hi ,
u said u have a very good diet . can i know what u have for ur diet B,cos i think no one can give answer without knowing what u eat . which country r u from and what is the style of foor u have
for instance i can give u just this suggestion
have lots of greens
eat liquid food like milk and fruits when ur problem is more
there is a plant which induces loose motions , dont laugh but belive me it works

for further info u can contact me to my e-mail at
"lovelynature18@yahoo.co.in"

What your doctor said about your questions?
If you eat too much "good" diet you can also gain weight, pigs eats vegetables and they are so fat. I don’t think excessives exercise will help you. If you are not some kind of alien you will loose weight when you will start to eat less for 2-3 months.
Cushing Syndrom could be a problem, secondary or primary.

I experience the exact symptoms as KMAS and eat well and exercise, sometimes too much but still look 5 months pregnant . People have asked me when I’m due.
I’m sick of this too and want to find out what the problem is.

Hi,
I have been experiencing the same problem for 10 weeks now. When I eat anything I look 5 months pregenant and I gained 15 pounds. I am currently being tested for various conditions by my GI doctor at Ceders Sinai in Beverly Hills California and I am seeing a nutritionist weekly. I don’t have a diagnoses yet but it seems like I am having problems digesting wheat, dairy, soy and highly seasoned items and high fat, high sugar items. I would recommend you remove all wheat, diary, soy and other items that cause gas such as beans and brocolli. I find when I do not eat these items and I eat small portions of food every 2 hours rather then eating a normal size meal, I feel better and don’t bloat and I have lost 10 of the 15 pounds.
My GI doctor thinks I may have a bactria overgrowth in my small intestine and I am getting tested for that this Friday, July 14, 2006. I will let you know if that is the problem because it seems like we have the same issue.
Please email me at my regular email address kcurran@vantagepartners.com and I can email you the information regarding the strict diet that my nutritionist placed me on.

Let me know how you feel when you remove these items. I hope you feel better I know how horrible this can be.

Sincerely,
Kristi

My 10 year old daughter also suffers from bloating (she looks pregnant) and weight gain (more in the belly),her face also gets fat, when she was a toddler she was underweight. Then she started gaining when she turned 6.She was put on lactulose once and gained about 10 lbs in a month, while on this.I am looking into gluten intolerance, She also is short and suffers from constipation. I am getting her tested for food intolerance at york labs.

Hi,

If these are some of your symptoms: pelvic pain, cramps, early or late periods that become shorter and shorter, joint pain/arthritis (even when you are young), fibromas, bloated stomach as if you were pregnant, tender breasts, fatigue, vaginitis and/or cystitis, infertility and/or miscarriages (of course, in case you are actually trying to get pregnant), lack of concentration… and last, but not least, hair loss…

Congratulations, you have a STD infection!

The funny part is that I am not using the word “congratulations” as whether this is a joke, but because I am saving you of future health problems (as diabetes, heart problems, chronic artritis, non-reseversal infertility, etc.) and chronic pain, and because, once detected, most of them are just easily treated through antibiotics.

If, apart from above symptoms, you are experiencing mood changes and long PMS, you probably have chlamydia. Other STDs that you will have to check with your gyn, are: trichomonas, mycoplasms (there are about 17 of these, but you should at least get tested for ureaplasma), and aerobic and anaerobic bacteria (there are a lot of these, so you better get a good gyn).

This is your checklist:

1. Go to your gyn and get tested from all above, only from your cervix.
2. Ask your doctor not to send the samples to a big lab such as Quest Diagnostics, as results come negative even when they are positive. Trust me, it happened to me several times.
3. Ask your doctor to run antibiogram test on the sample, so that you can be sure the organisms are sensitive to the antibiotics you will take. This is very important.
4. If, after 2/3 weeks of waiting, results are positive, congratulations, you have caught it. If not, my advice is not to give up and try again with another gyn and a different lab. Sometimes, a gyn with his own lab is very helpful. Please do not let any doctor to tell you your symptoms are psychological.
5. In the case you are positive for chlamydia, please be aware these are very resistant in the sense that, even when in text books it is said that a 10/14 days course of antibiotics is enough, it is not. Some chlamydias (these organisms get inside the cell and reproduce themselves until the host cell bursts) might live inside the cell for up to 4 weeks and therefore not be affected. Ask your doctor for high and long dose of the correspondent antibiotic. In the case you get treated but some of them survive, your will feel great for some months or even years, and then get the same symptoms with the time.

Please be aware that these are STD diseases, in the meaning that you caught it either from your actual partner, a former one or from your mother at birth. You can know if the last case is true, just checking whether you were born late (or premature, in the case of mycoplasms), and when your mom/any of her sisters have a past of miscarriages and/or infertility. Check also your partners’ family health history in the same way.

As these are STDs, you cannot have sex (even when using condoms) with your partner during the antibiotic treatment. Your partner will also have to follow the treatment. After treatment, please use condoms for at least 6 months, until you are pretty sure your system is clean and you have no recurring infections. If you do not do this, re-infection from your partner (or him from you) is possible.

PLEASE TELL THIS TO ANY WOMAN YOU MIGHT THINK HAS THIS PROBLEM. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT. IT SEEMS MEDICAL COMMUNITY IS CLOSING ITS EYES TO THIS. I DO NOT KNOW THE REASON. BUT TRUST ME, IT IS SOOOO NOT MENTAL.

Get well, and help other women. We deserve it.

Hi,

I’m wondering if any of the people with these symptoms received a diagnosis. I am in a very similar boat: I have been experiencing a great deal of bloating (looking pregnant) usually after I eat lunch, I gained 15 pounds in 4 months even though I didn’t change my diet or exercise routine, and I have felt very tired. The doctors say that it is not my thryoid and probably not IBS. They just tell me that I’m probably eating too much and that is causing all of my symptoms. I keep a food diary and I eat under 1500 calories each day. I eat no gluten (wheat, rye, barley), no soy, no corn, and no sugar. I only eat fermented dairy (yogurt & cottage cheese). I don’t know what’s wrong with me or how to fix it. Any suggestions? I’m desperate. If someone told me that a diet of only carrots and hot water would solve my problems, I’d be willing to try it!

For the past 6 months, I had stomach problems that have made me feel like I’ve had a volley ball in my stomach after eating. I’ve gained 15 lbs and feel miserable AFTER I eat. Not during. I’m eating very little and still feel bloated. I went to my gastroenterologist yesterday and he said my stomach wasn’t expanding correctly while eating and that’s causing the bloated feeling. I hope to talk to him again today to find out the "official" name for it. He told me to stay off of fruits, salads and raw veggies. All veggies must be cooked and soft. And I’ve been eating salads thinking that I was doing good for myself, when in fact I was actually feeling more miserable. I’ll try this new way of eating and if it doesn’t work, then I hope to see a different doctor somewhere for a second opinion. I feel crazy at times not being able to eat a normal meal, expecially when we dine out. I’ll post the name as soon as I receive it. Maybe it will help someone else with the same problem.

Hi
I have had this same problem now for about 8 or 9 years! I have had every possible test done, changed my diet and still none of the doctors in California nor here in Arizona has figured it out either. I swell up at the drop of a hat and look very pregant in a matter of minutes. It doesn’t seem to matter what I eat or don’t eat, no one has figured it out. I have alot of pain and discomfort with it, at times it even feels like my ribs may crack or break because of the swelling. I do have IBS, but this will last up to two weeks or more at a time which isn’t caused by the IBS. I am so tired and tired of the pain and uncomfortable feeling that comes with this every time it flares up. Its hard to figure out how so many of us have the same thing and yet no one can seem to help us. But I keep hoping that someday they will. Hang in there, someday I hope someone in the medical field will come along that can really help all of us.

After my previous post, I did try the diet the doctor asked me to try. No salads, no fruit, no nuts, no fiber cereal, no raw veggies. I crave fruit and a salad. I have to admit that things are a "little" better, but far from good. Last night my husband and I had dinner at a friends home and she had pasta. I felt horrible afterwards and I ate none of the things I wasn’t supposed to. I’ve tried to do my own research on this matter, but there doesn’t seem to be information available on this subject. And what exactly would you call it? That’s the problem. There’s no name for it and no research and no solutions. I too, am very tired and so tired of feeling sick after I eat. I’ve actually had to buy larger pants so that when we eat out, I don’t feel pain from my clothes being too snug. My belly simply blows up and I can’t stand the pressure of the waistband. Eating cottage cheese or yogurt for a few days, lessens my bloating (to a point), but who can survive on that? UGHHHH!! This is awful. I need energy.

A friend of my sister has had the same problem that all of us seem to be having with the swelling and pain and the doctors couldn’t find what was wrong with her either. She finally went to a Mayo clinic in Scottsdale, Az. There they finally found that she had a bad gallbladder and gallstones! Which has been removed and she is about 95 percent better now! Has anyone else been tested for that??

I too have this problem. The word ‘bloated’ does not do this feeling justice. I get frustrated because people don’t think it’s a serious problem. But when it feels like you swallowed a football with lunch, along with legarthy, irritability, back and joint pain, headaches, wind… you feel like hiding away in bed all day- you don’t want to go to work, let alone socialise, your clothes don’t fit, you’re in extreme discomfort, but as it’s not ‘pain’, it’s not seen as important. Ahh! Whatever exclusion diets I try does not help- eating less carbs can reduce bloating but gives me IBS symptoms- diarreah, urgency. Either way I need to urinate far too often throughout day and night. Problems are a lot worse pre-menstrually, but my periods are extremely irregular, and the ‘PMS’ can seem to last for weeks, months at a time! This problem is isolating, confusing, despairingly frustrating and is ruining my life!!!

Hi Everyone, I’ve read everyone’s comments and replies- and I’m now questioning things that are going on with me. I’ll start with saying that in the last year I’ve gained 30lbs. In May of 05 my doctor put me on Effexor Rx for depression, I took that medicine for about 9 months- and during that time, I did notice weight gain and constipation, which are all side effects of taking this medicine. So in January, I was taken off the medicine, and I felt better. I started dieting, trying to let my hair grow all b.c I was getting married IN MAY! So, with in a few months of not being on the effexor anymore, I still have the constipation problems, my hair wasn’t growing and I felt horrible. So I went back to my General Pract. and He said I have IBS and he also wanted to check my thyroid. Because depression and all my systems go with hypothyroidism. My test came back with hypothyroid systems and my GP decided to send me to an endocrinologist. I’m on Synthroid (which is a synthetic replacement) Now, my TSH levels are great. .097 and my constipation is still here- (which always goes along with Hypothyroidism) The bloating is killing me. My face and eyes swell a little to! My endocrinologist has decided to send me to a Gastronoligist for testing, since my Thyroid level is exactly where I want it to be. So, I’m just nervous, and fed up with not knowing what’s wrong with me. What’s the hardest for me is people don’t see anything physically wrong with me, they only see the weight gain- so I’m constantly educating my friends and family about hypo thyroidism and the problems that go along with it, so they’ll understand.

hi everyone
I have just read all your comments , it really helps to know others have the same problem as me. My bloating has got worse over the past year, as soon as I eat most things my stomach doubles in size and the wind is so bad its affecting my work, I work in an office and sometimes I dare not stand up to open a filing cabinet so I try to stay seated. I have only recentley visited my Dr, who has given me some tablets to relax my bowels, which have not helped so far, she said I probably have a food intolerance but i get bloated whatever food I eat , so I was wondering if any one had any advice for me
thanks d

I went to my gastro and he suggested that I take Zelnorm for a month along with some previcid! I’m pretty upset that he’s prolonged my problem- I’ve tried Zelnorm before for 2 wks with zero results. If anyone has any suggestions on what to do about bloating and constipation, I would like to know! Thanks

I am relieved to hear that others are experiencing the same symptoms as I have been for the past year, but sorry that no doctors seem to be able to fix the problem. After a year of believing I was simply getting fat, not exercising enough, or eating the wrong foods – and changing all of those things with no results – I have made a dr appt with a gastroenterologist. If I find out anything encouraging I will certainly post it here, and would love to encourage others to do the same. Similar to everyone’s else experience, after I eat ANYTHING, my stomach swells to where I look 5 months pregnant. I run 3 miles a day and am an otherwise thin, fairly young (31) person, and unless I completely stop eating these symptoms occur. I am miserable. I hope that we can all find out what’s causing this, because it definitely is not normal!

I’ve recently started eating ALL BRAN Cereal and it’s helps 95% with the constipation and the bloating! Just an fyi to those that want something to help a little. I honestly don’t have the bloating as much, b/c I’m going to the b room and the constipation is relieved bye the cereal. Good luck.

I have read all your stories and just wanted to Thank you all for telling them. I thought I was going insane with all this. I have been dealing with Bloating, stomach discomfort, weight gain, constipation, looking like i am 5-6 months pregnant, discomfort in sex and so on.
This problem has been driving me nuts. I have taken laxatives to try and get rid of everything that seems to be backed up and that has not worked for me. It seems everything i eat makes me look like i am pregnant. I am frustrated and don’t know what to do – it’s has taken over me and made me feel so depressed. I wish there were an answer out there. I went to see my GYN about this, in which i thought it was something wrong woth my uterus, just cause the size of my belly and the discomfort in sex. He said it was just gas and i shoul d try some laxatives.
And that did not work for me. So please if any one of you receive a decent answer to all this – please post it. Thank you and good luck!
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I gained 40lbs in less than 6 months, am constipated, and look like I am 6 months pregnant. I thought I was losing my mind and no one believe me until I compared my stomach with a pregnant woman! I do have IBS but I had the diarrhea kind and it is under control. Are any of you taking prescription pain pills? I had 2 failed spine surgeries and take pain pills which do slow the system down.

Last night I was only able to eat 1/2 of a fish kabob with rice then felt like my meal was seating on top of giant baseketball. I couldn’t finish my meal. I started wonderering if I had developed a gluten intolerance (no rice, cereals, bread and a lot of stuff I eat). I also wondered if I had stomach cancer and started scaring myself but if all you people are suffering the same thing, it is likely a food interolance or related to IBS I think.

I am seeing my doctor in about an hour for a follow-up appointment. She tested me for thyroid, diabetes, parasites (because I travel alot) and I asked her to look for Cushings Disease which causes your stomach to protrude.

Worse, I am supposed to go somewhere an appear in a bathingsuit in about a week where they may be media cameras for an event I am attending. Luckily, the cameras won’t be looking at me but I still may not go. Who is that 6 months pregant woman and why is she scuba diving?

I am glad I not alone…

OMG, what is happening here? 😯

I gained extra 5 kilos last month and it seems quite fast as I thought. However, it is established by now, means that I got no more extra weight. My size is 150 cm/50 kg now. My mom says I look like a ball, and she wonders abut my belly because it is round just under my breasts. I never realized it til she told me so. Now I worry because her friend experrienced the same and when she (the friend) met her doctor, she got told that there is a tumour as big as young coconut within her belly OMG 😕

Hi just was reading all of this. I have been having the same thing happening to me. I havent gained much weight yet I hope not to.. I feel PG half the time bloated after I eat and sometimes when I don’t. I feel full all the time. It is weird. This just started on me maybe 6 months ago. It wasn’t to bad at first but now it is getting worse and worse. I went to my family Dr. on Friday and she was like weird huh. She gave me Aciphex but it really hasn’t helped to much. She is sending me to a gastric Dr her after the Holidays.

I am now glad I did a search for this and found others with the same problem. I sure hope we find put why and how to stop this I’m really sick of bloating and looking PG.

I have lost 63 lbs over the last year and couple months. Untill the last 3 weeks I have started gaining for no reason at all. I still walk everyday and eat well. Heck I felt better when I ate fried foods all the time hahaha. J/K

Thanks Vicki

Scubagirl I take pain pills and have for years I have had three back surgeries and 1 neck surgery.

claremarie Also I feel just like you do..

Man weird they can’t fix this or find out why. Well if I get any help Ill let you all know.

Kmas I hasvent had any testing of any kind yet. But I am going to ask haha
Thanks all so glad I found this spot
Vicki

Hey I was thinking that to. Ihavent been tested yet but I am seeing the Dr soon.
So is she still doing better?

Hello everyone. I have been experiencing mysterious bloating like what is described here for six months now. I am 30 years old and when this began I was 30 pounds overweight, but was losing weight due to proper diet and exercise. (I’m also vegan by the way, for 7 years now, so while I do eat some junk foods, I never partake in dairy, fatty meats, etc.) I’ve lost 20 pounds in the last six months, I suppose partially from the diet and exercise I was doing until I felt ill all the time, and partially from whatever is making me ill.

I have been diagnosed with gallstones, and have had an ERCP to repair a malfunctioning sphincter of oddi (that’s the connection between the main bile duct and the intestines.) Anyway, wanted to share that information with you all. Problems with the gallbladder can certainly cause bloating. The problem is that if not presented with other, more classic symptoms like upper-right quadrant pain and attacks, then your doctor may be hesitant to credit the bloating to the gallstone problems.

Some things to check out if you are just beginning the whole adventure; H. Pylori, food allergies/intolerances, parasites, candida, uterine cysts, fibroids, celiac, and of course, the gall bladder. All of these things can be checked out by your doctor, no big deal. None of these have been the culprit for me, except possibly the gallstones. Still working it all out with my doctor, experiencing horrible bloating everyday. You can have a bad gallbladder, even without stones.

I would appreciate any stories of people who did find that their bloating was relieved by gallbladder removal, I noticed the one post in this thread that gave me hope.

I came across this website as i am fed up with my distented stomach … I am 5 foot 3 and i am top heavy and slim hips down, as you can imagine, it is pointless to wear baggy clothes as i just feel bad, and i have taken to ignoring people, luckily i have confidence.

I recently underwent an op to remove fibriods as i was told that is why my stomach was distentended after the op i looked like i was nine months pregnant. It has gone down but before the op, my waist measurement was 30 inches and now it is at 40 inches…I have lost weight, dropped calories, low carb and yet my belly just protudes… The doctor recently said i had Polycystic ovaries which was a reason for the weight gain, my stomach is not flabby but firm , round and distentended. I do have a varied diet, i eat fruit and veg…

i have tried everything, my appetite has more or less deceased recently as i am always feeling full, i am not pregnant…..

I have read the posts and to me it seems that the docs do not know what to do, i will ask for a gall bladder test. They has to be something wrong as this is not right…

In the meantime i am going to try arasys which is a stomach toning machine and see if it would help…..

Hey People

I think i might have stumbled on to something here, the most things we all seem to have in common is eating fruit and veg, which are supposed to be "healthy". The fruit and veg i eat especially are Peppers, lettuce and I drink a loads of water, occasional vary with orange juice.

I also like monkey nuts, dry roasted peanuts, milk is my most conusmed dairy and occasionally fruit yogurt and sometimes have wholegrain brown bread…

I do not really eat salt and I do eat rice and loking back i do feel very heavy after rice. I stopped eating oatmeal and soymilk because of the bloating

I will try and elimanate fruits, nuts, milk and veg for the next two weeks.. Eating will be challenging but these days i have given up as this is making me seriously depressed.

I have always had a healthy attitude to eating but this is not helping…

Will update with progress….Any suggestions please let me know…

Have you tried water, water cleans the body very well. Such as when one has diarrhea, water clears it up real fast. And kmas, your diet consisting of whole grains, fiber, and some vegetables like beans and others can cause bloating, but if you are consistent with your diet and have been on it for a long time, then those should pass.

how to cure this problem /?? is there some medicine to take ??
i also have the symptom , not so serious , but so boring . i really hope some kind doctor can cure me .

thank u very much !!!!!
the following is my mailbox : hanxinghuafreelion@gmail.com

Hello

Just updating and i hope it helps..

My stomach bloating is currently under control, tried a colonic, freaked me out..did not finish.My body could not handle it…as i was constantly sick and i stopped, it is not for me.

Luckily the therapist was understanding and he recommended prune juice and i have decided to elimanate white carbs, fried foods and diary as i find that i bloat and i am in pain after eating them.

One thing that came out of the colonic is that i refuse to fill like that again and i am determined to it right and teh natural way. I am refusing to take store bought or precribed laxatives as they take way the natural bacteria in your stomach, which makes you reliant on them. eventually your body gets used to them.

i am trying an alternative way of eating and it is working, Prune Juice has helped me as it is a natural laxative and actually restores the natural bacteria in your stomach, that is gentle.I am taking the following vitamins,, B Complex for energy, artichoke tablets to boost my metablosim and fibre tablets to aid digestion.

The prune juice is a gentle laxative and mixing the prune juice with apple juice gives it more kick, so i only use it before i go to bed.

Use 100% prune juice and apple apple juice nothing concentrated. i have changed my diet. I have elimated diary and i have found that it has helped me.

I am also eating a high protein, vegetable diet with very little carbs. I find that eating chicken, turkey or fish with vegetables fills me up longer than if i eat say rice and chicken. I am also drinking loads of water and totally elimated fried foods. It has helped me and my stomach is no longer bloated.
It has only been a week but i am feel so much better and fitting into some my of old clothes and i am exercising for 5 minutes a day until i build my strength and snacking on a handful of cashew nuts.

This is working and i am very relieved..I can actually feel my stomach and it has gone down drastically and my constipation is gone. I feel great… I am happy as i dong this my way and feel better for it.

Thats great news! im glad you have it back on track. I bloat when i am nervous, excited, stressed, or upset. Maybe that is something you have not considered?

After reading everyone’s story about bloating, I am wondering if anyone has tried routinely eliminating certain "troublesome" foods from their diet, and if so, what were the results? I hear that many people are lactose intolerant, but are unaware. Unlike food allergies, food intolerances do not involve the immune system, so are harder to identify.

I am having bloating issues myself – I work out five days a week and have cut most "bad" carbs from my diet. I don’t drink soda – at least not often – and am at a loss as to why I bloat. I have no pain, or fatigue, or digestive issues other than the discomfort of bloating. Well, I am depressed since no matter what I do I seem to bloat.

Would love to hear from anyone who could offer some new insights.

Well im not sure about that, because i never ate "bad" carbs and i dont eat any junk at all, if i had it on my holidays, that couldnt be the problem, because i didnt bloat when on holiday!
like at all…

Nysiek, thanks for posting your success story. I hope you will post again and let us know that you are still doing well. I had my gallbladder removed weeks ago and there has been no change in my bloating/distention. I’m considering a grain-free diet; will probably try and elimination diet first. My life has been completely ruined by this.

Like everyone else here it is nice to see I am not alone in this frustrating situation. No matter what I ingest, even water, I bloat out like I am six mos pregnant. It is completely embarrassing. My daughter came up to me while I was sitting down and she attempted to ‘"push" mommy’s stomach back in because it was sticking out’ – she is four. I used to be very petite before my last pregancy – I have three children. I have gained 70lbs in 4 years! It is disgusting to me and it is hurting my marriage! My husband is not attracted to me anymore! And I don’t blame him. The past three mos alone I have gained 20lbs and I don’t know why! I was an athlete most of my life, a runner and a gymnast until my 30s! Now at 36 I can’t even run a mile without massive pain and fatigue. I work out on my stepper everyday and I hardly eat a thing. Small meals, soup mostly, salads, and water or green tea. But I am tired all the time, my periods are very irregular, my body hurts all the time, my skin is a mess. I have been tested for everything under the sun! Everything comes back normal. I have been to a Rheumatologist, Internist, and a Homeopathic as well as several different GYN’s to make sure it wasn’t hormones. All normal! I do have a few small fibroids, but that is it. I was told it was probably Fibromyalgia and Irritable Bowel, but that is only because they have nothing else to pin it on. I have gone from a size 2, to a size 16 in four years. HELP!!! I want this to go away – but it just doesn’t seem to get any better. Everytime I get on the scale I have gained another pound. I have been told it is depression and put on antidepressants now. I now have tachycardia, high resting heartrate and hypoglycemia,I was told it was from weight gain…hah!

I was just reading your post, did the naturopath prescribe domperdione to you or did you have to go to a medical doctor?

hi,
i dont have an amazing diet or great excercise all the time,niether am i too lazy to move!i have regular periods(touch wood!)wit normal flow,my pms also is not very long,but still i am bloated and puffy around my periods.i am about 5-6kgs overweight,but look fat.i dont know how to help myself with this problem.
could u pls advice something?
thanks

Hi kmas and everyone else!
I read all the entries and was grateful to learn that I’m not alone (and neither are you). I have been dealing with this same problem for over a year and several months ago I had had enough so I enlisted the help of a friend who is a doctor and these are some things we learned. First of all, I am a 41 year old female. I’m not allergic to dairy, but I have developed a severe intolerance for it (there’s a difference between allergy and intolerance). Even the most minute amount of dairy will cause me extreme discomfort, terrible bloating (yep, makes me look preg. too), swelling of the glands in my neck (which causes my face to swell) and swelling of my hands and feet. Then I have to deal with the constipation that follows. Not fun!
It took a long time to figure out what was causing my symptoms. I went through the scratch test and blood test and discovered I’m not allergic to anything so my doctor said it was a food intolerance. The next step was to eliminate certain types of foods. The two most common types of intolerances are lactose (the sugar found in milk) and gluten (protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats). I started by eliminating lactose and taking lactose pills when necessary. That didn’t work, I was still having symptoms. The next thing I did was eliminate all foods that contained gluten. That didn’t work either. Then my doctor had a hunch and suggested I completely eliminate all dairy products. Within 48 hours I knew that was the answer. By cutting out all dairy we discovered that my intolerance is to the protein found in milk products, not the lactose.
Now that I know what causes my symptoms, I have to be very careful about what I eat especially at restaurants. For instance I recently went to a cafeteria and I asked if the mashed potatoes contained milk and I was told they didn’t (some places use a non-dairy creamer). They were wrong, the mashed potatoes DID contain milk. I knew within the first 30 minutes after eating them. So beware of what you are eating.
I too experienced weight gain when my symptoms were at there worst and I lost several pounds after getting my diet under control. Since then I have put on a few more pounds, but I can only blame that on myself and my poor eating habits. 🙁 I started watching what I eat more carefully and hope to lose 15-20 pounds.
This is just my story but perhaps my experience can help someone else. The only suggestion I have is to keep eliminating certain foods until you find the culprit. Once you discover what’s causing your symptoms, I promise you’ll never eat those kinds of foods again. My friends know how much I love cheese & sour cream and they cannot believe I don’t eat them anymore. Why would I put myself through that kind of pain??
I hope my information has helped someone. We’re all in this together!

Bloating is usually a result of hormonal or mineral imbalances that trigger excess fluid retention in the body. One of the best natural remedies is progesterone, which is added to creams and absorbed transdermally.
I have also have found 1 drop of thereuputic grade essential oil of peppermint in a glass of water will help for bloating and reflux. (only use peppermint oil which is label for therapuetic and internal use) For more information on some products that may assist bloating, indegestion and others let me know.
Regards
Gary

Hi everyone, I just to want add some more info to work with on the matter. I am only 21, this problem started when I was 20(bout 10 months ago). A quick history, I am lactose intallerant and have been, I have always had some bloating due to that(i never stopped eating dairy), so I don’t believe its a food intollerence because my bloating is about 10 times worse now and I eat less dairy than before, unless food intollerences can get worse(I’m no doctor).
I found the weight gain weird because I myself come from a family of human eating machines, in other words. From exception of the last 10 months, I could eat anything, I could eat pure bacon grease everyday and not gain weight, I once ate over a half pound of bacon, 3 eggs, toast, and cereal everyday day just for breakfast(you get the idea). Never gained a pound(5’11” 135lbs), in fact if I slowed down to much I lost weight, everyone was jelious of our family because we were all like that as well as my relatives.
So the point is, this is without a doubt something wrong, I feel sick, lazy, the works.
Now I found 3 things that I don’t think I saw in the posts that go along with our symptoms Ulcerative Colitis, Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. Last but not least is, I went to a fitness and health seminar and the training spoke of a intestinal problem that caused, bloating, firm/round stomach, etc. He recommended some sort of intestenal flush,(which I forgot what it was called) wanted to see if that rang a bell. I am contacting him about what it was called. I have not prosued any of these as of right now but, I intend to find the answer so I will definately let you know how all these go.

Dear Identity101: Funny you should mention ulcerative colitis. I have it. I was diagnosed with "non-specific ulcerative colitis" about 6 years ago. I was having constant constipation, significant weight gain, etc. but I was not experiencing the food intolerance back then that I do now (at least not that I can remember). I was prescribed Asacol, but after 6 months and hundreds of dollars later, I stopped taking it. I was told that another "cure" (for me, anyway) was to significantly increase fiber in my diet. So I did. Now at least 5 days a week I will eat raw brocolli, usually dipped in some sort of salad dressing, as my mid-day snack. It’s loaded with fiber. I also eat oatmeal for breakfast, sprinkled with 1/2 cup of FiberOne cereal, also loaded with fiber. My diet is pretty bland, but I no longer deal with the issues of the colitis as I did before. My "cure" worked for me, maybe it will help others too.
I have never heard of intestinal bacterial overgrowth, but will certainly read up on it. And I have never heard of an ‘intestinal flush,’ but if you get more information, please provide it here. Thank you.

Hi,

Glad to hear there are many people that share the same problem as me. I have ups and downs with my bloating problem over the last 5-7 years. It seems anything I eat or drink – even a cup of coffee – my stomach starts to bloat. I have had abusive diet in the past but am much better over the last few years.

My bloating is a bit strange though – I have done pretty much most of the "standard" gastro tests … and the doctors have not come up with anything concrete except to say its IBS. I dont suffer any other symptoms – I have no pain, no constipation or diarrhea, no discomfort, no gas, no belching, no acid reflux – nothing. Just a very uncomfortable bloat of my tummy … very much like when you fill a baloon with water it swells immediately. My tummy is the same.

The strange thing though is that suddenly for no reason at all, my tummy goes flat for a few months at a time – I can eat anything and my tummy will not bloat. This has happened at different times in my life, different times of the year, different countries … so very hard to pin point why this happens.

The only thing that my last gastr doc said to me is that since I dont suffer from the usual IBS symptoms, it maybe worth to do a "Capsule Endoscopy" even though I have done a regular one and nothings wrong. He said that with this kind of endoscopy, it will be able to show what happens to food the minute it enters my mouth.

I was wondering if anyone has done a "Capsule Endoscopy" and has it yielded positive results? Or if anyone has any advise that I can follow to find the cause of this very annoying bloat that I just cant seem to find the cause for.

Thanks a million!

Best,
Mareena

I’m a 16 nearly 17 year old girl, and I get this bloating all of the time, and I end up looking 5 months pregnant!! I also get evil glares, as if,
‘you’re far to young to be a mother!’ And I’m not even pregnant!!
I went to my doctor, and she told me that I just need to drink more water… this hasn’t helped at all and it’s starting to get me down…
Does anyone know what this is? Please Helps!! Thanks…

Has anyone ever tried peppermint oil pills (enteric coated) to help with the bloating? I have read that if you have reflux disease the peppermint oil pills can be especially troublesome, but if you can get past the discomfort of the reflux, then the pills can have beneficial results. Just wondering if anyone has had success with it. Thanks.

Hi, I have been reading about everyone’s problem with stomach bloating and weight gain.

I am age 67 and have the same problem. In November 2005, I began to feel bloated all of the time. I began to gain weight, not much, but I gained a total of 6 pounds in 4 months. Prior to this I weighed 109 pounds. I know 6 pounds of weight gain is not much, but I’m 5′ 4" in height and this extra weight makes me feel miserable.

I will admit my diet is not exactly a healthy diet, but it’s the same as it’s been for years. In fact, I eat less now than I did before I gained the weight. I feel full all the time, even when I don’t eat. I’ve tried a cleanse for the digestive system. I’ve even tried fluid pills but neither have helped.

I talked to my doctor. He said there was nothing he could do unless I started having pain. He wanted to say it was the food I ate. Tried to tell him my diet had not changed and that I eat less now. I am also very active and at my age I burn a lot of calories.

If I ever find a solution, will let you know.

My stomach [right below my chest] will bloat up like a basketball, hard and round. It feels like a braxton-hicks contraction like you get when you are pregnant and close to due date. I feel very uncomfortable and just want to go lay down somewhere. I’m ashamed that my stomach is just suddenly protruding out like that and I don’t want anyone to think I am pregnant. I’m 42 yrs old, and this problem started about 1 year ago.
Please let’s don’t stop talking about it, and trying to get to the bottom of it, as I am so desperate for an answer. I have no insurance and I’m trying to figure it out on my own through internet. I am wondering if it is all caused by dairy and wheat as so many of you mentioned. At work tonight I ate a donut [filled long john] and then my stomach immediatly stuck out and I felt terrible the rest of the night while working, just because of that stupid donut, which I never should have eaten. [lol]
I will be reading with interest everything you all find out.
I’m thinking of starting the atkins diet and see if it helps.
thanks.
tr 😳

hello
I was just google-ing to see if there were anything on the topic of what i’m experiencing and this site stood out the most.
I have been reading everything everyone wrote about the bloating and I wanted to put my 2 cents about what i have because i am so sick of the way my body looks its rediculous!
and here is what…

****I had my son March 2006 i gained about 70lbs in my pregnancy and was all good health wise until my very last appointment before i was to have baby.
That’s when my doctor diagnoised me with PREECLAMPSIA or another word for it is TOXEMIA.

I went into the hospital that night and my blood pressure was super high…everything was being monitored everything felt fine, my water broke but i wasn’t dialating fast enough…so i had a C-Section…
They gave me a lot of drugs that i don’t even know what but they took him out weighing 9lbs 6.5 oz….. big baby…
now he’s 1yrs old and my stomach still looks like i’m 5-6 mo pregnant and i’ve done every excersize in the book every diet in the book! Lost weight but my stomach is still the same?!!!
Is there anyone out there that can show me the light and give me a clue to what is happening to my body??

nanu01 – this happens to everyone after having a baby to some extent… when you have a baby your skin has to stretches massively and after birth it cannot ‘shrink’ back to what it was… particularly if you had to have a Casarian section… it is one of the side effect of having a baby i’m afraid…

Stomache bloating – Try this !

Hi Everyone

I have had problems with this for years, always kick started by several courses of antibiotics! Kills all the good flora in the gut bacteria builds etc.

Anyway how i have got rid of the problem in the past. Colon Hydration. A series of these (4-6 sessions) gets rid of any blockage, helps tone the colon which can become slack and not work efficiently also any build up of mucus (which can build due to constipation) and bad bacteria is washed away. It sounds horrid but when your bloating calms down and your enegy level rises and your not hungry all the time even though you feel stuffed, you can hardly wait to go back.
Before this i saw doctors, specialist (which you should ALWAYS do first) then i tried natrupath (helped a great deal but took 9 months) then the next time it flared up i went down the colon hydro road and it took several weeks. Of course it may not fix everyone but i found it made me feel great. Also lots of Yukult or Inner Health tablets. I also watch what i eat not as a diet but way of life! First off NO white flour/bread – high fiber only. lots of fresh everything vegies fruit and water. (I know when you are still bloating this is a killer particularly cabbage, brocoli and cauliflour) no white rice or if so once in a blue moon, no fatty foods etc. Oh and i walk for at least an hour every day – excercise helps also.

Also i was told by a gastro specialist hot water before and after a meal helps the digestion system. I dink at least 4-5 glases of bioled water a day (same temp as your tea or coffee). I sometimes put a cinimin stick some lemon and ginger( very good for the gut). just to break it up a bit.

