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Chest tightness only symptom of being glutened?

Noobette

By Noobette
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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Noobette Apprentice
Noobette
Posted

About 10 days ago I think I ate most of a wheat tortilla (the restaurant stuck to their story that it was a corn tortilla like I had ordered, but I don't believe them - I'm pretty sure it was wheat). Nothing happened in the first couple of days, then I developed intermittent chest tightness, which was one of my primary symptoms before my diagnosis, the others being bloating, food sitting like a rock in my stomach after eating, exercise intolerance, and weight loss. 

Anyone else get chest tightness as a symptom of being glutened? I haven't felt this symptom since I became very strict with cross-contamination.

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cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

No.  But I just want to say I am sorry that you took a hit.  I hope you recover fast! 

Megamaniac Newbie
Megamaniac
Posted

Hi this is my first time commenting but I just had to. I too get chest tightness. I have had it flare up several times with no answers. I was diagnosed with celiac about 6 months ago and am pretty confident this is a glutening symptom for me. Last month it was so bad... Started with random chest pains for a couple days then chest tightness that last for two weeks. I ended up going to the emergency room ( again) because I started worrying about my heart. Felt like my bra was so tight, bloated belly, trapped gas like pain in chest, swollen lump under sternum and no relief. EKG, chest xray and blood tests showed heart was fine. GI said he didn't think it was GI related. I give up on doctors. I've had this before and I'm sure I will again. It's like inflammation in there or something but it makes you anxious and uncomfortable. I truly hope you are okay and I hope it will give you some comfort to know you aren't the only one with this.

Noobette Apprentice
Noobette
Posted
  • Author

Thank you @Megamaniac - I don't hear about chest tightness as a symptom of being glutened, so it's good to hear of someone else. My current symptoms aren't bad, just annoying. It's hard to tell if it's anxiety tightening my chest, or something else. But since it's only been happening since I ate that damn tortilla, my guess is it's gluten-related. My doctor made me have an echocardiogram and stress test to rule out cardiac issues before he would do the endoscopy (this was a couple of years ago). I learned that telling a doctor "my chest tightness gets worse when I walk up a hill" makes everything else grind to a hart until the heart gets checked out!

cristiana Veteran
cristiana
Posted
17 hours ago, Megamaniac said:

Hi this is my first time commenting but I just had to. I too get chest tightness. I have had it flare up several times with no answers. I was diagnosed with celiac about 6 months ago and am pretty confident this is a glutening symptom for me. Last month it was so bad... Started with random chest pains for a couple days then chest tightness that last for two weeks. I ended up going to the emergency room ( again) because I started worrying about my heart. Felt like my bra was so tight, bloated belly, trapped gas like pain in chest, swollen lump under sternum and no relief. EKG, chest xray and blood tests showed heart was fine. GI said he didn't think it was GI related. I give up on doctors. I've had this before and I'm sure I will again. It's like inflammation in there or something but it makes you anxious and uncomfortable. I truly hope you are okay and I hope it will give you some comfort to know you aren't the only one with this.

I had to comment as although I don't think I've had this reaction to glutening, I have had it when I have had to take iron and also now with ongoing suspected gastritis.  I figure it is bloating, and get some relief when I drink hot water or mint tea.  All the pressure is under my rib cage and I recall once crossing the road in town wondering if I'd actually make it to the shop I wanted to go to, it was so uncomfortable.   The common denominator in both cases is obviously irritation to my stomach/small intestinews so I guess glutening could do the same.

 

  • 2 years later...
NavAhmad Newbie
NavAhmad
Posted
On 9/24/2017 at 3:12 PM, Noobette said:

Thank you @Megamaniac - I don't hear about chest tightness as a symptom of being glutened, so it's good to hear of someone else. My current symptoms aren't bad, just annoying. It's hard to tell if it's anxiety tightening my chest, or something else. But since it's only been happening since I ate that damn tortilla, my guess is it's gluten-related. My doctor made me have an echocardiogram and stress test to rule out cardiac issues before he would do the endoscopy (this was a couple of years ago). I learned that telling a doctor "my chest tightness gets worse when I walk up a hill" makes everything else grind to a hart until the heart gets checked out!

