Posting Again After Many Years

[hoosier1]

Hello All and Tex:

I can't recall the last time I posted but I wanted to get opinions from this well of knowledge on my current issues. I don't know where to begin, so here goes.

I am a 59 YO male, slim, pretty good shape, with a history of GI problems, including LC, which subsequent doctors over the years said I do not have because subsequent pathology does not show it (even though it was confirmed via biopsy when I first joined this board).

Fast forward to about a year ago to present day, I have upper right chest pain (above gall bladder area - not under rib cage). It is a dull, pulling like sensation. With this I also have continuing GI issues, on top of having a coronary artery stent installed into my LAD artery in July. My cardio doctor found an 85% blockage during a catheterization where he was absolutely sure he would find no blockage. Lesson, don't trust ECG's and stress tests.

Since then, I take anti platelet, low dose aspirin, and a BP med everyday. My beta blocker was dropped a month ago.

Back to my GI issues, the chest pain continues - I don't know if it is cardio or GI related. It does feel a little burning like at times - and a year ago, when I started chasing the chest pain - endoscopy stated "mild gastritis". Gall bladder ultrasound was OK. I am usually bloated and distended, and pain is worse a couple hours after eating. And my bowel habits are all over the place with mostly formed but fluffy stock that dissolves when flushed and is pale (not gray or white in color).

Note that my chest discomfort existed long before my stent was installed. I feel like they found my heart blockage incidentally, and that something else is going on inside my chest/GI. I wonder about gall bladder, so I am going to ask for a Hida scan.

My diet is very bland - potatoes, rice, fish, meat, etc. Yes, I am sure gluten is a part of my diet on occasion (more often that it should be).

I have some old Entocort laying around, and I think I am going to self-administer for a while to gage the effect. Other than that, I am out of ideas and welcome your input.

Best,

Rich

[tex]

Hello Rich,

Sorry to hear about your symptoms. To cut to the chase, it's very likely that gluten is causing your GI issues. And since the inflammation associated with MC can affect virtually any organ in the digestive system, it's certainly possible that the inflammation may be causing gallbladder issues. I would suggest avoiding gluten 100% (even the tiniest trace amounts) to see if that resolves the problem. If you've been eating a gluten contaminated diet for the long-term, then it may take 6 or 8 weeks or more to get your anti-gliadin antibody level down to below the threshold where it continually triggers a reaction, so that you can begin to see any improvement, because antigliadin antibodies have a 120 day half-life.

The description of your chest pain symptoms suggest that it could be due to gallbladder inflammation. If you can also feel the pain in back, that's a pretty good indication that the gallbladder may be the source of the pain. Without test results in front of me, I can only guess, but based on your description, that's my best guess. Remember though, I'm not a doctor — I'm only a student of MC — still learning, like everyone else here.

Tex

[hoosier1]

Hello Tex!!!

Very good to hear from you after all these years! And thanks so much for the quick response. It looks liked I joined the board 15 years ago by looking at my profile, which would have been around when we last communicated. Time flies.

Good advice from you as always. I was doing pretty well up until about a year ago. I think the stress from work and travel, and dietary indulgences may have gotten the best of me. Then the cardio issues developed, which have just compounded and complicated things a bit.

I hope you are doing well. Again, I appreciate your prompt response and advice.

Best,

Rich

[tex]

I believe you are on target with your assessment. Some of us don't react as severely as others, and some of us can tolerate more leeway with our diet without major reactions. But stress is a wildcard, and it can dominate the situation in a hurry. And the effects of food sensitivities and stress are additive, so that when one is added to the other, the combined effect can cause our inflammation level to head for the moon. Anything we can do to reduce stress, almost always helps — even when we are in remission, because it will allow more complete intestinal healing. And when our digestive system heals more completely, and does a better job of digesting foods and absorbing nutrients, every other organ in our body also benefits.

Tex