My heart goes out to all of you as i know how horrid and soul destroying this can be. also i know cause i am going through it yet again – bloody anti-biotics.

anyway i hope this helps :p

😛 😛

HI All,
Well, I hate to say it because you all have already said it so many times, but I am not alone!! It feels good to know that I am not alone! I have had the symptoms of bloating, weight gain, and misery for years. I am 48 years old, and this has been going on most of my life!
The symptons are obviously bloating…constipation….not complete constipation, but more like when I go, I just rarely totally empty out, but when i do, I can tell, and the difference is incredible, and the bloating does go away! The problem is, it just comes back again. I have always blamed it on the way that I eat. I have never really eaten healthy, and at one time in my life (late teens and early 20’s) had the symptons of anarexia. Now I have the other opposite problem, which is over eating, so I definately have always had food issues! I have always thought that my eating disorders have been the culprit, but have heard no one else mention that?? Everyone else out there seems to be eating healthy. Another sympton that I have, that I have not heard mentined here, is water retension!! This I have been to the doctor for, many a time over the years. I have been on a water pill since my children were born 25 years ago. The water retension has always been as much of a issue, as the bloating, more so really, and I have come to believe they are closely related. The water retension at times is horribly bad. My ankles and feet swell horribly! At times my legs also. I have knelt down many times, to feel as if I have some kind of knee pads on my knee! Of course the hands, and face also…I might as well just say the whole body! When on a rare occasion I really empty out, and my bloating is completely relieved, my body starts releasing the water too, it is almost as if everthing is just stuck inside, and is causing the bloat
I have been put on Zelnorm for the bloating and discomfort in the tummy.
The water pill for the water weight. I do also have the pain or really discomfort on my upper right side, which someone did mention earlier, and said that could be gall stones, well they checked my gallbladder, and that came back normal. I don’t know about you guys, but my Doctors have never seemed very concerned about any of this, the gallbladder test, and yes they checked my heart for congestive heart failure, but that is as far as they have gone. Have any of you experience the water retension, or have any ideas about that.
Sorry this is so long, this is the first time in my life, I have ever joined an online forum of any kind….it is new to me…..that is how you can know, that as I read your stories…..I knew I needed too join.
Oh one last thing….when my bloating and missery is at it’s worse, and I feel full to the eyebrows…..I feel compelled to eat all the more….now am I crazy or what??? Is there anyone else out there like that? Thanks for listening….any help would be appreciated!
Sparkle

I am a 34 year old male in good health. In general, I eat pretty healthy and I go to the gym 4-5 times a week. However, I have been trying to figure out a stomach/GI issue that I have been dealing with for the past couple of years. When it started a couple of years ago, it only occurred every once in a while. Then it started happening a couple times a week. Well, in the past 5 months, it has been occurring every day and has become progressively worse. Basically, I am dealing with abdominal bloating/distention and intestinal gas. When this issue started a few years ago, it seemed like the intestinal gas was the more prominent issue. However, it is the daily distention that is affecting my quality of life. It is extremely uncomfortable and sometimes downright painful (the pressure); not to mention it can potentially be embarrassing. When it is bad, I don’t feel like doing much and the pressure buildup also leads to more frequent urination. I have tried many things that don’t seem to help. Basically, it starts off in the morning where I am slightly bloated, but it isn’t too bad. I would say on a scale of 1-10, it starts off at about “2-3” on a daily basis. Then throughout the day, the gas pressure/bloating builds and peaks (anywhere from 7-10 on the scale). It seems like it peaks in the early afternoon during the week because I start my days early. On the weekends, it seems to peak in the late afternoon because I usually eat breakfast later than during the week. My doctor is perplexed because these are the only symptoms. Because my symptoms don’t include any elimination issues (i.e. diarrhea, constipation, etc.), he says that IBS and other similar diseases/issues are unlikely; I don’t fit the profile. I have tried the following supplements/items, but none have worked:

Gas X / Charco-Caps (only effective before gas reaches the intestine)
Lactaid (for dairy)
Beeno (digestive enzyme)
Peppermint oil capsules (to help alleviate intestinal gas/bloating)
Papaya enzymes (to help alleviate intestinal gas/bloating)
Prilosec OTC (tried this for 2 weeks even though I don’t have heartburn)
Digestive Advantage – IBS (even though I don’t have IBS, I thought it might help w/ the bloating)
Dairy-free Diet – 9 day trial. I was diligent about avoiding hidden dairy.
Xifaxan – 200mg tablets 3 times daily for 6 days.
Citrucel – Was taking daily for extra fiber (not for regularity)
Gluten-Free Diet – 2 weeks. Diligent about avoiding hidden gluten, but didn’t notice a difference. In my 14 days, I know that on my 1st and 3rd day, I accidentally had a small amount of gluten.
Probiotics – (Current) Power-Dophilus by Country Life
Digestive Enzymes – (Current) Digest-More by Renew Life
HCI w/ Pepsin – (Current) – If stomach acid is too low.

My doctor tested me for Celiac disease and for the H. Pylori bacteria. Both of these blood tests were negative. Recently, I took the lactose intolerance hydrogen breath test and found out that I am not lactose intolerant. I also had an abdominal ultrasound. The results were normal. The only thing noted was that there was a small mass on my gall bladder which the doctor wasn’t at all concerned with. He said that it is most likely a cholesterol polyp which is nothing to worry about and would not cause the symptoms that I am experiencing. My hem-occult slide test was negative, too.

I have been keeping a daily food journal to see if there are any specific food items/groups that seem to cause these symptoms. However, I have been unable to find ANY correlation between items. At this point, my doctor seems to think that I have some type of food intolerance (not allergy). However, I am a bit confused with this because I am waking up bloated. I thought that symptoms from intolerance would disappear overnight. Before, I thought that I was starting at “0” in the mornings, but I just didn’t realize that I was actually waking up slightly/moderately bloated. I tend to hold my stomach in because it helps with my lower back pain. Currently, I am taking probiotics 3 times a day and a good digestive enzyme with meals. Unfortunately, I haven’t noticed much difference. It has been about 1.5 months w/ the probiotics, about 3 wks for the enzymes, and about 5 days for the HCI w/ Pepsin supplement. My doctor is now recommending that I have a HIDA Scan for gallbladder functioning, which I scheduled for next week.

Any information that may help relieve or resolve this frustrating problem would be very much appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read this.

I’m coming into this thread a little late, but I’d like to add something.

Our digestive systems are a combination of complex chemical mix in the stomach and small intestine and complex ecosystem in the large intestine. Just as many thing change during our lives, our chemistries and the make-up of our intestinal "buddies" changes as well, not to mention our metabolism beyond our guts.

The tricky part is, not only can something that doesn’t bother me bother you, because of the way it interacts with your chemistry but not mine, something that didn’t used to bother you can (and even come and go), based on lots of factors. There are common culprits, many mentioned here, but there are odd ones, too, and you may have a fairly rare thing going on.

So experiment. Don’t assume that some things couldn’t possibly be at fault – try to skip almost everything you eat, one at a time or grouped, long enough to get a feeling for how they might be involved in your discomfort. Keep records, be responsible for solving the problem, and don’t assume you know what’s going on – a reaction to one item might be from a processing chemical rather than that actual item. The tricky thing might be that your reaction is to some combination of factors, and that could be almost impossible to narrow down.

When something works, it may have nothing to do with what you think it’s doing (like the colon cleaning mentioned above – the "reasons" make no sense in terms of how the system works), but if it works for you, it works.
Don’t know if that helps.

Hello everyone,

It is 3:30 am and I am in so much discomfort, I couldn’t sleep.

I came upon this Web site and thread a couple of days ago and have been reading it and recognizing symptoms exactly like my own.
I have always had stomach issues. At one time I was diagnosed with IBS, but it is such a broad diagnosis, it is almost a catch-all for several symptoms that doctors don’t know how to treat.
My history includes a battle with an eating disorder since my teens and I know that I have definitely messed my body up from that. I have been eating disorder free, so to speak for 2.5 years now, and still feel the effects.
This whole thing is so bothersome, painful and scary for me. I am vigilant about what I eat, always aware of approximate calorie intake because that helps me stay on track and not fall back into active eating disorder mode. Of course I will always have issues and am okay with that.
Anyway, since I am careful about my calorie intake, it ranges anywhere form 1200 to 1800 daily, it does not make sense that I am gaining weight now. I have had these symptoms before: bloating, heartburn, pregnant-looking stomach, but they usually subside after a couple of hours. Lately, it has been lasting pretty much all day. And now it is accompanied by weight gain. I gained about 6 pounds in the last four months. It is very scary for me, because I am not overeating and this is a "former" anorexic’s worst nightmare.
The only thing I can attribute this major recurrance of my problematic symptoms to be, is that I have been taking an antibiotic for that last three months, 1500 – 2000 MG of Cephalexin. I am wondering if this screwed up my already sensitive digestive system.
Lately I have been trying to keep a record of what might be triggering this with a food diary. It is hard to say. Sometimes I can eat a soy product, or dairy product and I am fine, sometimes I am not.
If anyone has any advice for me in the following areas, I would really appreciate it:
1) What type of doctor is the best to treat this? Are homeopathic doctors better suited than traditional docs?
2) Should I be on something to counter the antibiotics-which I must remain on for one more month? If so, what should that be? Probiotics? Anything else??? What types of enzymes?
3) Does anyone know what this can be? It seems like it takes a very long time for food to go through my system.
4) Why does this cause weight gain if my caloric intake is relatively low?
5) What types of testing should I have done? I just had an annual gyn exam and had my doctor run a thyroid test, results are pending.
6) I would like to start an elimination process of foods to check for sensitivities. What foods should I completely avoid? I know dairy and wheat products, gluten etc… Anything else??? And could anyone suggest foods that would not upset my stomach that can basically act as a base line diet while I bring back certain suspected food culprits one at a time?

Thanks so much in advance for your advice.

Annde

Hello everyone,

It is 3:30 am and I am in so much discomfort, I couldn’t sleep.

I came upon this Web site and thread a couple of days ago and have been reading it and recognizing symptoms exactly like my own.
I have always had stomach issues. At one time I was diagnosed with IBS, but it is such a broad diagnosis, it is almost a catch-all for several symptoms that doctors don’t know how to treat.
My history includes a battle with an eating disorder since my teens and I know that I have definitely messed my body up from that. I have been eating disorder free, so to speak for 2.5 years now, and still feel the effects.
This whole thing is so bothersome, painful and scary for me. I am vigilant about what I eat, always aware of approximate calorie intake because that helps me stay on track and not fall back into active eating disorder mode. Of course I will always have issues and am okay with that.
Anyway, since I am careful about my calorie intake, it ranges anywhere form 1200 to 1800 daily, it does not make sense that I am gaining weight now. I have had these symptoms before: bloating, heartburn, pregnant-looking stomach, but they usually subside after a couple of hours. Lately, it has been lasting pretty much all day. And now it is accompanied by weight gain. I gained about 6 pounds in the last four months. It is very scary for me, because I am not overeating and this is a "former" anorexic’s worst nightmare.
The only thing I can attribute this major recurrance of my problematic symptoms to be, is that I have been taking an antibiotic for that last three months, 1500 – 2000 MG of Cephalexin. I am wondering if this screwed up my already sensitive digestive system.
Lately I have been trying to keep a record of what might be triggering this with a food diary. It is hard to say. Sometimes I can eat a soy product, or dairy product and I am fine, sometimes I am not.
If anyone has any advice for me in the following areas, I would really appreciate it:
1) What type of doctor is the best to treat this? Are homeopathic doctors better suited than traditional docs?
2) Should I be on something to counter the antibiotics-which I must remain on for one more month? If so, what should that be? Probiotics? Anything else??? What types of enzymes?
3) Does anyone know what this can be? It seems like it takes a very long time for food to go through my system.
4) Why does this cause weight gain if my caloric intake is relatively low?
5) What types of testing should I have done? I just had an annual gyn exam and had my doctor run a thyroid test, results are pending.
6) I would like to start an elimination process of foods to check for sensitivities. What foods should I completely avoid? I know dairy and wheat products, gluten etc… Anything else??? And could anyone suggest foods that would not upset my stomach that can basically act as a base line diet while I bring back certain suspected food culprits one at a time?

Thanks so much in advance for your advice.

Annde

Cephalexin cause well be the cause… And before you consider other things I think you should see your doctor about this because it is quite an important issue… Antibiotics do not differenciate between harmful and harmless bacteria… They destroy useful bacteria involved in digestion… This is why diarrhoea is such an extremely common side effect of them… and especially since you are taking a high dose for such a long period of time… the more major concern is that if you have such bad diarrhoea – you aren’t absorbing the antibiotics properly and so you wouldn’t be fighting off the infection…

Btw, if your GP is getting nowhere then ask for a referal to a consultant gastroenterologist… Homeopathic ‘doctors’ are not qualified to be called doctors and I personally have a major issue with them because someone I know was told not to take his angina medication and take homeopathic medication instead and two weeks later he died of a heart attack…

Thanks Revenged,
I had a feeling that the antibiotics could be playing a huge role in this. My symptoms have always been there even before taking them, but I am sure they are exasperating the underlying problem, which is what I need to have checked out by a doctor. Also, I am sorry to hear about the person you knew who died after taking a homeopathic’s advice. That’s tragic.
One thing about the antibiotics and my symptoms is that i am not experiencing diarria, in fact, I am probably more constipated., but can’t really tell for sure, since I tend to lean that way even when I am symptom free.
I will look into my options with a Gastroenterologist.

Annde

Well, something I am finding that really helps is drinking a lot of water.
I am trying not to eat in between meals, except at bedtime I will allow myself a treat, but instead of eating, I am now going to try to drink plenty of water. It seems to cut down on bloat, and hearburn. Intuitively it makes sense as it washes away toxins and etc…
So we will see.

This is the fiarst time I have looked up this problem on the net and I’m so glad to find this site!
However, there seems to be many causes and symptoms so I’m not even sure I’m on the right track with what I have.
I’ve put on nearly 10kilos in the past 8 months. I have always been so underweight and ate whatever I wanted. I’m 28years old.
I gave up smoking, I am taking acidolphilus tablets daily as I constantly get thrush (although this has been a problem my whole life). I thought perhaps it was because my metabolism slowed down after giving up smoking, but 8 months on this is just getting embarrassing. I cant fit any of my clothes and have been asked if I’m pregnant. I have a child who’s eight, even after giving birth to him, I went straight down to the same weight I was before I was even pregnant.
I just want to clarify whether the bloating is in our lower abdomin or around the stomach…..there seems to be a mixed bunch of us and perhaps that could be two different causes. Mine is definatly my lower gut. I can wake up and I have a flat gut, but after breakfast (two pieces of brown bread and a coffee) I already look pregnant. Going out to dinner is a nightmare!
After reading all your comments, I think my next step is to go to my GP and just eliminate some of the more common causes.
I know we’ve all said ‘thank god we’re not alone’ but I actually still feel alone when I’m trying on a pair of pants I’ve had for 10 years and NOW they dont fit anymore!!! GRRRRR!

I stumbled on this because I’ve been having the same problems and have gone from size 8 to size 16 over the last couple of years. I had a thought…

Most people who are posting here are observing a healthy diet (fruit, veggies, grains and/or bran, etc.). And most have tried eliminating some of the trigger foods that usually cause problems, like dairy or wheat products. Now how about we try something completely wild, since no one has come up with any solution yet???

Let’s just eat badly for awhile–fried foods, bacon, greasy burgers, whatever. I can’t remember the name of that fad diet where you elimate carbs like veggies, but can eat all the ham and bacon and beef and butter you want. What can it hurt to give it a try?

I’ve grown frustrated with all the healthy foods and how they make me feel. Eating a wonderful juicy apple or a nice crisp salad leaves my stomach actually growling with hunger pains and bloating up with gas! So I am going to try the opposite for awhile just to see what happens. Anyone else game to give it a try? How much more miserable can we all become, with no answers in sight?

Well, I wrote on here earlier and was wondering what to do with my stomach bloating outward. I accidentally found a cure when I went on the cabbage soup diet. The problem is that you are supposed to only stay on the cabbage soup diet for 7 days. I lost alot of weight on that diet, but now that I’m not on it, my stomach is starting to protrude every day again. and I’m starting to feel uncomfortable again. The cabbage soup diet is basically lots of fruits, veggies, and cabbage soup. After just 2 days on it I felt like a radiator that had just been flushed out and I felt sooooo good and my stomach was not swelling up! I guess I’m going to have to stay on it to feel good, or at least 4 days per week maybe.
Anyhow, just wanted to say that it helped me 100% and so maybe it is the carbs that are bad for me?? I don’t know.
Thought I’d let you all know though.
TR

Hi Everyone,

I too suffer from bloating all of the time. I look pregant! Anyway, I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease. It means that I have gluten sensitivity. The cure for the bloating and other problems is to live a gluten free life. This is easier said than done because gluten is found in almost everything! You have to stay away from wheat, rye, barley, and oats. This means no pizza, pasta, bread, cookies, cake, etc…..but this is just the obvious stuff. You can’t have things like chocolate, soy sauce, certain dressings and graveys, just to mention a few. You have to become a label reader to follow this diet. I am suffering with a huge belly right now because I broke down and ate some bread yesterday. Tell your doctor that you want the blood test for Celiac Disease. If you are positive, you will need to get an endoscopy, with a bioposy of the small intestine. I hope this provides the answer for many of you and I hope you feel better.

I want to suggest to everyone that they look for a practitioner of Chi Nei Tsang trained by Gilles Marin of Berkeley, California. Go to the Chi Nei Tsang official site and they post trained practitioners. If you are in the Bay Area you can see Gilles at his office in Berkeley. Another possibility is a practitioner of Visceral Manipulation (devised by Jean Baral – a French Osteopath). Try contacting The Upledger Institute for practitioners.

A regular Osteopoath could also help, but if you can find one who also does VM this is best. Jeff Burch in Portland Oregon and also Eugene.

With regard to my previous post, I also meant to recommend you Google sensiblehealth and read through the site. These tinctures helped me a lot. I took Chinese Bitters in the morning and Coptis at night. Coptis tastes awful, but persevere – you can have a little honey ready to take after! Later I took Gold Coin Grass Tincture, you can do a liver flush after this. Start with a teaspoon. You need to take them for at least 1 – 3 months, then you can go to every other day or whatever works for you. The site is well worth reading through.

Gilles Marin of Berkeley (the Chi Nei Tsang master – see their website – Google Chi Nei Tsang) also told me not to eat ANY starch whatsoever.

Jeff Burch of Portland Oregon also has a very useful website. I would also recommend a good, experienced DOM (Doctor of Oriental Medicine). Their remedies go back thousands of years, and everything is based on natural ingredients. Likewise a practitioner of Ayurvedic medicine.

I have struggled with this problem for years and am only now just feeling improvement due to the above. I even gave up black tea which I have been addicted to for years ( I am from England!), and saw a dramatic improvement. I believe it was seriously irritating my stomach! You might try giving up anything you eat or drink regularly each day, for a while, and having completely different things.

Hope this helps.

I have been reading everyones story. I have been suffering from the same symptoms since 2001. I was in the military for 8 years and the past six years I have gained a tremendous amount of weight. I would lose the weight and then it would all come back. I did not start having a problem with my stomach until I got to Germany I showed the unit doctor my stomach one day and she asked me if I had swallowed a basketball. She tried to help me as much as she could. She told me to slow down on brown beans, broccolli, cabbage, dairy, orange juice and some other things that I can’t remember. I was stationed at Ft. Benning, GA, still having the same complications. The doctors there said there was nothing wrong with me. When you are looking like you are five months pregnant and you know that you are not, there is something wrong. I am no longer in the military. I had my first child 2 years ago and my belly still looks like she lives there. People ask me all the time if I am pregnant again. It really hurts my feelings because I know that I have a problem but I can’t tell anyone what it is because I have no clue myself. I am making plans right now to see a specialist. Maybe I will have an answer very soon that I maybe able to share with you all. Thanks for sharing your stories.

My problem is similar. For the past two years I have been suffering, on and off, with major stomach bloating and pain. I look 7 months pregnant when my stomach bloats up and the only way to get rid of the pain is to lie down and go to sleep. It usually lasts a day and then I’m fine again (until the next time) – only once it lasted three days in a row. I’ve tried monitoring when it occurs and there is no pattern – – I can have no gap, a two day gap, a week gap or a month gap between problems (there really is no pattern). I have tried monitoring the food I eat and I can see no correlation (I’m still waiting for food allergy tests – I let you know if there is any result). I am on a general diet now to lose weight because I wondered if the rubbish food I eat (chocolate, biscuits etc) and the fact that I was slightly overweight had anything to do. It hasn’t helped. I’ve been on the diet of healthy foods for three weeks now – I’ve lost weight but twice (once last week) and now today I am ceized with stomach pain. Only sleeping seems to help – but of course you can’t tell your boss that you have to go home to bed everytime this happens! So, what is causing it? The doctors haven’t got a clue. They try to wave responsibility by telling me that it might be that I am depressed. That makes me a bit cross because if I was slightly depressed I would think they were right and probably get more depressed. BUT I’am not depressed – I love my work, I love my home, I love my boyfriend and I love our son and I have a relaxed life and and and…. I am most certainly not depressed! So, if anyone has any ideas – I’d love to know! Cheers! 🙄

My problem is similar. For the past two years I have been suffering, on and off, with major stomach bloating and pain. I look 7 months pregnant when my stomach bloats up and the only way to get rid of the pain is to go to lay down and go to sleep. It usually lasts a day and then I’m fine again (until the next time) – only once it lasted three days in a row. I’ve tried monitoring when it occurs and there is no pattern – – I can have no gap, a two day gap, a week gap or a month gap between problems (there really is no pattern). I have tried monitoring the food I eat and I can see no correlation (I’m still waiting for food allergy tests – I let you know if there is any result). I am on a general diet now to lose weight because I wondered if the rubbish food I eat (chocolate, biscuits etc) and the fact that I was slightly overweight had anything to do. It hasn’t helped. I’ve been on the diet of healthy foods for three weeks now – I’ve lost weight but twice (once last week) and now today I am ceized with stomach pain. Only sleeping seems to help – but of course you can’t tell your boss that you have to go home to bed everytime this happens! So, what is causing it? The doctors haven’t got a clue. They try to wave responsibility by telling me that it might be pshycological – that I could be depressed. That makes me a bit cross because if I was slightly depressed I would think they were right and probably get more depressed. BUT I’am not depressed – I love my work, I love my home, I love my boyfriend and I love our son and I have a relaxed life and and and…. I am most certainly not depressed! So, if anyone has any ideas – I’d love to know! Cheers! 🙄

I have had bloating for years too and had every test. I am awaiting a scan for gallstones so will keep you posted.

hi everyone
I wrote on here last year – things are no better probably worse but i have just been browsing on the net and think maybe i have found my problem. Having had reccurring ear infections- i had some ear swabs done by my doctor , they have come back saying I have candida – when i have looked it up it is a yeast problem and its linked to bloating, wind, constipation and stomach problems and once it gets into your system causes all sorts of symptoms – just thought i would pass this on to everyone

Hi – I’ve had the same problem for the last 5 years. I’ve been able to control it by diet – Prozac and by a little miracle herb from Natural Balance called Inflame-X. Before bed I take 6 Enzymes and my stomach bloat is gone. As for the weight loss…..still working on it.

I’m convinced it’s a symptom of IBS. Most everyone on here seems to have that in common….including me. I am a professional dancer and exercise CONSTANTLY! Over the past three years, my belly has been swelling like crazy and I’ve been gaining weight. Not a good look for someone in my profession. I feel like a bloated pig. I HATE it and people assume it’s bad eating habits. However, no matter what diets I go on, nothing changes and it’s constantly being thrown in my face since it affects how I look in costumes. Finding a solution is mandatory or my career is over. I’m looking for answers feverously. If I find one, I’ll be sure and post it.

I THINK YOU HAVE FOUND MY PROBLEM!!!! LET ME KNOW WHAT, IF ANYTHING, YOU ARE DOING ABOUT THIS. THE SYMPTOMS ARE MORE THAN THE BLOATING AND I NEVER THOUGHT IT WAS ALL LINKED TO ONE PROBLEM.

Has anyone tried Apple Cider Vinegar?? It is not pleasant to taste or in aroma but if you can get over that it might offer you some relief. Suggested dosage is 3x a day – 1/2tbl in a 8oz of water – add something to sweeten it though.

LET ME KNOW HOW IT WORKS FOR YOU.
Concerned and bloated 😮

Hii everyone, i have read all what you have said. I have been suffering bad since quitting smoking. I quit in feb, i have put on a stone in weight. Feel bloated everyday, have alot of gas but i have reduced my intake of food. I eat weetabix x 1 for breakfast, a cup of soup about 11 and another cup of soup and 4 riveta at 2. what is going on. i have gone from someone who weighs little, can eat alot to someon who eats less but has put on weight and who has had enough. Please help. x

hey, i’ve been having these terrible bloating problems as well for about 3 years now. It started when I was 20 and I’m a very vain person that has recently gotten over an eating disorder so for me this was an absolute DISASTER. I didn’t understand what was happening, I dieted and lost even more weight and it seems that I lost weight with this problem. With this problem I’ve been constipated, severe stomach cramping especially when I wake up in the mornings sometimes…sometimes gas and heartburn. I have seriously tried everything from eliminating certain foods to eating bad foods to overeating to undereating…NOTHING STOPS IT. and it’s honestly very random because sometimes i can go a whole month with a normal stomach (without changing a thing) and then sometimes i have the problem consistently for 2 or 3 months. I’ve had an endoscopy and a colonoscopy and they only found a hiatel hernia (which is common in 60% if people and only cause heartburn)
It seems to definitely get worse when I’m premenstrual and I do have late periods all the time. I am in between 20 and 25 lbs underweight and this problem starting around the time i was on the sushi diet. I was literally eating nothing but raw fish and rice…and for the longest time i blamed that. I even went through a phase where I thought I had a tapeworm …hence the reason I had a colonoscopy and such. Then I figured it might be because i worked at a pizza place for years and I used to eat tons of pizza every week…(the yeast and all) but eventually I concluded that not eating yeast didn’t help much.
I have found that certain foods aggravate it but don’t stop it…or even make it better at certain times. And I have also found that starving myself for a while to try and eliminate the bloat from even happening doesn’t work and only makes it worse.
It really just seems as though my body has a very hard time digesting food. I also did go to a gyno and they never called me with any bad news…my thyroid test came back fine, i am aenimic but I’ve always had that problem
the doctors are absolutely clueless and they keep telling me it’s ibs but ibs doesn’t make you look like you’re having a baby.
I thought I and starving etiopians were the only one with this problem, but I do feel better knowing i’m not alone.
the only thing i haven’t had tested is my gall bladder or kidneys and it could be either one of those considering when i do eat it’s always high in fat or salt or cholesterol.

hope i helped with my information

I have had abdominal and pelvic sonograms. At first they thought something with my gallbladder but turned out negative. I was shocked when they told me I didn’t have a huge tumor growing. I still think it may be CANDIDA (google it). I have a lot of the symptoms. Let me know.

The following web site is what I think is the cure:
I do not know about you guys but I am trying this. This is totally an advertisement but I have heard this as the answer for over a year from various sourses and I am finally going to try it:

candidafree . net

The following info is quoted from the web site I am following:

"As one longtime sufferer on the Internet said, “Candida is the cold that came and never went away.” I was using approximately 3 boxes of Kleenex a week, with constant sneezing, wheezing and coughing. ThreeLac and Oxygen Elements Plus began to work almost immediately, and one morning after about two weeks, I woke up and realized that my sinuses were clear and I was breathing normally, and that I had slept an entire night without getting up a dozen or more times to go to the bathroom or to blow my nose and use the nose spray I was addicted to. Our bowel movements became normal once again (I had IBS, my wife had chronic constipation).
Believe me, many prayers of thanks were sent above in this household! We cried… and then we laughed. How could something work for us after all these years – and so quickly?
Other wonderful things began to happen: the brain fog lifted, energy levels began to rise, blurry vision went away and I can actually say that I can see better than I have in years. The skin rashes, jock itch and constant itching deep in my ears is gone. The recurrent sore throat that I have had for 19 years went away and never came back. I quit snoring and we both stopped grinding our teeth at night. My low-grade fever that I had learned to live with was gone. The natural oil has come back into my hair, whereas it was dry and brittle and prematurely aged. My wife’s hair, which had become dull and was falling out by the handfuls, is once again healthy and shiny. We can cuddle at night without breaking into night sweats. Once brittle and ridged fingernails are now strong and smooth. Our appearance in general is more youthful (brighter whites of our eyes and more sparkle, less wrinkled and more naturally moisturized skin). "

Heyas, (long post)

Quick intro, my mum’s 45 this year and for a year now she’s complained of a bloated stomach to me describing the feeling to me as being pregnant, which I didn’t really understand.. 😳 but I could relate to her basketball in stomach description.

Mum’s about 165cm in height, 57ish kg and is of Chinese Ethnicity (21 years in Australia), her diet consists of a lot of white rice, red meat, fish etc. I’ve mentioned this because no one yet has mentioned their ethnicity which may more clues to their type of food intake

Mum had stomach ulcers for about 10 years she did know about which no doctor could diagnose (ridiculous really..) until maybe 5 years ago. She also has had hyperthyroidism and took a lot of medication which did not work until over a year ago then it was fine. Since then she’s complained of a bloated stomach & am unsure if there is a relation. The other week she felt nauseous & weak

I’m trying to help ease the bloated stomach problem for mum and read through all your responses prompting me to take this much more seriously. As you peeps have mentioned, it is somewhat difficult to describe so I didn’t really understand where she was coming from

Tests I am aware mum has done all within past 6 months (no abnormal results):
– CT Scan (Abdomen and Pelvis)
– Ultrasound (Abdomen)
– Blood Test
– & Upper gastrointestinal endoscopic procedures

Mum is quite unfit, she does go for walks in the evenings however which relaxes her, her hyperthyroidism is no longer an issue. I did not realise she had this problem until I noticed her stomach was quite large and thought it was all the result of not exercising. I am encouraging her to exercise more as it should help her all round in health & with her metabolism/digestive system. (I’m no doc) Less fat around her stomach region I’m guessing will also reduce the amount of pressure on her bloated stomach

Regarding foods, mum says the following appears to have a fast bloat effect on her:
– rice, bread, noodles, cabbages.

She has constipation occasionally but not always and is able to "empty out" completely. She also mentions she seems to have trouble passing gas

The docs seem pretty lazy at this point so I’m getting mum to experiment safely, naturally with some of the things people have mentioned above and if it don’t work I’ll get her to check out other specialists.

For now I’ve asked her to experiment and stay clear of dairy, rice/bread/noodles/cabbages/cauliflower/brocolli & getting her to try chamomile & peppermint tea with and without grated ginger. She says oatmeal is better than rice for now. She has had a similar diet for many years and in fact has improved it with more veges/fruit and less red meat in recent years. She drinks 5 or more cups of water a day and I’ve convinced her to stop drinking coffee and more tea without milk

I too was thankful I read this thread & wish you all well. I was actually very shocked so many people have this symptom with little explanation from professionals on what it could be! I’ll post any updates if I have any.

Don’t feel down guys! More awareness of this can only do good & some posters have found their cures so keep your heads up! =]

OK ladies, I am an author of craft books. Age 44 of Irish/English decent. I spent all of Memorial Day weekend in the hospital. Symptoms? Feel 9 months pregnant, look maybe 5. Like a penguin. Nausea for weeks finally landed me there. Last thing up was corned beef, total pain, and I was determined to be admitted. We did everything, MRI, Ultra-Sounds, and finally endoscope of stomach showing inflamed stomach. Sure they said I looked fine–but white blood cell count was at 21,000 and the ONLY symptom to keep me there for all those tests. I do feel this is stress related as I see this spans all age groups and re-appears and dissappears. I doubt an STD, no sex in a year–and enough antibiotics to take down a missle, and I doubt the kids here have that. Still worth a look. But stress can manfiest in so many ways–I know it plays a role here.

Back to the hopsital stay–I felt better being forced chicken broth and Jello, although stayed hungry and bloated. Just no pain. Nexxum at 5:00 am with water. After 10 days of that–I was feeling far better, but still afraid to eat anything. Even on liquids–I am bloating. How can a person bloat when they are not eating anything of merit? By the PM it is worse and best in the AM. I doubt I am getting 1,000 calories a day and bloating. The liquid diet is just to heal the intestines and possible tiny ulcers they saw down there. Bee Pollen does give me energy, and stomach agrees.

I am ultra positive taking OTC things like Aspirin and advil did flare this up–with stress. I am off all that, I was taking 500 mg advil for pain in one shouldar for six months. I have been gradually miserable since then and never related the OTC meds to bloat. Any bloating has ALWAYS been high stress months–hurricane evacuations and stuff like that. Even a traumatic day. This started 4 years ago. They called it diverticultis then-I think I was misdiagnosed. The anti-biotics did work, back then, I will say that.

Pro-Biotics make some sense-I will pursue them as well as Manuka Honey. Google that. Raw honey is very healing to the trac and a pro-biotic. And I have to keep the monster in a drawer (stress.) It is not worth this. I may try acupuncture–I bet they do address stress points when dealing with this.

Basics, I do know–don’t wear tight fitting clothes. Chew what food you do eat well. Europe chews very well and has much less reports of this. And fried foods will cause havoc.

Anything I find works I WILL come back and post. I think a lot of people here do not come back when they are better. Let’s start!

I will get to 8 glasses of water a day and see if it is not a very simple issue.

Reading everyone’s letters, I am seeing major stress in each one. One lady quit smoking (the body finds that very stressful) The next mentioed it is worse during her cycle (me too, another inherent stressor) The next one mentions Prozaz (a med to help stress) but think enzymes work (I think the Prozac) The dancer (only 20) who I fear gets herself stressed because any bloating and that means quits to her career. Stress can feed on stress. It is possible food allergies are taken by us as stress, and we re-act more than most?

I mean 4 hurricane evac in a row set me off 4 years ago. One every week. The Oriental Mum could be stressed by things her son–or she may not realize. Empty nest was an adjustment for me by age 42. 3 kids in college and a quiet house. Perhaps I never had time to be sick prior. I never was–until they were off.

I am thinking to toally avoid stress (life) a few weeks and see how that does.

KMAS, a light went off above my head 💡 . Of course, Grandma had the cure. SO I just took my bloated stomach over to the cabinet, pulled out the white vinigar, put 4 table spoons in a cup of water, drank (choked) it down and I’m already starting to feel better. Over the past few weeks this hasn’t been happening as much and I think its because I’ve been popping 2 magnesium supplements every other day and sometimes every day. They are making me very regular with very healthy you know whats 😉 . (I too eat very healthy and stay very fit.) For foods that make me gassy 😯 , I’m taking beano. I don’t take it all the time, just when I need it. I need to think portion control. That would help. Eating smaller meals and more meals. .. Magnesium is difficult to OD on so don’t worry. … Bon Appitite! 😀

I’m also glad that Ive found other women with the same problem as me. I first started out with missing my period for 2 months. I have never been irregular in my life except for when I was pregnant. Over the past 2 months since I have missed my periods, Ive been feeling really bloated. After missing my period for 2 months I just started getting my menstral. I started off really light spotting and now bleeding really heavily. Its now almost a whole month having my period. I thought maybe that was the reason for my feeling so bloated. I know something else is wrong with me, and Im so irritated by this. I look @ least 5 months pregnant and im so much in discomfort. I dont eat as much as I feel. Its just horrible. I did see my dr. and she said I should go and see my gyenecologist. For what reason, I dont even know. I dont know what kind of dr I should even go and see. Anyone out there with some answers, please let me know. 😥 🙁 😕 😡

hi everyone
I wrote on here a while ago – after i had just discovered about candida. I actually started a candida free (yeast) diet yesterday, there is’nt a lot of foods i can have but I am determined to stick at it for at least a month. I will let you know how its going
Dm

have you checked into Cushings Disease. It is a disorder associated with adrenal glands

hi all
I have just done month on a candida free diet – I felt great after a couple of days, my stomach was quite flat – hardly any bloating and as a bonus I lost 7lbs too. The constipation was much better too – I went to the loo probably every 2-3 days. It is recommended to do the diet for 1-4 months to rid your body of excess yeast i obviously did nt do it long enough as within 2 days of stopping the diet I am once again constipated and bloated .[/url]

Hello,I am thrilled to find this site. Last week I woke with my stomach bloated very bloated. My heath for last 10 years has been a downhill slide. I am unable to handle stress,get angry and I have a temp spike,flu like chills ,fever,headache etc. When the stomach bloating started i had been given very stressful news. Has anyone associated this with stress? I have not gone to Dr.,I am out of town for summer and have Dr.appointments when I go home.