My first time here as well, and I am also new to gluten intolerance related symptoms. But since you have mentioned this, I think, this is exactly what I am experiencing these days and suffered from it for quite sometime by now, with knowing. First of all thank you for sharing, because it is bit relieving in a way. I often get chest tightness, randomly. Tried to discuss with my doctor, but no firm answer, so far. My thoughts about my chest tightness were also converging towards my Ceoliac but no direct link. I can also relate to the feeling that it starts as mild chest tightness and probably due to anxiety, it converts to a kind of panic attack. I just need to force my self to think away from it in-order to feel better and let the phase pass by. 

Cheers,

  • 3 months later...
JennieMarie Newbie
JennieMarie
Posted

I found this page and couldn’t feel more relieved. I was recently told I have a gluten intolerance, not celiac’s but enough to have to change my diet. Ever since going gluten free though, I’ve had this chest tightness that will not go away. I try to do yoga and take baths, drink tea to calm myself but once the tightness starts my anxiety kicks in, making it 10x worse. I’m hoping that maybe I’m cross contaminating with something gluten because the tightness feels like it’s never going to go away. These comments have given me a little hope that it’s due to something gluten related and nothing alarming. I also will request to see a GI specialist and go further into the cause

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Sue7171 Rookie
Sue7171
Posted

I've been diagnosed celiac since 2008 and I just got glutened last week (hardly ever happens) but broke my rule of letting someone else order for me. Anyway my back and chest has been sore and tight since Tuesday along with the other glutened symptoms..I'm extremely sensitive, just a breadcrumb will make me sick.

I will add that it seems like the more you avoid gluten the more severe it is when you get any contamination so something might be hiding in something you are still eating. 

  • 2 weeks later...
Katharine W Rookie
Katharine W
Posted

It gives me so much relief to hear others have this symptom with celiac disease. I've had random chest pains since before I was diagnosed (I was diagnosed about a month ago) and I've been keeping an eye on them. Some days they are an annoyance and some days they are stabbing pains that make me gasp and curl up for several minutes. Fortunately, it's never felt like heart problems. But it's still a pain to deal with on top of everything else. 

Your post makes me wonder if my mom is right when she thinks that I have had this probably at the same time we were treating my endometriosis. 

  • 5 months later...
Demoeja Newbie
Demoeja
Posted
On 9/23/2017 at 7:50 PM, Megamaniac said:

Hi this is my first time commenting but I just had to. I too get chest tightness. I have had it flare up several times with no answers. I was diagnosed with celiac about 6 months ago and am pretty confident this is a glutening symptom for me. Last month it was so bad... Started with random chest pains for a couple days then chest tightness that last for two weeks. I ended up going to the emergency room ( again) because I started worrying about my heart. Felt like my bra was so tight, bloated belly, trapped gas like pain in chest, swollen lump under sternum and no relief. EKG, chest xray and blood tests showed heart was fine. GI said he didn't think it was GI related. I give up on doctors. I've had this before and I'm sure I will again. It's like inflammation in there or something but it makes you anxious and uncomfortable. I truly hope you are okay and I hope it will give you some comfort to know you aren't the only one with this.

Have you gotten any answers about your chest pains? I too have experience this. I figured it was related to my celiac but doctors had no answers and all my test came back normal. I noticed I get this pain at times when I’m bloated. It feels like inflammation. It is very painful at times and last for days sometimes weeks. 

