Can anyone explain the instant bloating?

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tex
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Post by tex »

Gloria,

As far as I'm aware, much/most of the peripheral neurpoathy caused by gluten-sensitivity is permanent, if not treated promptly.

I've seen several neurologists in the past couple of years, (for the TIAs, which involved my right arm, but I haven't consulted with anyone about the current issue, which involves my left arm), and so far, I've never encountered a neurologist who was even aware that gluten-sensitivity can cause peripheral neuropathy. None of them can explain my symptoms, but they insist that gluten-sensitivity cannot cause peripheral neuropathy. :roll: The last one I saw, (about a year ago), I believe mentioned that she was the head of the neurology department, at the biggest hospital in this area, (where I had my surgery, last year, and where I went because of the TIAs). So I'm not sure there's much point in pursuing it, until the symptoms become worse.

I don't believe that it's a circulation problem, because my BP checks within about 1 mmHg for both arms. I might see what my doctor thinks, but I doubt that any of those guys get very excited over minor symptoms such as this. :shrug: As long as I can still move all my limbs, they figure I'm doing OK. :lol:

Tex
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sarkin
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Post by sarkin »

Tex,

I seem to respond to about half your posts with "I didn't know that!" and the other half, I say, "Ai ai ai! (also sometimes YIKES! or ohmygoodness!)"

This is the second kind of response ;) I'm sorry your doctors don't have access to Google! You've given me some ammo to re-ask my friend to keep up-to-date on the (IMO unnecessary) cholesterol-lowering drugs he's taking, since his doctor also clearly isn't doing so.

It's possible that you have a "new thing" affecting the left arm, and not just progression of the original (and long-term) gluten damage. I hope not, of course. Just thinking aloud... I recently read that many autoimmune symptoms show up on the left first.

I would guess that in addition to prompt treatment, being young and healthy at the time GS neuropathy is identified would help. But I bet young/healthy people don't often show signs of gluten-caused neuro damage, till they're extreme and/or other systems are affected.

Love,

Sara
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tex
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Post by tex »

Sara wrote:But I bet young/healthy people don't often show signs of gluten-caused neuro damage, till they're extreme and/or other systems are affected.
I'm sure you're right. Unfortunately, "young" and "healthy" are no longer terms which show up in my health portfolio. :lol: :lol:

Hmmmm. I notice that, (among many drugs, diseases, etc.), beta blockers can cause arm paresthesia. I've been taking metoprolol tartrate for a year now. I might run that one past my doctor, to see what he thinks.

Love,
Tex
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Post by sarkin »

Tex,

I've 'graduated' from young and healthy myself ;) My understanding of MC & gluten's role in my life has been the trigger of my biggest age "symptom" - thinking that I wish I knew then what I know now!

Interesting observation about the Rx. Hope your doc is helpful in figuring it out...

L,
S
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tex
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Post by tex »

I notice that most mornings lately, whether I've done much work the day before or not, regardless of how well I slept, I wake up feeling tired/exhausted, and my get-up-and-go seems to have got up and left. I note that fatigue is also a common side effect of beta blockers.

I need to go by the pharmacy to refill my prescriptions today, anyway, so I set up an appointment with my GP for 2 pm, to see what he thinks about this. Fortunately, in that one-horse town, they're only about 100 yards apart. :grin:

Love,
Tex
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Post by sarkin »

Wow, you're going to see your doctor the same day, and you're not in agony or needing life-saving care. That, too, is different from my usual experience in the big city!

That's coming up soon - hope your GP has good ideas. I think I never noticed when I was feeling great, till it went away. Hope your get-up-and-go is back very soon.

Love,
Sara
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tex
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Post by tex »

Wow, you're going to see your doctor the same day, and you're not in agony or needing life-saving care. That, too, is different from my usual experience in the big city!
Yep, things are different out here in the country. :lol: If I call by mid-morning, I can almost always get a same-day appointment.

Love,
Tex
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Post by Deb »

Surprisingly, Mayo changed their policy here a few years back for locals. They eliminated their acute illness center and strive to get us in the same day with our PCP (family medicine) if at all possible. If that's not possible we can always get in to see a nurse practitioner who can then get us to the doctor if necessary. As much as I get frustrated with them, they really have quite a system.
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tex
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Post by tex »

Kudos to them - that's downright progressive for an institution that size. :thumbsup:


Incidentally, in case anyone is wondering what my doc had to say about my reasons for the visit this afternoon - as expected, he didn't think it was anything to get excited about, and he was reluctant to blame the arm paresthesia on the metoprolol tartrate, (naturally - doctors virtually never believe that any drug might actually cause any of the listed side effects. :lol: ). He did admit that beta blockers cause a perceived loss of energy, but thought that I should continue to take it, because of the issues that developed with my heart during my last surgery, when it apparently ran low on blood. :roll: I tend to agree with him on that one, because the drug does make the heart's job easier, and I'm taking a minimum dose, anyway.

Sooooooooo, My instructions were to monitor the situation for a month or so, and report back about mid-July. :shrug:

Tex
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Post by sarkin »

Tex,

That sounds like a totally reasonable plan. I love the idea of 'perceived' loss of energy. The drug doesn't actually induce fatigue, but it might cause you to imagine that you're less bouncy.

The good news is, the success of this plan rests on *your* monitoring, which is proven to be top-notch ;) Plus - your doc is also interested in your observations... excellent.

Glad your heart is getting help, for sure. (Also glad about the minimum dose - not just because I'm rabidly Rx-phobic, which I am... far better is that that lowest dose is effective for you.)

Love,

Sara
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Post by Gloria »

Tex,

I'm also amazed that you were able to see the doctor on the same day you called.

It's frustrating when doctors don't take published side effects to prescriptons seriously. I'd bet that the pharma sales reps don't think it's important to mention them. I sometimes wonder if they're worried about lawsuits.

I broke out in a rash a couple of times after taking different medications, and my doctor pooh-poohed it and said it likely wasn't due to the medicine. I was scheduled for a breast biopsy one of the times and the nurse called him to report the rash. She didn't think I should have the surgery with it. He didn't think it was any big deal.

I'm sure you'll be monitoring the situation, but I have a feeling that whatever your results, your doc won't be motivated to investigate it further. I don't think it should be brushed off lightly, however.

Gloria
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tex
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Post by tex »

Gloria wrote:He didn't think it was any big deal.
They usually don't, as long as it's someone else's rash. :lol:
Glolria wrote:but I have a feeling that whatever your results, your doc won't be motivated to investigate it further.
You've got him pegged, alright. After my surgery last year, the hospital doctors insisted that I should do a stress test, because my heart enzymes eventually showed signs of damage before the surgery was completed. My PCP and I discussed the operative report, (he used to be an abdominal surgeon, for most of his career), and since it was pretty clear that the reason why my heart got into trouble was because the surgical team apparently allowed me get too low on blood, neither one of us could see any really good reason why I should do a stress test, (what would be the point?), so he never got around to scheduling one. :lol:

He's usually willing to go along with my opinion, though, if I'm strongly in favor of something, so if my symptoms become worse, we'll definitely do something. Today, the problem is barely noticeable.

Tex
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Post by sarkin »

Glad to hear the symptoms are better today, Tex.

I know what you mean about "someone else's rash"... only after I had "minor surgery" did I understand that it had been minor for the surgeon. I still felt like I got hit by a bus :shock:

Love,
Sara
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