Hello, everyone,

Here is another chronically fatigued, bloated and gasy 27-year-oldgirl, who eats nutritious food (bran cereal with fa free milk in the morning, yoghurt or fruit for snack, dried fruit, nuts, fish and lean meats with veggies and whole grains for dinner, etc.) exercises 4-5 times a week and is otherwise pretty healthy.
I read all of your posts and have similar symptoms, my belly has always been bigger than normal and I have farted for as long as I can remember myself. 15 pounds overweight is pretty much a norm for me and I have given up on getting rid of it, which I sometimes can with rigorous several hours a day exercise for a month or so. Since I work and go to school such regimen is really not possible. I drink plenty of fluids (3 quarts of water) a day and only one cup of coffe, if that. Lately my heartburn has been too severe to endure the acidity of coffee. I was lactose intolerant for a short period of time but developed the necessary bacteria to digest lactose by drinking small amounts of milk and gradually increase to a normal dairy intake.
Anyway, I did some research on this and came to a conclusion that perhaps Anemia – a blood disorder could be blamed for the symptoms. The fact that some of you guys experience your most severe symptoms around menstruation is really a pointer (also, most of us here are gals), because the menstruation presents a significant blood loss and iron loss. Also some of you gals started to experience the symptoms after pregnancy and a pregnancy can be a trigger for Anemia.
I will try to schedule an appointment to see my doctor after September 5, when I am back in town, to check my red blood cell count, but meanwhile I will take a B vitamin supplement and will go and buy an iron supplement today to see if it helps. Some foods like dairy prevent iron absorption, I wonder, if I became lactose intolerant, my body was telling me something:)
Good luck to you all and let’s keep each other posted!

Please read about Anemia on-line, I wasn’t able to post a link as a first time blogger here. Sorry!

I too have had weight gain and stomach bloating, like you are pregant. I have recently had surgery to repair one kidney that wasn’t working correctly and the 30 lbs. I had gained over the past years is gone. I had so much water retention and they told me that I had IBS, that has gone since I have the surgery.
:

I’m new to this site, male 47 years old. I’ve been told I have IBS (hasn’t everybody?) but my symptoms are abdominal distention and weight gain that despite (like many of you it seems) exercise and good diet just won’t go. Prior to getting this I could always control my weight.
Thoughts?

I have had the same problem for over a year now. I did find out I have fibriods. My doctor at Hopkins said it is not unsual to look pregant with them. I also that found that when I was on the zone at home diet the bloating went way down and I lost weight easily. So I am wondering if I have some kind of food alllery perhaps as well. I would love to stay on the diet as a life choice which they also offer but I can’t afford it. Also does anyone know where to get clothes? I look normal in weight other then my stomach which can expand to 41 inches. I go out and try on clothes and just cry.

Hi everyone-

I’ve just read through all the posts, dating back to last year, and I feel your pain. I have been dealing with this now for 2 years. I’m 33 years old, exercise regularly (4-5 times a week), lots of cardio and some weights. I have always been an athlete. I don’t stick to a strict diet but try to eat under 1500 calories a day. Have gained 30 pounds in the last 2+ years. I am very frustrated. Last Dec. my gyn found fibroids- 8 total, 2 were as big as grapefruits. I thought, at last! Problem solved. Not so much. My stomach has gone back to being bloated all day, every day. Anything I eat or drink makes me look 6 mos. pregnant.

I’m finally going to go back to my doctor for help b/c I know this is not normal. Thanks for all the feedback. It’s very frustrating when your doctor can’t help, or doesn’t want to help. If I find anything, I’ll let you know.

Thanks,
Kiki

I guess I have kind of the same problem as some of you. I wake up in the morning and my stomach is as flat as a board. I work out a lot and I’m really tiny to begin with, but the minute I eat or drink ANYTHING … I’m bloated! I can eat a grape and my stomach puffs out. It’s so frustrating. Then, after dinner, when I try to get ready to go out it’s HORRIBLE!!! I look about 3 months pregnant!! I think I eat pretty healthy, but even on days when I eat completely healthy, I’m just as bloated. I thought for a while that getting good stomach muscles would help … so I’ve been working out for a while now and I’ve definitely improved my stomach muscles, but haven’t helped my bloating issue at all!! It really sucks too because I work out so hard only to look pregnant and feel fat all day long from the minute I eat until I go to bed. I don’t think gas or constipation is the problem because I don’t really have any issues in that department. I mean I know they say you should go twice a day … and I rarely do that, but I like to think I’m pretty much regular. I have been on the pill for 4 years now and I don’t really remembering having this problem when I started taking it. I’m not so sure it has anything to do with it because I haven’t really had any side effects from the pill. I’m just looking for any suggstions or anything to fix this problem. It really sucks when i pride myself on working out and looking good … and then I end up looking pregnant!!

Please help…

i dont know im new at this type of stuff but im an asthmetic and i know that it really has nothing to do wiht this type of problem im a male so i will not encounter this problem but any way i was thinking is there any way that from eating food can causes the swelling, growth or whatever iis causesing this growth like an alergic reaction, like the body is taking what it needs it recieves it but it sdoing something else with it.

sorry for the anoyence but just figured i throw sometihng out there to help get the possiblities flowing, because i know first hand some illness people experience are caused from the body doing something wrong and not bacteria or viruss. like asthma.

ok ive jsut realized your all on diets ok well maybe you should say the name of the diet and what you do maybe if there is a common thing among the diets, we can figure out "or you guys as of im not on much " you can try eliminate it from your diets and see what happens.
i know this sounds crazy. but you klnw that old proverb,

Its so crazy, that it just might work.

I’m another sufferer of the dreaded bloated stomach. Same as so many others here – by mid afternoon, I feel awful, stomach distended etc.
I’VE TRIED THE FOLLOWING THAT HASN’T WORKED FOR ME:
1. Weight / fitness – Lost weight and am now extremely fit,
2. Daily ab exercises in the hope it was weak stomach muscles
3. A "healthier diet" such as more fibre, fruit & vege, less sugar.
NEW THING I’M TRYING
4. Supplements – I’ve just started taking magnesium, vitamin B, vitamin C – too soon yet to tell
HAVEN’T TRIED
5. Elimination diets
6. Herbal drinks,
7. Degas medications
Note that I’m still fit etc (points 1,2,3) and won’t stop those
PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF ANYTHING WORKS FOR YOU. THANKS.

I also suffer from bloating and stomach discomfort, weight gain. I do not eat junk food and actually eat very little each day. It all started about one and a half years ago. I had been watching my carbs intake for a couple of years. Stayed slim and had no problems. Over a period of one week I developed bloating and severe pain. Doctor said it was gallstones and removing gallbladder would eliminate bloating. After the gallbladder was removed, I suffered worse bloating then ever before and have been suffering with it on a daily basis. I have tried many different things and nothing seems to work. I am going to try the candida thing now and see what happens. They say Candida can come from antibiotics and as I recall I took antibiotics the week before all my problems started. I am at a loss. This problem has consumed me and I am tired of it.

A gluten/celiac allergy or an STD may both be possibilities. What concerns me is what you said about elimination diets. Are you just referring to cutting out certain foods to test for a food allergy? Or when you refer to elimination diet are you referring to a diet to help clean out your colon? One possibility that you may have overlooked are parasites (worms) in your intestine. Tapeworms can distend the stomach making the afflicted person look pregnant. They can also cause other symptoms because they live off the nutrition that you eat. This can cause vitamin deficiencies and other problems. If your doctor hasn’t ruled this out as a possibility, I would recommend that you ask for a colon cleansing and see if that helps. Most people are disgusted by it, but it is not uncommon for worms to come out in your bodily waste, along with other toxic substances that build up in your intestine, when you get a cleansing performed.

I just looked over my original post and realized something. You said you are gaining weight, not losing weight. That changes things a bit. Tapeworms can cause distention of the stomach, but they usually cause weightloss, versus weight gain. Since you said that you have weight gain along with the other problems, limb swelling, distended stomach, etc., it sounds more like celiac sprue disease than a possible parasite.

I work as a server in a restaurant that was one of the first to offer a gluten/celiac free menu in the U.S., so I am quite familiar with this allergy. People who have gluten sensitivity and/or celiac allergy both can’t have products that contain wheat/gluten, such as bread, pasta, and crackers. People who have a gluten sensitivity usually can have products that contain very small amounts of wheat. People who have celiac sprue cannot have any product that contains even trace amounts of wheat. This is a big problem because there are trace amounts of wheat in many products. Even sauces like ketchup, soy sauce, and cocktail sauce are big issues because they usually contain starch (wheat product) as a stabilizer or they contain food additives or preservatives that have wheat products. These products can even be in very odd places, like the adhesive on stamps or envelopes, in your vitamins, or in some medicines. The swelling that you described from your stomach is your immune system damaging your intestine! The other swelling that you described in other parts of your body is a hive reaction to the allergy. If a number of the following symptoms sound familiar, I would recommend immediately switching to a completely celiac free diet.

Gas, recurring abdominal bloating and pain, chronic diarrhea, constipation, pale, foul-smelling, or fatty stool; weight loss/weight gain, fatigue, unexplained anemia (a low count of red blood cells causing fatigue), bone or joint pain, osteoporosis, osteopenia, behavioral changes, tingling numbness in the legs (from nerve damage), muscle cramps, seizures, missed menstrual periods (often because of excessive weight loss), infertility, recurrent miscarriage, delayed growth, failure to thrive in infants, pale sores inside the mouth called aphthous ulcers, tooth discoloration or loss of enamel, itchy skin rash called dermatitis herpetiformis.

Celiac disease is surprisingly common, but most people don’t realize that they have it. It’s a genetic disease, so you may have also transmitted it genetically to your child. The disease can sometimes lay dormant until some kind of stressor to your immune system kicks it into high gear.

Note: pregnancy, childbirth, surgery, viral infection, and in some cases extreme stress alone, can cause this immune response.

If you are found to have celiac sprue disease then you will have to read food labels closely, ask questions in restaurants, and be very, VERY careful about what you eat.

The only gluten free restaurants I know of are in the Bay Area.

Hello…..

I can across this site by searching for bloating and pelvic pain etc….

I’m also having a similar problem.
I have pain on my left side in the pelvic area, it feels like a stretching pain but niggling also…but this pain isn’t a constant one it comes and goes. I have alot of bloating that doesn’t go down through-out the day, doesn’t matter what I eat or if I don’t eat it will still bloat up like I’m with child.
Also when I orgasm I get pain on my right side which isn’t pleasant.
I have put on 14 pounds in weight in the last few months.
I feel very miserable. I hope maybe someone could shed some light on what could be wrong.

Much appreciated.
Nay.

Hey Mith. I live in New Jersey, and the restaurant company I work for is a chain, but they only operate on the east coast. I wish I knew more about restaurants in other areas of the united states that are gluten free. Most restaurants overlook gluten allergies or allergies in general, and most doctors don’t know how to properly diagnose celiac disease because they are taught that it’s rare when it actually affects millions of people.

Right now I’m kinda stumpted. I’m no doctor, but if I can provide some kind of information that might help someone, I’ll provide it. In the end, there can be a number of reasons for the various posts about the abdominal bloating/pain/weight gain. It could be IBS, thyroid problems, STDs, endometriosis (which can cause fibroid cysts in various areas of the body including: pelvic areas, gastrointestinal tract, bladder, etc.), celiac disease, or any number of other GI disorders.

The specific symptoms can sometimes help your doctor, but symptoms alone can’t always determine what disease a patient may be dealing with. Certain diseases are extremely difficult to diagnose (endometriosis in particular). The most reliable way to determine celiac is a biopsy of the small intestine, because blood tests can be inconclusive. Unfortunately, with endometriosis the most definitive diagnosis is surgery, which is invasive. Other methods of diagnosing endometriosis involve blood testing, MRI, ultrasound, or CAT scan. But even these methods can provide false negatives. Most GI disorders can cause major health problems, especially for women.

Here are some websites that might give some more information about some of these conditions:

This website gives info about various digestive diseases:

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/a-z.asp

This website gives info about endometriosis (click on the banner What is Endometriosis):

http://www.endometriosis.org/

This article shows just how easy it is to misdiagnose conditions like celiac disease:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/200 … liac_x.htm

http://www.eastbayexpress.com/news/slic … oid=524089

Don’t know much about this but here’s a recent article.

This is in general a very well thought out and well written article on celiac disease. It touches on a lot of important information, how many different products can have gluten in them, how diagnosis can be a problem because the symptoms can match so many different disorders, etc. There are only a few things that I should add that the article either didn’t touch on, or didn’t explain clearly.

With regard to how things get cross contaminated: The article explained how cross contamination can occur from using the same utensils/oil to cook a dish for a celiac allergic individual when they used that utensil/oil to cook something that contained gluten. Cross contamination can also be transmitted by hand contact from a gluten product to an item for the allergic person (this is why in my restaurant plastic gloves are used at all times and are changed when they get an allergy ticket) plus the utensils must be washed clean and WIPED DRY. This last point is very important. In the same way that oil can harbor traces of gluten, water can be a conduit as well. This is why the method that something is cooked is just as important as the ingredients used in the dish. Let me give an example.

If someone comes into my restaurant (it’s a seafood restaurant) and has a severe shellfish allergy we can still serve them other food on the menu that is not shellfish (salmon for example) or an item on the menu that is not seafood at all (filet mignon). Most people would think, if you are severely allergic to shellfish, why would you go to a seafood restaurant and tempt fate? Well, as a company, we don’t want to 1) turn away that person’s business and 2) make them feel uncomfortable and that there is something wrong with them for having an allergy that they very well could’ve inherited genetically. Now this is where the preparation comes into play…that guest can order two side dishes with their salmon or filet mignon. They pick steamed broccoli and white rice. You as the server don’t check with the kitchen manager or the front of the house manager to discuss any possible interactions for that meal. You serve the allergic guest their dish and watch in panic as they begin to choke. They aren’t able to breathe and can’t locate the epi pen in their pocket/purse. Congrats! You’ve just killed your guest. How did you do it? The broccoli and rice that you thought was fine because they aren’t shellfish was contaminated in the steamer oven. It turns out that the restaurant steams its lobsters in the same steamer that steams the rice and broccoli. What can cause an allergic reaction is not only the offending object but the oils or juices that can come off it. So for nut allergies it would be the nut oils, in our example it would be juices from the lobster meat that get trapped in water molecules and are spread around the inside of the steamer. The same thing can happen if you wash the utensils, but then don’t properly dry them. Wiping them dry with a clean cloth ensures that you are wiping away any last traces of the offending allergen. The reason this is especially important for celiac allergies is that the damage it causes is not visible (such as someone choking because of anaphylactic shock) but internal (in your intestines).

The other thing that bothered me was the part of the article that states:

"It’s not clear whether ingesting gluten causes a person to develop celiac or simply triggers symptoms of the disease."

Then the author contradicts this statement a few pages later:

"It’s also possible for a person to just be gluten-intolerant or have a wheat allergy without having the genetically linked celiac disease."

Let me be clear that celiac disease is a genetic disease. It can lay dormant until a stressor (surgery, pregnancy, childbirth, viral infection, or severe emotional stress) causes the immune system to weaken and then you may begin to experience symptoms. The difference between a gluten sensitivity and celiac allergy is the fact that with the allergy there is an immune system response and with the sensitivity there is not.

Since a person with a sensitivity does not have the allergic reaction, they may still be allowed to eat gluten in very small quantities. Just how much we still don’t know and requires further research. This is why my chef can educate a guest about the possibility of some kind of reaction with a sensitivity but ultimately it is up to the guest whether or not they eat it. With a clear cut allergy, we have the right to refuse responsibility (note: refuse responsibility, NOT SERVICE) if we inform the guest that what they are ordering will definately cause an allergic reaction. This way both me and my restaurant are not legally liable if someone dies or gets seriously injured from our food, because we warned them first.

I have been reading several of the messages regarding the same problem that has been bothering me for years. I also fell like I am pregant (and I’m 62).

I hate to accept invations out for the day or evening because I never know how large my stomach will look. I’m sure I have IBS, but have not discussed it with my Dr., Because I felt like I was just climbing on the latest band wagon of the latest disorder.

I was so surprised to hear how may of you have the same discomfort, I will try some of your ideas, and will keep in touch, for any updates.

Thank you again, for making me feel like I’m not going crazy, when I look in the mirror and think I look like I’m about to give birth.

hey there everyone, i just spent the last half hour reading all the posts and nodding my head in agreement. i´ve had a bloated stomach for 6 years now, done all the tests everyone else has done, for parasites, acidity levels, stomach cancer, i used to take pills for candida, and tried different diets; lactose-free, celiac, high fibre, no fibre, nothing works.. i have the 6 months pregnant look too, especially after eating raw fruit and veggies, but honestly everything bloats me out.. it started when i was 17 more or less and it´s ruining my life.. i´m a skinny person, always played sports and ate well, i haven´t had the weight gain that others have mentioned, but my stomach makes me look like i´ve gained weight..in my family we all have a different version of IBS and also i have anxiety problems.. i pass gas all day long, especially if i suck in my stomach or wear tight clothes, had second and third opinions, one doctor actually said to me "i´m not God you know".. which i thought was REALLY helpful.. i started swimming 6 months ago, and noticed something really weird.. as soon as i´m under water, my stomach completely, but i mean completely, goes away, and then when i step out of the water, it bloats out in a millasecond.. i just don´t know what to eat anymore, i eat fruits and veg because they´re healthy and i don´t want an artery-clogging diet, but i feel awful after every single meal.. if anyone has had any success with any type of pill or diet, please post 🙂 thanks.

…one doctor actually said to me "I’m not God you know"…

My, my. What charming bedside manner. It’s no wonder your problem hasn’t been diagnosed. If it bothers him so much to do his job then he shouldn’t be practicing medicine. As for you I’d seek a second opinion about your condition from a doctor who actually likes taking care of their patients.

I’ve been back to my doctors today and they’re giving me a blood test that is a FSH/LH + Testosterone. Not quite sure what this means as she really hasn’t said a deal. But doing a few tests first before having a scan on my stomach if the tests don’t show anything..

I am glad to have found this site. To know so many people are experiencing this. No matter what or how I eat I still get bloat. I have ruled out many things already. I like the idea of eating cereal and I also do not drink enough water. I like to eat raw vegetables like celery and carrots. But as I said I still get bloated no matter what I eat. I will let you know what happens over the next few weeks as I up the water and cereal.

Walking and water use to help keep the weight off especially around the middle. But exercise during the winter is more difficult.

The shape of my body has even changed. I was always thin. Now its as if I have never been thin. I weigh 173 at 5′ 5” and the pressure on my back and legs makes them swell. It really is miserable.

I’ve been researching this problem awhile. I can especially relate to looking 4 to 6 months pregnant even after I’ve had only a glass of water with no food and not being able to fit your clothes, covering yourself up, increase in breast size too.

I wonder if its food in general which we all have in common. Also work habits being sedentary. Being inside so much. I learned lack of sunlight has an effect on weight gain (vitamin d). Look at the children. When I was growing up we had gym and recess and played outside.

Children now spend most of their time indoors now and many schools had cut out physical education. I spend more time indoors working on my computer and have to make myself go and walk, exercise. I appreciate the way everybody here has opened up to share I feel a lot better knowing its not just me. God bless you all.

This is my first time posting a message on the net. I am doing it because I am at a loss as to what wrong w/me. I have spent well over the last hour reading some of the messages on this forum and I have some of the same symptoms as the rest of you, but I am still unsure if I am on the right forum…..So I am sure someone will let me know.

For almost 2 years I have had abdominal pain, in my upper right quadrant of my stomach, below my naval, and in my right shoulder blade area. I am bloated 24/7. I wake up and I feel like I have been to a buffet. Than when I really do eat, my stomach hurts that much more, because it thinks it’s already full. I have gas, heartburn, and diarrhea all day long. When I don’t eat, or eat very little, I am able to maintain my weight, but it SEEMS like no matter what I eat, (and I am a very health conscious when it comes to food) it turns to fat. I have gained 30 pounds just in the last year from this. I exercise (cardio and weights) for about 2 hours a day 5-6 times a week. I very rarely drink pop, caffeine, or milk; I mainly drink water. I have done everything the doctors have asked me to. My stomach is never flat, no matter what I do, and it gets worse as the day goes on. I use to always see my abs, now I just feel like I’m pregnant. I have been scoped up one end and down the other. I have had ultra sounds, cat scans, blood tests, and a hydascan. The hydascan showed that I may have "Sphyncter of Oddi dysfunction" and a bad gallbladder. I had the gall bladder removed ( and the symptoms did not change) and I have been taking bentyl, nexium, and zantac since than to try and control some of these symptoms. My gastro had referred me to Indian University to have a manometry (ERCP) done. Than when I go to IU the doctors there said they are unsure that I have "SOD", even though my Hida scan showed that I probably do, that I have some of the symptoms of "SOD" but not all. The doctors at IU are reluctant to do the procedure to fix this because it is a very evasive procedure. I was told 20 percent of all patients end up w/pancreatitis, so they want to be 100% sure that I have this. They make me feel like it’s in my head. I am just wondering if anyone else has has this procedure done, or if maybe the doctors are right and it is something else that is causing the problem. As of now no doctor has definitively said what the problem. I have been told that I have an ulcer and IBS. But the doctors said that shouldn’t be causing me to feel like I do 24/7.
Any help would be very much appreciated.

I have Ulcerative Colitis (have been diagnosed for over 10 years) and sometimes, when I am having a flare-up, my stomach (and other body parts, especially legs) become quite bloated and very uncomfortable.

I have not read any mention of this specific chronic disease here, although I skipped many posts, but UC is an Irritable Bowel disease–attacks mainly colon, large intestine, and rectum. The main symptoms are severe pain and cramping on your left side, diarrhea, bloody stool, black, tarry stool, low iron, exhaustion, and unexplainable pain in your left shoulder.

The bloating is an added bonus!

Medications: I take anti-gas medication, products with Simethicone, drink plenty of water, use hydrocortisone suppositories, take Levbid (Hyoscyamine) 0.375 mg for the cramping, and (9) 500 mg tablets/day Sulfasalazine.

I’ve come to a decision to try a colon cleanse. I’ve been reading the many reports across the internet and I can relate to so many of them. I mean if the food is not digesting the way it should because of blockage it makes sense that water would be absorbed by the food and we would bloat with gas and nowhere for the food to go.

I had a big problem with de-hydration a couple of times and water always cured it and there was no bloated stomach and I didn’t change my diet.

I’m not saying it will work for everybody but I would rather try the colon cleanse than listen to doctors who seem to always end up cutting you open and removing stuff or making you a legal drug addict.

I’m in my 50’s and I know that when you are youger you bounce back from things. But its when you get older that you find all the medicine and cutting you open aids ill health. Then you’re stuck with becoming a slave to the medical industry and your body is too old to fight back.

I’ve watched older people going through this for years and I have no intention of ending up that way. My mom died this year at 82. She was constantly on meds. She was a small lady but she had bloated breast and stomach everywhere else was thin.

My dad has always refused to take anything except an occasional pill for high blood pressure and he stands straight as a tree and healthy at 83. He’s not over weight and has no stomach whatsoever. My mom was always nibbling or eating. My dad eats very small meals and only eats if he’s hungry.

Doctors cannot get paid making anyone well. There are doctors who really care out there but try to find them or afford them.

The colon cleanse sounds like a solution to getting rid of toxins, parasites and other things in our systems first. I know it sounds gross but I think about all the food that has not digested in our systems just sitting there like old garbage and we wouldn’t leave that junk in our homes for a minute. These are just observations

I’ll be in touch after I’ve tried the colon cleanse.

Add me to the list of those with this bloating problem.

Unfortunately, I have no medical insurance so I can’t have a doctor check me out.

I was diagnosed with IBD years ago. I was also diagnosed with cervical cancer years ago. I had numerous surgeries for the cervical cancer and it appeared to be gone 10 years ago.

Anyway, I look like I’m 7 months pregnant these days. It really drives me nuts! The minute I start to lose any weight I get extremely sharp pains in my right side so I eat again. Eating makes the pain go away.

I wish I had the money to go to a doctor but I don’t so I just have to live with this — but I really hate it. How can I lose weight when losing weight makes me feel horrific!

I have had stomach bloating for the past 1 year. It started after I had plastic surgery to remove excess skin after undergoing gastric bypass surgery 3 years ago. I have been back to the plastic surgeon 3 times as it seemed to come on shortly after my surgery. He assured me it was not from that in that he did nothing inside the stomach. My gastric bypass surgeon said it was not from that original surgery. He even did an exploratory surgery 3 months ago and found just a little bit of adhesions but nothing else terribly wrong. I have had every blood test, CAT scan, scope, and colonoscopy done. The colonoscopy did show that I had ulcerative colitis so was put on Asacol, and then just within the last month an antibiotic to kill bacteria overgrowth. Still nothing works. I am distended in the morning when getting up and by the end of the day look like I am about to give birth. It also gets very uncomfortable as the day goes on. I cannot eat much at one time due to the gastric bypass so this is so frustrating. I also have gained 20 pounds, which is so hard to understand because I do not eat that much during the day. I do take a lot of medications, Neurontin and Vicodin, because of neuropathy in my feet and hands, but I have been on that long before this problem came about. It gets so uncomfortable at times all I can do is go and lay down. Anybody with this problem that has had gastric bypass surgery and/or plastic surgery for skin excess?
Michele

Hi All

I have spent the last couple hours reading everyones replies, wow I am so glad to know I am not in this alone. Also I am tired of doctors and their usual replies "oh its IBS" or "we should remove something"

Yes I have had the weight gain, anything and everything makes me look pregnant and hard to get away with it when you are trying to look suave in your suit at work..

I have found that drinking coffee is enemy No1. I have tried the elimination of foods and pretty much come up with I should only eat bananas, its the only thing that doesnt hurt my stomach. But it gets boring after a while. But through this all I have noticed that this bloating/pregnant problem is directly related to my stress levels. I arrive at work flat and a few min later I am about to pop a button on my shirt. I hate the fact that no doctor can give me a straight answer. But at the same time I am willing to try some of the suggestions that people have listed here and see how it goes. I am tried of pills and feeling like a experiment.

So keep posting solutions/suggestions, who knows by ourselves we might come up with a medical marvel.

thx

WARNING: this is not a Hospital.

hi i feel the same as i guess most one here. i am 38 years old since october i have gained over 18 lbs and went from a size 5 to a 13 cannot get jeans on very well cause i look pregnant i have been eating right and exercising 4 times a week at the gym with weight training and walking and other exercises. I feel like a fat hog i am so bloated and misrable i have been to several doctors with not much hope of knowing what is happening to me. i went to a sleep doctor, allergist, gastr doctor, gynecologist, cancer/blood specialist, internal specialist no one knows anything my breast are also swollen i went up a full cup size i am not pregnant after 5 tests at negative i can say that for sure. i have taken a pill to give me my period it didnt work i only had it for an hour when most people have excessive bleeding they think it may be perimenopause for me i am in the middle of blood work and ultra sounds now but i dont know anything yet. does anyone have any advice on this subject? thanks its nice to see others are going thru the same thing.

Have you ever had your yeast counts checked? I had my checked and were out of control. This is a very big problem with our lifestyles. Not many doctors check this. Causes all of the symptoms we have been discussing.

I’ve read most of everyone’s stories and have to agree that it feels so great to know that I’m not the only one suffering this horrible dilemma. Let me first start off saying this is the first time I’m posting on anything like this, but at this point I am absolutely DESPERATE.

So right now I’m 17. Around a year and a half ago, when I had just turned 16, I was a little overweight. I’d say about 20 pounds heavy, and so I went on a diet. I’d say I lost around 15-20 pounds, give or take. This diet changed my life. I was so ashamed of who I was and what I looked like when I was 16, but after my weight loss I felt like a new person. The thing is, though, around 5 months after I started the diet, I started to starve myself. I would eat nothing for 5, 6 days (absolutely nothing), and then on the 7th day I would binge on everything I saw, except the junk foods (chips, ice cream, etc.). I maintained SOME dignity and stayed far away from the junk foods. Everything I ate ranged from bowls and bowls of cereal, sandwiches upon endless sandwiches, chicken (and tons of it), any assortment of meat I could find in my fridge…you name it, I ate it. And then the day after that, I’d starve myself for another week. 7 days after that, I’d binge again. This same routine continued for about 2 months. During this time I became extremely depressed. I WAS losing weight, but not as I had been when I had first started my diet. I began to grow pale, my friends would ask me what was wrong, I began to grow incredibly weak…it was horrible. Soon after this, I had become even more depressed. Food was the only thing on my mind. During school, I wouldn’t be paying attention during class. I would be carefully planning out my weekend binge. What I would eat for breakfast, what I would eat for lunch…it was a very careful routine I planned out well ahead of time. It wasn’t until the end of this that I noticed I started to bloat. Now, I realize that this starvation of mine followed by my huge overeating would probably be a definite cause of my bloating, but I’m no doctor, and I’m gonna be honest when I say that I know absolutely nothing about this "IBS" or "Candida" or whatever. All I know is that soon, even if I had eaten one grape or one piece of bread, my stomach would bloat up. Like you ladies, I’d begin looking like I was 6 months pregnant. That was when I came to my senses and stopped. I started eating like a normal human being. I was good for a year. I had normal eating habits, and I wouldn’t starve myself or over-eat. At all. This didn’t help with the bloating though. Still, after every single thing I ate, I bloated like a madman. The bloating did reduce a bit though, but not as much.

But, over the past few months (ever since school started, really), I have been experiencing extreme stress with school, work, and family. I started eating a lot. I gained probably around 6-9 pounds, I’m not sure (I have not weighed myself since I was 16 years old and before I had lost all my weight…I try to stay away from scales). So when new years came around I vowed to myself that I would lose the weight I gained, and this time do it in a healthy way. I did not want to go through what I did last year, feeling like a dead person every day and feeling like I was going to faint even after taking one step out of bed in the morning. So, for the past 3 weeks or so I have started a new diet. I have lost maybe around 4 pounds, probably less. I am going extremely slow with it. Recently, though, I’ve noticed that my stomach expansion after every meal (even after eating, say, one banana) has increased by a huge degree. I don’t know what’s wrong with me. Every time I reach the point where I feel very good about myself and my body, my self esteem lowers hugely after every glance in the mirror. I wake up in the morning, examine my stomach in the mirror and note that it is perfectly flat. I look at myself in the mirror and think: "Hey girl you are gorgeous!" This all changes by breakfast, though. Typically at breakfast I’ll eat one banana and one yogurt, and before I leave to school I have an examination of my stomach. Unlucky for me, by the time breakfast comes and goes, my stomach has expanded to the point where I look 6 months pregnant. I don’t want to go through this again. I want to lose weight again (am desperate to lose wight), but no matter how hard I try, my stomach just refuses to co-operate! I am absolutely OFF of bread, the regular junk foods, cereal even, etc. etc. My meals these days consist of: A huge dose of fruits and veggies my mom makes for me (and I mean a HUGE dose), a yogurt a day, lots of soup, and, of course, the one, the only, water. No matter what I eat, though, my stomach bloats like a balloon on rampage. I don’t know what to do. I feel like a fat cow every night, even if I’ve hardly eaten anything all day. I feel like I’m going nowhere with this diet. I don’t want to go back to how it was before (the starvation), because I know that’s probably what started this all (again, I’m no doctor), but at this point I see no other way. Maybe a change of foods? I don’t know. The only thing that keeps my stomach neutral is…that’s the thing…nothing! I need help, bad. I understand most of you probably think I’m a stupid and self-conscious teenager, but it’s not my weight I’m really upset about. I’m not fat, by any means, and I’m not overweight by any means, I just want to lose the weight I gained over the past few months. It’s just this bloating that is getting me insane! In the morning I’m flat and pretty, by the time I go out at night I can’t even put on a tight shirt because it looks like I’m about to give birth! These days I’ve prepared myself for nights like these and just refuse to eat the day I know I’m going to go out…at this point it is the only thing that works.

I have not had any tests done because I honestly don’t think that there is anything wrong with me. I have not experienced the symptoms any of you have experienced, except for the fact that ever since my weight loss last year my menstrual cramps have stopped altogether. I used to have the most unbearable cramps imagineable, and my flow used to be quite heavy. Since I lost my weight, my cramps have stopped altogether (I have been cramp-free for one year!), and my period has been considerably lighter. This probably relates with my weight loss (I am so ignorant when it comes to things like this, I’m sorry!), so I’m not worried. But I will say this – when I had first started my diet last year, at the beginning I would not take a number 2 (classic teenaged cliches, I’m sorry) for a week. This happened for one month, and then it went back to normal. The same has happened now. I did not take a number 2 for one week last week, and have not taken one for 4 days since then. I’m not sure if this relates to anything, I’m just throwing it out there. Bananas, apples, and grapes make my stomach GO CRAZY and typically they make me extremely constipated, but no matter how constipated I get I just can’t take a number 2. I dunno where I’m going with this, but other than that there is nothing wrong with me physically, I am sure of it. My mom is anemic but I don’t think that’s a problem with me at all. I am a perfectly healthy teenager and have never had any bad health problems in my whole life.

I just want any advice at all. ANY. I can’t eat anything. I’ve been dieting for weeks, but after one grape, it looks like I’ve gained a good 10 pounds! My twin is the skinniest thing you will see in your life. She is known for it. She can eat 5 big macs in one day, added with a couple bags of chips and 2 bowls of ice cream, and she will not gain one pound. Her stomach will not expand one inch. I don’t understand it, at all. I know everyone’s body is different, but comon! Any advice to minimize this bloating would be so greatly appreciated. Thank you so much, and good luck to everyone!

Last night I spent hours reading all of these posts. I am determined to find a solution.
My weird swelling/bloated started when I spent two months in Hawaii about a year ago. If I eat a peanut I feel worse than Thanksgiving. I thought maybe I have some weird bacteria or parasite from being in the water everyday. But, this morning when I used my tooth-whitening hydrogen peroxide-based mouth rinse, I realized I started using this stuff when I was in Hawaii. Could it be that it is killing all kinds of good stuff needed for digestion? Or reacting to the food I injest and expodes in my stomach? Or who knows what? I am wondering if any one else uses some kind of tooth-whitening stuff.
Anyway, I am eliminating it from my oral health care routine to see what happens.
Anyone else out there have any thoughts?

Unless you’re swallowing the peroxide…but even then it wouldn’t do much.

I have at severe bloating for 2 years. I am on my third GI doctor and third Gyno. I have 5 scopes up and down, test for my pancreas, I do not have a gallbladder. I have had the test pill no result. Right now my current GI has me on Pig enzymes, I have been on it for a week no help though. I have been tested for dairy, latose and wheat, all normal. I am usually looked as if I am pregnant. Little kids think I am pregnant, grown up would not ask. I am 42 year old female, I don’t have any ovaries problem, so my Gyno said it not that. I have had several scan on my ovaries so results. I have also been on fertility a lot in my life, I had trouble with pregnancy. I have kidney stones and my urog. says this is not related.

I have good days and mostly bad. Doctors don’t believe me, they think IBS and have said I am just Fat. I do get pain some times quite severe, but it alway subsides. Once I did go to the ER with it and they said it was reaction to activia, I tried it to see if I helped, it didn’t. The Er doc said if to my husband I should keep persuing this until I find the problem.

I have seen on this site, something about gastric emptying scan, I am going to talk to my gi about this.

IF any body any other information I would greatly appreciate it.

