Will try to keep this short:
My health seemed to go to hell a few months ago. I started having frequent heart palpitations, my colitis remission seemed to be ending, my knee went bad on me, and now my shoulders are going, too. My Apple Watch has captured the almost constant palpitations which I sent to my doc. She had me in for an EKG but I was fine during those 10 seconds. They continued so I wore a 24-hour holter monitor - waiting to hear back on the results.
I thought the bum stomach was because I became spoiled and started eating badly but it continued to decline so I'm now starting up the mercaptopurine again but that will probably take 2 months to kick in. I have been for knee x-rays, MRI, physical therapy, and follow up with ortho on Monday. Haven't even mentioned my shoulders to him yet.
I thought perhaps the palpitations were due to my thyroid level being off so we switched my Synthroid dosage but that hasn't made a difference. I then started noticing it happened most when I ate certain foods, so I start giving them up. I now notice (months now since the palps started) that they seem to be connected to my gut. If my stomach is very empty they happen, right after I eat ANYTHING they happen, etc. Vagus nerve runs right by the stomach.....is the inflammation causing the palps?
I will be speaking to my doctors about it soon but figured I would get more and better answers here. Thanks in advance for any input and feedback.
Sue
Connection between gut and palpitations?
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Connection between gut and palpitations?
Sue
Diagnosed November 2004, Used Asacol and Lialda, sometimes worked, sometimes made it worse. Entocort always works but hate it. Remission only lasts 3-6 months and then back on Entocort. Enterolab test July 2017, now gluten free. Time will tell!
Diagnosed November 2004, Used Asacol and Lialda, sometimes worked, sometimes made it worse. Entocort always works but hate it. Remission only lasts 3-6 months and then back on Entocort. Enterolab test July 2017, now gluten free. Time will tell!
Re: Connection between gut and palpitations?
Hi Sue,
I can't answer your question. I'm not sure anyone can, although it's certainly possible that active MC might be a factor, because inflammation can affect every organ in the body. But since your thyroid may be involved, let me share my experience. In the series of events that led up to my stroke, my first problem developed because I was using a form of magnesium that later turned out to be bogus (although it was advertised as magnesium gycinate, it was 50% magnesium oxide, which we can't absorb, and the magnesium oxide was not stated on the label), and the manufacturer wound up named in a lawsuit. As a result, I developed a chronic magnesium deficiency. This caused my TSH reading to drop way below the normal range, prompting my doctor to cut my thyroid dose in half. I was taking only 60 mg of Armour Thyroid, and he cut it to 30 mg. I had originally tried Synthroid, but it didn't seem to help, so I switched to Armour Thyroid. I discovered the magnesium problem when a law firm informed me of the lawsuit, and I promptly corrected my magnesium deficiency. Note that I was having night sweats, and all sorts of problems,including occasional tachycardia (resting heart rate about 115 bpm), but several doctors I asked, were unable to figure out my problem. I even wore one of those monitors for a month, but it didn't show anything either. Note that my thyroid treatment was not because my TSH was originally high, it was because my free T4 was consistently below the normal range. Consequently, with my thyroid treatment cut in half, my TSH was still just fine, so my doctor assumed everything was copacetic.
But a year or 2 later, one morning I noticed that my heart was skipping way too many beats to ignore. It would skip 3 or 4 beats, hit a lick or 2, and then skip 2 or 3 more beats. The emergency department doctors confirmed the problem, but couldn't find a cause, so they sent me home. 3 weeks later I had the stroke.
By about a year and 1/2 later, I had recovered from the stroke about as well as I was likely to, and I thought everything was going smoothly again, when I had a similar arrhythmia. It dawned on me that if I didn't figure out what was wrong, I was probably going to have another stroke, so I started researching medical research literature. I had noticed that every time I had an arrhythmia, my kidney function was compromised. My eGFR would be in the upper 30s, about half of normal. I found research that showed how compromised kidney function was associated with arrhythmias, and other serious cardiac events. After looking farther, I found research that showed that undertreated hypothyroidism can cause compromised kidney function. Bingo. I printed out all the research, and showed it to my doctor. He agreed, and promptly restored my thyroid treatment to 60 mg of Armour Thyroid. That was over 3 years ago, and I haven't had a problem since. Although I had been diagnosed with kidney disease along the way, because of my poor kidney function results, my eGFR is now always probably better than it should be at my age, well above the normal level. No more health issues of any kind. I believe most people (especially doctors) underestimate the importance of thyroid function in our general health.