  • 3 months later...
Jilly2310 Newbie
Jilly2310
Posted
On 5/9/2020 at 10:50 PM, JennieMarie said:

I found this page and couldn’t feel more relieved. I was recently told I have a gluten intolerance, not celiac’s but enough to have to change my diet. Ever since going gluten free though, I’ve had this chest tightness that will not go away. I try to do yoga and take baths, drink tea to calm myself but once the tightness starts my anxiety kicks in, making it 10x worse. I’m hoping that maybe I’m cross contaminating with something gluten because the tightness feels like it’s never going to go away. These comments have given me a little hope that it’s due to something gluten related and nothing alarming. I also will request to see a GI specialist and go further into the cause

I am non celiac gluten sensitive.i react to modified maize starch,corn derived stuff and oats even gluten-free and chest tightness is the symptom I get after being glutened.lasts about 24/48 hours.stomach slows up digesting so feel really off  for a couple of days.ive had in excess of 21 ecg's due to it.all fine as are lungs.drs must think I'm nuts.

Scott Adams Grand Master
Scott Adams
Posted

Hello @Jilly2310 and welcome to the forum. How long have you been gluten, corn and oats free? If your doctors think you’re nuts, it's time to change doctors.

CMCM Rising Star
CMCM
Posted
On 2/22/2021 at 11:07 AM, Scott Adams said:

Hello @Jilly2310 and welcome to the forum. How long have you been gluten, corn and oats free? If your doctors think you’re nuts, it's time to change doctors.

It makes me so angry when I hear about doctors like this.  I remember so well how the clueless doctors who couldn't seem to diagnose my mother (in 1967!!) would keep telling her it was all in her head, like she was crazy.  One of them told her very arrogantly, "Well, we'll just have to call this Dorothy's disease, won't we."  Meaning basically, go away and don't bother us with your complaints.

  • 1 year later...
Ruba md Newbie
Ruba md
Posted

I know it is been 5 years to this post .. but I feel happy to find it ! I went to many doctors but they don’t understand what I say! 
I’m not Celiac or gluten allergic but when I have gluten, all my symptoms are in my nose ( like I can’t breath at all especially with corn ) , tightness in my chest and very irritated air ways! 
I cut gluten, corn, yeast and oat .. I feel better and I rarely feel like I need inhaler or medication but if I mistakenly eat a trace of gluten or corn ( nose congestion and chest tightness) appear immediately! 
I did blood test for gluten and celiac but were negative.. 

I wish you can give me your experience in this matter since even doctors don’t understand! 

trents Grand Master
trents
Posted
(edited)

Ruba md, celiac disease is not an allergy, it is an autoimmune disorder. It would not show up in food allergy testing. There is blood testing for food-related allergies but the blood testing done for celiac disease is different and specifically tailored to detect the antibodies given off by the inflammation of the small bowel lining caused by celiac disease. Can you be more specific about what tests were actually done?

Sounds like to me you are having a classic allergic reaction to something common to corn and wheat, bordering on anaphylactic. You would benefit I believe from true food allergy/sensitivity testing such as the skin prick tests or ALCAT. 

https://www.foodallergy.org/resources/skin-prick-tests

https://cellsciencesystems.com/patients/alcat-test/

Edited by trents
Wheatwacked Veteran
Wheatwacked
Posted
12 hours ago, Ruba md said:

I’m not Celiac or gluten allergic but when I have gluten, all my symptoms are in my nose ...but if I mistakenly eat a trace of gluten or corn ( nose congestion and chest tightness) appear immediately! 

Not judging but this is denial. Gluten is addictive and the lizard brain will do what it can to keep it's supply. Doctors are addicted to it also.

My whole life I had sinus congestion. Doctors said I wasn't sick, no allergies, just the way it is with some people.  Sometimes, especially around 13 years old, in my sleep my whole upper palate would get coated with dry mucous I had to pick out. I started smoking after that and at 71 still smoke about a pack a day. Quitting never helped. Stopped gluten in 2014 and immediately felt a difference. I am now a nose breather, sleep apnea is no longer an issue, breathing easy. My first response to getting glutened was like yours, stuffy nose and congestion, itchy eyes like a cold coming on. By the way I have not had a cold since 2004 thanks to Cold Eeze (13.1 mg zinc glyconate lozenges) Lately even that hasn't been happening since about the time my vitamin D plasma got to 80 ng/ml.  Vitamin D seems to attenuate the autoimmune response.