I have had the same problem for a few years. I also have urinary freqency and pain in my bladder. I was diagnosed with I C but I beleive it is more than that, that does not explain the consitpation or extreme bloating. I was just told by a friend to get checked for Celiac Disease. Many of the symtoms we all have. Here is a link to expain wha tit is

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/

Are you saying you have no gallbladder? If that is the case, then you have to pay very close attention to not eating any fatty foods, like frenchfries, milk, butter, etc… It is very difficult to always monitor your food, but this is an adjustment you must make. I assume you have made these dietary changes, and I suspect the lack of a gallbladder has complicated your life in a big way. Sorry you have to go through this.

I have the dreaded stomach bloat but unlike most of you women I also look 9 months pregrant but i am male. Have tried looking at what I eat, drink etc. I have even given up smoking and alcohol only to be told by my friends that my ‘beer gut’ is getting bigger.

I am 50 years old and am even exercising. I do abdom exercises that i used to do when I was younger and boxing, still nothing.

I am going back to the doctor with a copy of all the replies and highlight every sympton that I have in common with others.

Docs love putting under the umbrella of IBS or ulcer. Well it isn’t so what is it?

Let you know how it turns out.

If you don’t have a gall bladder, you can still eat fats, just not too much because your liver will still produce bile.

For those of you suffering from extreme bloating without pain also accompanied by weight gain, I suffer this as well. One thing I have noticed might be a problem for me is eating white breads. I noticed now, twice, that my tummy immediately grows after I ingest bread items (garlic bread, pastas, etc.). I am personally going to try to cut out white breads and pastas and see what it might do for me. I will respond back if this is the cure for me.

Your comment regarding antibiotics is interesting. In the past I visited an MD that practiced alternative medicine (Dr Ralph Lee in Marietta, Ga) . After blood work he diagnosed me with candida (overgrowth of yeast) He put me on a STRICT diet (so much so that even though I had GREAT success I am now having a hard time getting back on the program) I had to cut out ALL refined carb’s (& VERY limited "good" carb’s) , NO sugar of ANY kind (not even fructose), NO fruit for several months (then slowly reincorporate into diet but NO juices-ONLY fresh fruit), NO dairy except for yogurt (then had to be organic, no sugar, etc added), NO condiments unless I made them myself, only home made salad dressings, no cheese or mushrooms (due to fungul). Basically NO processed chemicals/ingredients. You can google search for candida diets/recipes. The library also has books on this. He put me on a prescription Nystatin (tastes like clay – horrible), powdered (expensive) acidopholus & supplements for candida, colon cleansers, etc & I did have to be on Armour thyroid for a period of time (my thyroids were producing the TH’s but the candida was "blocking" it from being utilized by my cells). I NEVER felt better. Lost weight, energy level skyrocketed, & most of all my cravings for sweets, carb’s etc were gone after a couple weeks.

First of all, you have to rule out life threatening things like cancer through traditional methods. That being said, the totally traditional guys are useless when it comes to things like bacterial overgrowth, e.g., Candida. Unless of course you can see someone like Dr. Oz of the Oprah Winfry show. Though recently, a trad doc shocked me with a probiotic recommendation. Any way, Oz knows the best of all venues, not just traditional. If you can find a genious like him, Yippie!

I have had stomach bloating and weight gain since I was a kid. I remember one day in particular when I was 12 years old my stomach looked like I was several months pregnant, naturally, this was while I was performing a part in a play in front of my class. Throughout the years I’ve found my stomach will blow up at any given opportunity. In short, it can occur from a food sensitivity or allergy, chemical sensitivities, or mold and other environmental allergies.

The fact is that this became a lifelong struggle for me after having multiple rounds of antibiotics due to ear and other kinds of infections as a child. All of the problems I’ve listed below are said to be a result of an out of balance gut. Even Dr. Oz on Oprah has addressed the issue of gut bacteria, going so far as to say the intestines are our second brain :shock:, thus effecting our entire body.

I’ve been diagnosed with IBS and GERD. What helped with those problems is avoiding food sensitivities and taking digestive enzymes. 😀

Once again I’m having the gigantic belly bloat and weight gain, bowel problems and chronic fatigue etc. I know this is a result of Candida, bacteria and parasite infections. I tried NAET treatments (used to be allergic with big belly from eggs, but NAET dissapeared it for me), unfortunately I could only afford to go 4 times but require many more visits.

Also amazing are colonics. I’ve only been able to afford one, but if you had several over a few months and did good diet with no sugar, dairy etc, and good bacteria that would be amazing. I’ve found that doing an enima with 1/2 lemon and pure water or putting probiotics in room temp water totally deflates my stomach the next day. Also important, you must rotate natural bad bacterial killers with use of probiotics and a good anti candida diet. I just saw a Podiatrist discussing mold and fungal infections with diabetic patients. He said he found that by pulsing the treatments it works better for the patient. That’s because our immune system gets used to it and so it stops being effective, so you have to trick it by using different things periodically. Change it up every 4 days or every other week.

I can’t afford to do what I know I must do now. Unfortunately, for most people this is a recurring problem that never really goes away, it’s only managed. I have seen a website claiming to have a permanant solution to this problem, but I sure can’t afford it. If you can then go for it.

Best wishes.

Hello, sorry i haven’t read all teh posts. I have the same problem… i look like I am pregnant in the 5 or 6th month. The funny part is that i used to be peer shaped and everyone envied me for having a this waist, but now everything is gone. Anyway, I also have early menstruation and severe bloating. Even when i go to the bathroom i remain bloating. I used to bloat before but not this much, i can’t wear my clothes anymore. This all happened in a year long where i gained 5 kgs ( like 12 pounds). I went to the docotr and she gave me duphaston to regulate my period. it has progesterone, it is kind og an HRT. I asked her about the weight gain she told me to have my hormones ( estradiol and testeterone checked). I hope this will solve my problem, and especially the weight and bloating part. I am not sure if they r all correlated or i have a multi-disease or something

There is a huge crisis with the healthcare in America.IT stinks,and none of the doctors want you to feel better ,because they make more money that way. I too have been plagued with the stomach bloating.About 1 year and 2 months ago I had food poisoning and have never been quit right since. Bloating after everything, even drinking liquids. Constipation ,diharrea, back pain, fatigue, gas,weight gain,etc
For the fatigue I took a supplement called "thytrophin " from standard process. My TSH was like 23. In six months I got it down to 2.3. No synthetics,or pills you have to take forever. To go along with Hypothyroid ,you also have to address your adrenal glands. ( the adrenals also regulate the digestive system)
These are the things I have found to help with my digestion and bloating. Eat alot of small meals throughout the day, instead of a few big ones.Keep a diary,anything that upsets your stomach,don’t eat it. If everything hurts try doing a juice cleanse to let your digestive system repair and take a break.Take a digestive enzyme to help digest your food. Standard process makes a good one called multizyme, they also make another called Zypan which contains Hydrochloric acid, something your body produces less and less of with age, and is also responsible for digesting protien mostly. Slippery Elm Tea decreases inflammation in the stomach and colon. I mix it with chamomile and other digestive herbs. Buy it from a bulk herb place,it is better and cheaper than any RX.
Aloe Vera Juice helps with the inflammation also. Juicing raw pineapple juice, taking probiotics.Getting massages relaxes me and getting abdominal massage helps the bloating and drains the Lymphatic system. The biggest Lymph Nodes are in the abdominal area.
I believe when doctors tell you that you have IBS,it is because they don’t know what you have. Yeah ,my bowel irritated.But why? and how do I fix it instead of just masking the symptoms?
Good luck to all. Trying to heal naturaly in Alaska, Heather
heatherholly@gci.net

since I was 12 I have had this problem tried everthing so now I just eat little about 3 times a day. I cannot eat anything white no bread, pasta, rice patatoes, they all bloat you up! loads of seeds and grains linseed is exellent for the bowels sprinkled on natural yoghurt and water is the KEY drink tonnes of water loads of water as much as you can a day really helps I think the stomache swells when it is dehydrated I also take motilium tablets about 4 a day and it brings the swelling in my belly down walking and sit ups also help any type of exercise to get the bowels regular! 😀

I have been in the same situation as most of you……bloating, constipation, weight gain, fatigue, etc., and found that every doctor I saw (and I saw many) said the same thing……IBS, Gerd, severe constipation, etc. I even had one doctor claim, that after I told him I can not lose weight with a very restricted diet and exercise, to just "put down the donut". Very frustrating! My sister has Hashimotos disease (low thyroid) which started with endometriosis years before. She now has breast cancer. Since many of these things will run in the family, I decided long ago that it must have something to do with hormones….female hormones to be exact. My symptoms of pain and stomach problems would always worsen around my period….even though I had a partial hysterectomy around 8 years ago (around the same time my symptoms appeared). I still have my ovaries, so I know when that time of the month should be because I get severe migranes and have the symptoms of pms like most (acne, moodiness, bloating…) I’ve tried all of the medications out there with no success. I had a colonoscopy….nothing noticed. I’ve had my TSH checked, and it was normal. But last year I had a CAT scan and it showed "many bumps" on my ovaries. They diagnosed me with PCOS. I then researched PCOS like crazy, and found that it too can be caused by a hormone problem. With more research, I found a website called Wilsons Temperature Syndrome, which is a big problem for many women, but none of us have ever heard of. It says that many people (not just women) have a low temperature, which causes our hormones to go out of wack. The great thing is, its a reversible problem, if you find the right doctor and get the treatment. People with low temperatures have a slow, or no process of having their T4 turn into T3….which is something that a normal person has no trouble with. So a dosage of T3 can get your temperature to the right degree, and reverse your hormonal problems. I would highly suggest that all of you research this website and see if you can find a doctor in your area to talk about it to. And though it may not help everyone, it helped me completely! The medication can only be given by perscription. There’s a list of doctors on the website. If you’ve tried everything like I did, it would be worth a shot to look into this.

deiodase deficiency? That is pretty rare, like all enzyme deficiencies.

Hello Everyone!

I am 36 years old and I started having the exact same problem since l was 18yrs. old. From about age 18 until age 26 l stayed painfully bloated 24/7 365 days a year. Some days were worse that others. l was sent to a gastro then back to a gp. Then finally they suggested that i see an endo. In 1998 the endo that i saw was Dr. Douglas Jones(died Dec. 06) in Mount Pleasan, SC. Dr. Jones completely changed my life. He was the first Dr. that actually listend to me. Until then when I would tell the doctors that l was bloated, they would just blow me off and prescribe diuretics.thos did not help at all. Dr. Jones knew of off brand uses for many drugs. After testing my thyroid, Dr. Jones found that I was borderline hypothyroid put me on Synthroid and Rx diet drug (for the bloating) also Dr. Jones informed me of eating low glycemic index foods. My blood pressure is sooo low he felt that l would not have any problems. Now 10 years later I am 100% better. Many doctors do not aggree with what Dr. Jones did for me and refused to give me the same treatment. I however found a doctor that was mentored by Dr. Jones and he has kept me on the road to success. One other thing that I have found to help me is a protein shake that I make every morning. I will have a shake instead of a meal if I start to feel bloated and it gets me back in the game in under 1 week. (see recipe below)

Peanut butter shake
8oz of Silk Light Vanilla Soy Milk
1 tbsp. of Bryers Light double churned Vanilla Ice cream
1 tbsp. Jiff Extra Crunchy PB
1 tbsp. of Designer Whey Protein French Vanilla
6 rounds of Hershey’s Chocolate Syrup (hold container of syrup over the blender and lightly squeeze bottle for 6 seconds.
add 7 ice cubes
Blend and Enjoy!

I hope this helps someone! It has helped me!

Hi, I have found a website that suggests the problem could be dismotility. It recommends asking your pharmacist for a ‘motility product’. I am going out to try this tmo. The website is: http://www.digestivecare.co.uk/Heavy-bl … _324_.html

A few things I forgot to mention about the Wilsons Temperature Syndrome….and some easy ways to check if you have this. It can be brought on by….a major stress, child birth, medication (as in birth control pills) etc. I do believe that candida is also a cause of these things, which I also had (and very hard to get rid of).
Take your temperature, 3 hours after waking, then 3 hours after that, for a total of 3 times a day. Your normal temp should be 98.6. Mine at starting was 96.2. This will give you an idea if this is something you should look into. A low temperature can slow everything down…..your metabolism, digestive system, energy, and so on. It can also give you a food intolerance, which is something many of you have listed.
Hope this helps!

Ok, one more thing…….all of our symptoms happen because of each other…..I had the emotional stress, which caused the low temperature, which caused the constipation, which caused me to seek a strong laxative and colonics, which then caused candida. I made the mistake of thinking that since they all started because of one thing, they could be treated with one thing. Not so! I had to treat the low temperature, and treat the constipation and candida as seperate issues. Colonics and colon cleanses are great to do, as long as you make sure you supplement them with probiotics!

i am so glad i found this site. i was beginning to think i am sick or something. i bloat and look pregnant. i am almost 54 yrs old and through menopause. i feel sick, i can’t lose weight even though i work out and lead an active life. jeans don’t fit right and i look terrible in clothing. i started taking vitamins a few weeks ago and now have more energy, but the bloating is bad. so tired of it. i want to feel good again.

Hi, I’m 48 and have dealt with stomach bloat/distension and looking pregnant.
Since I’ve let my gray hair grow in, noone has said ‘congratulations’ or asked me
when I’m due. What a relief.

Anyway, I stopped drinking Coca Cola and started drinking Concord grape juice.
(I especially like the 100% grape juice with fiber.)
My bloated stomach has gone down and it’s no longer hard and distended.
I’m glad to be able to poke my stomach and feel flab. Gross, to some, I know.
But, to me, it’s a welcome sign that my digestive system is working again.’

My IBS is gone and everything is normal–except for the times I eat pizza
with pepperoni or any fatty meats. I have GERD also and one potato chip or
mayo, salad dressing or margarine can cause my reflux.
Doctors say that grape juice has too much sugar. All I know is my digestive
system is working much better now that I’m drinking grape juice and I can
actually squeeze my stomach in.

Cindy

I’m glad to have found this forum. I have been experiencing extreme bloating and weight gain for the past 4 weeks. I have IBS and amd very careful about what I eat.
I have been eating rice, bananas and other stomach friendly foods, but I keep getting more bloated. My stomach is hard and my clothes are tighter everyday.

The doctors have run every test and cannot find naything wrong with me.

I am now trying massage, accupressure and chinese medicine.

Hoefully all will end well.

Flash

in reply to leeloominai
i probably cant help you much but i’m in same situation, started off by quitting all dairy and wheat products which did make me feel better but i’m still bloated and so sensitive to everything i eat.
I’ve been tested for everything, all bloods, cameras, scopes and was told food intolerance! So at this stage it would be easier give up eating than figure out whats causing it.
But try peppermint tea, it relieves wind and bloating.
Also try colpermin tablets, they are also made from peppermint and are available in chemist, they are for IBS but sometimes make me feel better.
As for the swimming i can agree with that, no pain or bloating when swimming but it returns as soon as you stop.
Other than that, cut out all dairy especially cheese, no fizzy drinks, no beer and drink lots of water.
But i havent fixed mine yet so sorry i cant be of more help. 😕

I am 34 and having been on diets for most of my adult life finally lost 12 stone last year on Lighterlife but since then have suffered with extreme weight gain. sometimes as much as 15lb in one day. I have suffered from eating disorders and since last year I have returned to some of my old habits of restricting my diet to meal replacement shakes ( 500 cals per day) and then binging on vast amounts of food. When I eat normal food ( ie not the diet shakes) my stomach and hips bloat and the weight piles on. I then get night sweats and my ribs hurt, my stomach goes very tight and I get constipated. I’m not sure if it’s due to the yoyo dieting or a medical problem so I’m not sure if it’s due to the food or the amounts. the only way I seem to be able to control my weight and stop the bloating is if I stick to meal replacement shakes but this means I have no life and really can’t face living off them for ever. I have seen GPs and Endocrinologists who say there is something wrong but they can’t find out what. They seem to think that no matter how much you eat in one day a gain of 15lb is not normal and must be due to water not fat. But after I bloat and put on all the weight I have to go back on the diet shakes or else the weight stays , I really don’t want to put on all the weight I worked so hard to shift. I was just wondering if anyone else is in the same boat if so have you have had any luck finding out why you bloat or have found a diet that works?
As I am sure you understand bloating and swelling is a nightmare and any advice you have to help me would be fantastic!

I have the same problem, my stomach looks like I am 9 months pregnant. I am 54 and exercise. Since June my stomach started to grow. I had all blood work and a cat scan and everything is negative. I went from a size 10 jean to a 16 in just 2 months. Everyone looks at me like I am an old person with a baby in my belly. I can’t even hold my stomach in. I don’t know what to do. The Dr that ordered the cat scan told me to call my regular Dr in the morning. Help! Annmarie 😥 ❓ ❓ ❓

I am so glad I found this messageboard after all this time! I am a 45 yr old female who has suffered with various "vague" symptoms since the 1980s and doctors have no idea what I have.

First of all, every day I walk at least a mile or more, I do pilates, resistance bands, weight lifting, and an excercise ball. I rarely eat more than 1500 calories a day. I make sure to eat healthy foods like low fat yogurt, low sodium V-8 juice, lean meat, and fiber cereal. I drink almost 100 ounces of water daily too. But I am always bloating, constipated, and feeling extremely fatigued or have sever brain fog about ten minutes after I eat anything, and it can last for days. My weight fluctuates every day. I can weigh 135 lbs in the morning, then come dinner I might weigh 140 lbs, easily, sometimes more. Right now, I feel like my life is simply a dream in which I can’t seem to wake up from. That’s how bad the brain fog gets.
I gave up on bread and pastas because I was sure eating them aggravated my symptoms big time. No change-I’m still miserable. Exercise doesn’t do anything for me. Sometimes I’m so tired when I walk, I walk with my eyes closed! I’ve had to pull the car into a parking to take a nap sometimes because I could barely lift my head or open my eyes. And that was after 10 hours of sleep!
I’ve tried all the supplements people have mentioned on here-Threelac, Vitamin B6 and B 12, Enzymes, St. John Wort, Calcium/Magnesium, Gas-X, and every sort of natural cleanse mentioned in a health magazine, such as lemonaid mixed with cayenne pepper, cinnamon and baking soda in water, etc. etc. No change. I still look awful!
I also tried eliminating different foods each week, and there’s no change. I’ve done the Candia Free Diet, the insulin resistance diet, the South Beach Diet, etc. No change.

Doctors tell me I do not have hypothyroidism, Irritable Bowel, Celiac disease, Chronic Fatigue, Fibroids, Ulcerative colitis, or anything female related problems. They all say its basically stress and to "take it easy." . I don’t buy that!
I have a great job, plenty of friends, and rarely feel stressed out otherwise.

Do any of you think it’s a misdiagnosis, or could it be something I didn’t mention?

To all posts about stomach bloating. Investigate the relationship of any artificial sweeteners that you may be using. Especially SPENDA! It’s side effects are dangerous, but also include abdominal bloating. It also has the real potential to create other uncomfortable symptoms.

I personally knew of a guy who knew me and happend to hear me talking to someone about Splenda’s negative effects and I mentioned abdominal bloating. He had a light bulb moment and told me that explains why every morning after he ate his cereal sprinkled with Splenda his stomach blew up like he was 4 months pregnant. He thought he was doing something good by chosing Splenda over regular sugar. I further explained to him how Splenda was processed and he should avoid it all costs. Many sugar-free products are using this dangerous sweetner and it listed in ingredients under the name "SUCRALOSE". Do some research for yourself on the dangers of Splenda and its related name "sucralose". Don’t take my word for it, you’ll be amazed at what you find out about it.

That is my advice to anyone who may be consuming this very unhealthy artificial sweetner as well as any other. But in regards to this post, this may something to evaluate and consider. It could be something that simple and trust me the doctors won’t look in this direction of artificial sweetners possibly being the culprit. By the way, I am seeing more and more pregnant looking men. Is it possible that they may be sucking down too much sucralose/Splenda?

In addition to my previous post, where there is a spelling error for the name of the artificial sweetener that I was referring to. The correct spelling is SPLENDA. Again along with abdominal bloating, it causes a lot of the unpleasant side affects that are listed in these posts.

I’m so glad I found this! My doctor in England won’t even bother testing me for anything, and when I told him how good my diet is, he replied "yes but you must get a few snacks in there too". Then he handed me a diet sheet telling me "useful" things like not to eat too many cakes and burgers! Basically I assumed I was going mad until I found this website! My diet, like many people who have posted here, is MORE than healthy, and until recently I was cycling eight miles a day….. and still overweight. I’ve never had kids or been pregnant, hate junk food with a passion and stay as fit as possible.
I’ve spent ages trawling the internet looking at various illnesses, food allergies etc but none of them seem to fit. That was, until I found a page about FRUCTOSE MALABSORPTION. It certainly explains how I can be gaining weight on such a good diet, as it’s to do with the sugars in a lot of healthy foods (notably fruit). Apparently it’s common in patients with IBS, which I’ve noticed a lot of you mention here. It also explains how I can be having these allergic reactions to food without noticing any patterns of what’s causing it. (It might explain a reaction to artificial sweeteners too, but I don’t use them so not sure if they contain fructose?).
Another one I’ve looked into is the chemicals used eg pesticides in fruit and veg. That’s something else that can cause allergic reactions. With mine in particular I’ve noticed my health varies between England and France (where I now live) so this might be down to the different countries ways of treating crops. Has anyone on here found an organic diet helpful? (not sure how common organic food is in the States).
It really concerns me when doctors don’t bother testing people…. why did they enter the profession in the first place if not to help people?!

Maura: fructose malabsorption can cause "aching eyes, fuzzy head and fatigue".
And of course you’re feeling stressed…… with this undiagnosed illness! Hope you get better soon 🙂

Hello,

I have this same problem. I suffer from thyroid problems not an std. My ob and my endocrinologist both think I am crazy. I’ll go in and tell them and say I have cancer in my vagina or an std, because I bleed either too much out of no where or real short. I’ve been tested and its not std or anything else. The only thing they found causing problems was my thyroid, first it was high and then it was not. Now they think I have hashimoto disease and I have to have a biopsy in my neck. I am soooo bloated and constipated right now. It sucks. Plus I look 6 months pregnant skinny every where else and I have gained weight even when I was watching what I eat. Did i mention I am gas-e. Well people it could be something else, but get your thyroid checked. I also have tons of girl problems, I’ve had cyst, infection, this whole thing messes with my hormones. I feel tired. I get blood test every 6 months.

I know the previous postings are old, but perhaps someone will find them, like I did.

My suggestion is that you consider the cause of the stomach bloating to be Candida

See the following pages:

http://ezinearticles.com/?Doctor,-Why-C … k?&id=2723

http://www.jigsawhealth.com/articles/we … yeast.html

TO LANGENGEURLAND (SP?) All I can say is thank you so very much for your posting! I just had what I thought was a "clean bill of health" from a regular chlamydia screening at my doctor’s office and thought I was safe. Sad to say 🙁 I am walking around with these yucky cramps, persistent vaginitis, painful cramps and THE WORST BLOATING EVER! Can’t be angry with my Doc I guess…Or can I??? 👿

OMG…I can’t believe this thread has been going for two years and I haven’t come across it! I am miserable. I have had this battle for 15 years. It happened only every once in awhile and I started cutting out this food and that food. Over the last 5 years, it has been unbearable. I bloat at least four times a week. I have seen multiple doctors. Like many of you, I have been poked, prodded,and tested for everything. I have been told twice it is IBS, but they put me on a pill that ends up being taken off the market. I also look to be 7-8 months pregnant by the end of the day. I won’t have a bowl movement for over a week. The last doctor told me I had too much fiber and it was having the opposite affect. I hate it. I have gained nearly 50 pounds in 5 years. All I hear is diet and exercise. I walk/run 3 miles a day, bike 5 miles three times a day, and swim when I can. In the meantime I only have 1300-1500 calories. Oh, then my doctor said that wasn’t enough calories and that my body was compensating for it! There were so many comments on this site, but if I overlooked an absolute answer someone has found….PLEASE tell me! Because I am pushing 190 pounds now, my acid reflux is unreal,I have trouble eating just about anything, and I am in tears everytime I have to by larger clothes. Thanks

I am 34 and a mother to my 7 year old daughter who has had bad stomach distention (looks like she’s 7 months pregnant by the end of the day..starts the day looking 4 months pregnant)….and she’s had this problem of stomach bloating and excessive gas since she was born!! I am frustrated by the lack of attention she’s had by her pediatrician and sought out a GI specialist when she was 5. My daughter is an active, type A personality, girl, who is otherwise a happy-go-lucky little girl. For two years, now, we’re not much closer to finding out WHY all this has happened. She’s always been bigger than her peers and now (like I feared,) it’s starting to affect her self-image. She has a little sister who is 4 with no problems at all. I just want her to feel normal. Just so you know, she came out of the womb not tolerating any kind of milk or formula…she had infant projectile vomiting whenever she had a bottle (but she’s been tested for lactose intolerance and it came back normal!) She’s been put on a wheat intolerance diet..for 1 year!!..but it didn’t change her appearance or her discomfort. I’ve had pediatricians tell me to ease up on fast food (we went through drive throughs maybe once a week, so we then went only once every few weeks) but nothing changed. BTW, that infuriated me that the pediatrician would say that when my younger daughter, my husband, and I don’t have any symptoms of being obese, and we all eat the same food as a family.

Here’s what 7 years of researching yielded:

-Don’t trust pediatricians…seek a specialist if you can

-Your body is very complex, and your symptoms most likely are being caused by a biochemical imbalance; either that or your body is missing something to help you digest your food. I read on a medical website that whatever you eat turns to fecal matter or gas and that problems can stem from digestion when "turning" the food into one or the other.

-Your blood type may have something to do with digestion. Google "eating for your blood type"

-Anemia (iron deficiency) may have something to do with your symptoms.

-Symptoms may be hormone related

-Four important people to help you find your diagnosis: 1. Gastroenterologist (GI doc) 2. Endocrinologist (Hormone and metabolism doc) 3. Allergist (Allergy doc) 4. Nutritionist (can give you tips on digestive enzymes and probiotics that might be helpful)

My daughter has pain in her upper stomach, just under her sternum. Her upper stomach protrudes about two to three inches past her chest (she’s 7). Her gut (belly button area) protrudes another inch out from there.

Since the age of 5 1/2, she’s been seen by a GI doc at CHOC (Children’s Hospital of Orange County.) Here’s a summary of a year and a half of treatment:

My daughter tested positive for Eosinophilic Esophagitis (presences of Eosinophils (ess-in-o-fills) on her esophagus. This means the lining of her esophagus looks like it has scar tissue on it…what this means is her reflux problems have hurt the lining of her esophagus. We found this out through an Endoscopic exam where they put a camera up her nose and down her throat.

She was seen by an ENT doc at CHOC (Ear, Nose and Throat doctor) who said he saw small nodules on her vocal chords (which explained the chronic hoarseness in her voice) and said it could be from GERD (Gastro Esophageal Reflux Disease) and recommended Prevacid. We did not take it because my daughter is 7 and I want to find the cause of the problem and treat that and not just the symptoms. Plus, google "side effects of Prevacid;" you won’t want to take it either.

She had a breath test (Hydrogen test) to test for lactose intolerance…came back normal.

The GI doc said she may have fecal matter stuck in her intestines/colon and said she needed to flush it all out. The doc put her on an aggressive Magnesium Citrate treatment consisting of two 10 oz bottles of Magnesim Citrate bottles (you can find them at any drug store) and a liquid diet..no solids at all. This 5-day treatment sent her to the bathroom for 5 days of chronic diarrhea. Her stomach went down about an inch and a half and then came right back the day after introducing solid foods. We are now following up the treatment with Kristolose which will keep her stools soft. The Kristolose has kept her regular.

We’re scheduled for a three hour exam next week to have allergy testing done, and I’ll give you the results of that as well.

My gut instinct is telling me she may have a problem digesting food. I’ve researched digestive enzymes and probiotics and want to start her on a regime consisting of some enzyme and probiotic supplements, but I don’t want to do any of this until we do the allergy testing. However, after reading some of these posts, I’m thinking the enzymes and probiotics may not be the answer (read the post in March of this year from the 34-yr old male who seemed to try everything with no relief to his symptoms.)

Blogging is good because it can help direct people to the right answers. I’m sorry that I don’t have answers to the cause of stomach distention, bloating, and gas, but if we keep at this, we may stumble across the answer. I’ll continue to post with updates. I came across this thread and was hoping for the answer, but I figured that even if that doesn’t happen, if I can help someone else by sharing my story, then it’s worth the time to post it.

kmas
what is HCL?

Since July 2008 I have been experiencing pain in my right lower side and right lower back area. The pain would come and go, but as of August the pain would just be consistent and my stomach, back and face started to have a bloated look. I began gaining weight, could not do my usual stomach crunches, tired and when I would eat my stomach would hurt. I would also urinate alot. I had paid a visit to the emergency room and explained that I would like a ultrasound, xrays or something because this was a problem. I was told that maybe I had pulled something/strained myself and I was given muscle relaxers and motrin. Well I know that it’s not straining or anything like that, but something far from it. I will visit my primary doctor this week and I will again request that I have a xray and/or ultrasound b/c this is the first time I have ever experienced something like this. I am straight on being STD free so that’s not my problem. But thanks to alot of you on this website with the knowlegable advice. I will be asking questions about IBS, gallstones, hypothrodism etc. Just to let the doctor know that I am not playing with my health and that I need some results. I’ve gone from being 140lbs. the beginning of this year to 159lbs. right now.

Gallstones can cause pancreatitus which causes pain in the lower back and abdominal area. But the pain is very severe and would cause you to double over. Pancreatitus can be diagnosed with a blood test. Usually your Amylase levels go through the roof. Gallstones can also cause lower back pain, but the inferred pain often seems to move. Bloodtest can also be used to confirm gall bladder problems. Did the ER conduct a blood draw on you. If so, and they released you, I would say you can rule out the two I mentioned.

I am relieved in many ways to hear that my stomach problems are shared by so many. I am still struggling after 13 years to find a cure or way to decrease the bloating. It is better than when it first started. It was interesting to hear someone say that while they were pregnant they did not expereince any problems. I have had 3 children and during each pregnancy I felt great and had no bloating or pain at all. Sometimes I think it is from eating too good, like someon else said- I tend to eat fruits and veggies, but I have tried it all- eating no meat, no cheese or dairy, small meals, eating slower, I have given up eating many veggies that I know cause gas. I try to eat mostly cooked vegies. I exercise and so on. It is very similar to what someone noted. I will feel good in the morning but after lunch start to feel bad and sometimes by evening I am just so tired and full, I can’t do anything. Someimes I put a warm compress on my stomach and it is better. I mostly have the pain in the lower left quardrant. My dr. said there is only colon there so now she has me taking fiber and a stool softner. I guess it helps but I still have the problem. If anyone out there gets a real diagnosis please let us know.

hiya,

So, yeah, have the same symptoms, bloating, constipation, weight gain, am lactose intolerant….have had these stomach problems for as long as i can remember (over 18 years). but Ive always had my own methods of keeping it somewhat ‘under control’…this involved laxatives and only eating when i wasnt going anywhere (like others have described)…and, yes, ive had eating disorders in the past.

…about 5 months ago i suffered gastro. and It seems after the bout of gastro (or what i believe to have been gastro) was when my symptoms started to worsen and get out of control. Ive had blood tests (time permitting), been to a gastro doctor who diagnosed me with IBS…saw a naturopath which worked for about a week….

Over the last year, ive had some big changes…a break up, changed jobs, gained a mortgage…and have lost my period (ive had it once, and it was light, in the past 8 months) and pretty much become a recluse – i go to work, home and gym. I used to go out nearly every weekend (day or/and night), but due to financial restrictions and my worsening stomach problems ive been out probably a total of 4-5 nights in the last year – no, im not exaggerating. I also have to try clothes on before i pack my gym bag, just to see if it’ll fit ‘today.’

Anyway. So, yes, ive been told (by both the naturopath and gastro doctor) that the mental state affects the state of digestive health….i dont dismiss this…

…I’m just wondering if anyone else had a bout of gastro and noticed their symptoms get out of control afterwards?

like all of u, i just want to be ‘normal’…or as close to as possible. I’d give anything to go back to how i was…even if it wasnt so ‘normal’…at least i could keep it under control.

Has your hormone levels been checked. A lack of a period sounds like a hormonal problem. Sometimes going on the pill can help hormonal problems. Hormones on the fritz can cause a myriad of symptoms. Go see a gyno.

thx for the reply,
yeah, had those blood tests yesterday, so waiting on results, and have to go in for an ultrasound too…

just curious as to whether a bout of gastro could have been the trigger? maybe its brought up something underlying, and is making the ‘usual’ problems worse…pffft who knows. 😐

Like I said, a hormonal imbalance can cause a wide range of symptoms, including gastro.
See list below:
I am not an MD so anything I say should be considered unreliable, however getting a blood test and ultrasound is a good start on your part. Your gyno may also want to do a MRI scan to look at your pituitary, as a cyst on your P gland can cause you problems. Don’t let this frighten you though. The cyst if any usually spontaniously regress after time.
My wife went through this whole thing. She had a cyst on her pituitary, stopped having periods or was spotty, gained large amount of midline mass. The treating physician perscribed birth control pills, and most of her problems went away. Lost 20 pounds, periods restarted( Which I did not miss) 🙂 For your symptoms I would suggest you seek advice of an MD rather than a alternative med Dr.

• Aching joints and muscles,
• Allergy symptoms,
• Breast tenderness,
• Chronic fatigue,
• Cold or tingling hands and feet,
• Craving sweets, caffeine, carbohydrates,
• Depression, anxiety,
• Dizziness, lightheadedness,
• Dry, thin, or wrinkly skin,
• Endometriosis,
• Facial hair growth,
• Fibrocystic breasts,
• Hair loss, thinning hair,
• Headaches, migraines,
• Heart palpitations,
• Heavy or light periods,
• Hot flashes,
• Incontinence,
• Irregular periods,
• Irritability, inability to handle stress,
• Lack of concentration, foggy, fuzzy thinking,
• Leg cramps,
• Low metabolism,
• Lower sex drive, loss of sex drive,
• Menstrual cramping,
• Morning sluggishness,
• Mood swings,
• Memory lapses,
• Night sweats,
• Osteoporosis,
• PMS,
• Ringing, buzzing in ears,
• Sleep disturbances, insomnia,
• Spotting, light bleeding,
• Symptoms of hypothyroidism with normal T3 and T4,
• Unstable blood sugar,
• Urinary tract infections,
• Uterine fibroids,
• Vaginal dryness,
• Water retention,
• Weight gain, especially in hips, waist and stomach,
• Yeast infections,

Thanx Michael 🙂

Sometimes its good to hear the opinions of someone (or someone who knows someone) that’s gone through similar and come out the other end. Understand ur not a doctor… will see what happens with these tests and go from there…

glad ur wife’s all good (yes, including the pms)!

Well, good luck to you and there is light at the end of the tunnel 🙂

If your seeing a General practice Dr, he/she should send you to a gynocologist unless it is something obvious. So keep that in mind.

Let us know the outcome…

One more thing and be advised. For my wife, diagnosis was a slow process, many visits to the doctors. Thats HMO’s for ya…

I am lucky, I can go to the Vetrans hospital here in San Diego. One of the best hospitals in the country.

Hello,

I stopped smoking 3 months ago and and although I never want to smoke ever again, Im seriously considering it. The reason being I feel terrible! Everyday my stomach is bloated and even when I empty myself nothing changes. I have had a colonic and take probiotics regularly. I drink loads of water and eat plenty of vegetables. I dont eat dairy as I think this makes it worse. I dont know what else to do and Im feeling very fat and miserable!
Has anyone else had this problem and any help would be very much appreciated. 🙁

I have read all the posts and felt like crying because i thought i was alone in this. For the past 5 years i have had constant bloating, hair loss, fatigue. All symptoms of thyroid but yet the tests always come back normal. I’ve tried everything from candida diets, homeopathy, accupuncture, reflexology. the list goes on. I’ve spent £4000 (aprox $8000) on different practitioners with no results. The doctors in the uk dont have any answers, they dont believe my symptoms and always fob me off with the diagnosis IBS because they dont know what it is. They humour me by testing for thyroid. I’ve paid for major bacteria testing and results were clear. someone suggested hormonal in a previous post? Maybe going on the contaceptive pill would help.
There has to be an answer out there, didnt realise there was so many people with the same problem with me, the doctor asked me if i was stressed and depressed…i told her the only thing that depressed me is having this problem!

