your body in a state of inflammation and illness.  A diagnosis would help you stop playing Russian roulette with your and your children's health.      
    • trents
      Accuracy of testing concerns

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the celiac.com community, @McKinleyWY! There currently is no testing for celiac disease that does not require you to have been consuming generous amounts of gluten (at least 10g daily, about the amount in 4-6 slices of wheat bread) for at least two weeks and, to be certain of accurate testing, longer than that. This applies to both phases of testing, the blood antibody tests and the endoscopy with biopsy.  There is the option of genetic testing to see if you have one or both of the two genes known to provide the potential to develop celiac disease. It is not really a diagnostic measure, however, as 30-40% of the general population has one or both of these genes whereas only about 1% of the general population actually develops celiac disease. But genetic testing is valuable as a rule out measure. If you don't have either of the genes, it is highly unlikely that you can have celiac disease. Having said all that, even if you don't have celiac disease you can have NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity) which shares many of the same symptoms as celiac disease but does not involve and autoimmune reaction that damages the lining of the small bowel as does celiac disease. Both conditions call for the complete elimination of gluten from the diet. I hope this brings some clarity to your questions.
    • McKinleyWY
      Accuracy of testing concerns

      By McKinleyWY · Posted

      Hello all, I was diagnosed at the age of 2 as being allergic to yeast.  All my life I have avoided bread and most products containing enriched flour as they  contain yeast (when making the man made vitamins to add back in to the flour).  Within the last year or so, we discovered that even whole wheat products bother me but strangely enough I can eat gluten free bread with yeast and have no reactions.  Obviously, we have come to believe the issue is gluten not yeast.  Times continues to reinforce this as we are transitioning to a gluten free home and family.  I become quite ill when I consume even the smallest amount of gluten. How will my not having consumed breads/yeast/gluten for the better part of decades impact a biopsy or blood work?  I would love to know if it is a gluten intolerance or a genetic issue for family members but unsure of the results given my history of limited gluten intake.   I appreciate the input from those who have gone before me in experience and knowledge. Thank you all!
    • trents
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      By trents · Posted

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