[rachelb]

Last Saturday afternoon, I had several episodes of feeling like I was going to black out (some while standing and some while sitting). I also had a couple of times of my heart racing really fast. We had takeout for lunch and then that evening I also had severe diarrhea so I thought I'd been glutened and that maybe the heart racing and blackout was a new symptom of being glutened.

Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday I had a couple of episodes of heart racing each day and maybe one small episode of feeling like I was going to black out each day. I went to Urgent Care on Tuesday evening and they did an EKG, said they couldn't find anything wrong, and said they wanted to order a monitor for me to wear.

The next morning the monitor guy said he couldn't get me the monitor until Thurs.

I had a lot of episodes of heart racing on Wed. I was miserable. I also had 2 episodes of feeling like I was going to black out and I had some nasty diarrhea even though I knew I hadn't eaten anything with gluten in it.

So, Thurs I got the monitor and haven't had an episode since (figures huh??). I've eaten a lot of the same things that I ate on days I had episodes and still no episodes.

So yesterday I was at a friend's house and decided that I would eat 1 crouton and see if that would trigger these symptoms. (I'm actually still having trouble believing I did that!) Anyway, no symptoms. Not even diarrhea!!

So here's what I'm thinking now, I'm thinking that all the times I thought I was getting glutened when I ate out (not every time of course!) that maybe I was getting some germ and that was what caused the intestinal upset. So maybe my lunch last Saturday had some germ in it that settled wrong with me and that on Wednesday my eggs for breakfast had some germ in them that settled wrong with me.

But really I'm awfully confused about the whole thing. How could I have eaten a crouton and not show it? If I'm not reacting to this as quickly as I thought I was reacting to gluten before then what was I reacting to before???

Help!

Rachel

[mistofviolets]

I don't know, but wanted to say I've had similar problems this summer (heart racing, feeling like I'm going to black out, for me I get nauseous, the world seems very far away, I hear dh talking from very far away, everything gets dark, I fall to my knees or grab something for support, and then it all snaps back) My dr theorized that it might be from lack of calories (I'm still on my freaky mostly liquid diet. But all in all I feel better, I think) I've been thinking I should go back in and get my thyroid checked.

[diamondheart]

Hi Rachel,

I have had a history of heart racing type problems. It started when I was 20. I took digoxin for years, but now I don't need to take it. My magnesium supplementation seems to help with that, along with just taking better care of myself in general. I would suggest consulting with a cardiologist just to cover all your bases. There are so many things it could be. I'm sure you got checked out for high blood pressure? A friend of mine had high blood pressure at age 21 because of the stress of working 80 hours a week, and he blacked out. When you are feeling like blacking out, check your blood pressure. Some stores have free blood pressure machines if you don't have one yourself.

I got a heart monitor when I was 20 (I was freaked at that young an age), and was diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia, which is a fancy way of saying my heart beats fast! I have also been diagnosed and undiagnosed with mitral valve prolapse, so I don't know if I actually have that or not. When I was in graduate school at about age 26, I saw a cardiologist for heart palpitations. I was already taking digoxin, and he didn't want to put me on any stronger medication because I was so young and the side effects of beta blockers. He told me to eat right, get enough sleep, and exercise in moderation. I was kinda mad at him because I thought it was something else, but really, it was sound advice. I was under a lot of stress in graduate school.

Stress can induce heart racing problems. When I have had periods of heart racing, I have seen my chiropractor, and I think he usually suggested I take some supplements, B vitamins and/or zinc, but I'm sorry, I can't exactly remember which. I just remember that everytime I took the supplements he prescribed, I felt better. It could be a nutrient deficiency induced by stress.

One thing I have learned with my most recent digestive problems is that eating home cooked meals without processed foods is best. There are so many additives in processed foods/takeout foods that the body can react to. When I first read your post, MSG came to mind. Do you know if that is a problem for you? I'm not sure about other foods causing heart racing.

I don't know about your germ theory. I thought my recent digestive problems was from a parasite or bacteria, but now I'm thinking it's from leaky gut from all the foods I tested sensitive to. I feel better after eliminating those foods, but obviously, I need to get to the bottom of the cause of the leaky gut.

I know that in Chinese medicine, a racing heart is a symptom of something treatable. Since I don't entirely understand Chinese medicine, I wouldn't be able to explain it, but it would be another path of healing if you so chose. I hope you figure it out soon.

Claire

[annelb]

Rachel, did the doc do any blood tests? Anemia and low iron can cause dizziness.

Are you sensitive to any other food. Keeping a food diary may help. One problem with food diaries is that some reactions occur many hours after ingestion. It is probably impossible to do a food diary if you are eating restaurant food as you have know idea what is in it. An example of this would be McDonald's grilled chicken filet(this is NOT GF). On the surface you would say "What could be in grilled chicken?" but look at the ingredients

Grilled Chicken Breast Filet:
Boneless, skinless chicken breast filets with rib meat, colored with paprika and caramel color added. Contains: Up to 20% of a solution of water, seasoning [salt, sugar, modified corn starch, maltodextrin, spices, dextrose, autolyzed yeast, hydrolyzed (corn gluten, soy, wheat gluten) proteins, garlic powder, paprika, chicken fat, chicken broth, natural flavors (animal and vegetable source), caramel color, polysorbate 80, xanthan gum, onion powder, extractives of paprika], modified food starch, sodium phosphates. Grilled with liquid margarine. Contains wheat and soybean ingredients.