1) I am curious to know if anyone who has been clinically diagnosed with IBS-(C or D) been ‘cured’ of their symptoms.

2)For those with bloating/distention, if you use an abdominal garment (those that are to be used after lipo for example), does it help with your symptoms?I am curious if the weakness of the abdominal muscles compound to this bloating issue.

Hi Everyone,

I have had this for about 5 months now. The excessive bloating in which you think your stomach will rip apart at the seams. I have read all the other posts and even though I am glad I am not alone it seems as if there is no clear cut answer as well.
A little brief history here. I had been having pelvic pain for 7 months. Then extreme pelvic pain which sent me to Emergency and long story short an ovarian cyst that had burst. The Dr. put me on birth control pills to stop me ovulating so I wouldn’t get the cysts anymore. However the pelvic pain did not go away and on top of that I was getting headaches and dizziness. Also the excessive bloating started and not being able to eat more than a few bites of food. As well as nausea. The Dr.’s were stumped. Too many problems all going on at once. Plus some outside stresses. My Mom was diagnosed with Cancer around the later part of my symptoms.
My Dr. put me in the hospital so we could speed up the process and find what was wrong. At this point I could hardly function. I had numerous tests done in the hospital. I had a laparoscopy done and they found scar tissue on my ovary and uterineal ligament. They took that out. I left the hospital shortly after that. The pelvic pain is now gone. Hurray. They put me on Prevacid a stomach acid reducer and I could finally take more than a couple bites of food. I could actually eat regular meals. But the excessive bloating still continues and now I am gaining alot of weight in a short period of time and not really eating too much in a day. Just a regular amount of food.

I also feel like I am 5 months pregnant. I have 3 kids to look after and I eat very little during the day so I don’t suffer the bloating as much. I need to look after them. After I eat supper it gets worse and I can’t usually sleep because my stomach is so bloated it makes it awkward. I have pain sometimes on my left lower side as others have mentioned. Usually when I am extremely bloated it happens more or becomes more chronic. This bloating is everyday all the time. I wake up bloated and it just gets worse throughout the day. I find the headaches come when I haven’t eaten and that triggers the dizziness so I have to at least eat small snacks throughout the day. It doesn’t matter what food I eat I always bloat. Even with drinking water.

So as we have narrowed down some symptoms and their causes I can plainly see that I have some sort of digestive problem. The Dr. thinks it is Celiac’s. Which I have seen posted here. But I eat mostly wheat products and leaving them out of my diet does not make me feel any better and eating them doesn’t make me feel worse. Everything makes me feel worse.

I have a Gastroscope scheduled for Wed. and they will take a biopsy to check for celiac’s which I should get the results in about 2 weeks after its done. Then I have a colonoscopy scheduled for the end of Nov. Other than that they have run every other test there is with no luck to find the problem. I do have polys on my gall bladder that the Gastro Dr. will evaluate. I will ask her about the slow gastric emptying thing that someone mentioned earlier. Taking Prevacid certainly wouldn’t help if I had that problem.

I WILL write back on Wed. and let you know if they found anything or not on the Gastroscope. I just want this to be over. The chronic uncomforableness of this bloating is wrecking havoc on my life and does get very discouraging. My Dr. also told me if we don’t find anything wrong after all these tests then he will chaulk it up to IBS. Can you believe that. I don’t just want an answer. I want the right answer.
Hang in there everyone. And please write if you have had some results. Knowledge can only make us stronger.

I posted a month ago, on 9/28. Since the post, my daughter has been seen by an allergist at the Children’s Hospital. Allergies came back positive for milk, soy, rice, rye, peanuts, bananas, carrots, melons, potatoes, cucumber, corn, chicken, pork, and all by-products..meaning she can’t have soy lecithin (found in nearly everything), nor dairy, nor corn syrup, etc. The positive result for the milk made me doubt the test because just a few months ago, she had a breath test (hydrogen test where they test your exhaled air that you blow in a bag) and the test came out negative for being lactose intolerant, but the doc said that it was the most prominent allergy of the group…which explains why she had reflux and couldn’t handle breast milk or formula as an infant. I switched her to soy when she was 4 months old, and she didn’t tolerate that either…which I now know why…she’s also allergic to soy. I’m determined, though, to find the root of her allergies. It’s basically a food intolerance, not full blown allergy, because she doesn’t break out in hives; she just gets extremely bloated, constipated, and has severe stomach distention. But, she’s like that all day, it just gets worse as the day progresses. I’ve been researching like crazy and think that her allergies might be caused by a poor digetive tract. She may have ‘leaky gut’ syndrome; this is where the intestinal lining is porous and undigested foods leak out of the intestine and into the blood stream…not good and can cause your body to react with distention, pain, etc. I’m going to have her checked for ‘leaky gut’ and also for low HCl and pepsin levels..HCl (hydrochloric acid) and pepsin are responsible for breaking down protein, etc and because she may have low levels, it may be causing her bloating as well. I’m so frustrated with the doctors, though. How come I’m the one doing all the research? Oh, speaking of which, when I was researching, I came across a website that talked about the benefits of sprouts on our digestive system. I’m seriously thinking of getting an automatic sprouter and some organic seeds (brocolli, alfalfa, and others along with wheatgrass) and then growing the sprouts myself and blending them with orange juice for her. In the one week we’ve known about her allergies, we’ve kept her on foods that she was not allergic to. In addition, I’m having her take an acidophilus pill, a super-digestive enzyme pill, and a papaya enzyme pill daily. She weighed 72 lbs two weeks ago and now weighs 70 lbs (she turned 7 in July and been at the 95th percentile with regards to her weight since she was born) I’ll track the weight loss and let you know how it goes. She mentioned that the pain in her stomach went away. She hasn’t had pain now in three days.

Momofthree, I looked into the differences and similarities between ‘leaky guy’,celiac disease, and IBS, and found an online article somewhat helpful that I’ve attached in this post. Also, I’m interested to see how things go for you. I’ll check back on Wednesday to read your update. Copy and paste this link, http://thefooddoc.blogspot.com/2007/01/ … en-in.html, into your web browser. In summary, it states that ‘leaky gut’ can occur from gluten even in absence of celiac disease. Check your Zonulin levels, because these levels are increased in celiac disease. Also, excessive and long term gluten exposure also affects zonulin in non-celiac intestine. The result is an increased gut permeability (or leaky gut). Hope all goes well for you.

The negative result only means your daughter produces the lactase enzyme, thus not lactose intolerant, this is not the same thing as having an allergy to milk, so I would suggest you do not second guess the hospitals results.

It just amazes me when mothers play doctor with their offspring, as if the internet gives you a medical degree. Why oh why would you need to supplement enzymes that the body produces normally? Enzyme deficiency is rather uncommon, and if there was a lacking enzyme it could be easily tested for by medical professionals. SImple lab test can determine if enzymes are present such as amylase and lipase.
Supplemental enzymes when eaten, are digested just like other proteins and will do nothing , other than support the makers of these magic pills.

By an alternative med practioner no doubt as the medical community does not support this condition.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaky_gut_syndrome

Do your daughter a favor and seek true medical doctors that actually went to med school.

MichaelXY, I appreciate your feedback, but I think you need to check your facts. In the above email, you criticized me for trying to take matters into my own hands and for relying on the internet to supply me with information and then inferred that ‘leaky gut’ is an alternative medicine and not recognized by real doctors. I found it ironic that you tried to back up this last comment by referring to none other than.. an internet link! Using your link above that you sent, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/leaky_gut_syndrome, I checked the references of the story only to receive confirmation that I may be onto something. Scroll down to the bottom of the story and click on the 5th reference, called, ‘leaky gut syndrome’. This is what it says:

"Leaky gut syndrome develops at times because of the formation of a lesion along the lining of the intestinal walls and this may make the wall very permeable than it normally is to the substances contained within it- in other words it is leaky and hence the name of the disorder, leaky gut syndrome. The spaces between the cells of the gut wall are enlarged to a very great extent and this enlargement allows the entrance of many types of organism such as bacteria, all sorts of pathogenic fungi, all kinds of intestinal parasites, many toxins and undigested protein, fat and waste material into the bloodstream-this will spread the inflammation further out into the body. Normally these substances are disposed off or eliminated in the stools but because of the damaged and now hyper-permeable and very leaky gut they pass easily into the blood and spread about the body.

The presence of many toxic chemicals and swelling because of the resulting inflammation leads to the blockage of many important nutrients into the body and also blocks the absorption of many more important nutrients like the vitamins, most of the essential minerals and many of the essential amino acids. The immune system produces a lot of antibodies to fight of the many large molecules which now pass through the intestinal walls and which are correctly seen as foreign antigens or substances by the immune system. A food allergy can be the result of this immune reaction as the immune system tries to ward off the foreign bodies within the body. An inflammatory reactions is thus triggered when any of these foods is eaten, the antibodies from the immune system get into many different tissues and trigger an inflammatory reaction within the body.

Supplements and herbs
Since the inflammation in the intestinal walls damages many of the carrier proteins found in the gastrointestinal tract, which are necessary for the transport of all sorts of minerals from the intestine into the blood-all kinds of mineral deficiencies begin to affect an individual suffering from the disorder. These conditions include as an example, a deficiency in the magnesium content similar to the symptoms occurring in a condition such as fibromyalgia, this deficiency can develop in a person suffering from a leaky gut syndrome even if a high magnesium intake is maintained through the diet and through the use of mineral supplements on a regular basis. An obvious magnesium deficiency can develop as a result of malabsorption where the symptoms of a leaky gut syndrome leads to damage in the carrier proteins used in the transport of magnesium through the intestinal walls. Spasms and extreme muscle pain often result because of this condition. In addition deficiencies in an important mineral like zinc result in a high blood cholesterol level, which may affect the person adversely. The improper absorption of essential minerals such as calcium, a trace mineral like boron, a mineral like silicon and manganese can lead to many kinds of bone disorders in the person.

The use of supplemental antioxidants can help fight the destruction of tissues brought on by the inflammation which affects all the tissues. Most of the various antioxidant supplements which are effective against the inflammation include all the natural carotenoids, essential nutrients such as the vitamin A, a chemical compound like rutin, the citrus based hesperidins, the compound quercetin, the class of compounds called catechin, seed extracts of the grape, the compound pycnogenol and the bilberry herb. The other essential antioxidants that can be used during treatment also include the vitamins C and E and many of the various sulfur-containing amino acids including cysteine, the form called N-acetyl-cysteine, the amino acid methionine and the reduced L-glutathione compound. Asthma and other allergic reactions triggered by the inflammation can be dealt with supplements of the essential vitamin, the vitamin C, which also protects the blood vessels from damaged sustained from the inflammation.

Leaky gut syndrome is also immensely alleviated by the supplementary use of many types of plant enzymes such as those found in abundant quantities in green food supplements like spirulina, the chlorella plant, in the barley greens, in the green kamut, in substances like bee pollen and in the royal jelly-all of these will prove to be effective and potent additives to the remedial measures taken against the symptoms of leaky gut syndrome.

A lowering in the production of the digestive hydrochloric acid in the stomach accompanies most types of autoimmune disorders and this is also evident during leaky gut syndrome. A lowering of the acid levels in the stomach during the condition results in the condition known as pernicious anemia and this resulting imbalance can only be rectified by regular injections of the vitamin B12 along with the folic acid. Hereditary factors may play a role in lowering the stomach acid levels, and this lowering of the stomach acid levels can also be brought about by the long term use of many over the counter prescription medications such as all kinds of antacids and anti-ulcer medications. The acid levels in the stomach can also be lowered as a result of persistent infection in the gut or due to factors such as food allergies, particularly to foods that are sourced from a dairy and this same allergies can arise from many wheat products. A variety of supplements can be tried in an attempt to correct a lowered stomach acid level that is known to exist purely because of hereditary reasons in the affected individual. Some of these supplements for use in this regard include the amino acid-glutamic acid, the chemical hydrochloride, the compound betaine hydrochloride, the digestive enzyme pepsin, some apple cider vinegar, some lemon juice, stomach bitters, nutrients like the vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid) and the vitamin C, the organic compound PABA (paraminobenzoic acid) and the vitamin B6, pyridoxine hydrochloride-all of these will prove to be of great supplementary benefit to the affected individual.

The carrier protein that transports magnesium is damaged during disorders like the leaky gut syndrome, this is despite of the very high intake of the essential mineral magnesium through the diet and via regular supplementation-this can result in serious deficiencies of the mineral within the body of the affected individual. Impaired absorption of the mineral magnesium results in a the development of a magnesium deficiency within the body. As a long term result of this deficiency, spasms and muscle pain begin to affect the person and cause a great deal of discomfort besides other symptoms. The deficiency of another essential mineral namely zinc also occurs in a similar manner due to an improper absorption of the mineral form the diet, this results in symptoms such as rapid hair loss or baldness that resembles the type of symptoms which occurs in another condition called alopecia areata. Similarly, identical impaired absorption of the mineral copper can lead to very high blood-cholesterol levels and this can easily complicate things for the individual. Bone problems can also occur as the impaired absorption of important minerals like calcium, boron, silicon and manganese are also evident-all these minerals are important for healthy bones.

The impaired absorption of many vital vitamins and essential amino acids can result due to the inflammation and swelling -edema present in the body of the affected individual along with the presence of many types of noxious chemicals-these create blockages in the transport of vital nutrients into the body and absorptive systems in the body go out of control leading to deficiencies in many vital nutrients. The proper absorption of nutrients is often the first casualty of a leaky gut syndrome. Physical symptoms like abdominal bloating, the production of excess gas and painful muscular cramps begins immediately as a result of these multiple mineral deficiencies. On a gradual manner the person begins to suffer from different systemic complaints such as persistent physical fatigue, the presence of constant headaches, the loss of memory, a very poor ability to concentrate and constant emotional irritability.

The anti-inflammatory compounds such as prednisone, prednisolone, dexamethasone and betamethasone are commonly used and prescribed corticosteroid medications that function in blocking the pro-inflammatory chemical mediators in the body including the compounds such as histamine, some of the prostaglandins and the compounds called leukotrienes. Scientists believe that these compounds are responsible for the pain, the swelling, the redness and the eventual scarring reactions that induce fibrosis like actions within the human body. All of these pro-inflammatory compounds within the body are involved in some way in the autoimmune diseases such as the disorder called lupus, the condition called idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura or ITP for short, in rheumatoid arthritis, in Crohn’s disease, in the condition known as ulcerative colitis, in multiple sclerosis, in thyroiditis and in vasculitis, therefore the compound called prednisone is used to reduce the impact of the serious effects these pro-inflammatory compound have on the body. These chemical mediators are also involved in the development of allergic conditions such as asthma, during condition like psoriasis and in eczema. These conditions are also often dealt through the corticosteroid pills or topical creams as well and these are normally prescribed to individuals affected by these conditions.

The price paid for the reduction of the inflammation using compounds like prednisone and other steroid medications is huge even though they are very effective in bringing about a reduction in the inflammation affecting the individual. The main adverse affect is that these medications cripple the immune system when they are used over a very long period of time. Unwanted weight gain, the retention of fluid, a tremendous increase in appetite, a heightened risk of infection setting in, problems like depression, elevation of blood pressure or high blood pressure, disorders such as diabetes, the formation of ulcers, the development of acne, fatigue and weak muscles, problems like osteoporosis, persistent insomnia and an increased risk of blood clot formation are all unwanted side effects of long term use of these compounds. The use of different types of antioxidants, the hydrochloric acid, many kinds of enzymes and herbal supplements is the only alternative to the continued use of prednisone and other corticosteroids.

Tissue damage is often the long term result of the inflammatory response which creates a lot of oxidative damage to the tissues, the careful use of all types of antioxidants will help prevent tissue damage-which can lead to permanent dysfunction in the vital tissues if occurring over a long period of time. Various vitamins such as the natural carotenoids – the class of compounds known as carotenes, lycopenes etc, the vitamin A, the plant based natural compounds called bioflavonoids such as rutin, citrus based hesperidins, the compound quercetin, catechin and the proanthocyanidins (grape seed extract, the pine bark extract, the bilberry herb and others grouped into the term pycnogenols, the vitamins C and E, and all the sulfur containing amino acids such as cysteine, the N-acetyl-cysteine form of cysteine, the amino acid methionine and the reduced L-glutathione are all excellent and effective antioxidants for use as an alternative to the corticosteroids. The coenzyme Q10, all the B complex vitamins, particularly the folic acid and the vitamin B12, along with the essential mineral selenium, the essential mineral zinc and the hormones like DHEA and melatonin can also play effective roles as antioxidants-all of them can be used in supplementary form to prevent tissue damage caused by oxidative reactions. Super foods like the green plant supplements such as spirulina, chlorella, the barley green and the kamut are excellent in phytochemicals and contain important plant enzymes, used along with bee pollen and royal jelly and with various herbs they will prove to be very potent antioxidants and are great in supplementary support of the affected individual.

Many enzymes such as the enzyme pancreatin which is an animal derived pancreatic digestive enzymes, many plant enzymes such as bromelain derived from pineapples aid the digestion of proteins in the gastrointestinal tract. These enzymes have also shown an ability as anti-inflammatory chemical mediators similar in action to some of the prostaglandins and leukotrienes found naturally in the human body-these enzymes can be used as effective supplements to alleviate the condition in the affected individuals.

Deficient production of the hydrochloric acid in the stomach is the usual symptom associated with most types of autoimmune disorders in the human body. A lot of nutrient deficiencies can result due to the two forms of deficient stomach acid, these are achlorhydria-or no acid production and hypochlohydria or a low acid production, the presence of one of these conditions is enough to induce many types of nutrient deficiency in the affected individual. As most high protein foods require the presence of sufficient acid for their digestion-the presence of one of these conditions in the body will create numerous problems for the person. Poor absorption of vital amino acids, essential vitamins and minerals result when the acid levels are absent or very low in the stomach. The deficiency of the vitamin B12 is the most usually and easily recognized nutrient deficiency brought on by low or little stomach acid production. Problems such as pernicious anemia is often the first result of such a absorption rate and this situation can often only be rectified by the regular supplementation of vitamin B12 through injections."

Did you get the part on digestive enzymes and HCl levels? And did you get the part about Prednisone and other prescriptive drugs that are commonly presribed?

I’m all for utilizing our medical professionals first. However, we trusted our pediatrician for 3 years who said she might have a wheat allergy and to switch to rice products as an alternative. Well, it came back, years later, that it is RICE that she’s allergic to. (BTW, this is the same pediatrician who told me there was absolutely no link between the MMR vaccination and Autism. The verdict is still out,) but the point is, physicians are tainted by the money they make from their insurance providers. Some medical groups actually get bonused for not prescribing treatments or taking the initiative to diagnose illnesses. The place we go now is CHOC. The Children’s Hospital of Orange County is a reputable hospital, so one would think they have reputable doctors. My pediatrician was not from CHOC. Nonetheless, my concern is that chronic conditions that have generic symptoms often go unnoticed and either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed. Noone knows their kids better than their parents, and I know something is wrong. The trouble is that there is a lack of urgency from medical professionals.

On another note, I spoke with a client today who said she owns a holistic medicine/supplement franchise and that she and one of her children had bad food allergies/intolerances until she avoided the foods and started to introduce other foods. She also mentioned that she was not breast fed, nor did she breast feed her daughter because of the lack of milk that came in and went straight to formulas and quickly to cow’s milk and Stage1 food. She said that my daughter may have a weak intestinal tract and digestive system because it was compromised at an early age (I had done the same thing…milk didn’t come, so I went to formula.) She said the excess food permeates from the intestine into the blood system, and that’s where symptoms like bloating, distention, GERD, etc may have started. Look, I don’t pretend to know the answers…I’m just desperately trying to find them. I don’t get follow up calls from the docs, either. By blogging on forums like this, I’m trying to relay my story. I’ve read everyone else’s entry. Am I saying doctor’s aren’t worthy of respecting, not entirely…Am I saying that I have all the answers and should play doctor instead, no. But sometimes doing nothing at all and taking the doctors generic guesses at something just doesn’t suffice. I will, however, talk to a dietician about the supplements and make sure they are okay to give to my daughter with the conditions she has.

Jennuan- thanks for the info on leaky gut and such. I will file it away in my brain with all the other questions I have and hopefully talk to the specialists about it. I am sorry to hear about your daughter. It is very frustrating as a parent to watch your child be sick and to wait for the medical system get around to you. And no the Dr.’s don’t always have the right answers. They are human too. I feel if we can trigger some idea in them that maybe they are not thinking about then what is wrong with that. For us we are dealing with symptoms that don’t seem to have an easy answer. It would be nice if they could do a blood test and say Oh, you have this, and here is a pill to fix it. But for us it won’t be that easy or hasn’t been so far.

I had the gastroscopy yesterday. They found that my stomach and small intestine were normal. (Sigh) The DR. took several biopsy’s though and will send them away and in 2 or 3 weeks I should know whether I have Celiac’s or whatever else they are testing for. I am glad I don’t have anything wrong but sad that I have something wrong somewhere and this just makes the process longer. I have my colonosopy at the end of Nov. So within 2 weeks after my gastro results I should have the colonoscopy results as well. If neither test comes up with anything then I think I am in trouble. I think the Dr.’s and I will have to start over again. I wish for it all to go away.
I will hang in there and try to stay as positive as I can.

Exactly what facts should I check?

The wiki article simply cited its reference to what leaky guts is purported to be. This is in no way a validation that leaky gut is a legitimate illness recognized by the medical community.

Consider the source you cited, a Herbal supplement supplier. I have no doubt such a website would make claims that their magic pills will cure all your ailments, big surprise here.
Since food suppliments like those advertised on your cited source are under no regulation, they can print all sorts of claims.

Big shock here 😯 Hmm, snake oil salesman have not dissappeared, only changed their title.

If someone was suffering from malabsorption (Or this leaky gut thing) they would have all sorts of problems. Vomiting, weight loss (Not gain, don’t confuse with bloating), diarrhea, loss of muscle tone, problems with nervous system. In general they would become very ill.

Your cited website leaves one to believe that they can cure a life threatning illness with a simple supplement.

Consider this, if your body is unable to digest minerals, fats, carbs, and protein, then how on earth would the body be able to utilize something ingested in the form of a pill?

You are literally pooping money down the toilet.

MichaelXY, I appreciate your concern and advice for me to see a physician, but really, you may be giving them way too much credit. You can say similar things about physicians that you can with a Holistic doc…They prescribe medicine/treatment based on their own guidelines within their own realm of medicine. The difference is that physicians are licensed "practicing" physicians. Note the emphasis on ‘practicing.’ One could argue that you can sue them if things go terribly wrong, but look at how much paperwork patients have to sign before being seen…much of which is about litigation and responsibility. Doctors and hospitals don’t want the responsibility..That’s why they make you agree to go to mediation or arbitration instead of being able to try them by jury. You don’t sign the paperwork, you don’t get seen..paperwork is incomplete. I’ve done it and have been forced to waive my rights to sue should something go wrong. Then, you look at how much the pharmaceutical companies are tied in with hospitals and clinics. More often than not, there are serious complications linked to manmade drugs than with natural remedies. Our bodies are not well equipped to handle harsh chemicals of any kind. So why is is that doctors can’t prescribe herbal medicine? Because they get big bucks from pharmaceutical companies? highly likely. Because herbal medicine has not been approved by the FDA? maybe, and why is this? Because herbal manufacturing companies don’t make specific claims – they make general claims like, "improves cardiovascular health" vs "decreases risk of heart attack." Synthetic pharmaceuticals have only been used recently. Our culture is pharma dominant. But 300,000 people die each year from the "proper" use of medicines. No one dies from herbs. They are much safer. And much cheaper. So why doesn’t everyone use herbs? On a global level, most people do – there are 5 billion people out there using medicines from plants. We’re the weirdos that think mass producing harsh chemicals actually heals people better and faster than herbs. Why don’t we use more herbs here in the U.S. when many pharmaceutical drugs were originally made from plants? Because in the U.S. herbs must be sold as supplements. It’s all money driven. Pharmaceutical companies can mass produce chemicals a lot faster than creating supplement pills from natural resources. Anyhow, I appreciate your concern, but I’ve read now most of your posts and have started to think maybe you’re related to the medical industry somehow…I don’t know what to say other than I’m in desperate need of answers. I’ll continue to have my daughter undergo diagnostic testing at the hospital, but I’m becoming more convinced that I’ll seek out treatment – naturally.

Momofthree, I wish you the best. I’ll follow up with you in just a couple weeks. I’m very curious as to what they’ll find with regards to your condition. It’s an awkward situation to be in. You want to be diagnosed with a problem that you know is there, but at the same time, you hope that if there is something there, that it’s easily treatable. Keep pressing on.

Your right, that is wrong, they should be involved with the construction industry.

Ever heard of aspirin? Made from tree bark.
Doctors only approve meds that have been tested through research, not from ‘Joes book of Herbal cures’.

Heck, have you tried my pizza sauce? It reduces chances of getting parkinsons disease.

Many medications that you claim are harsh chemicals are in fact made from plants. Lab tested is the key here.

Your evidence for this is??? What evidence is there that it helps? Any case studies you wish to share?

Because they do not have any test nor data to support any claims.

Funny you say that as I also now think you may be associated with the herbal med industry.

Hi. I am not sure how your guys’s arguing back and forth is actually helping things here. I understand both your positions. But everyone is allowed to do things their way. So let’s just leave it at that.
I am having abdominal pain again. the bloating is always there but now I am starting to get pain. I am hoping it is just from my surgery sites. But just another thing to worry about. I am counting down the days until my test results are back. Should be before Nov.15th. I’ll just take it one step at a time.

Science Policy

We acknowledge that while science does not have all the answers, it is a guiding philosophy of this forum. Members should be aware of this while posting in the General Biology sections.

Please, read the forum rules before posting. While we do generally allow pretty much any backed up challenge to mainstream theories (after all, that is how science moves forward), and this includes debating of alternative methods to curing disease, we do not allow conspiracy theories nor will any claims be left unchallenged (like Michael just did quite nicely actually). Any members wishing to present controversial arguments should be able to back up their claims with peer reviewed results, not theories about how some want to make money or whatnot. This is a biology forum.

So (since my last post) all my blood tests came back normal…as well as my ultrasound for Polycistic Ovarian Syndrome (i have the bloating, constipation, weight gain, etc and my periods have ceased)
…i guess i should b happy, but at the same time i wish something had come back wrong so it could get fixed. so *looooooong sigh* now i have to wait to see another specialist…my gp thinks it could even be depression, and i have read that stress and depression aggravates IBS…who knows….im starting to stress even more now which is affecting my personality (well lack of now…)…frig.

oh, btw Jennuan, regarding ur daughter’s negative result for lactose intolerance on the hydrogen test – that happened to me earlier this year too – even though i was diagnosed years ago with lactose intolerance, and i had the symptoms hours later…they told me that i wasn’t a Hydrogen Gas producer, and that i was most likely a Methane Gas producer…maybe ask if u can get her tested using a Methane breathe tester machine? I didnt bother because the doctor said that the fact i got the symptoms hours later meant i was definitely lactose intolerant (though nothing came up during the test).

best of luck…

Well, i can finally breath easy! I found this site by google-ing while at work… needless to say a sigh of relief struck me. I am 23 yrs old. I had a Hysterectomy in April 08′, but have noticed that i gained weight rapidly from January 07-April 07. At first i was a size 3-5 now im a size 11. Pleople just see the weight gain, but dont know what im going through. I feel the bloating and fatigue mainly in the early afternoon.::ok ok.. let me get my thoughts straight.. they keep racing with excitement that someone else knows what im going through:::
I thought the weight gain was from some kind of depression my body was going through since i had moved to Iowa from Texas April 07′. Then it continued to persist. I went to see a great Chiropractor when i was in Iowa He was a dietician as well.
(IF any one is in the area of Fremont, NE look him up::
Beach Chiropractic
300 W 23rd St
Fremont, NE 68025
402 721-1190)
I moved back home to texas in Aug this year. He did wonders for me. Unfortunatly i moved back and havent been able to see him.
He ran a allergy test and many different types of blood work. He really helped while i was seeing him. He put me on "fermented cod-liver oil". A spoonful in the morning and in the afternoon. That seemed to help me alot. Although the taste is aweful… and it left a ugly taste in my mouth, but i would take a bite of wheat bread to take it away.
He advised me that my sympthoms may be caused by the hormone change, but i have felt this way before my hysterectomy.

I am exercising again. I had stopped in April due to the surgery, but i have began to keep a log and started three weeks ago. I work out Mon- Fri. and walk alot on Sat & Sun. No matter what i do the bloating seems to hit me in the early afternoons. My bowel symptoms have contined to slow down as well. My father keeps telling me to take a laxative from Mexico called "Vermox". He says i might have worms in my stomach,.. i dont know what to think anymore and was beging to give up hope.

Hopefully being a part of this site and continuing to keep contact with the people that are feeling the same way, my hopes continue to grow. I will keep trying and advising you all if something i try works. As well as reading if anyone else has a success story.

Hopefull and joyful,
SJLAZO 8)

I have been reading all the postings….I have had the same problem for the last ten years. My Dr. said it could be my blood type…my blood type is "A"…what are all of you?

Hi. I am an A blood type too. What does that have to do with our symptoms? I am really curious. This is a new avenue I haven’t heard of before. I would love to see what you know.
Still have all the bloating and pain. Am trying to lose weight but still gaining. Still waiting for the biopsy results as well. I’ll write as soon as I have them.

Probably nothing considering 30 to 40% of the population has type A blood.

http://bloodcenter.stanford.edu/about_b … types.html

There are books published abuot eating for your blood type. My Dr. referred me to it. It has been a real help to our family in regards to losing weight and just over all feeling good. My husband is "B" and my son and I are "A". In the book is discusses that A blood tends to bloat and was wondering if there was truly a correlation between the two. I thought it would be educational for me to find out what the majority of people blogging on this site were to see if it has any validity.

If you are referring to a book by D’Adamo, then let me tell you he has not produced one scientific paper to support his claims. This Blood type diet is just a bogus claim from what I can tell.

http://journals.sfu.ca/coaction/index.p … /1527/1395

This is an exerpt from the above cited article.

Whatever works for each person. My family has been eating by our blood type so WE are a testimony for it. I am not nor did I share my story to promote his book or diet. I was inquiring to see what the majority of blood types people are that have bloating problems. I was merely curious…nothing wrong with that.

The fact that you are doing Ok does not prove anything. I don’t eat by my blood type (or I don’t think so, I have no idea what the diet would recommend for B+) and i’m still ok..

I am O type blood, and I am on the O type diet.
"Would you like more mash potatoes"? "Oh, why yes I would love some"

Hello

Like the other post I have read I also bloat no matter what I consume or if I don’t eat at all. I have gained an outragous amount of weight in the last 6 months to spite the fact that I eat very little and mainly fruits, small amounts of raw vegetables and nuts. I have had every test known to man with no results other than I am prefectly healthy. My thyroid is enlarged and has been for several years now but T3 & T4 thyroid levels are fine. I’ve been to every specialists there is but nothing has been found. Doctors seem to think I sit around eating chocolate bon bons all day. If it’s metobolism than mine must be working at a snails pace. I’m over 40 but under 50, I’ve had my gallbladder removed and had a hysterectomy. I have began to get depressed over the weight gain and I’m just frustrated that Doctors don’t know what is wrong or even suppects that anything is wrong. My gp knows that someting is wrong but says he dosen’t know what since all the test I have had have been normal. One good thing has came out of this though. I’ve cut my sodium intake down so that now I’m off bp meds. I’m going to a new endocrinologists in 2 weeks my fingers are crossed. I feel better knowing I’m not alone in this although my husband of 25 years is very supportive. I’m sorry that anyone is suffering with this mystery illness but at least I know I’m not crazy.

hi,

I read all of the posts people have written in this forum and I identified with most of you. Now that I am getting better, I just wanted to share it with all of you so that you don’t have to go through the same things I did, though I read a lot of you have been having a hard time for a long while.

I also suffered from severe food intolerance, bloating and unexplained weight gain for about two years now. I knew in my gut it wasn’t in my head, I was sure I had a weird disease because I felt great, I had initiative, I was a visionary, I had aspirations, I liked to work, I was happy etc. I went to a lot of doctors and they all told me I was fine. Someone suggested it might be IBS, but I was sure it wasn’t because I wasn’t constipated, nor did I have diarrhea.

I investigated a lot during these last two years, and I tried everyhting. Then one of the doctors referred me to a psychiatrist, and I went with her, though a bit reluctant. In the first session, she told me the most common cause of food intolerances is a sub-clinical depression. She prescribed SSRIs (anti-depressants) and told me it might take two or three weeks before they start taking effect. The very first day I took them, I noted my stomach wasn’t bloated anymore (though it helped that I was still on a very strict diet of eating only the foods I already knew didn’t bloat me). I had been deteriorating, since now even the safe foos bloated me a bit now, but with the first pill, they didn’t bloat me at all.

Now, at thirteen days of taking the SSRIs, I am eating normal food (meat, wheat, cookies, cakes, sandwiches, salad dressings) and I get only a bit bloated and I don’t gain weight; actually, I’m losing all the weight I’ve gained these two years (since I was always very very thin, all of my family is). I do have some side effects like nausea (a lot of nausea the first few days), sweaty palms, feeling excited all the time, and mild constipation; but all of them are subsiding. And the more they subside, the more the bloating symptom seems to be subsiding too, and I expect that in a few more weeks it will be totally under control. I am also going to psicotherapy once a week for a more long term treatment.

I suggest you go with a psychiatrist to see if it is possible you guys might have a sub-clinical depression. Don’t discard it because you don’t feel sad; I didn’t feel the least bit sad, though I was sometimes a bit grumpy, but not so much to consider it out of the ordinary.

Hope this was helpful to someone.

I’ve been on a thyroxine trial for 4 weeks now. All the symptoms i had pointed to it although the tests kept coming back normal. Its hasnt helped the bloating which I really hoped it would. I have however got more energy and my hair has stopped falling out.
My weight doesn’t seem to change much but i am bloated 24hrs a day.
I dont know my blood type but have heard a lot about the diet. I did however feel better when i had a high protein diet but found it hard to stick to. For those of you who feel better for trying it good for you. What ever makes a change even if it is small.
MichealXY i know your playing devils advocate but people on this site have been suffering a lot. and i know exactly whats its like, its so awful you will try anything if you have heard its helped somebody else. Maybe your not in the same position, if your not lucky you. Cut people some slack. They are only suggesting things that could give someone a glimmer of hope.

I am "O" Positive. I dont really think that has alot to do with it, but in all my efforts to find a helping aid I will research what the "o" blood type diet should be. Ive began to take antacids, but that does nothing, i also drink warm milk (my grandma’s house recipe for the bloating), but the antacids only work for a little bit..and the milk doesnt do anything. I have researched the idea of DE-Toxifiacation of the body. Its my latest idea and seriously think the problem has to have a starting point I am over looking, and need to get to try and fix whatever it was that triggerd the sympthoms. I have done the Ionic Cleansings up in Iowa and that seemsed to help a bit but not completely. Whether i should have continued with the treatments or had more frequent cleansing to ensure better results I still dont know, but again, food for thought.
Im glad this site allows everyone to share their ideas, cures, and progress. One day we will all see results and this will also pass.

Good luck to everyone. Hope we can help eachother through this.