Note but during all of this, I had consulted with more than a few doctors, and made numerous trips to the emergency department, and absolutely none of them had a clue as to what was causing any of my problems. So much for the healthcare system. Anyway, that's my story. It may or may not have a bearing on your situation, but I believe that it adequately illustrates the importance of thyroid function with regard to our cardiac health, and how poorly our healthcare system actually understands any health issue that's even slightly off the beaten track, or the least bit complicated.
All my best,
Tex
I can't answer your question. I'm not sure anyone can, although it's certainly possible that active MC might be a factor, because inflammation can affect every organ in the body. But since your thyroid may be involved, let me share my experience. In the series of events that led up to my stroke, my first problem developed because I was using a form of magnesium that later turned out to be bogus (although it was advertised as magnesium gycinate, it was 50% magnesium oxide, which we can't absorb, and the magnesium oxide was not stated on the label), and the manufacturer wound up named in a lawsuit. As a result, I developed a chronic magnesium deficiency. This caused my TSH reading to drop way below the normal range, prompting my doctor to cut my thyroid dose in half. I was taking only 60 mg of Armour Thyroid, and he cut it to 30 mg. I had originally tried Synthroid, but it didn't seem to help, so I switched to Armour Thyroid. I discovered the magnesium problem when a law firm informed me of the lawsuit, and I promptly corrected my magnesium deficiency. Note that I was having night sweats, and all sorts of problems,including occasional tachycardia (resting heart rate about 115 bpm), but several doctors I asked, were unable to figure out my problem. I even wore one of those monitors for a month, but it didn't show anything either. Note that my thyroid treatment was not because my TSH was originally high, it was because my free T4 was consistently below the normal range. Consequently, with my thyroid treatment cut in half, my TSH was still just fine, so my doctor assumed everything was copacetic.
But a year or 2 later, one morning I noticed that my heart was skipping way too many beats to ignore. It would skip 3 or 4 beats, hit a lick or 2, and then skip 2 or 3 more beats. The emergency department doctors confirmed the problem, but couldn't find a cause, so they sent me home. 3 weeks later I had the stroke.
By about a year and 1/2 later, I had recovered from the stroke about as well as I was likely to, and I thought everything was going smoothly again, when I had a similar arrhythmia. It dawned on me that if I didn't figure out what was wrong, I was probably going to have another stroke, so I started researching medical research literature. I had noticed that every time I had an arrhythmia, my kidney function was compromised. My eGFR would be in the upper 30s, about half of normal. I found research that showed how compromised kidney function was associated with arrhythmias, and other serious cardiac events. After looking farther, I found research that showed that undertreated hypothyroidism can cause compromised kidney function. Bingo. I printed out all the research, and showed it to my doctor. He agreed, and promptly restored my thyroid treatment to 60 mg of Armour Thyroid. That was over 3 years ago, and I haven't had a problem since. Although I had been diagnosed with kidney disease along the way, because of my poor kidney function results, my eGFR is now always probably better than it should be at my age, well above the normal level. No more health issues of any kind. I believe most people (especially doctors) underestimate the importance of thyroid function in our general health.
Note but during all of this, I had consulted with more than a few doctors, and made numerous trips to the emergency department, and absolutely none of them had a clue as to what was causing any of my problems. So much for the healthcare system. Anyway, that's my story. It may or may not have a bearing on your situation, but I believe that it adequately illustrates the importance of thyroid function with regard to our cardiac health, and how poorly our healthcare system actually understands any health issue that's even slightly off the beaten track, or the least bit complicated.
All my best,
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Re: Connection between gut and palpitations?
Thanks for sharing that, Tex! Proof again that we need to be our own doctors and the best we can hope for is that we find one that actually listens to us and our findings.