Is it possible you are reacting to a food additive and not a particular food?

Anne

[NancyM]

The heart racing and faintness sounds like low blood sugar symptoms I've gotten before. Any chance of that?

[lmb3]

Hi Rachel,

My 13 year old daughter has had issues like yours this summer. It was bad enough that they put her in the hospital for 2 days. All her tests have come back negative though, outside of mild hypertension as shown from the 24 hour monitor she had to wear.

She is currently being tested for CD so she is still on gluten. We are also awaiting thyroid test results. Any intake of the slightest amount of caffeine or cold medicine makes her feel like her heart is going crazy. The docs don't have a clue what's wrong with her.

Please keep us updated. I would like to hear if your docs have any revelations on the matter.

[jccgf]

I'm glad you've been to the doctor. I don't know what to think about your symptoms, but I hope they will continue to run other tests. Did they run any blood work when you went into urgent care? Did the diarrhea come first, or the heart racing/blacking out feeling come first?

I did wonder about whether you may have just been ill... some sort of food poisining or a virus. However, if this is repeating itself over and over, then I'd be looking for another cause. I don't think you'd be getting the same germ over and over again....that seems like one of those answers we invent to have an answer.

Blood sugar and potassium level are two things I'd wonder about, but I bet there are many others I'm not aware of. If they didn't run blood work, I hope they will if it happens again.

I hope you are feeling better~

Cara

[diamondheart]

I'm like Lisa's daughter. I can't have any stimulants of any kind, and I'm very sensitive to caffeine. McDonald's coffee is like legal speed for me, lol! When I want to get a buzz, I have green tea - ssshheesh!

Claire

[concerned lady]

Hi Rachel,

I agree with ALL the great ideas everyone has offered (including you!). Follow up on all of them, including:
-- possible heart problem (see cardiologist),
--?low blood sugar (get tested for hypoglycemia, diabetes, etc.),
--?anemia (get tested for),
--?thyroid problem (see endocrinologist who is a thyroid expert),
--?caffeine (keep food diary),
--?cold meds (include all meds in food diary),
--?other food sensitivites (keep food diary),
--?inadvertent gluten contamination (eat in, not out),
--?possible hypertension (high BP/blood pressure?),
--?food poisoning

Another idea: Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) can cause some symptoms similar to what you described: Do you ever over-use your arms? I have some "ergonomic tips" that you can try. See Appendix D, on webpage 10 of my website, at http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com/page10.html

Another thought: Many years ago, I had palpitations, apparently due to a reaction to some new excipient (filler) in a nutritional supplement, when the company had changed ownership, thereby changing formulations! When I stopped using that particular company's supplement, the palpitations went away.

Also: Could you be dehydrated (from that severe diarrhea)?

And: What is your water source? I remember hearing that problems with municipal water sources (contamination with overdose of water purification chemicals &/or germs) can cause serious symptoms, including diarrhea, etc. This can also happen, if ice is made from the contaminated water (at restaurants, etc.).

Might you have been overheated, if weather was hot & humid?

Did you stand up suddenly? (can cause faintness, from orthostatic hypotension).

Were you exposed to any kind of chemical fumes, like from new carpet, nail polish, nail polish remover, formaldehyde "outgassing" from new particleboard, carbon monoxide from car exhaust leak, defective boiler, paint fumes, pesticide fumes, neuro-toxins on pet flea collars, etc.?

What was DIFFERENT, at the time all this started happening?

Hope you get this figured out soon!

Carol
http://cantbreathesuspectvcd.com

[KimS]

Sorry to hear about your troubles Rachel.

I think everyone's advice is excellent.

I wanted to add that those are symptoms of glutening for me. I have not had the racing heart/passing out thing since going gf. However, when we ate gluten, I would not get it all the time or anything... just once in a while. They could never find anything wrong with my heart (or me) either.

Then a couple of times when I got minorly glutened after going gf, I got the heart pounding thing that would make me sit down to catch my breathe... and so I associated it with gluten. However, I do not get it every time I get glutened. My parents glutened my whole family last month and dd and I seemed practically symptomless... but the boys, who suffer more intestinally, took several days to overcome it.

So, I'm thinking two things:

You may still have been glutened somewhere and it hasn't become apparent yet.

Maybe it's not directly gluten related but some deficiency related. The post above that talks about Bs and zinc hit home for me. I've been taking Bs for a long time because they make such a big difference. I did not think zinc would be that big a deal but when I stop taking it, I notice a difference in how 'connected' I feel to what's going on around me. Somehow I feel more 'awake' on zinc.