SJLazo

I appreciate your plight and I do not mean to dismiss your suffering as something trivial. Keep in mind however, that this is a public forum and as such, you’re free to share your opinion as I am mine. With that said, I feel I would be remiss not to share my thoughts concerning would be home cures, bogus unresearched alternative medicine, and the proliferation of misinformation that is often posted in this forum which most likely does little to no good, and quite possibly puts someone in harms way by following misguided advice in lieu of seeking medical professionals.

Be advised that this is a biology forum where science minded individuals share ideas that pertain to this field. This is not a naturopathy forum and as such, you should not expect much support, as non scientific claims will not be widely accepted by forum members, with the exception to other desperate individuals seeking medical advice via the internet.

As long as people continue to propagate ill founded, non-scientifically supported health related information with unproven claims; I will be there to offer a rebuttal.

Also it is only fair for the readers to view alternate opinions, yours, mine included 🙂

Hi. If any of you have read my past posts then you know I have been awaiting the results of the Gastroscopy I had done 3 weeks ago. The receptionist lady told me that if the Doctor hadn’t called me than they didn’t find anything. I am not happy with this kind of communication but will see the Doctor this wednesday coming up when she does my colonoscopy. I will ask her what results came up with my Gastroscopy. If nothing on either test I will pursue the gallbladder angle and then my thyroid. Its got to be something.

Hi. Have been having chest pain under my left breast for the past 3 days with the feeling of fainting as well. Went to walk-in today as I was scared. They did an ECG but it came back normal. My blood pressure is O.K. sitting or standing. But when she checked my heart rate from sitting to standing it jumped significantly. So she has suggested a Holter monitor. Of course like everything I have to wait. this is not going to happen until a month from now. how is that going to help me today? the only other option she can see is the CT scan but they take forever to get into as well. I did however today get the results that my Gastroscopy all came back fine and that there is nothing wrong in that area. Also my gall bladder has 1 small polyp on it and she doesn’t think that would cause me any pain. Plus the pain is under my left breast instead of my right. Also my thyroid has been checked several times she said and it always comes back normal. She said my case is a puzzler. Well I am aware of that. I asked on the off chance could it be anxiety and she said I don’t really fit into that category either. So I will try and wait patiently until Wed. when I have the Colonoscopy and see if they find anything. I still believe there is something wrong with my colon or gall bladder that is causing these symptoms of faintingness and pain in my chest as well as the nausea and bloating.

Just wanted to give an update with regards to my daughter’s GI problems of stomach distention, pain in her upper stomach, etc.

We recently found out that she was allergic to Milk, Soy, Corn, Chicken, Ham, Pork, Potato, Cucumber, Carrot, and about 10 other foods. We were instructed to not eat the foods she was allergic to as well as to NOT eat ANY BY-PRODUCTS (meaning anything dairy, soy lecithin and soy protein, corn syrup, cornstarch, etc.) Well, my daughter’s pain in her stomach, just below her sternum, has subsided and only comes about on rare occasions. Her stomach distention has come down some but not all the way. What I discovered, though, is that soy and corn products are in so many processed foods that we eat, even really healthy snacks! I researched what negative effects are of corn syrup and recommend that you do the same. Corn syrup is making so many of us very unhealthy and it is in much of the foods that Americans eat. I am convinced that because she is allergic to 16 foods and all the by-products, there has to be an underlying cause. We have a GI scope in December. My daughter’s endoscopy revealed two ulcers (one in her lower esophagus and one in the upper stomach) as well as eosinophilic esophagitis.

Also, I wanted to also inform other bloggers that my daughter ALSO has TYPE A blood. Coincidence? Well, I found a seemingly reputable website that stated that people with TYPE A have naturally thicker blood than do people with Type O. If you eat a food not compatible with your blood type and stomach enzymes, the food is not broken down or digested properly, and the vitamins and minerals are not absorbed into your bloodstream to fuel and nourish your body. Reactions to this might be a stomach ache, gas, bloating, vomiting or diarrhea. What happens is that antibodies glue themselves to the foreign invaders (improper food) and agglutination or "gluing" takes place in your blood. Now if you happen to be Blood Type A, who already has thick blood, your blood becomes even thicker. The thicker the blood, the slower it moves and the harder your heart must pump to push the blood through your arteries. This thick slow moving blood makes it easier for plaque to build up on your artery walls. When plaque builds up, the risk of heart disease or other illnesses greatly increases. I’m a believer in Adamo’s book, "Eating for your Blood Type."

May I also say – I’m still a big believer in Natural medicine and am being more convinced by researching about it.

Check out this website: http://www.naturopath.co.nz/why.asp.

Natural medicine has been around for centuries and is a great way to natually cure and/or help treat chronic conditions. Western medicine may be great for acute conditions (sore throats, acute infections, etc) or for people requiring immediate surgery; but, generally speaking, western medicine promotes the heavy reliance on pharmaceuticals, some being of highly toxic content, which in the short run, may treat an acute injury or illness, but in the long run, only treat SYMPTOMS and fail to treat the root of the problem. Many of them also have harsh if not worse side effects than what you are actually trying to treat! Once you treat the symptoms and you feel no pain, you don’t probe further…that’s when the situation can get deadly. When your body is in pain, there is an underlying cause. Treating only the symptoms can be dangerous.

For MichaelXY, who tries to downplay and trivialize peoples’ concerns, I suggest that you lighten up a bit. It’s like you’re trying to "one up" people making comments. Most people on this forum are grasping at straws. Because of their comments, I have been able to look into their suggestions in hopes of helping my daughter. Everyone has to exercise caution with medicine. If you want to blame me for going the Homeopathic or Naturopathic rount, fine, but truly you can’t have all the answers. I don’t either. I’m in the forum to gain some insight. Knowledge is power. Listening to your gut instinct can guide you to the answer. Believing that your local MD (a PRACTICING physician) has all the answers and that you should be content with "It’s probably something she’ll grow out of"…or…"It’s normal, don’t worry"…can be foolish. Had I believed my pediatrician who told me that, I would not have pressed on to other physicians and had her esophagus and stomach tested, nor would I have had an allergy test performed. I applaud people like Jenny McCarthy who wasn’t content with the mainstream answer. Look at the outcome she achieved!

Do you mind sharing how this determination of allergies was made? Was it done at a medical facility or a Naturopath?

No! 40% of the world population has this blood type. Why does not half the world population have this problem if we accept you’re rational?

What is your criteria for reputable?

Complete and utter unsupported hogwash; do you have anything to support this claim?

This is simply preposterous.

I will not lighten up for the very reason that I do not take this matter lightly, quite the opposite. So many people are ready to believe something they read on the internet, I am voicing my concern only as a check and balance. I have nothing to gain by giving my opinion, I only find advice like yours dangerous to those that may listen and may also require medical attention. You are doing nothing but proliferating bogus claims and harmful advice. I just hope your daughter does not have to suffer due to your negligence in sound judgment.

There’s your sign…

hey…. i had the same prob a while ago….. i dont kno if this was said yet but my problem was sorbitol….. i chewed alot of sugar free gum which, along with many other sugar free products, contains sorbitol. same thing, i could eat one cracker and bloat up like i was pregnant. NO FUN!! i went to doc after doc and finally we figured it out…. GOOD LUCK!

Again I did not join this blog to promote a book or diet…the blood type works for our family. NO ONE is suggesting you try it. I only mentioned it again…to see if there was any correlation to bloating and blood type so if we could stick to the subject it would be helpful

Thanks, Am1Az1. I’ve taken her off of all meat except for red meat, which is the ONLY meat she is not allergic to. However, I think that after Thanksgiving, I’ll take her off all meat completely..at least for awhile..and see if that helps since she’s Type A.

I have been looking online for alternative foods for Thanksgiving that don’t have turkey, potato, corn products, soy, milk, etc. It’s been tough given the amount of things my daughter is allergic to. I’ve kept her on her allergy-free diet, and the bloating has been staying down!! She’s a little distended but now it doesn’t look so painful. I’ve also noticed that she’s been sleeping through the night and hasn’t migrated to our room (she’s 7) while on her diet. Also, she’s been focusing much better too. I’m wondering if this can be attributed to her diet. At the start of 2nd grade this year, we noticed how far behind she was. We started her in an after school tutoring program. She could not sit still, could not retain info, and now…wow..I’ve seen some noticeable change. We never ate junk food or fast food on a regular basis before..maybe once a week before…now we avoid it completely, but I always prided myself on our family’s ability to prepare food at home. Now, though, I am paying more attention to the ingredients. I’ve been avoiding corn syrup and a lot of ingredients that are just fillers or preservatives and will now pay special attention to avoiding Sorbitol, thanks to the earlier post. You have to pay a bit more for organic and natural foods, but it seems like it’s worth it, considering you can spend so much more on medical bills. I’ve spent thousands in co-pays at CHOC (Children’s Hosp. of OC); much of the costs occured this year with her endoscopy and allergy tests. Dried mango strips is her favorite treat right now. I’ve had to come up with some pretty creative meal plans for our family in order to accommodate all her allergies while trying to satisfy the appetites of my husband, my 7 year old, and my 4 year old at the same time.

Also, I’ve been considering buying a sprouter and organic seeds. I thought it would be great for our family to watch the sprouts grow..they can grow within 5-7 days. Also, if you blend the sprouts and drink it with juice, it’s supposed to taste okay. I read that sprouts offer so much more nutritional value than raw vegetables (i.e., brocolli sprouts, radish sprouts, etc.) Many also have anti-oxidants, protein, fiber, etc. Has anyone had much luck with sprouting?

Just wanted to let anyone who cared to know where I’ve been searching for data…I’ve been going to the UCLAhealth.org website as well as other hospital (.org) websites, schools of medicine, and a few naturopath websites. Check out this website link that talks about allergy treatment: http://www.uclahealth.org/body.cfm?id=1 … il&ref=123
UCLA states: "The first is what I’ll call more traditional medical treatment, which is taking a medication to prevent food reactions from occurring. The two that are in development right now are Anti-IgE and FAHF2. Anti-IgE is a medication that has been used to treat severe asthma. There have been some early human trials looking at the effectiveness of this drug in preventing food allergy reactions. Unfortunately, there have been some adverse reactions in those clinical trials. As you can imagine, it’s difficult to give food-allergic people the food they’re allergic to without the risk of reactions. FAHF2 is a Chinese herbal formula that has shown some promise in preventing allergic reactions to peanuts in laboratory and animal studies." Hmmm, how ’bout that? There may be something to be said for those Chinese herbal formulas afterall! Also, on a news website, http://health.usnews.com/usnews/health/ … gs.ige.htm, I found it interesting to see that the FDA approved of the Anti-IgE. Hmmm. See any trends, here? FDA approves of this "genetically engineered" treatment given through injection." I think more and more researchers are just now beginning to pay attention to natural probiotics, natural digestive enzymes, and maybe the Western medical field may admit the value of herbal remedies here in the next decade or two. Wow, can you imagine how cheap remedies would be if we all knew what to take to help our bodies adjust to Western Civilization? It may just be to cheap and too good to swallow for the FDA and Western docs. It would also put a lot of nurses, pharmacy labs, and other ancillary companies out of business. (Just food for thought.)

Have you considered the possibility of a Candida infection?

One of the most common symptoms of people suffering from this condition is gas and bloating. Many women complain they look pregnant when they are infected. Some other common symptoms are chronic vaginal infections, weight gain, fatigue, brain fog, and headaches.

Since Candida is a naturally occurring bacteria, it is difficult for the mainstream medical community to detect. So people often don’t receive an accurate diagnosis when they see their doctor.

To find out if you are infected you can take an on-line assessment at:

On-Line Candida Assessment

It has been awhile. Had my colonoscopy which really wasn’t all that bad. Just drinking the sickening colyte was the worst. It came back all normal. My Dr. has decided we are going to look at IBS as the problem. I will see him again in a few days. Right now we are working on my chest pain and heart rate etc. We think they are 2 seperate problems. 1) the nausea, bloating 2) heart pounding, chest pain. This journey has been a long one and it doesn’t look as if we are going to get a solution anytime soon.

Started taking Acidophilus to put the good bacteria back into my colon and was taking some papaya enzymes but stopped those. I was feeling off while on them and am not sure if it was the pills themselves or just another bad bout of feeling bad. Not sure if the Acidophilus is working or not but i know it can’t harm me so I will continue until the bottle is empty.

I hope we all have answers soon. Hang in there everyone.

I would be most concerned with the chest pain and heart rate. Is it running tachy, ie. above 110 BPM? How is your blood pressure?

Well, hope you get it worked out…

Oh my gosh I’m so excited I’ve found this site! I am a 21 year old girl and have the same extreme bloating. I’ve had it for about a year and have never had any idea why. After reading many of the posts I came across the fact that Candida can cause bloating. I have had continuous problems with Candida for over 2 years and in all the information the doctors have given me they never mentioned bloating as a side-effect. I tried a new contraceptive pill a few months ago that was supposed to help with the Candida, which it did but it also reduced the bloating. I went back to my regular pill because the other one is very expensive and I wanted to see if it really was worth it. Now that I know that the two problems are connected and that getting rid of the Candida will help with the bloating too I know it will definitely be worth every cent. I will go get the new pill next time I am at the doctor and let you know the result!

Thanks everyone!!!

I seriously doubt that the change you noted when switching birth control pills had anything to do with Candida. It is more likely the pill change affected your hormonal balance.
Be wary of claims concerning Candida as most are bogus. Visit the web sites below.

http://www.nutritionlondon.net/phdi/p1. … nt&part=12

http://www.doctorfungus.org/

wow thanks michael. That was a really good read on candida. I didn’t know it was such a big scam.

I am an eighteen-year-old girl, who, like everyone else here, was both excited and shocked to discover other people suffering from inexplicable (and apparently incurable) bloating. I took a few hours to read everyone’s posts here and have the utmost sympathy for everyone. Like most, the doctors that I have seen to this end have been incredibly cavalier about my symptoms – “ you have (wait for it) IBS! Here are some probiotics. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.” Excellent.

Anyway, after the probiotics had zero effect, I was advised to try a couple more remedies: peppermint oil capsules, various laxatives, I cut out gluten and milk for a few weeks etc…. none of which have made an ounce of difference to my phantom pregnancy (I look around 4 months pregnant). I have that same, hard, round basketballish distension that others describe.

Subsequently, I have been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome and am on the Pill to combat that. I am unhappy to report that the bloating has remained the same, despite my frequent and very vigorous exercise and a diet that has always been incredibly sensible and free of all refined foods. A hydrogen test for lactose intolerance came back negative, although after reading one woman’s post about her daughter’s milk protein allergy that contradicted a previous hydrogen test, I will look into food allergies as a possible source of my woes.

A peculiar thing happened though, when I visited the States for two weeks in July of this year: my stomach flattened out nearly completely. I do not know if this was related to different pesticides on the fruit, the smaller portions that I was eating as a result of lack of time to eat hearty meals, or, my complete lack of stress. School had been a great stressor up to that point. When I think about it now, my travels on the internet to understand a little more about the general, airy-fairy disorder that is IBS had led me to believe that there was a connection between IBS, bloating and constipation etc. and stress, that had, in some cases, “responded well” to psychotherapy or, hypnotherapy. I have never been one for the whole “mind/body connection” that I have always considered a little occult, but desperate times and all that. Since getting home, the bloating is back with a vengeance.

For the record, my blood type is O positive, not A. It seems to me, a layman, that this problem might be related to female hormones, since almost all of the sufferers here are female, but of course, I am no doctor, and I have no clue what is wrong with me. Anyway, I intend to investigate the Candida possibility, and the low stomach acid thing, and maybe my gallbladder with the gastroenterologist… beyond that, I don’t know. I reckon my weight is going up slowly but steadily (I have always been slim) and that I’ll just continue to eat the world’s supply of All Bran Flakes, which have a small, but appreciable impact on the constipation, until I’m cured, or, failing that, just continue to expand indefinitely.

Again, lots of sympathy for the other sufferers. If I make any real headway with my problem, I’ll be sure to report it here in case it can help anyone else.

Hi, this is the first time I have done this…but I am so desperate I need all the help I can get. I have had stomach bloating, weight gain, fatigue, water retention, headaches, muscle cramps, etc… for the last year and a half and no one can help me…or believes me. I was an avid runner, running an average of 7 miles a day. I hurt my knee and had an injection and was told ot to run for 2 days. In those two days I gained 5 pounds. Those 5 pounds never came off. Those 5 lbs. also multiplied into 15. No matter what I do it will not come off. I was following weight watchers for 4 years prior to this. Even when I began to run again…it never budged. The ability to run became less and less due to the bloating and gas pains. It hurt to run, It felt like the worst side ache ever. My clothes wouldn’t fit anymore within a matter of weeks. My stomach looked like I was 6 months pregnant all the time. I am now pregnant and gaining weight rapidly without changing a whole lot. I am so desperate…I have been to 4 or 5 doctors and they all look at me like I am crazy. Does anyone have any answers or help for me?????

Just found this page tonight while I was desperately trying to seek answers for my daughter’s problem. My head is swimming with all the similar problems others seem to be experiencing. Unfortunately, I haven’t come across anything yet that sounds like could apply to her, so I will put this out there to you all and hope that someone will have some suggestions.
My daughter is nine years old and extremely active. Not counting any physical education class activities three times a week at school, she skates a minimum of 1 hour six days a week and dances at least 1 hour three days a week, along with home activities, such as off-ice or dance practice, which culminate in a minimum of 1 1/2 hours to as many as 4 hours of exercise a day, approximately six days a week. Much more than the average child, at least it would seem, in my opinion.
Keeping that in mind, she has managed to gain 13 pounds in a matter of a couple of months….and most of it appears to be in the stomach….and what is commonly described as "love handles". Just this week we started counting her calories and are trying to keep her right about 1500 calories a day, but today had me absolutely stymied. After a week of watching her caloric intake, we have gained another two pounds….and look like we’re pregnant! It is so discouraging…and alarming to mom! I was so upset tonight watching her in dance class that I almost took her to the emergency room as I was convinced something HAD to be seriously wrong with her as the bloating was the worst I’ve ever seen it.
Of course, that’s my typical overreactive nature. When I finally talked myself out of being so rash as to run her to the ER, I found my way here. And as interesting as many of the stories on here are, I’m just not sure I know where to go or which way to turn.
I do feel for many of you. I have suffered from text-book IBS symptoms since I was a teenager. Mine manifest themselves as severe stomach cramps and diarrhea, with stress, mostly, and it is extremely hard to control…..cuz when it comes on, there’s only one way to relieve the pain, and that is not always an option at any given moment.
But I digress. Does anyone out there have any thoughts on whether this is something I need to take her to a doctor to have checked out…..be it immediately or otherwise….whether I should just sit back and give the "diet" a chance to work….or if that would be doing more harm than good? I don’t even know now if that’s such a good idea….the counting calories. Two hours ago I was convinced she had some sort of rare hormonal or glandular disease. But perhaps this is something that is a bit more common than I suspected. Any thoughts or advice on where to begin, even, are appreciated!

If your concerned. Seek a medical doctor. Not a chiropracter or herbalist.

Hi. I have had the same problem for maybe 10 years. ( I am 35 years old). But right now i am trying a product called PHiLLIPS COLON HEALTH, I saw a commercial a few weeks ago about gas, constipation, etc.. this product is
a probiotic supplement that replenishes the good bacteria when diet and stress cause constipation and upset your natural balance causing bloating, gas and diarrhea, or constipation.
In my case the bloating is gone like 70%. and it is not that expensive. It costs $15.00 dollars, it contains 30 pills. it last 30 days. it is sold over the counter.
I hope this can help you

I’ve read through the posts and I know how you feel. I’m a man in my 50s, and I’ve gained about 10 lbs, which makes everything more difficult for me. I do remember that my father had a similar problem with a distended stomach, so in my case there is a familial element. I have, same as most people here,a tendency to have my stomach expand whenever I eat. However, interestingly, when I attempt to lose weight, when I start to take off a pound or so. then my stomach REALLY starts to expand. And I mean EXPAND. When this happens I look seven months pregnant, no kidding, and remember, I’m a GUY! I have had little success in losing any weight, and this is unusual because in the past my weight used to come off when I made the effort. Now, no go. I exercise, have for years, and eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. ONE POINT that I have not seen suggested on this board is perhaps some of us have a problem with PARASITES. There are herbs that specifically deal with this, such as wormwood. I am going to give that a try. I had had a stomach ailment a year ago which I cleared up by using graefruit seed extract, the liquid form. It is a powerful antiviral and antibacterial. I will try that again. I will let y’all know the result. Best of luck to everyone.

If in fact you have parasites, then you could be in danger by using a self treatment. Parasites can be life threatening, and without proper treatment you could be exposing yourself to grave danger. A few simple lab test by your doctor such as, stool sample can find most parasites.

Go see a doctor… 🙄

Just checking in. Wow, the blog keeps going. Found out my 7 year-old has EE (Eosinophilic Esophigitis.) Eosinophils are white blood cells that help ward off parasites, etc. Eosinophils are not typically present in the Esophagus, and EE is a pretty rare but "on-the-rise" (especially in the pediatric population) disease/diagnosis. My daughter has 2 ulcers that have formed – one in her esophagus, the other in her stomach. My GI doc sent her for allergy testing..found out she was allergic to 16 foods and hundreds of by-products. Anyhow, research has shown a link between EE and allergies! Research has also shown a link between allergies and digestive problems. Wow, now we’re getting somewhere. My daughter has been on a strict diet, and her symptoms have decreased greatly. She still vomits (in her mouth and swallows it) which is something she’s been doing for a couple of years. I asked her why she didn’t tell me she did that, and she gave me a puzzled look. The allergist said she probably thought it was normal. Yuck. Anyhow, since she still has a few symptoms, the allergist is thinking of doing an elimination diet. We’ll see what happens. To summarize, though, her bloating has gone down by about half of what it was. Her mental focus has improved. She’s been going to a tutor after school, and she said my daughter is focusing much more, and her comprehension level has gone up. I have been checking with my family about this disorder/disease, and I have found that noone in my family has had this formally diagnosed. MY side of the family is fine, but my husband’s side of the family has suffered with many of the symptoms my daughter had but never had a treatment plan. Hmmm. So far, I am getting the best advice from my GI specialist and, believe it or not, from the owner of a GNC store down the street. She’s a big believer in homeopathic and natural medicine. We buy papaya enzymes, acidophilus, and digestive enzymes from her that my daughter takes..Our whole family takes them now. Big difference. We’ve all dropped about 5 pounds so far and feeling much much better. I know there are a few "Michael’s" out there, but for those of you who are truly frustrated and feel you’ve tried everything, seek additional advice from credible people in whatever line of work they do…whether it be western medicine or homeopathy/natural medicine. I’ll check back later..I’m glad we can all come here and post our updates. It feels good to know you’re not alone.

How sweet, you still think of me 🙂 Gosh, you make me sound so evil… 😈

Eosinophilic Esophigitis is pretty much like having acid reflux, glad you pin pointed the problem. Sounds painful. I don’t know why you think I am out to be hurtful, rather I only advise seeking sound medical counsel which it sounds like you have done. Unless you had this diagnosed by a GNC employee…

I have just joined this forum as I also have the problem of bloating stomach. I certainly agree with this opinion that we give too much reliance on the Modern Doctors and their medicines. I am not against this system of medicines but research of just 5-10 years is nothing when we compare the generations of a person. We know that there are certain ailments, traits etc. are inherited. Modern system of medicine has chemicals. Nobody knows the long term effect of these chemicals. Safety about these chemicals can be judged when these have been used for centuries with no side effect on generation. For short term, these are generally good. However, every year you will read that a widely popular medicine has been withdrawn because of its adverse reactions. All this happens when hundreds or thousands of people are already suffering from the adverse reactions of that particular medicine. Medicine companies are out to make profits. They are not in the trade because they have people’s health in mind but the profit.

Herbs are generally known for centuries by people. If a particular herbs is good for centuries then it should be good now as well. In India, Turmeric is know for its healing properties for swelling, infections etc. Meswak is for throat problem and so on. These are generally not strong medicines and take time to cure. In todays world, every body is out to make money and he/she doesn’t have time to get cured, hence, he/she opts for the modern chemical origin medicines which have adverse effects, reactions but are fast to make impact.

For bloating half teaspoon whole Carom seed with a pinch of black salt taken with water is an effective medicine. Please note all medicines are not good for everybody. Similarly, herbs are not effect universally. This will not have strong reactions, at least.

Asafoetida equal to mustard grain mixed in water is another good medicine for bloating. Even fresh lime water with a pinch of salt is also good for bloating stomach. There are hundreds of such herbal concotions used in India for centuries.

Acupressure is another way of treating ailments without resorting to any sort of medicines or herbs. It is just a systematic way of putting pressure on a part of body. When we had pain in our leg or hand due to excessive playing in our childhood our mothers were used to press the leg or hand for providing relief. When we have headache our head and scalp is pressed. When heart stops beating modern day doctors press the heart which again start beating of heart.

There are hundreds of type of treatments which our fore fathers were using. Hence, it is wrong to say that only modern system of medicines is the only way to treat.

If you want to know more about Indian system of herbal medicines, I may be able to provide your some information.

Hi FromIndia,
I read your post and breathed a big sigh of relief. It feels good knowing I am not alone in my thinking. I’m sure you’ve read this thread and know that my daughter has a terrible digestive problem. She has been diagnosed with multiple food allergies as well as Eosinophilic Esophagitis (called "EE" by doctors.) Just this week, my daughter has been complaining of chest pain and holds her left chest, where her heart is. I took her to her pediatrician who said that her heart is fine and it may be caused from gas or air bubbles that cause discomfort in her upper intestine. The doctors from CHOC hospital (her GI and Allergy docs) have instructed me to have my daughter take Prevacid daily because it shuts of the acid pumps in her body. I will not have her take Prevacid because of the unknown lasting side effects. They also also suggested a local over-the-counter acid relief tablet, but when I looked at the ingredients, it had aluminum in it. Do you know of an herbal equivalent that helps with decreasing acid production?

I did a little more reading on this EE. Sounds like complications can arise with this if not controlled. Dysphagia (Difficulty swallowing) is one of them. If problem get bad enough the esophagus can inflame and cause food compaction, this will cause vomiting.

If the reflux gets bad enough, the stomach or esophagus can develop ulcers which can be serious. I would weigh the risk of taking Prevacid to the risk of not taking Prevacid.
I have acid problems and I take Pepcid twice a day without I would suffer horrible stomach pains.

It sounds like pinpointing which foods cause the allergic response is going to be difficult, but once you do, then I hope you will be able to manage the problem.

I wish you and daughter good health.

Hi. I just wanted to put in my 2 cents. My son suffered from digestive problems since he was a baby. Even years before potty training he could clear a room with his toxic diaper. He wasn’t my first child, so I knew what to expect from a baby, and I tell you, his bm’s were not normal! It smelled like it was fermenting in his little tummy for weeks! He also was born with cellulite and had very stinky feet, especially for a baby who didn’t wear socks or shoes. His pediatrician confirmed the foot odor, and said not to worry about it. Flash forward 6 years to a child who had major painful bm’s and constipation problems, to the point where he started withholding, which caused it’s own set of physical and social problems. After many appts. with his pediatrician, who just pushed mineral oil "until it pours out of him" (nice, thanks doc) I took him to a gastro. Sigmoidoscopy showed nothing, but interestingly we (I witnessed the procedure) noticed an excessive amount of stool in his bowels, even after the pre-procedure "cleaning out" medication. Anyway, he wanted him on Miralax, and after months of that with absolutely no change I was at my wits end, and sick of doctors who just wanted to fix the symptoms without trying to find out WHY he was having this problem. Finally found a Digestive Health Specialist, who is also a Chiropractor, but that’s secondary as far as I’m concerned. She did a urinalysis, plus had his pediatrican do some very specific blood testing. She also did some other food reaction tests, too complicated to explain. In the end (no pun intended) we found out his liver does not process fats and protein properly. She was surprised to find he processes carbs just fine. Also, he wasn’t taking in enough water, which in itself can cause constipation. After doing some research I found out his excessive cellulite at birth PLUS the stinky "corn chip" smelly feet all are symptoms of this liver malfunction. She put him on 3 specific enzymes, one for liver, one digestive…and I can’t remember the other because now he’s only on the digestive enzyme and probably will be for the rest of his life. We should probably all be on digestive enzymes considering the way food is processed. So many valuable enzymes are lost in the processing. Anyway, my son, now 10, is doing absolutely fantastic! He takes his enzyme with meals and only has a problem if he forgets and misses a dose, but is right back on track when he gets on the enzyme schedule. Oh, and the stinky feet are a thing of the past, plus he’s at a normal weight for his height. Happy ending! 🙂

I have similar problems but not the constipation. I have the diahrea. I get sick to my stomach everytime I eat ANYTHING. I have gained almost 60lbs with in the past months. I have tried many different diets and weight loss.

I was just checking online and put in some symptoms and it comes up with Chrones. I need to call a doctor, which mine is now gone and I have to find a new on, to get tested. I don’t know what else to do. I eat less food than my family and I now weight 260. Most of the weight is in my stomach area. I have this major muffin top that feels very tight.

Online diagnosis is a bad idea, it causes stress. The doctor idea is good however.
You should not compare your food intake to your family as there are other factors involved in what is considered a normal amount of food. One important factor in what determines normal caloric intake is your activity level. Considering your weight (and pardon my bluntness) At 260 lbs. I would assume you are not able to lead an active life. This alone means your not burning calories as you normally would. Based on your BMI indicates that you should not be eating the same amount as your lesser weight family members. I know this is difficult to do but the bottom line is you need to reduce your intake.
I think this is something you should discuss with a medical doctor.

I am not a doctor, but I think low fat diets are the way to go. Cut out cheeze, fried foods, and fatty foods like burgers. More veggies, and fiber (Which will help the diahrea) Rice and pasta dishes are good as these calories are the first to metabolize. Fats get stored, carbs get burned.

As you start to feel better with a better diet, you then can increase your activity level which will allow you to eat more food. This does take time.

Take a look at this website. It shows calories burned for 222 activities.
http://primusweb.com/fitnesspartner/jum … lculat.htm

Hello
I am back with no answers. I just hated it when I would read through the posts and no one would update how they were doing. The DR. diagnosed me with IBS after all the tests showed nothing. I don’t take anything. I just watch what I eat very carefully and sometimes I am OK and at others I am not. I have had tests done on my heart and everything has come back good. When I saw the DR. today I told him that I did not want to do anymore tests. I am just going to live my life. This whole merry-go-round takes its toll. The DR. said that was fine as he has no more ideas of what to do anymore. The only bright spot is that the stomach pain, bloating, constipation, headaches, dizzyness etc. are less now than they were Oct,Nov, and Dec. So I can be thankful for that. I still deal with symptoms everyday but I am managing to deal with them on my own. The bright spot is that if there was something life-threatening going on it should be getting worse by now and not better.
Good Luck to all those who are still trying. I will check in again if something comes up.

Hi,
I have suffered with the same problem for 5 years now. My stomach also looks like I’m pregnant. I have had several test done. I was treated for a thyroid problem a couple years ago, and I did get better, however, my stomach still looks like I am pregnant. After I eat, I get really bloated,my stomach gets really hard, and I have awful gas. Does anyone else have awful gas after eating? I saw a surgeon today, and am having another test done next week. I hate this… It’s awful. I look terrible, I have been married for 27 years and refuse to let my husband see me nude. There has got to be an answer to this situation.

well… ive come with a bit of news… i recently went to see a Dr. and he did an ultrasound of my stomach area and he advised me i was having problems due to my pancreas…said the acids in the stomach are the ones causing the bloating and the weight gain. He gave me two different types of medicine.. one type for morning before breakfast(Stelabid 1mg) and the other type in the evening after dinner(Ulsen 20mg). Its working really well for me. I cut out all breads, pastas, fried foods, fast foods, and soda’s of ANY kind. I drink water regularly and occasionally have the Special K2O protein water mixes to have a differetn type of flavor added to my water. Its been working for me. However, i did try to eat a peanut butter sandwich the other day with only one bread folded in half, and i bloated pretty quickly and felt ill again, so i did cut out Bread completely. I have energy now. I feel a bit more comfortable in my clothes. I am engaging in different excersizes and am trying to hit the gym regularly. I havent had any side effect with the meds, and i have noticed i dont bloat after eating. I am careful about what i do eat, and try to keep it healthy. I do indulge in a piece of chocolate every now and then, but i work so hard on this that i feel i can reward myself.

I was pushed over the limits when my innocent 5yr old came up to me and said "mom, did you eat a baby?" I was overly hurt, but i dont blame him, he is my mini-me…always asking questions.

Anyways, i hope you all could benefit from this in some way and resolve your individual needs.

Always here for support,
Janie

So im 23, Male and I have acid reflux, as well as lactose intolerant… and I bloat like a son of a gun and for no reason.

I found out that its my stomach and it can’t produce the right enzymes to digest food. (One Bite, Literally one Bite, of pasta and i’ll bloat in less than 10 minutes to twice my size). I literally have 3-sizes in pants for when im having a bloated fat day… or a skinny day. Sometimes my fat pants are too small… other times my skinny pants are too big. So believe me I know your woes.

But I have a cure… I hope it works for everyone. Watch what you eat, some foods will irritate you… especially if your like me. Otherwise… run down to a health store, pick up some GOOD BACTERIAL ENZYMES(LIQUID FORM)

Pills don’t work for nothing, neither do oils. Just get it so you can drink it. It tastes… like minty puke. But it helps me 95% of the time. I just have to avoid eating cheese and my life will be stable 😛

Hello to every one, Well I have read quite a few of these post in here and I think that it would be a good thing to try to go organic as much as possible I too suffer with bloating and stomach problems all so had problems with a H. pylori bacteria ulcer but much better now. I am 54 years of age. I don’t think to much of western medicine because with action there is a reaction and for the most part I all most all ways get the side effects of most of the medication prescribe, so I decide to be more proactive in taking care of my own health and researching every thing to the point of insanity! any way I have found that the way to go is organic or homeopathic there is a doctor his name is DR Mercola he has a very informed web sight with questions and answers
he recommends things like probiotics, non pasteurized dairy products natural enzymes the best cook wear to use and not to use microwaves, buying grass fed meat and free range chickens, and their eggs and so on …there is so much information on his web sight you will be amazed there is hope but you have to just keep on trying to find the best solution for your self. I am wishing the best for all.

Hi
I am 51 years old…..I have had this bloating problem for almost a year now.
Any time I eat anything….I bloat up so much, that I feel extreme pressure around my heart .
I follow a healthy diet..do not overeat..I am an active woman.
I have stopped drinking dark sodas…have cut out most green veggies which I love
but still have the bloating….
If I eat a soda cracker..I bloat.
It just seemed to happen overnight. I have never had a problem with stomach bloating before .
I do grow my own vegetables…in the summer months. And I wondered if perhaps I had ingested a parasite from the veggies.
Sadly, as you all say, this has taken over my life.

Hi there,

I have had very similar issues over the last year. Severe bloating, weight gain, sometimes abdominal cramps etc.(especially after gluten products) I am starting to think that I may have developed a few food intolerances. Have you tried the caveman diet? Basically you eliminate everything in your diet for a week to 10 days that cannot be grown or hunted. Basically you are able to eat meats, seafood, fruits and vegetables. You are only allowed to season with sea salt and use pure olive oil. After being on this diet for this period, record how you feel and assess if you are feeling better. Then each day thereafter re-introduce what may be the offending foods one by one. Like on the first day you could try reintroducing gluten products (breads, pastas etc) if you get your symptoms back, you know you have an intolerance. Day two you may want to add dairy products and see how you feel, day three eggs, day 4 coffee, day 5 soy, day 5 nuts etc. etc. This method really allows you to isolate the offending foods. Keep in mind that even if you have tried eliminating specific foods in the past, gluten and milk are in so many products we buy so you may not feel relief until you have a complete elimination of these products.(reading labels thoroughly) I have just started eliminating gluten and am feeling better,My next test will be coffee (which will be hard) as that may be contributing too.

