I'm freezing after having eaten

[Lilja]

Hi,

Has anyone experienced this?

After each meal I start shaking and freezing. It's not the kind of cold you would feel on a cold winter's day, the coldness sits inside the body and makes me shake and I get goosebumps on my arms.

This happens especially after dinner. I've had it like this the last 10 years or so. Before that, I would get enormously sleepy after having eaten, but now it's the freezing.

"There is always something"... I like that phrase:-)

Lilja

[tex]

Lilja,

How soon do the symptoms begin after eating? That could be reactive hypoglycemia, also known as postprandial hypoglycemia. But with reactive hypoglycemia the symptoms shouldn't begin immediately after eating. They begin after an hour or so, in most cases, but in less than 4 hours. And typical symptoms might involve cold at the extremities (fingers and toes or hands and feet), but not so much in the main body core.

Those symptoms can also be caused by what is known as hormonal hypoglycemia (for example, hypothyroidism). The change to a feeling of cold internal temperatures may be because you have recently become hypothyroid.

This is not diabetes. It's experienced by people who do not have diabetes. Other possible symptoms that are experienced by some people include:

Double vision or blurry vision
Unclear thinking
Sleeping Trouble
heart palpitation or fibrillation
fatigue
dizziness
light-headedness
sweating
headaches
depression
nervousness
muscle twitches
irritability
tremors
flushing
craving sweets
increased appetite
rhinitis
nausea, vomiting
panic attack
numbness/coldness in the extremities
confusion

Tex

[Lilja]

Lilja,

How soon do the symptoms begin after eating? That could be reactive hypoglycemia, also known as postprandial hypoglycemia. But with reactive hypoglycemia the symptoms shouldn't begin immediately after eating. They begin after an hour or so, in most cases, but in less than 4 hours. And typical symptoms might involve cold at the extremities (fingers and toes or hands and feet), but not so much in the main body core.

Those symptoms can also be caused by what is known as hormonal hypoglycemia (for example, hypothyroidism). The change to a feeling of cold internal temperatures may be because you have recently become hypothyroid.

This is not diabetes. It's experienced by people who do not have diabetes. Other possible symptoms that are experienced by some people include:

Double vision or blurry vision
Unclear thinking
Sleeping Trouble
heart palpitation or fibrillation
fatigue
dizziness
light-headedness
sweating
headaches
depression
nervousness
muscle twitches
irritability
tremors
flushing
craving sweets
increased appetite
rhinitis
nausea, vomiting
panic attack
numbness/coldness in the extremities
confusion

Tex

Thank you Tex, for taking the time to reply in the busy days prior to Christmas :-)

This happens in less than 30 minutes after a meal, especially after dinner. My fingers and toes get extremely cold, in addition to this "inner" coldness.

The thing is, when I'm hungry - like if it goes 5 hours after last meal - I feel that my throat is swollen/too narrow and strangling me, I cannot swallow properly, and I have like "dry" vomitings, but nothing comes up. The feeling can be compared to when you brush your teeth and the toothbrush gets too near the uvula.

Lilja

[Skyward]

Lilja- The swallowing problems sounds like GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease) I had some trouble with this over the summer and had a feeling of a lump in my throat- like if you swallow a pill and it does not go down right. The feeling did not go away for many days even if I drank or ate. When I first went to the gastro doc she prescribed me Omeprazole for that- and it was helpful to make that awful feeling in my throat go away. This was before I had the colonoscopy and got the MC diagnosis. My Dr. never withdrew that prescription for Omeprazole- but I have read here on this forum that it is not a good drug to take if you have CC. Because I do not have that bad feeling in my throat anymore I decided to stop taking that drug.

Also I learned from Tex (thanks Tex!) That we should always lay down on our left side because of the way our stomach anatomy connects- if you lay on your right side it really puts a lot of pressure on the stomach contents to go to the esophagus.

Do you take your temperature during the day? I have been doing that recently since I have worried about hypothyroidism. I would like to have some documentation when I see a Dr.