The role of vitamin D in autoimmune diseases: "vitamin D deficiency has been also linked to the onset/maintenance of other diseases including cardiovascular diseases [8], chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases [9], allergic asthma [10], type 2 diabetes [11], and autoimmune diseases "

Ruba md Newbie
Ruba md
Posted

I did Celiac test years ago but not recently ( blood test) and I did allergy food panel but it was negative to gluten and wheat! This why doctors don’t understand what I feel ! 
I have the same symptoms when I smell any kind of smoking ,disinfectants ( especially Clorox), and recently  when I eat grains! 

Ruba md Newbie
Ruba md
Posted

I felt the difference when I cut gluten 4 months ago! My respiratory symptoms eased a lot!! But when I mistakenly eat something may contain gluten or any kind of grains immediately I know because of nose congestion and then irritated air ways along with chest tightness! but not serious digestion problems ! 
From the blood test, doctors insist that I don’t have problems and lungs are clear , and they give me the feelings like I’m making things up! While I’m suffering! And I might suffer days from chest pain , tightness, shortness of breath for days even with steroids inhaler! 
this is why I was happy to see this post .. like finally I found people who can understand me ! 
 

Ruba md Newbie
Ruba md
Posted
On 2/27/2021 at 4:55 AM, CMCM said:

It makes me so angry when I hear about doctors like this.  I remember so well how the clueless doctors who couldn't seem to diagnose my mother (in 1967!!) would keep telling her it was all in her head, like she was crazy.  One of them told her very arrogantly, "Well, we'll just have to call this Dorothy's disease, won't we."  Meaning basically, go away and don't bother us with your complaints.

This is what doctors told me! Are you a rare case , or should we conduct a study to understand your imaginary symptoms! 

Wheatwacked Veteran
Wheatwacked
Posted

Glad you found us.

Only 1% get diagnosed Celiac, but 10% are diagnosed Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity. Many here have gone through years of repeated tests and treatments for diseases they don't have before results of the tests reflect their reality.

To diagnose NCGS first they exclude Celiac, then show improvement on Gluten Free Diet. Yuu don't need a doctors permission to eat gluten free. As some doubters like to point out, it's a life choice just like any other food. 

 

Wheatwacked Veteran
Wheatwacked
Posted
13 minutes ago, Ruba md said:

This is what doctors told me!

When my son bloated up after weaning in 1976 the most popular opion was my wife's anxiety was the problem. Valium for her. He'll grow out of it. He was one of only 13 children at the time being treated in a state population of close to 6 million.

trents Grand Master
trents
Posted

As Wheatwacked suggested, you may have NCGS instead of Celiac Disease. NCGS is 10x more common than celiac disease and shares many of the same symptoms. There is no test for it, however. celiac disease must first be ruled out. By the way the absence of significant digestive distress does not mean you don't have celiac disease. Many do not experience that who do have celiac disease. But if you know wheat and corn give you issues, why haven't you eliminated them from your diet?

Ruba md Newbie
Ruba md
Posted

I did 4 months ago, I eliminated grains and yeast.. but what was I wondering about is why if I accidentally have any trace of gluten, my respiratory system is affected not digestive one .. this is why doctors keep telling me to go back to my old diet since I don’t have celiac or allergy and I’m making things up!!

Regarding doing digestion, I have problems with yeast and when I used to eat bread or pizza, I used to feel that my stomach just stopped working and so heavy! But only bread and pizza not pastas or cake, then I decided to try eliminating the gluten, after that my respiratory eased a lot as long as I’m a way from allergy triggers ( smoking, disinfectants ( Clorox ), any chemicals ( hair dyes, nail polish, detergents).

trents Grand Master
trents
Posted

How do you know it's the gluten and not some other component found in wheat. You say corn affects you the same way and there is no gluten in corn. 