I would highly suggest seeing and environmental allergist in your area.(I took my son to a local environmental allergist as he has severe allergies and similar symptoms to mine – he is doing much better) Please contact me at cattrinx@aol.com as I could outline this a little better if you need help. Hope you all feel better!

Hi everyone. i am so glad I found this place. I have been having severe stomach bloating along with vaginal discharge and join pain. Usually the vaginal discharge is followed by a very uncomfortable feeling and lower abdomen pain. When i am sitting on a chair and I bend over into a horizontal position to pick something etc I ge severe lower abdominal pain. I had a baby 6 months back but I still look 7 months pregnant without any exaggeration. It’s realy embarrassing. i also have gas plus my periods are late and are short. I have started noticing zits whereas I never had any even when I was entering adolescence. I have had history of ovrian cysts and had a suegery some 2 years back for a dermoid cyst on my right ovary. Help please.

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen … l/194.html

Hello everyone
I am so excited that i came across this website!
I have had such stomach issues as all of you have posted and have gotten many tests, tried different, diets, exercises, etc. I look 3-6 months pregnant most times with my bloating and it is so frustrating. sooo…..
Now, i have FINALLY found something that is working for me!!!

go to JUICEFEASTING.COM
I am doing a juice cleanse and it is AMAZING!!!! it is called juice FEASTING and NOT fasting because you are drinking as much fresh juice as you need to so you can cleanse and pretty much still live your normal life. you can do this as little or as long as you want up to 92 days. the longer you do this the more time you give your body time to cleanse out what it is holding onto – the toxic stuff.

anyways, there is so much support and forums to ask questions, and informational videos and blogs and postings. one of the best things i have ever read.

hope this helps,

Jess baxter

baxterbutt8873@msn.com

I have been on a diet to reverse pre-diabetes and was astonished to lose the bloat and 10 lbs. in 6 weeks. For me it was limiting dairy and meat. The book I read was Dr. Neal Barnard’s Program for Reversing Diabetes. I follow the diet 50-75% of the time. All I wanted to do was lower my glucose levels to avoid type II diabetes. My mother had it and my readings were increasingly pre-diabetic. The bloat & weight loss were an unexpected bonus. Also, I am not suffering from tree pollen this spring and the pollen counts here are astonomical. Good luck!

I am 30 years old. In August 2008, I went to the ER with severe pain in the upper left quadrant of my stomach. They ran several test, gave me some pain medicine and sent me home. The CT scan was normal, the x-rays normal, the abdominal ultrasound showed a small gallbladder polyp and everything else normal. I have been to my regular doctor, gynecologist, gastro specialist. They did a endoscopy, colonoscopy, Hydrogen breath test(check for a gluten intolerance), and a gastric emptying study (delay in digestion test), CA-125 (check for ovarian cancer), pelvic ultrasound (check for ovarian cancer or cyst), Celiac test (check for sprue intolerance). They cannot figure it out. They say it must be severe IBS. But I was diagnosed with IBS 10 years ago and never had these problems. I would suffer from stomach cramps and constipation. How can IBS go from that to my stomach bloating so much that I feel and look like I am six months pregnant overnight. I have different pant sizes in my closet for when I am bloated and when I’m not. I gained 20 pounds that first month. Now I have gained a total of 40 pounds to date. I went from a 10/12 to a 16/18. Now when my stomach bloats the 16’s will not fit. I am highly depressed. I am disgusted with my looks. Now it is almost summer and I am ashamed to wear a swimsuit. My co-workers and family cannot understand how devastating this can be. Not to mention frustrating, when you pay doctor co-pays left and right and get no answers. One of my doctor’s said it was a mystery diagnosis….that was not helpful. Have you heard of the small intestine telescoping into the large intestine? I have had two people tell me they seen a story about that and the person seemed to have the symptoms as we have….Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated. I am thankful I found this blog website. I was starting to think no one else ever went from normal to six month pregnant look in ten minutes.

What was the size of the polyp, >10mm ? If so I would wonder why this did not raise concerns with the doctors. Although I think this is unrelated to any change in body size, It might cause the severe pains which prompted you to visit the ER. I imagine the polyp was smaller than 10mm or the doctors should have shown concern.

Often these polyps are caused by an increase in cholesterol. Were your cholesterol levels tested?

If you are having cholesterol problems, this may be an indicator that your diet might need to be re-examined.

Well, good luck to you…

Disclaimer: I am not a MD, and as such, my opinion should not be taken as that of a MD 🙂

I was doing some research and seen something called DERCUM’s DISEASE….Look it up and see if you think it sounds like what we may have???

First off, I am not an MD, so take what I say with that in mind.

I think the internet is a wonderful thing. It has opened us to a world of information and a wealth of knowledge. Sadly though, with all this benefit comes a down side. Internet diagnosis is now common place and is often harmful to the person making the self diagnosis.

Educating oneself in a possible illness is not a bad thing, but it does lead one to follow advice given on the internet rather than seeking a medical professional.

I have to comment on your self diagnosis. You suggested Dercum’s disease. I would like to point out that this illness is rare, and you would have major problems in your joints. So, I don’t think so.

Consult your MD once more, and be honest to your MD about your lifestyle.

My 14 year old daughter has a delaying of emptying of the stomach problem. Her stomach feels stretched and bloated after she eats and it takes an hour or so to empty. She had an upper GI done and a follow through and nothing really showed up, except some acid build up. The doctor gave her a prescription for Zantac (acid pills) but it did nothing to help. I did some research and a natural health specialists suggested good digestive enzymes may help. I went to a health food store and bought UDO’s Choice digestive enzymes. My daughter has been taken them for about a week now and thankfullly, notices a big difference. Also, drinking a glass of water with a piece of fresh lemon in the morning and water through the day helps as well. Thought this might anyone with the same problem.

Hello everyone…sorry to say this, but its sure good to know I am not alone.

I am 49, and have suffered with my stomach all my life…I was first hospitalized at 3 yrs old with severe abdominal pain and here I am 43 years later and still suffering.
I have had my gall bladder removed and the Dr said I had a birth defect, this was 7 yrs ago and still suffering… I have always been slim size 8/10 and over the last 2 yrs have moved to a 14/16 and could easily move up to a 18 after a couples of hours after I get up in the morning. I get so bloated and my belly looks like I am 7 months pregnant. I also have gerd (take nexium) have had so many test and have been told my gast. dr that I all test show negative on the usual, but my colonostomy showed such severe ulcers that I "probably " have Chrones disease. Everything I have read on this talks about weight loss, not weight gain and I am so sick of Dr.s I could puke. I wish I had some answers for you all, but I don’t.

Iam so glad to have found this web site…

Glad to hear your daughter is feeling better, but I suspect the suppliments are having a placebo effect, or perhaps the extra intake in water is helping her.

I seriously doubt the suppliments you are giving her offer any benefit what so ever. If you understood biology you would see why.

Enzymes are proteins with specific shapes which enable them to function on receptors. Furthermore enzymes must be kept in a temperature and pH controlled environment. If the conditions are not met the enzyme denatures and becomes a hardboiled egg. In other words, the enzyme loses its shape. and changes in some way or another.

The stomach acids create a pH environment which normally denatures a enzyme or protein. The enzyme pepsin is an exception to this rule however as it does survive the pH level of the stomach.

This brings me to my second point. The digestive enzymes in the stomach work to break down proteins such as other denatured enzymes, converts them to peptides. At the end of the day, your enzyme suppliment becomes nothing more than a steak.

I noticed on the UDO website that they did not list the specific enzymes used in their product, most likely because they know they would quickly be debunked.

I, too, have been suffering for about 3 years with this mysterious ab pain, upper right quadrant, and bloating (as if I’m 6 months pregnant in minutes). I have also gained 12 lbs in the past 3 months, while everyone else in my family have lost 6 to 14 lbs on my diet and exercise plan! And I’m even more dedicated than they are! I have been to the ER 5 times, had numerous blood tests, urine tests, MRI’s, Ultrasounds and an endoscopy. I know I have gastroparesis. But why? I think it’s just another symptom of what is really wrong. I am now seeing an Endocrinologist. He is testing me for Cushing’s, Vitamin D deficiency, and checking for possible allergies to dyes, found in many prescription drugs, foods and juice-like drinks. I am shocked to read how many people are suffering from the same thing I have, and they have not been diagnosed, yet, either. I will post if we find it! Best wishes to all!

I think I found the right combination that works for my daughter’s bloating. She was suffering upper abdominal pain, was diagnosed with 17 food allergies (milk, soy, banana, corn, chicken, turkey, pork, etc) In addition, she was diagnosed with two ulcers; one in her esophagus and the other in the upper portion of her stomach. She’s ONLY 7 years old! Anyhow, she’s been seen by many specialists, all of whom have minimized the problem and/or suggested harsh pharmaceutical drugs (Prevacid). Well, I did the unpopular thing and did extensive research on homeopathic and natural remedies, and her symptoms have all diminished. We had her on a diet where we avoided all of the foods she was allergic to, which was very difficult to do, and had her on a super digestive enzyme, daily, that she ate with all her meals. We avoided the foods she was allergic to for 5 months and saw a noticeable difference. The foods she was most allergic to was milk and soy, so we started to add the other foods back into her diet while continuing to take digestive enzymes with every meal, and her stomach stayed down…no more bloating. She also had two ulcers. Well, I researched aloe vera juice online and am having her take a capful of the aloe vera juice with each meal as well, since it’s known to cure ulcers. Well, I don’t know for sure if it’s working, but her little girl voice is coming back (it used to be harsh and scratchy sounding.) I’ll get another endoscope done in another 4 months or so, but I wanted to tell everyone of my success with organic/herbal remedies. You have to be careful when doing your research, because you have to really get a good handle on your symptoms. I’ve been scared and had a lot of self-doubt when making the decision NOT to do what the doctor prescribed, but I’ve been very forturnate in the outcome I’ve experienced. Natural remedies = healing…a coicidence? Trust your motherly instinct, that’s all I have to say. My story ended in success (well, almost ended…we still have to take a few additional tests to make sure all her symptoms went away.) I wish all of you success and will check back!

i would recommend testing for h.pylori, food allergies (many already stated in previous posts..including fiberous foods, lactose, gluten, soy, etc.), and any kind of irritable bowel.

i had more symptoms than could be named….after 2 years, I was tested for h.pylori…tested positive…after treatment and some work with a registered dietitian, I have never felt better!

If doctors and many tests are not working out for you…I would recommend meeting with a REGISTERED DIETITIAN. They are natural miracle workers 🙂

best of luck and health.

Hi everybody

Essentially, the best way to control IBS is to control stress, avoid certain foods and to maintain a healthy, consistent diet. Fiber may be helpful as well. Increase the fiber in your diet slowly. Increasing fiber content in your diet to rapidly will increase the likelihood of gas and bloating. As your body becomes more accustomed to the increases in fiber, the gas and bloating will resolve.

I have had the same problems. I do notice that the bloating subsides greatly when I eliminate sodium (salt) from my diet…. entirely. This was discovered by "process of elimination".

My bloating was so severe, I felt it hard to breathe and also looked pregnant (although I have never been).
I would go to sleep, bloated….wake up not bloated, and as the day progressed, the bloating just became more severe.
After these experiences, I went to a nutritionalist, who told me to eat simply first week (continue to eat the same thing every day), and then the second week, I would introduce a food (preferably soluble fiber). This might be something you could also try.

Today, I had a sonohysteogram, since I had irregular menstrual cycles, which indicated that I had uteran polyps.
I am thinking that this might have caused severe bloating (since we do bloat naturally during our menstrual cycles), maybe having a growth such as polyps increases chances of bloating?

Does not hurt to get it checked.

Well, I am in the same boat as all of you with the severe bloating. I look as pregnant as I was in my 9th month of real pregnancy. I also suffer from severe constipation. I average about 1 BM every 2 weeks, but have gone up to 5 weeks without one. The DOCTOR says this is NORMAL for me!! Are you kidding me? Laxatives, teas, colon cleansers, magnesium supplements, stool softeners, fiber supplements don’t work. I have seen several doctors and they all say the same thing. "It’s normal for you." I was finally able to see a GI DOCTOR, and he said the same thing, but added, "well, you aren’t dead yet, so you know it won’t kill ya." How do you like that? He scheduled me for a colonoscopy and I took the gallon prep. I drank the whole thing without a single bowel movement; but near the end, my stomach couldn’t handle anymore, and I threw up. I actually threw up a chocolate pudding (you know the little snack cups) that I had eaten 16 hours earlier!!! This prompted him to do an upper endoscopy, and only found gastritis and duodenitis. Obviously this is not able to look at the entire small bowel, however. I appreciate everything on this blog, because there are several things I haven’t thought of before; and I am going to give them a try. I have been suffering from this as long as I can remember, I am 38; but recently, in the last few months or so, it has gotten worse. I have always been able to gain about 10 pounds in 2 days when my symptoms are bad, and those 10 pounds don’t come back off; but lately, it has been several pounds a day for several weeks. I did the cabbage oup diet and all juice cleanse and still gained weight. Tell me how can this be? My thyroid test came back negative, too by the way. I don’t know if/where I could get candida test or parasite test. I know my GI doctor won’t do it. All I know is the DOCTORS cannot tell me anything. I think it is idiocy to tell someone that it is normal for them to only have one bowel movement every 4-5 weeks. I think that it is idiocy when the DOCTOR tells me that at least I’m not dead, there is nothing we can do for you. The DOCTORS are the ones telling me that my condition is NORMAL. You try not pooping for a month and see how you feel and tell me how normal it is then! After all of this I am ready and willing for a natural approach. Manmade chemicals haven’t helped. Even the ones that are supposed to help have horrid side effects. Anyway, thanks for listening.

Carol

This story sounds unbelievable. So much so that I question the type of medical advice you are getting. Pooping once a month is very life threatening and I question any doctor who would say different. Are these Md’s really doctors? This is just too incredible to believe.

Are you going to MD’s or alternative health doctors?

Are you telling the whole story, something does not sound right here.

Yes I am telling the whole story. Yes I am telling the truth. Yes I am going to real doctors. The last one was a GI specialist, who was the one who told me at least I know I’m not going to die from it. Yes it sounds incredible, that is why I am so frustrated. This same GI doctor told me that ‘no matter what you might read on the internet, you are not going to become toxic from not having a bowel movement.’ I told my husband, I don’t care what he says, you can’t tell me that keeping all that waste in my system for so long isn’t toxic in one form or another. So, at this point, I would take advice from an alternative health doctor, because the real MDs aren’t helping me at all. I have only been to "real MDs," I wouldn’t even know where to begin looking for anything else, but I DO appreciate the suggestions on this forum, even if they aren’t from an MD, because I am at my wits end!

Are you anorexic or bulimic? Are you on a liquid diet. Once a month for a movement is not normal and should raise concern of any professional. Take a look at this link, and I suggest going to a different doctor.

http://www.medicinenet.com/constipation/article.htm

What kinda diet or diet medicine is good for someone without a thyroid? i had surgery 2 year ago because i had graves disease, i was tried all the time and lost weight . ihad to much calcuim in my body, now that my thyroid has been took out im gaining weight.
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Michael, no I am not anorexic or bulemic. I eat normally. No I am not on a liquid diet. I eat normal meals. I know it is not normal, but that is all that I can get out of doctors. The regular MDs say it is normal for me…I took that with a grain of salt, but when I went to the GI specialist and he basically said the same thing, and that there was nothing they could do for me, I got angry at the doctors. I thank you very much for the website…I will look it over now.

I just do not see how a doc would say a once a month poop is normal. This astounds me, and I do not know what to say. If you must, go to another town and seek a doctor who can help. This is not normal.

SOME ANSWERS BASED ON MY EXPERIENCE

I had similar problems in the last years, now I am almost "normal" again…..

First, I would recommend you all to visit an alternative doctor, like a chinese doctor. There is some other diseases that are not so well diagnosed by alopatic doctors. I went to a gastroenterologist and he couldn’t make anything. He diagnosed me with IBS. IBS: All alopatic doctors say that when they don’t know what you have

My life was out of balance and soon my body came out of balance, there is always a relation with our lifestyles and our health. I developed an Candida infection almost all over my body because of stress, if you have vaginal discharge, it is almost sure you have candida. This bacteria invades all the organs and the joints too. Nothing works properly in the body, you might also develop allergies to several foods, I had allergy to gluten, nuts, milk products and others. Now, all my allergies are gone. My solution was:

. strict diet for a few months (plain brown rice, steamed veggies and green juices)
. homeopathic medicine
.acupuncture
.solving the issues were making me stressful, putting new limits and make changes in my life and relations
(this was the most important thing)

I keep having a healthy diet and can’t overeat not one inch. I am a happy vegan, I enjoy very much eating as natural, fresh and raw as possible. You won’t die, you won’t develop iron or B12 or protein insuficience if you inform yourself and take care of your meals, you can be healthy and happy again if you are eager to MAKE REAL CHANGES. Gabriel Cousens is a very good author to read about new ways of eating and solutions for digestive issues. 😀

good luck and many health vibes,

Daniela

Hi everyone,
It’s so great to know I’m not alone. I gained 40 lbs within 6 months or so and I bloat so badly that I look pregnant. I exercise regularly and closely watch what I eat and how much I eat. However I still remain heavy and bloated. My thyroid has been tested and the tests came back negative. I went to the gynecologist and we figured out that I most likely have PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), in which one of the symptoms is rapid weight gain due to hormonal imbalance. So ladies, instead of looking at your digestive system, go see your gynecologist. It could be your hormones causing the weight gain (and the horrid bloating that comes along with it). Trust me, I know how you feel and I empathize with you. Keep your heads up; someday the medical professionals will figure out what’s really causing this!

i am right where everyone else is. i am 51 yrs old. always had stomach problems. not having a bm for over 1 month unless taking some kinda laxative. i can eat a sandwich and it feels as though i have ate a full course meal. i am told i have a nerous stomach, ibs..it just get worse. no problem of a morning, but come evening i look as though i’m 7 mo pregant..i need help

This could be an obstruction in your GI tract, seek medical help right away.

I think you have to seek some medical help right away to reduce some kind of unexpected problems for that gain weight and stomach bloating…

it is nice to be able to read about others with the same problem as i. i have had this bloatin problem for a while. i started noticing it over a year ago, but i did not start gaining weight until the last year. i have always been consistent with my weight around 136, then i went up into the 40’s and now i am 163. i can’t believe it. i think some of my eating habits have been bad like eating fast food (french fries, for one), but most of my diet is good but this is the first time in my life i have gained weight like this. i have never been over around 140. yes, after i eat sometimes, i look like i am six-seven months pregnant. my gyno has done two ultrasounds. i had a small cist on my ovary that is shrinking. sometimes the pressure after i eat or sit for a long period of time, and the gas that is trapped is so intense. i have had a problem sitting in meetings for more than a couple of hours; this causes very uncomfortable bloating and gas problems. anyway, i am trying to lessen my food intake and be aware of what kinds of food i consume. i tend to eat a high fiber diet; veggies and binto beans, and soy. my gyno said some of these are culprits. i plan to go to a chinese herb doctor, and/or go to naturalpathetic medicine. fennel seed, and peppermint are suppose to be good. i believe menopause has something to do with it. i just turned 50 in jan. and am in menopause now. doc said hormones imbalance causes sluggish digestion. i also take Align now which helps. try it. melissa in northern arizona

You will probably find out that you are allergic/intolerant of foods that you are eating. I found out that I am intolerant of soy and corn. And when you start looking for soy on labels, you will find it in alot of foods that you buy at the store already made (processed foods). And corn is in everything too – even the food wax they put on fresh fruit is made from corn! I use digestive enzymes when I know I am going out to eat to help me process my meal that will undoubtly have soy or corn in it.
All the fennel seed, peppermint, and even digestive enzymes will not help the problem go away. Your immune system is very strong and if it doesn’t like something and you put it into your body, it is going to attack it (and laugh at the herbs). But that is a good thing in a way, at least your immune system is working as it should! But if you eat the intolerant foods over and over, your immune system will start to be compromised and chronic reactions leading to disease (celiac is one, lupus is another) can happen.

You seem to have good background in biology, surely you must know most ingested enzymes will be denatured and destroyed upon entering the stomach. Perhaps if you dilute your system with water and take the enzyme exactly when your eating your food, the enzyme may work, otherwise your just making little peptide bonds that will be useless.

Not so. Not most ingested enzymes will be denatured and destroyed upon entering the stomache. Stomach acids do not secrete until the food is ingested and takes a couple of minutes to "gear up" for the meal coming (acinar cells and pancreatic juices). Also as the food hits the stomach it piles up in there, and doesn’t begin mixing into chyme till it gets down to the duodenum and empties into the small intestine. So if I take the digestion enzymes, and for all the raw food theories of plant enzymes that aid in the digestion of food, it will begin to work right away before the food particles start to come into contact with the stomach acids and digestion juices.

Plus I have done some personal experiments with digestion enzymes. I noticed that my bms were more homogenous when I took them, and heterogenous when I do not take them (partial digestion of food particles – and yes, I need to chew my food better). So for me they do work based on my observations.

OMG GUYS!!!! i have EXACTLY what you had, if not worse! a stomach so bloated i thought i was going to pop out a baby any second. It had been this way for like 2 yrs, making me so depressed. I have been seeing a gastroenterolegist for a yr and he just could not work out what it was.
I just came home from his office and he found out: Constipation. And i am telling ALL of you: GO TAKE A SMALL BOWEL SERIES NOW!!!!!! (its a type of xray). I never thought it could be constipation cause i do go a couple of times a wk and i had NO pains in my stomach so i thought ‘absolutely not’.
You may not think it is but chances are high that it is. Now i’m drinking some medication for a few days to flush my bowels and it will be totally flat again! (hopefully)

I am also the biggest yo-yo dieter which may have contributed and still currently have an eating disorder so i’m gonna work on that and DEFINITELY eat sumthing HIGHLY FIBROUS EVERY DAY so this NEVA EVA EVA happens again!!!! I dnt care how fat my ass gets from the fibrous food it could NEVA be as horrible looking as this 3rd trimester looking gut

Please tell me that people know that they are suppose to eliminate at the minimum once a DAY, and that ideally it is twice a DAY.

Just think about it. What goes in has to come out. Your body doesn’t incorporate all that stuff that you eat (unless you count the newly made adipose tissue/fat storage – but I don’t want to count that as it is another subject altogether).

Setting the denature claim aside, enzymes are proteins and as such they are nothing more than steak to the stomach and the enzymes will be digested just like other proteins. This is why enzymes like insulin are administered subcutaneous rather than ingesting a pill.

Like I said before, if you ingest an enzyme pill at the moment you are in-taking food, your wonder enzyme pill might just have a possibility of working, much like the pills used for those who are lactose intolerant.

In general enzyme supplements are nothing more than snake oil, and I would love to see any FDA approved data that you have to refute my stance.

i too suffer from a bloated belly. i do have an IBS, but have had that for 20 years. The out of contro bloating has just been for the lat 5.I am sick of looking pregnant and i too gainned 15-20 pounds. Help

Hi, I am in the same boat as all of you. I do have ulcerative colitis, but have had that for the last 20 years. It has only been the last 5 years that I have been looking 3 months pregnant and gained weight. It is very frunterating., as my docotor wants for chalk it up to my age….I am 45, He said after 40 your body changes, and i should just accept it…no way. Any ideas on how to get tho the bottom of this. lorib

You should not generalize things. There is a big difference between purified enzymes, steak, and insulin. You need to look at the whole system, and not just what happens in the lab.

IBS, ulcerative colitis, bloated belly, and any other digestive ailment, all begin with what you are eating. Start doing research and taking tests to find out what it could be that is upsetting your GI tract. There is not one reason for everybody, except that it is what you are eating/putting into your system. Then again, it could be some organ that is misfunctioning also causing the inflammation/bloating, but that would be continuous and not just after eating/waking up without bloating.

Yeah, get out and start taking responsibility for your own health. Doctors deal with symptoms most of the time. I have a good relationship with my doctor who knows that I am smart and look into everything. We collaborate and tests were (and still are) done, and a diagnosis was made. Then the choice of treatment began. I go for the more holistic approach, as my problem was not chronic nor acute, and digestive enzymes were part of a routine I did. I saw observable results for ME when using them, but didn’t see any results in some of the herbs I took. I also cut out alot of foods, and didn’t see results for about a couple of months or so (dairy for me was the culprit).

Become your own scientist in finding out what works and does not work for your body, which is unique in not only the DNA genomic blueprint, or the epimorphic/phenotypic expression of the DNA, but also what your environment it has and is in. Do your own research, and proceed.

Aside from trying to distract the readers from my statements, you have yet provided any information that supports your claims. I suspect you will find it difficult to find any medical or other scientific journals that support your claims.

Oh my.

What specific info do you want on what? On my claim that digestive enzymes can help you? That digestive enzymes do not become "digested" as you said? If that was even true, then our digestive enzymes wouldn’t work either, and why would we even have them in the first place?

And my point was that steak in the stomach is treated differently than anything else. Even vegetables and fruit are digested differently. All with different digestive enzymes (amylase, lipases, proteases, lactase, peptidases, cellulase, etc.) and albeit in different parts of the GI tract (stomach, duodenum, small intestines, large intestines), digesting the food differently. And depending on what the meal consists of (high protein. low carbs, high fat, even burnt meat with its cholesterol derivatives), different reactions begin different cascades thru out the body. Even the immune system gets involved.

Insulin is a hormone that needs to be delivered to the place where it can do the most good. The body specifically makes the insulin in the beta cells of the pancreas, and exocytosis/secretes it into the capillaries and is taken into the blood. You want to get the insulin into the blood, and not into the epithelial cells that make up the GI tract. I do not know if there is a receptor for the insulin on the apical side of the cells to transport the insulin across the cells and exocytose the insulin on the other side and into the blood. The cells were not developed to recieve insulin on that side of the cell, or any side of the those cells. They take up glucose (GLUT receptors) that then enters the bloodstream, and the level of glucose in the blood then activates the pancreas to secrete insulin.

I also do not wait for scientists to do a clinical research with a group of people who may or may not have the same symptoms, body-type, life-style, etc., as I have. I am unique with my own genetics, environment, and life choices.

Unfortunately I have come to the conclusion that scientist do not know everything, and that I have to do my own research. As I have said before, digestive enzymes are now being used for certain diseases and illnesses (google digestive enzymes and health and you will get a plethora of websites – some are good and some are not). In my case, as I am getting older and have had bouts of severe stress placed on my body, my digestive enzymes are not at a level like I had in my youth. So now I need help. I am also researching now the different foods to ingest that could help me even more in my goal of health. Let the experimenting begin!!

to the lady that gaines 70 pounds.
drink 4 glasses of water a day with 4 glasses of cranberry juice.
also,vast quantities of cannes or frash pears.
you’ll get thinner.and,your stomach will feel comfortable.

OMG. Does my advice sound this ridiculous? Of course you will lose weight and your stomach will feel better if you just drank watered-down cranberry juice and fresh pears (not the non-nutritious canned pears where the nutrients have been destroyed and toxins added). But how long can you maintain that? How does it fit in with your lifestyle choices? And it is a symptom pacifier, not the cure to fix the problem in the first place. As soon as you stop, you will be right back where you were in the beginning.

And besides cranberry juice is for bladder infections. And it only provides an environment that the bacteria can not adhere to the endothelial cells of the bladder and urethra. You still need a bactericide/or your own immune system to kill the bacteria completely. Definitely a symptom pacifier, and weak at that. You need to have 100% cranberry juice several times a day, and 100% cranberry juice is not very palatable for most people’s taste buds. Clinical trials have been done and are promising in keeping recurrenting urinary tract infections away when drinking the 100% cranberry juice for 12 months, but they were having a very high drop out rate in the trials and in the follow-up trials (not a loyal lifestlye choice perhaps?).
Also the cranberry fruit itself contains polyphenolic extracts that inhibit the growth and proliferation of breast, colon, prostate, lung, and other tumor cells, as do flavonols, proanthocyanidin oligomers, and triterpenoids. The unique combination of phytochemicals found in cranberry fruit may produce synergistic health benefits providing possible chemopreventive mechanisms such as apoptosis of tumor cells and anti-inflammatory activities including inhibition of cyclooxygenases. Of course this aspect is only being found in mice, and not in clinical human trials. Anybody want to eat cranberry fruit everyday? And in a quantity that would produce the same results found in the mouse experiments?

Kolean please see this link and comment.

http://www.quackwatch.org/01QuackeryRel … ds/mp.html

Hello,

I ran across this while Google-ing my condition. Ironically, I was (past tense) a molecular biologist about 25 years ago.

I’ve read through this thread and can’t seem to find anything similar to my situation – so I thought I’d take a try at asking if anyone had heard of this.

I am a 56 year old male, in good shape, and have exercised regularly for many many years. I am not overweight (in terms of fat deposits), though I am 5′ 10" and about 210lbs. I’ve been about that weight for 15 years. I have had GERD most of my life and am on medication for it – and have been for years. Its not much of a problem anymore.

I’ve always had some degree of a distended belly – even as a skinny child. In the past 10 or so years, I’ve developed a "water belly" for lack of a better word. I tend to drink a lot of water – 6-8 liters a day. This is even greater at times when I have done lots of exercise. I also take Adderall (amphetamine salts) for adult ADD – which tends to dehydrate me somewhat and make that water intake amount necessary.

I’ll wake up with only a slightly distended belly. Through the day, I get bigger and bigger. I’m sitting here now (late at night) with a big distended abdomen which by morning will be greatly relieved. Even if I cut out the Adderall, I still need to drink a decent amount of water – especially on days I work out. I have no other medical problems that I am aware of.

I would think that water would flush things through and even prevent bloat – as I have seen lots of people here talking about drinking lots of water for relief, etc.

I am going to see my Gastroenterologist next month for a (routine) upper endoscopy. I will ask him about this – but most Dr’s tend to either tell me its nothing or submit me to foolish tests and come up with no answer. I do know that my stomach is slow in emptying – but its been that way for years and water should not have an effect on it. I think my whole GI system is slow – part of the underlying causes for GERD I’m afraid. But it’s not that slow.

Since all of the GI motility drugs have been removed from the market other than Motilium (domperidone), I may try that – though It’s a bit difficult as its not a US drug, and has to be obtained from Canada or England (with Rx, of course).

Anyone have any ideas? I am baffled. It seems to get worse and worse as I get older. I have lots of UGI studies as I need to have my reflux issue monitored – and nothing unusual has ever been found other than slight gastritis.

Living with a football in one’s stomach is really annoying. If I don’t eat or drink – I don’t have that problem – but thats not a real life! Help!

MichaelXY –

Mmmm. That was alot on a website to digest. I found myself agreeing with the website authors at times, but then at other times not agreeing because they just dismissed the idea. It is a heterogenous mixture of claims on both sides.

Overall, I looked at the concept that if the digestive enzymes did not help me, that they would not hurt me either and that I would be just wasting my money. So I proceeded to try them and found out that they did work for me. Now I do have to say that they are just a symptom pacifier, and that I am still looking into the cause of my symptoms (lower abdominal bloating during the day – especially after eating a meal, and bouts of painful constipation). I’ve done an allergen test and found out what foods I am "intolerant" of, and have tried to keep them out of my diet. I have also added certain foods to help me repair any damage to my GI tract that may have occurred during my unhealthy eating of my youth (fast food mostly): mostly vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
While this might not help everybody, it appears to be at least helping me.

I also wanted to add for anybody else reading this, that I am careful about what I eat. I do not eat any fast food or processed foods from the grocery market, and so I make all my own meals from scratch (time consuming, so my choices are getting to be real basic, and possibly almost just a raw food way of eating at times – I will choose to eat an apple or some other fruit over making cookies or muffins).

I also have become a vegan over the last 7 years
– started cutting out red meat and pork out (for a year),
– then chicken (the next year after that),
– and then dairy (took me 2 years to do this. I am tempted to say that casein is addictive)
– I will admit to having eggs every once in awhile but have noticed that mucus builds back up in my lungs when I do eat them and have to swallow aggregates thru out the day.

I also like to do all the "greens" that are available, and have my own sprouting system, and actually like wheatgrass juice (with a lemonade chaser though).

I have also done yoga and have taken my experience with controlled breathing techniques and meditation to calm my stress down. I try to look at my life and my environment in a positive way, so that my stress hormones stay at moderate or low levels. I also exercise 30- minutes a day, preferably something outside with nature: a 3 mile trail run is my favorite exercise to do every other day during the summer/warm fall season.

I also take the supplements of omega oils, Vitamin B-12 (actually a B-complex), chlorella, vitamin D (blood test showed that it was low), and my newest experiment is resveratrol and nattokinase (still debating with the effects I am observing, so I am continuing to use both of them to see a long term effect).

Thus, I am doing alot of stuff from many different angles. Which I believe is what people should be doing, and not just focusing on the one symptom and the one medication.

Glad your open to input, aside from pepsinogen, most other digestive enzymes take place in the intestines, and any proteins that enter the stomach will most likely be broken down or denature. If you feel these suppliments help you, then who I am I to argue, but you must consider the facts when spending large amounts of money on suppliments. It is my intent that people consider these things prior to spending the hard earned dollar or Euro, what ever the case may be. Best wishes… 😀

There is alpha-amylase and gastric lipase that is in the stomach.

But you got me thinking about pepsinogen and how it needs a pH of 3.5 for optimal activity, and at least a pH of 5 for activation. Vegans are known to have a basic pH constitution, and I wonder if my stomach pH is not optimal. Would explain the orange juice cravings I have been having whenever I want to eat (providing an acidic environment at the time of the meal). The thought of swallowing a ph litmus paper and throwing it back up doesn’t thrill me. Wonder how I could check the pH of my stomach. A question for my doctor friend.

This sounds painful. Maybe not.
http://www.medicinenet.com/esophageal_p … rticle.htm

Not painful, cause I can handle pain, but very uncomfortable, which is hard to handle mentally. I have a very strong gag reflex, so the string down the esophageal may be very uncomfortable for me. The capsule would be cool as it goes thru my whole GI tract while giving data. Talking about uncomfortable, I am probably going to have to get a colonoscopy soon. Though it is going to be so cool to see the insides of my colon and large intestine.

I red most of postings about stomach bloating, seems like there is no concrete answer, I do not want to discourage people who has these symptoms including me, rather is a good news for you and hope that will work for you. Being a religious person I fast once a year for at-least one month, that means have your meal it could be anything before dawn and then eat nothing, drink nothing till sundown then break your fast with anything. Sound very tough, in the beginning you will feel miserable, but after few days will be ok_
you will feel lot better energetic this is my personal past experience and if you add prayer with it, that will be even better. and if you want to ask my religion I am happy to guide you.
Give a try.

Oh, brother. Fasting is ill advised in my opinion. Setting religion aside, fasting can send your body into a spiral of so many health problems I cannot mention them all. It is ill advised to fast. Consider this, if god wanted you to fast, God would never have given you hunger hormones. 🙂

Eat my friends… Quit worrying so much about your shape, this is unimportant, those that will love you, will love you regardless of shape.

Fasting to me can just be a mental focus, If you can eat whatever you want, but only at certain times, then you still could have saturated fat-fried donut cakes in the morning before sunrise and then stuff yourself with a huge overlycooked non-nutritious meal at night (not good on the digestion filling one’s digestive system with undigested food before bed is not a healthy way to eat).

I’ve only done liquid or juicing fasts for only a week. And I try to drink the raw juiced fruit/vegetable medley meal every 3 hours. And if you add raw spirulina to the juice then you have your protein for day also. Cleans/detoxifies you right out, and doesn’t make your hormones flunctuate during the day or night. The only thing missing is the fiber, but if you add the pulp from your juicing, then you have your fiber also.

I don’t worry about my shape. It is my insides that I worry about. How abused I have been in the past with the foods I have eaten! I have alot of cleaning to do.