I know that our digestive system uses a lot of blood and energy to work. I know from my work with horses, that you should not exercise a horse soon after he has eaten- because his digestive system needs the blood for digestion and not to go racing around to help exercising lungs and muscles. I experienced this myself when I was running for exercise (before I was really sick with CC) About a mile away from home- my guts would get very crampy and loose and I would have to go D... in the woods (thank goodness I live in the country!) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runner%27s_diarrhea
The theory is that a combination of the jarring of the bouncing run- and the diversion of the body's energy to the muscles- and away from the digestive system- causes the digestive system to just "drop it's cargo" .

So... I wonder if it's possible that your digestive system is very needy, obviously under a lot of stress, and in order try to do the work that needs to get done- the blood is focused on your belly and away from your arms and legs and that is why you feel cold. I am just wondering aloud here- I don't know. I do know what it is to be cold and shivering, even in a warm house.

[tex]

Lilja,

Sarah's post raises the metabolism issue, which caused me to think along that line. Classic reactive hypoglycemia develops because the metabolism rate is too high, resulting in concentrating the blood in the digestive system (as she mentioned). This is normal during digestion, but if it's overdone (because the metabolism rate is too high), then too much blood is concentrated in the digestive system, causing cold extremities. And blood sugar drops too low, too soon, causing hypoglycemia symptoms.

But if symptoms develop within 30 minutes, that would be an extremely severe case. And the throat constrictions are not typical of reactive hypoglycemia. The symptoms you describe seem incongruent and relatively severe, which makes me wonder if you might have adrenal fatigue. You might want to discuss this with your doctor, because it's not good to ignore it, and it can only get worse. Adrenal fatigue is a level above thyroid problems, and it can cause symptoms similar to thyroid problems, but the symptoms are often conflicting or they reflect both hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, or a combination of them. And most importantly, adrenal fatigue can cause hormonal and metabolism issues.

Tex

[Lilja]

Thank you, both Tex and Skyward!

This was interesting, but I wonder if I should deal with the problems after I have finished Entocort (some time in May). Maybe it is the Entocort that gives me these symptoms.

Now, I would like to take the opportunity to thank you Tex for all kind replies, your wisdom and your generosity to share! I'm glad I found you.

I wish you both a Merry Christmas!

Lilja

[tex]

Lilja,

Yes, Entocort can cause chills, and many other side effects. A list of possible side effects can be seen at the link below. But I thought you said that you have had that symptom for over 10 years.

Entocort EC Side Effects

You are very welcome, and Merry Christmas to you too, Lilja.

Tex

[Lilja]

Lilja,

Yes, Entocort can cause chills, and many other side effects. A list of possible side effects can be seen at the link below. But I thought you said that you have had that symptom for over 10 years.

Entocort EC Side Effects

You are very welcome, and Merry Christmas to you too, Lilja.

Tex

Yes, that is correct, that was a slip of the mind.

But then again, I say to myself that everything will get better, either tomorrow/next year/when Entocort is over/when my doctor starts to realizee what CC really is, etc.



Lilja

[JFR]

But then again, I say to myself that everything will get better, either tomorrow/next year/when Entocort is over/when my doctor starts to realizee what CC really is, etc.



Lilja

Lilja,

I used to get chills all the time when I had WD and the WD happened within 30 minutes of eating anything but I am not sure it was the same as what you are describing. It seemed more like the chills you get with a fever, although I did not have a fever.

One of the most helpful realizations that I had in this journey was that my doctor was not going to be of any value to me in figuring this thing out. That does not mean that I will never consult a doctor but in figuring out MC or my MC type symptoms (I actually have no official diagnosis because I had already given up on doctors when my symptoms became uncontrollable), I was the one who had to take charge. The enterolab testing along with strict adherence to the dietary changes indicated by it plus some supplementation seems to have done the trick. I certainly hope things get much better for you but I suspect it will be do to your hard work rather than a doctor seeing the light. That does not mean I don't think you should ever consult a doctor but only that you should lower your expectations of what a doctor can offer. I now expect little of my doctor which means I am never disappointed and sometimes pleasantly surprised. I find myself pleased that my primary doctor accepts my dietary changes and most of my supplementation as reasonable and doesn't try to convince me otherwise.