I have no thyroid (Graves Disease) so I maintain my TSH level strictly through Synthroid. Being the extra-sensitive sap that I am (the endo described me as being super-sensitive) I feel symptoms whenever my levels are even a tiny bit off. Mine were off so minimally a month ago that the doctor suggested staying on the same dose of Synthroid rather than messing with it, but since I was eager to get rid of the palpitations I told her I wanted to get my level back to where I feel my best.
The palpitations are still there but a little less than they used to be so that's either the new level of TSH kicking in or it's me having stopped eating gluten and maybe starting to heal my gut. But the palps really do correlate to my eating so there must be some sort of connection.
Sue
I have no thyroid (Graves Disease) so I maintain my TSH level strictly through Synthroid. Being the extra-sensitive sap that I am (the endo described me as being super-sensitive) I feel symptoms whenever my levels are even a tiny bit off. Mine were off so minimally a month ago that the doctor suggested staying on the same dose of Synthroid rather than messing with it, but since I was eager to get rid of the palpitations I told her I wanted to get my level back to where I feel my best.
The palpitations are still there but a little less than they used to be so that's either the new level of TSH kicking in or it's me having stopped eating gluten and maybe starting to heal my gut. But the palps really do correlate to my eating so there must be some sort of connection.
Sue
Sue
Diagnosed November 2004, Used Asacol and Lialda, sometimes worked, sometimes made it worse. Entocort always works but hate it. Remission only lasts 3-6 months and then back on Entocort. Enterolab test July 2017, now gluten free. Time will tell!
Diagnosed November 2004, Used Asacol and Lialda, sometimes worked, sometimes made it worse. Entocort always works but hate it. Remission only lasts 3-6 months and then back on Entocort. Enterolab test July 2017, now gluten free. Time will tell!
Re: Connection between gut and palpitations?
HI Sue,
Another fascinating post here....and it could be pure coincidence but I decided not to let myself become a huge worry wort over Thanksgiving and I think I'm paying for it now.
I have not had any heart flutters, palps or whatever you want to call them until I allowed myself to just BE during this holiday week....well now that I've read your post I'm starting to wonder if the odd amount of gluten that I have come in contact with may have presented me with Caffeine Heart as I call it....where it will feel like it is speeding up just a little to make me feel weird when I'm sitting still to the point I rub my chest or cough a little to settle it back down.
I'm immediately going to look over anything that I am doing currently and make sure I am no longer allowing any gluten to invade my space and watch to see if this strange heart symptom knocks it off! I'm healthy, have not been sick, don't over ingest caffeine etc....so it makes me wonder if you are onto something.
Thanks for this Post!
Erica
Another fascinating post here....and it could be pure coincidence but I decided not to let myself become a huge worry wort over Thanksgiving and I think I'm paying for it now.
I have not had any heart flutters, palps or whatever you want to call them until I allowed myself to just BE during this holiday week....well now that I've read your post I'm starting to wonder if the odd amount of gluten that I have come in contact with may have presented me with Caffeine Heart as I call it....where it will feel like it is speeding up just a little to make me feel weird when I'm sitting still to the point I rub my chest or cough a little to settle it back down.
I'm immediately going to look over anything that I am doing currently and make sure I am no longer allowing any gluten to invade my space and watch to see if this strange heart symptom knocks it off! I'm healthy, have not been sick, don't over ingest caffeine etc....so it makes me wonder if you are onto something.
Thanks for this Post!
Erica
To Succeed you have to Believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a Reality - Anita Roddick
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Re: Connection between gut and palpitations?
Hi Erica.
Sorry you're experiencing something similar but I have to admit, it's nice to have some company on this unique, mystifying journey of ours!
The 24 hour holter monitor showed that I am having PVC's. Doc said she didn't see any signs of serious heart disease but that perhaps I should see a cardiologist and offered to prescribe me with beta blockers for the times when the palpitations are really bothersome. I declined on both. If I'm still having this issue come January 1st then maybe I'll see a heart doctor, but they have lessened in the past two weeks. Not gone, but lessened, so like you, I'm trying to figure out a pattern or some rhyme or reason for this. I'm now wondering if it's excessive carbs that bring it on (rather than specifically gluten) so I'm paying attention to that intake also.
