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COULD IT BE MY CROHN'S Acting up all along???

I am a 24 year old who just a few months ago, had my world turned upside down. I began with flu-like symptoms, trembling, cold sweats, instability/fast heart rate. Symptoms continued throughout the day. The next day I went to ER treated for dehydration.

A day later symptoms continued and I went to a different Hospital where they treated me for anxiety- I have NEVER been an anxious person, quite the opposite. Symptoms continued with heart rates of 100-160 with feelings of near syncope/passing out. I ended up back in the er a week later because my hr went up to 180 & my whole body went into shock. They treated me for sinus tachycardia and began me on a beta-blocker and ativan to control my nerves. Cardiologist wanted to put me on a heart monitor for a few weeks to see what was going on. I was taken off of ativan and put on Xanax. Continued to have symptoms and tachycardia HR of 100-180 off and on and symptoms of feeling out of it and feeling very light headed persisted along with sharp heart pains/chest pains.

After the third week took me off of the beta-blocker because he didn't think it had anything to do with my heart. He said it seemed like it might be autonomic dysfunction and to increase fluids/salt intake/ & implement lower extremity strength training into my life. Ended up on Florinef because it was believed that I might have POTS. The first two weeks were great but after that I began having tachy episodes a few times a day and for about two weeks lost 10 lbs, was unable to leave the house or get out of bed. My nerves were on edge.

I saw a neurologist for the POTS and he ruled that out with an autonomic dysfunction test. So back on the beta-blocker I went/ to mask the symptoms and try to get my life back. Currently on the beta-blocker, xanax, & omneprozole (for Crohn's Disease)

Last week I tried to get my blood checked and they could only get about a 1/5 of the vile. They said I was extremely dehydrated. Which is crazy because I drink around 6-10 glasses of fluids each day....

I JUST TODAY got results from a cat scan with contrast and it shows that my illium is inflammed!!!! COULD CROHN'S disease cause the sinus tachycardia and all of these horrible symptoms? When I was diagnosed with Crohn's when I was 12 I had symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath, was extremely underweight, and felt like I was having a heart attack (just like lately). Heart checked out fine and a biopsy revealed it was Crohns. I am now thinking that if this is Crohn's related-it would make sense that my symptoms are worse.....and it would explain the anxiety now that I am older having it...When I was 12 there wasn't much reason for worry.... Please any advice would be MORE than appreciated.
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Avatar universal
I just saw this post as I lay in bed after an unexplained rise in my heart rate. I was simply laying down and it jumped to about 160 beats per minute. I either have ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease because it hasn't been able to be determined. I was recently hospitalized for 10 days and developed pericarditis and also severe tachycardia. My heart rate jumps to about 140 when I stand up and light walking sustains about 120 to 130. No one seems to know why the tachycardia is occurring although they blame it on the Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis which is not well managed right now. I have diarrhea with blood. Like you guys have taken many medications including Remicade which did not work I am currently taking prednisone and budesonide which I suspect they may have something to do with the tachycardia so I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't.
If anyone sees this that can give some advice on how to alleviate the tachycardia please do.

I'm more concerned about the tachycardia than the UC because it's so darn scary!
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Avatar universal
Hi enigma.  I suffer from the same type of Crohn's that you do (inflamed ileum).  I was diagnosed when I was 33 and am now 41 and at no point have my doctors ever really managed to get it under control.  In fact, my G.I. doctor told me it is the worse case of Crohn's that he has ever encountered.  I had several misdiagnosis and by the time they had discovered the cause of my stomach pains I weighed 120lbs, my normal weight had 200lbs.  I think I've taken almost ever type of Crohn's medicine there is but only 2 have had any effect.  Remicade helped for awhile, until I developed an allergic reaction to it, and I'm currently taking Humira which is working fairly well.  One of the hardest things about Crohn's is that it rarely effect any two people the exact same way.  Some of my biggest problems (besides the obvious stomach pain and loss of appetite) has been severe neuropathy from a b12 deficiency, severe acid reflux, and chronic, continuous, pain from abscesses in my rear end.  I've even had to have surgery once to drain 3 abscesses in my stomach.  

But enough about me and my problems.  The I wanted to comment on your post is because a few days ago I fainted in my house after getting up off my couch.  I have experienced some dizziness and light headedness in the past, but I had never come close to passing out before.  I went to my primary doctor today and he diagnosed me tachycardia and low blood pressure.  I'm going to see a cardiologist next week and I'll let you know what they say and what, if any, treatments they put me on.  If you have any success with the treatments your doctors are trying I would appreciate you letting me know.  I know this thread is old and you may not even see this post, but you do just know that I hope you are doing better and I'll be thinking about you.    
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Avatar universal
Hi- I have had diarrhea off and on. Had a colonoscopy and endoscopy with Bravo 48 hr ph monitor last week. Biopsy confirmed I have inflammation in my terminal ileum, which was where my crohn's was diagnosed when I was 12, 13 years ago. I have consumed so many fluids and all blood work came back fine and showed no signs of being malnourished or dehydrated, although two different times the person drawing blood said wow you are severely dehydrated.... WHO KNOWS... I am guessing with the inflammation my body was not absorbing the nutrition or fluids.

I am currently on Entocort & nexium 40mg 2x daily. I was also dx with GERD last week and he things that the acid/gerd might have been the culprit with the tachycardia.... I just find it weird that my HR went up to 186 about 5 different times. I guess with inflammation and then all of my symptoms causing anxiety because of being undiagnosed it makes the HR even higher.

I am still on a beta blocker bc of the high heart rates that I have been having, and hope that if indeed Crohn's was the culprit all along, my body will come back to normal and the hr will go back to normal as well. I PRAY that it was the Crohn's all along and this medicine will heal me.

I have lost 15 lbs (down to 100llbs) I cannot afford to loose any more weight. My appetite is seeming to pick back up a little bit, which is wonderful and I have been able to do some light exercise.  
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Avatar universal
Sounds all Crohn's related. I've experienced all of that due to dehydration from diarrhea.

So the real question...why are you dehydrated. Do you have diarrhea?

If yes...all Crohn's...if no...well, that is more confusing.

Can you please be as detailed as possible with all of your current/recent symptoms. I may be able to help. Active CD since 16. Now 24.
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