Jean

[tex]

One of the most helpful realizations that I had in this journey was that my doctor was not going to be of any value to me in figuring this thing out.

That's mighty strong language for a doctor's daughter. But I understand what you are saying, and I agree.

I now expect little of my doctor which means I am never disappointed and sometimes pleasantly surprised.

That's a great philosophy for just about every aspect of life, because it removes the prospect of disappointment, and therefore encourages an optimistic approach to dealing with just about everything we encounter. And like a smile, optimism is contagious, and likely to "infect" others around us.

Tex

[JFR]

Tex,

I am sure my father had a lot of the blind spots that many physicians have, but being a doctor's daughter gave me valuable perspective that I find useful to this day. I think it demystified doctors and medical knowledge and gave me a better understanding of diagnosis and treatment than people who only meet their doctors in an office setting generally have. Also my father was himself a bit of a skeptic and a bit irreverent. He once said to me when I had something or other physically wrong with me for which there was no clear answer that I would either get better or I would get worse, that things rarely just stayed the same. It was a kind of verbal shoulder shrug. Perhaps that's when I started to realize that doctors don't always have the answers. I suspect that he might view me now as someone who has gone off the deep end into woo woo land. Despite my own skepticism about conventional medicine, I think I also tend not to demonize doctors as much as some other do. I try to have a balanced view of things and not throw the baby out with the bath water.

Jean

[Patricia]

I also had the lump in my throat feeling this spring/summer. However, the Omeprazole did not do anything for me, and I think the lump feeling was caused by acid reflux (seen in the gastroscopy) due to my LC. I personally believe that the Omeprazole did not help because it did nothing to treat the true origin, the LC in my case. The lump in my throat feeling has gone for the most part, but certain days I have it again, and I start to think it is when I eat something that I don't tolerate anymore. The only problem is, I don't know what I don't tolerate!!!
Ever since I received my Enterolab tests back, a month ago, I have been strictly without gluten, dairy, eggs or soy (and without gluten for 2 months already). I have had a very bland diet to let my gut heal, no fruits or veggies either with the exception of a banana or some applesauce every so often. But I still have diarrhea every 2nd or 3rd day. It's quite frustrating! Some friends suggested that I get checked out. But I have already had gastroscopy, colonoscopy, barium swallows, pressure measurements of the esophagus, stool tests, etc. I don't think there is much left to check out. And they diagnosed me with LC based on the biopsies. What other proof do I need? I obviously could make an appointment with my gastroenterologist but as Jean said, I don't think any doctor can help me much at this time. The biggest help are all you guys who have been absolutely wonderful! Whenever I get sad, worried, anxious (usually after another potty session), I read something on this board. It ALWAYS makes me feel better, confirms that I am not alone, and that others were able to figure this out, and not spend the rest of their lives in a bathroom. I am currently on Allegra in the morning, tapering of Budesonide (which never really helped that much in the first place), vitamin D3. I still need to do more reading to figure out multivitamins, B vitamins, other antihistamines. It just takes so much time....with three kids, a full-time job, and the run-up to Christmas I have just not been able to devote enough time, or been too tired.
But I decided that I was going to start an elimination diet the day after Christmas. I think I will have chicken, sweet potatoes, olive oil, salt, pepper, bananas, and applesauce for the next two weeks and see whether that results in normal bowel movements. I sure HOPE so!!! And then I'll be able to slowly add one food at a time and figure out what the other culprits are. As I said to my sister the other day: It'd be so easy if it was JUST gluten, dairy, eggs, and soy....

Thank you for the support you provide and Merry Christmas to all of you!

Love, Patricia

[tex]

Hi Patricia,

The elimination diet that you described should work. If it doesn't, you might try substituting turkey or lamb for chicken, because virtually no one here reacts to those two foods. A few react to chicken. In case you are sensitive to histamines, and you cook extra amounts to use for future meals, it might be a good idea to freeze individual portions of the extras, so that none of the leftover chicken is refrigerated for more than about 2 days. IOW, histamines can still increase in the refrigerator, and chicken is one of the foods that are prone to histamine levels that increase with time, when stored in the fridge. Freezing effectively stops histamine development.