Always something, right? But I always remind myself that it could be so much worse.... nothing I'm dealing with is apt to kill me in the near future and not everyone can say that, unfortunately.
Keep me posted!
Sue
Sorry you're experiencing something similar but I have to admit, it's nice to have some company on this unique, mystifying journey of ours!
The 24 hour holter monitor showed that I am having PVC's. Doc said she didn't see any signs of serious heart disease but that perhaps I should see a cardiologist and offered to prescribe me with beta blockers for the times when the palpitations are really bothersome. I declined on both. If I'm still having this issue come January 1st then maybe I'll see a heart doctor, but they have lessened in the past two weeks. Not gone, but lessened, so like you, I'm trying to figure out a pattern or some rhyme or reason for this. I'm now wondering if it's excessive carbs that bring it on (rather than specifically gluten) so I'm paying attention to that intake also.
Always something, right? But I always remind myself that it could be so much worse.... nothing I'm dealing with is apt to kill me in the near future and not everyone can say that, unfortunately.
Keep me posted!
Sue
Sue
Diagnosed November 2004, Used Asacol and Lialda, sometimes worked, sometimes made it worse. Entocort always works but hate it. Remission only lasts 3-6 months and then back on Entocort. Enterolab test July 2017, now gluten free. Time will tell!
Diagnosed November 2004, Used Asacol and Lialda, sometimes worked, sometimes made it worse. Entocort always works but hate it. Remission only lasts 3-6 months and then back on Entocort. Enterolab test July 2017, now gluten free. Time will tell!
Re: Connection between gut and palpitations?
Thanks Sue,
What I've been experiencing has slowed down....but then I've returned to my basic everyday foods this whole last week again. So this is probably the biggest Ah-ha....and I think biggest help to what has been going on.
I'm trying to 'sleuth' this the best I can. I wonder if sometimes everything around me drains my energy and then this strange symptom appears?? Can over stimulation produce a blip of racing heart...probably. Adrenaline has a weird way of speeding things up when we don't really need it or want it to. Another part of me wonders if allowing to much everyday media, information, the unknown gets to a person therefore filling up their fight or flight cup and at some point it runneth over.
I can't say the random zippy heart is completely gone but I haven't felt it very many times as I have over last couple weeks of November. You are right Sue, it is always something, and I am doing better than not so let's hope this continues and your symptom backs off too
Thanks!
Erica
What I've been experiencing has slowed down....but then I've returned to my basic everyday foods this whole last week again. So this is probably the biggest Ah-ha....and I think biggest help to what has been going on.
I'm trying to 'sleuth' this the best I can. I wonder if sometimes everything around me drains my energy and then this strange symptom appears?? Can over stimulation produce a blip of racing heart...probably. Adrenaline has a weird way of speeding things up when we don't really need it or want it to. Another part of me wonders if allowing to much everyday media, information, the unknown gets to a person therefore filling up their fight or flight cup and at some point it runneth over.
I can't say the random zippy heart is completely gone but I haven't felt it very many times as I have over last couple weeks of November. You are right Sue, it is always something, and I am doing better than not so let's hope this continues and your symptom backs off too
Thanks!
Erica
To Succeed you have to Believe in something with such a passion that it becomes a Reality - Anita Roddick
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Dx LC April 2012 had symptoms since Aug 2007
Re: Connection between gut and palpitations?
Hi, I am new. I finally found this board after happening on Tex's MC books earlier this year. I finally got a MC diagnosis 2 years ago. I have had flares for the past 5 years but things always got better until now. (I Just didn't know what I was dealing with yet and I now completely get the term remission). I am struggling with finding the right combination of foods to eat but I do feel I am finally heading in the right direction, (thank you Tex for the books and this board),excpet with my diet being so limited I know I am struggling with deficiencies and I have heart palpitaions after I eat. Cardiologist have done full work ups, 2 weeks of monitoring and a CTA and ultrasounds, and we have found nothing. It only happens during my flare time frames, but I also happen to have a very restritive diet going on because of the flare. I did notice a few posts similar to this and I am surprised more of us are not experiencing the heart palpitations. I also have RA (new diagnosis) and I am wondering if this plays into MC somehow and if others out there have RA symptoms during flares? Thank you in advance for any posts on this subject.