Wheatwacked Veteran
Wheatwacked
Posted
6 minutes ago, Ruba md said:

my respiratory system is affected not digestive one .. this is why doctors keep telling me to go back to my old diet since I don’t have celiac or allergy and I’m making things up!!

300 Facts You Didn’t Know About Celiac Disease! @Ruba md, you might enjoy perusing the list in this article.  Though you may doubt, days will be better, 

A common belief. There are actually over three hundred symptoms. I would have saved myself years if when I was 25 I hadn't said exactly that. "My stomach is fine, I don't have Celiac" Yet here I am. I was wrong. I count 19 that improved once on GFD. More once I realized that I was malnutritioned from the malabsoption syndrome no one ever picked up on.

    That's why this disease is so insidious. Doctors like to eliminate all the diseases they believe in before going the "crazy solution",    that our good friend Mr Wheat is actually a fiend. Could be but the doctors have looked and basically come up empty. Only thing left is Celiac and malnutrition from malabsorption syndrome. I have a mind set that when the doctors say "We don't know" as often as not it is unrecognized gluten sensitivity, Celiac or Non. But they leave the simple question un answered. If there is something else it will be more obvious once the gluten is worked out of the body. 

 

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      The NIH article you link actually supports what I have been trying to explain to you: "Celiac disease (celiac disease) is an autoimmune-mediated enteropathy triggered by dietary gluten in genetically prone individuals. The current treatment for celiac disease is a strict lifelong gluten-free diet. However, in some celiac disease patients following a strict gluten-free diet, the symptoms do not remit. These cases may be refractory celiac disease or due to gluten contamination; however, the lack of response could be related to other dietary ingredients, such as maize, which is one of the most common alternatives to wheat used in the gluten-free diet. In some celiac disease patients, as a rare event, peptides from maize prolamins could induce a celiac-like immune response by similar or alternative pathogenic mechanisms to those used by wheat gluten peptides. This is supported by several shared features between wheat and maize prolamins and by some experimental results. Given that gluten peptides induce an immune response of the intestinal mucosa both in vivo and in vitro, peptides from maize prolamins could also be tested to determine whether they also induce a cellular immune response. Hypothetically, maize prolamins could be harmful for a very limited subgroup of celiac disease patients, especially those that are non-responsive, and if it is confirmed, they should follow, in addition to a gluten-free, a maize-free diet." Notice that those for whom it is suggested to follow a maize-free diet are a "very limited subgroup of celiac disease patients". Please don't try to make your own experience normative for the entire celiac community.  Notice also that the last part of the concluding sentence in the paragraph does not equate a gluten-free diet with a maize-free diet, it actually puts them in juxtaposition to one another. In other words, they are different but for a "limited subgroup of celiac disease patients" they produce the same or a similar reaction. You refer to celiac reactions to cereal grain prolamins as "allergic" reactions and "food sensitivity". For instance, you say, "NIH sees all these grains as in opposition to celiacs, of which I am one and that is science, not any MD with a good memory who overprescribes medications that contain known food allergens in them, of which they have zero knowledge if the patient is in fact allergic to or not, since they failed to do simple 'food sensitivity' testing" and "IF a person wants to get well, they should be the one to determine what grains they are allergic to and what grains they want to leave out, not you. I need to remind you that celiac disease is not an allergy, it is an autoimmune disorder. Neither allergy testing nor food sensitivity testing can be used to diagnose celiac disease. Allergy testing and food sensitivity testing cannot detect the antibodies produced by celiac disease in reaction to gluten ingestion.  You say of me, "You must be one of those who are only gluten intolerant . . ." Gluten intolerance is synonymous with celiac disease. You must be referring to gluten sensitivity or NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity). Actually, I have been officially diagnosed with celiac disease both by blood antibody testing and by endoscopy/positive biopsy. Reacting to all cereal grain prolamins does not define celiac disease. If you are intent on teaching the truth, please get it straight first.
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