It's also possible that you just need more healing time. The intestines heal relatively slowly, and some of us heal more slowly than others. Many of us need around 6 months of healing, and some of us require even more, before our GI symptoms are completely controlled. And it usually takes even longer for all of the fatigue and brain fog to fade away. It's easier to see your progress if you look at it on a monthly basis, rather than daily or weekly. And you are quite correct that the challenge is much greater for those of us who have additional food sensitivities.

Here's hoping that you heal faster, once the stress of the holidays are past. Thanks, and a very Merry Christmas to you and yours, also.

Love,
Tex

[Patricia]

Thanks, Tex! I will keep that in mind!!

About the histamines: does cooking affect them? Say, I buy refrigerated chicken, and I only plan to cook it in two days, will the histamine content of the raw chicken rise during those two days? Does it get destroyed with cooking or does it stay at the same level? Or should I always freeze the chicken until the day I am actually cooking it?

I do think I have a histamine issue. There are days when I have upper abdominal bloating in the evening, and when I wake up the next day, there is patchy redness on the right side of my face (I don't know why it is always the right side), associated with itching of the entire face, sometimes also of the legs/buttocks. And later that morning the diarrhea sets in. The redness usually stays for a few days. It does feel like an allergic reaction.

You are right. I should look at the progress on a monthly basis! I have definitely made progress during the last two months.

Thanks so much again!

Love,
Patricia

[tex]

I've never seen any scientific research on this particular topic, but based on my own experience (and the experience of others here), histamine levels only seem to increase — they never significantly decrease. Again, that statement is based on informal observations, not formal research.

IMO, histamine is a byproduct of molds, and molds are the primary source of histamine in food. You are aware by your own experience that molds can grow at normal refrigeration temperatures (most of the time we don't even see them, but if we leave something in the fridge long enough, the mold will be obvious, so we know that molds grow at refrigeration temperatures). But at deepfreeze temperatures, mold growth is halted, for all practical purposes.

I have a very strong hunch that if chicken (or fish) is not fresh (or just-thawed from a frozen state) when we cook it, it may already have an elevated histamine level. I have never found that reheating food to boiling temperatures resolves a histamine problem. Of course there is a possibility that cooking it longer might help to diminish the histamine level, but that's not practical for leftovers, obviously. And if I recall correctly, more than a few members here have posted that they have to avoid cooking chicken or fish that is not fresh (or just-thawed frozen), because they will react to it. So that's why I have concluded that once histamine levels of food have increased, that level can never be reduced by ordinary means (such as cooking at normal cooking temperatures).

I always freeze chicken if I'm not going to cook it within about a day or so. Fruit such as bananas are in the same category. Their histamine level is probably not particularly high when they first ripen, but every day that they continue to ripen, their histamine level increases at a faster and faster rate (presumably due to invisible mold growth). I don't have a problem with bananas that are just ripe, but I react to over-ripe bananas (bananas that have been ripe for 3 or 4 days or more). That's why I freeze them when they are ripe.

I may have told you this before, and if I have, I apologize for being redundant, but here is another example:

I can eat leftover chicken soup stored in the refrigerator for a day, with no problems. By the second day, if I eat it I will get slight to moderate bloating, but usually nothing more. If I eat chicken soup stored in the fridge for 3 days (or more) I will get bloating, D, and extremely itchy hives (or patchy red areas) on my lower legs (occasionally in other locations also, such as my forearms). I have no idea why we tend to consistently react at certain locations on our body (locations that are unique to us), while someone else will have a rash or hives in some other location, but that seems to be the pattern with histamine reactions. IOW, we seem to react pretty much the same way each time, but most of us have our own unique reaction pattern that is different from the reactions experienced by others.

Not all of us have to deal with histamine reactions, but for those of us who do, it definitely adds another level of complications to an already-complicated disease.

Whether chicken stored in the fridge for 2 days before cooking will cause a histamine problem may depend on how long the store held it at refrigeration temperatures before we buy it. After we have a fairly serious histamine reaction (or 2 or 3), most of us tend to try to err on the side of caution.

Love,
Tex