There is no clinical evidence that fasting or detox diets serve any purpose what so ever. This sort of diet is nothing more than a fad and unless you have data to contradict what I say then I would not purport that it does indeed do what is claimed.

Fasting causes electrolytes to drop, in turn basic body chemistry fails to operate as needed. Please provide one credible reference that fasting is a good thing. I think you will have difficullty in doing this. Remember to seperate personal opinions and science.

How often you get suprapubic pain? May laxatives help you.

support this claim. And my idea of fasting is juicing: fresh fruit and vegetables put thru a juicer (containing loads of potassium, sodium, calcium, phytonutrients, fructose, and many other nutrients – not just electrolytes).

Well that is hardly fasting, is it? From what I know, fasting is to abstain from all food, so our definition of fasting does not agree and this changes things does it not.

Must be good friends if they’d let you eat them 😉

Teasing aside, I agree with Mike. Not everyone is born to be slim fit and "sexy". We’re all unique. Stay active, avoid junk-food, and do the things you love.

Most of us have an imposed fasting of sorts. We usually do not eat from 8 PM to around 6-7 AM, so we fast for about 9 or more hours. Just because we are unconscious doesn’t really mean anything does it? Just makes it go by faster.

Hi

I have also had many of the issues that i have read above. Even though I have had many health problems hence my digestive system gets extreemly effective, i have found many aids to help me even if it for a little while before something else is detected.O.K.. here it goes… it may get lengthy…

Im 29 year old female, and my digestive problems started four years ago. I was diagnosed with epilepsy 6 years ago however had been seizure free for two years without medication. I got married four years ago and the change of lifestyle was a build up to a grand mal seizure. I have been on medication since. From the initial seizure i developed a number of health problems including S.V.T attacks, Non epileptic type seizures, reoccouring infections, artheritis, constant kidney infections and the most problematic was my bowels. I suffered from very stubborn constipation. My seizures where happening every few weeks and was constantly in and out of hospital. Nothing would digest, i was hardly eating and when i did, i would suffer… abdominal pains, bloating, breathing difficulties, fatigue, joint pains. brain fogg to name a few. As time went on i learnt i had more then I.B.S it was many food intolorances. Wheat, sugars, oats, grains, soya, dairy. It took a year of trial and error to identify foods that worked for me. It was difficult and the food"allowed" list just seemed to shrink more and more! However when i did workout my own diet plan, my seizures and S.V.T’s seemed to calm down however i was still continuing to fall unwell. Id had colonoscopies, endoscopies, scans… and Doctors would not take me seriously! Last year i just new things where very wrong with me as i lost my periods for a year and my weight was just falling off. I had so many abdominal pains and would get so crippeling. Having no luck with the N.H.S in the U.K i flew out to India and got M.R.I scan done(i was refussed many scans here in U.K). It showed many cysts and scanty whomb. I was advised i needed to have this looked into as soon as possible. Being out of my comfort zone, led me to come back to uk for second opinion./ Though my G.P was great all the hospital staff where ignorent and suggested it was waste of money to get M.R,I done as the images of the cystes would be "normal for someone who hadnt had a period for as long as i did. I paid for private consultations and was waste of time and money as they all kept refusing to listen to me and thinking i was one of those people who wanted something to be wrong. In all my medical history had i never been as anxiouse as i was at this point as i knew my symptoms where more to just I.B.S or loss of periods and under weight. I flew back out to India as my last hope and within a week i had all scans and biopsy tests done and results back. It turned out that i had T.B in the uterus! I was started on Anti T.B chemotherepy and H.R.T. Treatment for uterian T.B is between 9-12months as it is much harder and takes longer to treat as opposed to T.B in the chest. Treatment continues in the U.K and with gods grace we have moved home and the hospital here has been superb. Though this was the start to some answers the effects of the chemotherepy on my digestive system sent things havoc. I gained so much weight over night… water retention and constipation. my stomach would grow anything from 4-8 inches over night. i could hardly breath, i felt as though i wanted to break somthing to release the pain. I was craving foods that didnt suit me and coinsidently, suffered another seizure!. After noticeing a change in my discharge, i realised i have Candida- A yeast infection! I went to my G.P and she explained it is almost certain that anyone having cheamotherepy will suffer from candida too as the treatment kills off good bacteria whilst killing the bad. She also said women on the pill are highly likely to get it too. So after researching i started following an anti-candida diet and with in two months my symptoms improved drastically. I was still under chemotherepy so it was more restrictive then it would be for one just doing an anti candida diet to clear up fugus. The fungus thrives of sugars and carbs and molds. I had extensive bloating, worsening neusea, fatigue, muscle and joint pains, crippeling abdomen… so many symptoms… inc unexplained weight gain and allergies. I would have uncontrolable cravings to the point i would wake up in the middle of the night feeling i was going to just drop if i didnt have sugar or carbs. The more i tried to control it the worse it got and this was because the fungi survives of these foods and when your starving it from its food the body recognises it needs something to survive… sugar and carbs! I kept up plenty of probiotics alongside the diet, however two months later things escallated agin. As my constipation got worse and immune system slowed down because of the chemo, it couldnt fight off candida at same time and my sypmtoms went mayhem again this time with anal itch too. My stools continued to be mucussy, offensive gas and stools returned. I had heard of worms and parasites so kept note of what i was passing when i could see anything in the loo! It turned out i had worms too! My g.p prescribed my medication for it, however because how bad my constipation was, i wasnt dispelling them so eggs keep multiplying. it something like.. some thousend eggs per night! You can pass them through touch, air, towels… anything! My symptoms continued to worse… i gained one stone over night… yes a whole stone!. Two weeks ago, i could not cope with the bloat and suffering of sleepless nights and no stool passing in five months so went to hospital. I was hospitalised for 11days as all my scans showed chronic constipation right between my ribcage all the way around my whole digestive system. They gave me absolutly everything to help me go. 3-4 enemas a day alongside movecol (constipation relief) 2 sachet three times a day, Irrigations and Klean prep ( prep used before colonoscopy to clear out gut) for 8 days and none worked. They could not opperate on me to take it out as the chemo leaves tissue and muscle very tender and soft hence any op can cause scaring or tears. They said they can only consider that after 6months being off the tretment. its only been three months for me yet. They could not send me ome as they said constipation that bad and if it does not get moving it is very life thretening. They are suspecting the T.B has not cleared up but again surgons can not do biopsy untill 6months after completion of treatment. Though its all unclear with whats going on jus yet and my constipaion is so bad, my bowels are not working, i have manage to learn many things that may cause these "generalised" symptoms! I would suggest firstly to test for candida and parasites. You can do a home siliva test for candida but as for parasites… it will mean stool testing. If you google candida siliva test, it will give you how to test it. One major suggestion would be to look into Elain Gottschell breaking the viciouse cycle website. It is the specific carbohydrate diet which she devised to treat her daughter through gut healing. Her diet has helped thousends suffering from gut health and autism, chrones, D.V, and found strong corrolations between gut health and neurological conditions such as epilepsy, Autism, schizphrenia..I vouch that gut health has effected my seizures and i have had great rewards from her information, however my treatment will have to be compleatly finished before i can benefit from treating my gut as opposed to treating many other health issues having a knock on effect.

I hope this helps in some way at all

Kay

you are right MichelXY.fasting is not a proper way.

I have had excessive stomach bloating offfand on for the last 7 yeears. My stomach will go down for a couple of months, then for 4 months or more I look like I am 6 months pregnant. I can not wear pant that I wore 2 months ago. I have to wear a maternity belly band over my pant to hold them up the put a big shirt over it so I can have something to wear to work.

I have been tested fro thyroid, gluten and everything possible that would show up in your system and the doctor says everything is normal. How is everything normal when you go around looking like you are about to deliver a baby.

I have become so depressed with this iIdon’t kow what to do. Seems like the doctor is not concerned since they ran all the tests. There has to be something medically wrong. I have tried herbal teas, colon cleansing and everthing you can think of . I even tried not eating and I still swell. I hope someone hurry and find a solution quick. I eat healthy, drin lots of water, don’t smoke or drink. No sodas or dessert.

Hi,
I also have blotting problems. One Doctors said I have GERD,
and a Hernia. I take the medications for the condition but they don’t help. Now it’s so bad that I have stopped eating. For the last two day I have only eaten two bowls of white rice. I drink lots of water and I take a multy vitamin. I’m going for a ultrasound of the Abdomen and Pelvis tomorrow. Different Doctor different test.
I’ll see what he finds, if anything. So far I haven’t lost any weight.
But I do drink a lot of diet tea. Thanks for the tip about the Splenda, I used Equal, but not any more. Hope you all feel better soon.

HI EVERYONE;

Have great news!!! I had seen this site almost a year ago, i had the same problems most of u have. You dont’ know how many times people ask me if im pregnant, truth is i’ve never had a child. Anyways i’m 29. For about 5 years i have had severe bloatingm costipations, random diareah, during the last 2 years it seems to have gotten worst. Got to the point that i was waking up at night with horrible pain in my stomach. my doc had done ultrasounds and a bunch of test with no conclusion, would prescribe antacids and fiber and so on. also my Breath had become horrible to deal with, very bad bitter taste in my mouth int he morning. I had pains on the top part of my stomach and almost like a painful hunger but when i would eat i was extremely bloated. Anyways i made an appointment to a Gastroenterologist i had done alot of research online and i asked him to pelase check for any type of worms or bacteria that can be in my stomach, he agreed next day he called. i was positive for H.Pylori which is a horrible bacteria that causes swellign in the stomach lining and ulcers. I began a 14 day medication called PrevPac and it’s 3 diff types of antibiotics. OK starting on the 3rd day OMG the difference is amazing, no more pain in my stomach, my breath is compeltely changed, i am wayyyy less bloated and i feel great. I even have Keratosis pilaris which is liek a bunch of tiny pimples behing the arm and leg, i had also done lots of research ont hat and thought i just coudln’t do anything about. Well i checked my arms and they are sooooo diff clearing up. 😀 😀 😀 I AM SOOO HAPPY AND I WANT ALL OF YOU GUYS TO CHECK FOR THIS COULD ALSO BE YOUR PROBLEM. I’m on my 6th day now and will keep u posted after the 14 days.

Vanessa

Hi All – I was so relieved to find this site and others who have had the same problem. I have had bloating on and off for the last 14 years. I have had ultrasound and food allergy tests to no avail. Years ago I went to a chiropractor/kinesiologist for help with arthritis. He diagnosed my sugar and yeast levels were very high and after 3 months had not decreased so he put me on the following diet. A result of this diet not only helped the arthritis but I noticed I did not have any bloating. Foods I was NOT allowed were : NO white flour products (bread, pasta) anything made with white flour, no white rice, NO sugar at all – no cakes, biscuits (cookies) chocolate (my altime favourite!). Also NO Potato, sweet potato or cauliflower. NO Alcohol, NO coffee (only decafinated) and herbal tea PLUS 8 glasses of water a day (huge struggle with that one !) If in doubt, don’t eat it. After withdrawal headaches for a couple of days – HUGE improvement. After 12 months I was allowed to reintroduce elimination foods in small doses. However, I have now put myself back on this diet as I had been sympton free for months and overindulged recently – result BLOATING where I could not go out to a friend’s birthday party. It seemed such a drastic diet, however you do get used to not having the elimination foods. I was allowed dairy, fruit, fish, meat (red meat at least 3 times p.week) vegetables as much as I liked. I find anything made with corn is OK. I have curries without the rice. Breakfast is either fruit and yoghurt or corn thins (a corn type biscuit) with melted cheese. I have salads for lunch and fruit or nuts, inbetween for snacks. Hope this helps somebody out there. Cheers

Wow guys that’s terrible. Gastrointestinal problems can really turn your world upside down, especially when no one can give you a valid explanation. Some people have many intolerances and/or allergies to foods. I had gluten intolerance, otherwise known, as Celiac Disease, for 3 years before I self-diagnosed myself for the lack of a better term. Confirmatory tests were run and validated what I thought, diagnosis: Celiac Disease. I am a skinny guy and I lost 20lbs, had gastrointestinal symptoms constantly including bloating, gas, constipation/diarrhea, cramping. I lost the weight simply because I could not stand to eat as much as often as what you would normally. During this time, I had numerous physical injuries in sports some of which would not heal. I was a recreational runner and my feet and legs began to hurt immensely. At one point, my ankles were the size of softballs and hurt-like hell. I could hardly walk and even then I was in intense pain. A fractured foot put a permanent end to the running, which had become a nightmare anyway. Eventually, after seeing different doctors about my feet and leg pain/swelling. An internal medicine doctor had the insight to order a bone densitometry scan. The diagnosis: severe osteoporesis; the bone density of an 80 year old man in someone only 22. However, taking fosamax, doing aquajogging (the equivalent of water running) and using a electrostimulator daily on my feet/legs, I have gotten to the point where I can function normally after 3 years. However, I still have to avoid stairs, no jumping, running or anything else crazy. But, the fact that I can stand for extended periods of time is nothing short of amazing. So, the reason I tell my story, even if the symptoms and circumstances are different, is to offer you guys hope that some day you to will resolve your current situation. Don’t lose hope press on and you know yourself better than anyone else. If something obviously is not right-then its not right regardless of what some doctor or quack may tell you.

This post is mainly in relation to Naybelline. I experience bloating throughout the day especially after food and in the evenings. The pain varies from a constant ache to sharp pains mainly concentrated on either side. There are also other issues regarding bowel movements. I have had a scan and it has shown that I have cysts (poloycystic ovaries have been ruled out) I am currently waiting for an op to diagnose/treat Endometriosis. The specialists which I have spoken to and with the research I have done leads me to thinking this may be the cause. It may not be but thought it was worth a mention as Endometriosis, often before conformation, is often thought to be something like I.B.S! Hope you get it resolved!!

I have had several problems for the past 5 years and have not been able to get a diagnosis or basically any relief. I went to a gastro Dr. complaining of constipation,
I have recently been put on Perdium and charcoalCharcoal
Charcoal plus ds pills. Just this past month I have had a colonoscopy and multivitamin/mineral

Nothing has been found with the exception of cysts on the right ovary. The ovaries worried me so I did have the CA-125 blood test and it came back negative. The constipation have somewhat been relieved but I still have this huge bloated abdomen that starts at my belly button down to my pelvic bone. I have been complaining for the last 5 years about the severe abdomen pain, constipation and gas. It has been so bad at times that I have had to unbottom by skirt/pants. At one time I measured in the am and directly after lunch and on a mild day my ab grew 3 inches and that was on a "good" day. My problems usually occur directly after lunch. I usually eat salads, soups, chicken. No burger and fries or heavily seasoned or spicy foods. I have had several worse days. I have tried to self diagnose myself with celiac sprue as well as Candida and have followed a desperate diet of carb elimination. I was successful for a while and then all symptoms came back. 1 1/2 year ago I had several tests done including thyroid, flexible sygmoidoscopy, berium enema, upper GI, cat scan, and ultra sound. NOTHING! Not only does this control my life at times (5 out of 7 days) but I follow a strict exercise program and most people would not even think I do a situp. I seem to hold onto 20 some extra pounds in the last few years. I work out 5 days a week for 1 1/2 hours every morning consisting of running 20 minutes, alternating 45 minute classes of biking and weight training. Plus walk 3 miles every night after work. My pain is not located strictly on the right side which is the question I am always asked. I would say it is usually on the left and when pressed above my belly button besides the cramping and sharp pains in the lower ab when the bloating begins. What is my next step. I am desperate and am contemplating on going to the emergency room the next time it is severe.

HI there – so happy to have found you all. I have all the same symptoms as you do and it really is sooooo frustrating. One thing I have noticed is that it gets worse when I am stressed out – I am in the process of moving right now so my stomach is terrible. Last year I started Bikram yoga and became obsessed with it – I ended up going 5 times a week for 3 months – very quickly after starting my stomach became normal! Unlike with other exercising, biking, running etc – it has sometimes helped a little but not nearly enough. YOGA released the stress and my stomach was amazing.. Of course keeping up that schedule was not going to work and I stopped completely – 5 months later I am back to square one and thinking of doing a different kind of yoga that is more gentle – will let you know how it goes.

Last night I decided this was stress related – I ate what I wanted for dinner (took the usual laxatives) and have woken up with my stomach really good – which will last until lunch time. During an episode yesterday I felt like the biggest person on the planet – I weigh 145 pounds and 5’6” – so that is clearly not the case – but with the amount my stomach was bloated it was insane – my mind went a little loopy too!!

Hang in there – stay positive – we will find the answer – of which I believe is connected to the mind and our levels of stress. The more stressed we are about the condition the worse it is!! My heart goes out to all you who are suffering – will keep you posted about starting the yoga again..

I also have had this problem lately. It turns out it is my gall bladder and I will be having it removed tomorrow. I strongly recommend that any body with this problem get it checked out and don’t give up until you have an answer.

What is the best diet pill available to buy without doctor’s prescription? I’m looking to lose a bit of weight and I am going to start exercising daily. I need a diet pill that will help me lose weight quickly but I’m not a big fan of pills that work as laxatives but any personal experiences would greatly help aswell.

There are certain tests that can be done to identify the causes of the above . I suffer from occasional bouts of IBS and stomach bloating whether I eat or not. There are many different causes for bloating.

1. Water retention. Try drinking cranberry juice and eat bananas and reduce salt intake
2. Liver toxicity (can cause weight gain). Acid imbalance can affect digestion. Try a glass of tepid water with a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon 20mins before eating breakfast to help flush toxins out of the liver. Drink plenty of water during the day. Avoid processed foods with preservatives, colourings and sugar substitutes and opt for fresh fruit, vegetables and wholegrains.
3. Blockage in the intestine – a barium swallowmeal examination may need to be done and/or ultra sound, CT scan of stomach (will also exclude problems with gallbladder, pancreas etc) A gastroenterologist will arrange this, or your GP.
4. Stomach ulcer – stomach pain, feeling of fullness may be caused by a stomach ulcer.
5. Diabetes – my Dad’s stomach bloated up to an enormous size just before he was diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. You should get a blood test done and urinalyisis to exclude this as a possibility, especially the person who has problems with frequent urination?
6. Gluten intolerance – avoid foods with gluten as this can be a cause of tiredness, digestion problems, problems absorbing vitamins which are necessary for healthy liver function and digestion.

You could try a course of probiotics like acidophilis and bifidis to aid healthy digestion. A good multivitamin will help if you’re feeling run down and tired. Don’t go on extreme diets to try and remedy the problem! Stick to a balanced healthy low fat, low GI healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables – preferably fresh from your garden or GE free from the grocer. Stay away from takeaways and high-fat high sugar foods – these are the primary cause of weight gain! Also make sure you’re not overeating. Too much food can stretch the stomach. Stick with small servings with things like meats, poultry and dairy products. You can eat as many vegetables as you want. Two pieces of fruit a day is recommended because fruit is high in sugar.

Hope this helps

Hi,
I watched a Dr. Oz show the other day and on the show they discussed the problem of excessive bloating and weight gain along with the bloating. According to Dr. Oz it is a possible sign of ovarian cancer. It isn’t always associated with that but can be an unusual sign of it. There was guest on the show who said for a long time she would gain and bloat so much that she look 5 months pregnant, and then her doctor found the real cause and she was treated and was just fine. So go check with your doctor to be safe! I hope it isn’t this and something else but its something that should probably be check for. Hope this helps and best of luck!

Hi, I have been reading all the post in relation to the the subject. I am 27 years old and have a stomach that looks like im about to give birth at anything, As long as i can remember my belly has always been big. I dont eat very much as it leaves me in pain and is very uncomfortable when i do. Even times when i eat nothing i feel like i have had a 3 course meal, I have tried everything without results. I have been to the doc many times who look at me like im mad and tell me to eat healthy and exercise which i do anyway. This is starting to affect my life, I dont want to go out anymore due to having this large stomach. I would be grateful if anymore could offer some advice, I just dont know what to do anymore

Maybe it’s time to try out some homeopathic herbal products.

Hey my name is Karen,
I tested positive for Celiac’s Disease May of 2009. I went on to the Paleo Diet, and that helped me so much it was like night and day. Literally.

There was one symptom that hasn’t yet resolved. I am severely distended on a regular basis. I gained 30 lbs in 6 months out of NOWHERE. I am losing my sanity trying to make sense of what is going on.

I can tell you with 100% certainty, I make the best food choices possible because I am on the Paleo Diet. If you read into it, you’ll know the brilliance of it. Thepaleodiet.com

So I’m wondering, what the hell is going on with this pregnant stomach thing? It’s obviously food related, but I puff up after eating a banana or broccoli. It’s absurd.

All gluten, dairy, salt, and legumes have been taken out of my diet, but this is persisting. Therefore, I am inclined to think it’s more organic than that.

As soon as I can, Im going to try to get H. Pylori testing. I can’t make sense of anything else. Ill report back later.
-Karen

I wonder if there is common thread here to some of the cases….does everyone here use a laptop at bedtime…on your lap or stomach?
Or keep a cell phone close to your hip?..in a purse?

Is it always on?

As all of you have mentioned..I am glad to know that someone else has the same symptoms as myself. I get the stomach bloating and pain, even thru to my back, everytime I eat. No matter what I eat. I spent thousands of dollars last year getting tested by a Gastro only for him to scratch his head and write it off to IBS. I am 46 , thin and excercise. I eat right and live by the guideline of a person with IBS. Still, evertime I eat something my stomach looks like I am 4 months pregnant..I have tried the teas, the peppermint, the cleanses’, you name it…nothinng is working…HELP!!!@@@

Hi everyone…. OMG! Finally I am not the only one that is having this problem. As many of you have stated – your diet has not changed so how can it be what we’re eating????? Then, I too, swell up like I swallowed a basketball. It’s strange because – well, since I’ve had 2 children, I was left with a pooch, not to bad, you could suck it in when you had too. But, almost seconds after I take a bite or two of food, my upper stomach swells up, tight as if I am getting ready to explod. Absolute misery. Like the other gal said, she just wants to lay down. Have you noticed how even though you are now more comfortable your still MISERABLE.
Up until this started, I could at least eat more than a bite or two. Or I might go a day or two with only a bite here and there. But – – – – I can’t loose weight. I am up to 167 @ 5’4", the biggest in my life. If you were to see the small bits of food I consume, you to would say, I should be a stick.
As if the bloating isn’t enough – – My bowels are CRAZY!!!! I went from a morning routine goer. Sometime a bit more. But now – I am lucky to go from anywhere from 3 – 5 days. Then when I do – It’s either you bound and strain until your about to have a stroke! Or – You’d better pray you make it to the bathroom. Then…………..It’s like I am filling with fluid – and once I start going, I will pee for the rest of the day and a lot of times through out the night. And 98%of the time its not a dribble I am full…. After I start to bring my routine to a halt – It starts again.
This Bloating is ruinng my lfe and my sex life and working on the drive. For the eariler part of my like, I’ve been slim – not skinny, but around 7 – 8. Now a 13- 15. I feel so disgusing. I have constantly told my doctor – but as before – the do blood wok and are obbsessed with my thryroid. Some times my potassium is low or B-12 and Since July 4, 2009 – I starting seizures with out cause.
Sorry that it’s so long, especially being a first timer, but I need some relif and answers. Hopefully we can fix each other – Thanks so much for all of your time – A prewitt

Okay, I am really unsure of how this works since I am new. In the past 2 months I have been putting weight on like crazy but just in my stomach and abdomen. (23lbs to be exact). I have had thryroid tests, cushings tests, addison’s test, MRI for pituitary, CT and a sonogram. I also had my early visit to the OB/GYN and she told me that it was because I was 40 and my metabolism is slowing down. I have increased my exercise program and decreased my food intake. Nothing is working. There are days when I have trouble eating a meal because I already feel full. The doctors look at me like I am crazy. Now they are sending me to an endocrinologist, but not for another month.
any ideas???

I HAD A BREAKTHROUGH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ok I went to the doctor, and they performed the EXACT same tests on me as they did before. Abdominal and Pelvic sonograms (not fun) and I had a metabolic panel drawn, along with a test for h.pylori that I requested from reading other posts on this page and other pages. Of course, Im anemic and my liver enzymes are high again. This has been like this for over a year.

So… I knew I had Celiacs Disease (most commonly misdiagnosed as IBS) since last year. I took out the wheat and dairy but no matter what I ate I looked pregnant after I ate. So my dad who is a PhD in Biochemistry did some further looking into the matter, as he was the one to suggest I get the Celiacs test when all of the doctors I had seen (4 to be exact) were bust scratching their heads in complete confusion. Even better, the first one told me it was psychosomatic. Whatever. It was Celiac’s.

Anyway my dad found this article http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=The … i=scholart
and it was just published March 10th of 2010 that sheds[b] A LOT OF LIGHT into whats going on. Plus, it explains weight gain, abdominal distending (making us look pregnant-ish) fatigue, food hypersensitivity, weird bowel stuff like diarrhea and constipation both. I tried to find it on a site that had the whole article. No such luck so you’ll have to email me at blackhole84@hotmail.com and send me a message that says "send me the whole article" or something like that and Ill send it to you so you can take it to your doctor. This is such brand-new information!!! I am so excited to finally after a year and a half be DONE with this!

I hope EVERYONE SEES THIS!!!

http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/6489387/

If you have bloating but your digestive system seems fine, get your hormones checked out. Especially if you’re a middle aged woman. Blood or saliva tests halfway between ovulation and your period (follicular and luteal phases). You may be estrogen dominant and you need to administer a natural progesterone cream for half your cycle or your whole cycle. It may take a few weeks or months to work, and your bloating may get worse at first before improving. You may need testosterone too. Good idea to check thyroid and adrenal (stress) hormones too. Get a complete "hormone panel" from a doctor who understands bio-identical hormones. Good luck!

Well I just spent the hour and 15 min giving my cure and everything to how I got here today. I pressed sent (submit) it sent me to log in page to reply and everything is gone…. Unfortunately I need to get going, I will type in word and copy and paste at a later time. SO Sorry, because I feel absolutely fabulous…

SIBO– Small intestinal & bacterial overgrowth. I have been diagnose with IBS-C for years. Awful, painful, unable to sleep at night- weight gain, horrible gas & constipation, fatigue, joint pain….blah,blah, blah. Until 2 months ago. Dr. proscribed me Oracea for Rosacia– a skin condition. It is a low dose doxycycline I think. My problems are almost gone! As a test- I went off it for 3 days & ALL THE SYMPTOMS CAME BACK! It took two weeks of taking the medicine to get my symptoms back under control. I take it every day now like a zealot & am almost normal. Went back to the Gastro & said hey my Dermo prescribed this for my skin- why is my IBS better? She looked startled & said- I think you have SIBO- (Small intestinal & bacterial overgrowth). To think- all these years I could have been cured by an antibiotic! By the way a host of other coditions have cleared up as well, my gums, skin, gyencolgical issues, as well as IBS. I am almost normal. Pray this keeps up! I can sleep again 😀

I hope this info helps one of you!

Apologize for not getting this posted sooner. I’m not going to go into detail like I did the first time. The lose is still with me…Sorry!!

I appreciate and am very grateful for all your comments!!! It’s been a week and my stomach is great – NO PRESSURE!!! I TRULY HOPE THIS HELPS MANY OF YOU!!!!!

I’ve been dealing with since I was 19 and I just turned 47 last month. I’ve relieved the symptoms off and on over the years, believing it was just constipation issues. I’ve have learned that two things I was taking are the contributors to this pain killers and antibiotics. What doctors don’t tell you is to eat yoghurt or take probiotics to get your system back on track after antibiotics. pain killers I learned on my own, putting two and two together. Doctors have irritated me enough to pay very close to everything about my body and what I put into it.

I’ve used various products and gone to doctors. I’ve checked to rule out ovarian cancer. Always, ate very healthy and get a good amount of excercise.

For the last 6 months it’s been constant. Bloating, constipation and gas and gaining weight (15 pounds), which all turned in pressure. New Years I made a silent resolution I was going to get a handle on my ailments, migraines, allergies and my stomach. GOOD NEWS all are covered, THANK GOD!!!

Gas was relieved with Charcoal capsoles from Whole Foods. Used GasX and it worked for awhile and Maalox. Only used them for about a week.

Constipation was relieved by the migraine vitamins from Migrainecure.com (hope thats correct). At the time I didn’t realize, because my stomach was still under pressure. I was going everyday and it’s the good feeling of going, so I just thought I was just full of poop. But the pressure kept getting worse, which led me to this site. Again, so grateful!!

If you do not suffer from migraines up your Omega 3 or start taking them – start with 4 capsules and take magnisium 100mg 3 times a day. If you do I highly recommend up site. No migraines or headaches for 3 months.

What I took and put it into the tea I’ve been drinking for the last week. Note: Drink tea and you pee, meaning it will run through your system quickly.

Ginger tea
3 drops of clove oil
5 drops of peppermint oil
tumeric powder
Tinniture of Black Leaf thee ingredient!!!!

Nzymes.com I very much suggest getting the package. I had been using Antioxident granules at least 5 times a weeks with yoghurt and the oxy drops I do not miss because of the flu and the antioxident tablets I just finished a bottle, which came free with my last order. I have no idea why I stopped taking the Black Leaf, except thinking it was not as important. Now I’m back on it and will not stop taking it.

I found this site for my younger dog, January 2007, for breathing issues. It worked great for my older dog, it got rid of his old dog smell and filled in his bald spot on his butt and he never had an ear infection again and it relieved his arthritis, making him able to get and move around with ease. With my younger dog, she has not had another breathing issue and I believe the oxy drops saved her from being put down and having no side effects from a stroke she suffered August 2009. Which I’m so very grateful!!!!

The only hurdle I need to get through is my period, because it seemed the week before it starts the pressure would become unbearable. Mother Nature is very hard to predict and can throw you for a loop.. Will post once I start how I made it through..

Take care!!!!

It scares me a bit that this thread is 3yrs old!

Okay, so I’ve got a lot of the same complaints everyone else does:

-Bloated stomach
-Stomach pain (relieved somewhat by anti-acid medication)
-Hard to shed weight (I blamed the weight gain on stress at my last job, but now you all have me wondering!)
-Fatigue (which I attribute to whatever is going on, since it’s likely my body is working hard b/c of it.)

And no obvious answers.

-Blood work fine.
-No obvious food allergens (I cut out wheat for a while. But once these "attacks" get going, nothing seems to help. Not even days on end of bananas, rice and chicken. Ugh!)
-Can’t afford to go "green" on my diet. So trying to mix it up as much as possible. I’ve got the classic American "family" diet from 20 yrs ago. Meat, potatoes, spaghetti, soup, mac and cheese, hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, rice, canned fruit ect… Little to no fast food. Even with an imperfect diet, this should not be happening! As I think we all know, otherwise people would’ve been complaining about this for decades!

Potential contributing factor:
-10yrs ago I had ameobotic dysentery due to bad water in the tap. Very similar symptoms and hard to pin down b/c the tests can easily be negative when you’re actually positive, since finding evidence of them is so difficult. Took antibiotics and next test came back "negative"… given the previous point, I’ve often wondered if I just didn’t get rid of it all the way. But I find it hard to believe that *everyone* here had some kind of parasite that they didn’t get rid of fully. So we’ll leave this in the back for now.

Questions for you folks out there!

-Who here is female and who is male? (I’m female)

-Females: What birth control, if any, are you on? (I’m on low dose estrogen pill. Someone mentioned hormone issues up above. Hormonal birth control can have some very frustrating and odd effects!)

-For those of you eating lots of fresh fruit and veggies. Are you buying organic? Or eating from the grocery store generic fruit? (Yes, I’m probing the pesticide question here. We all probably saw the ADHD article that came out within the last couple weeks.)

You guys!!!!
I love to tell you all it’s been 2 weeks since I’ve had a "puff-up"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Those who I sent the articles to, READ THEM!!!!!

2 WEEKS NO PUFF-UPS!

God that was the LONGEST year and a half of my LIFE

If you haven’t emailed me yet or asked for the articles, my email is blackhole84@hotmail.com
and my name is Karen Pendergrass

UPDATE!

Mother Nature has come to visit and she came on very quietly. No build up pressure due to building of constipation.

I am extremely HAPPY! lIFE IS JUST PERFECT. I FEEL GREAT!

At the end of this week it will be a month and I’m confident with my regime that this bloated pressure with my stomach is done for the rest of my life. And I THANK GOD.

I THANK GOD that my unaware resolution at the beginning of this year to get my irritating health issues resolved has been accomplished.

I for all you to get better soon and that what I wrote in my last reply is helping majority of you!!!!!!

JJ

Hi everyone,

I am glad to find that other people have similar symptoms. I am a white female, 43 years old, and eat a healthy diet (no milk products except for yoghurt or cottage cheese). I am not on ANY medication and do not take even Advil when I am experiencing a bloated condition.

I have been suffering from similar symptoms for over 5 years now…the feelings of being ‘overly full’ (not from overeating) started to appear when I was training for a walkathon, and during this same time I inexplicably gained over 40 pounds. Since that time, the weight has been piling on and clothes, in particular t-shirts, do not fit. I did not seek medical help because I thought this was what "becoming fat" felt like. I am not suffering from constipation (though it feels like constipation; however I am actually very regular) and my periods are also regular and normal (though I do suffer from severe cramps, but have all my life). This is NOT the bloating that occurs before my period, this is a completely different type of bloating, it really feels like I have a watermelon inside me and it is restricting my lungs. I can’t even ‘suck this in’ or contract my stomach at all, it’s not normal.

I have recurrent symptoms of swelling/bloatedness, severe enough that I actually am short of breath and have to "sigh" in order to get a good breath. Sitting or standing is uncomfortable; the only position where I can breath slightly more comfortable is lying on my side. Periodically, I also get lower back/right side aching, where it hurts to walk (feels like a bladder or kidney infection, but tests are clear), paired with night sweats where I am unbearably hot, or where I will be shaking from being cold all night long. More recently, my fever and aching was so severe that if I did not know better, I would have thought I was in labour, as it felt just like labour pains from childbirth (but with no easing up inbetween cramping).

I have cut out fat from my diet for 3 weeks now and my symptoms were improved **so dramatically** that I can actually wear t-shirts and they hang on my body rather than pulling across underneath my breasts. I don’t have a scale, but I would easily say that I shrunk down two full shirt sizes in two weeks. I could bend, touch my toes, suck in my stomach, it was like I was finally normal again! All hope is restored……

I went for an ultrasound today, thinking that my symptoms were gall bladder-related. My gall bladder appears healthy and has no sign of a pebble inside. And then:

Today, again, I am feeling the fullness/bloating again, and very short of breath. Could it be: (a) from the ultrasound technologist pushing around in there today? (b) the fact that I had a bowl of fresh fruit for breakfast? (c) the fact that I ate 2 low-fat cookies yesterday afternoon? Nothing else in my diet has changed and I am disappointed that after 2 weeks of feeling NO bloatedness, it reappeared and I don’t know why. When I am this way, I cannot tell if I am hungry or not because I am constantly feeling full, and often end of skipping meals which is not helpful to my mood!

I do have other symptoms, but not sure what, if any, the relation could be:
– in past couple of years, would have mild heartburn, NOT occurring after eating or being full
– I have a phlegmy cough in the morning ONLY
– very rare but severe coughing/choking fits (too much saliva?) where I usually end up vomiting, or at resulting in broken blood vessels in my face from the violent coughing
– periodic shoulder pain/aching/loss of mobility (which has almost completely disappeared when cut out fat from diet)
– pain in breathing when I lie on my left-hand side (this has been a lifelong undiagnosed condition but it does disappear…but it has reappeared today after the ultrasound technologist was poking around in there)
– recently, before I cut out the fat from my diet, I would get a blister in my upper palate/throat when I ate. I could ‘pop’ the blister and the discomfort was gone – it is not a painful blister. When I cut out the fat, they did not reoccur, but today after eating my bowl of fruit, I got the blister again…..along with the bloating and discomfort.

I would be interested to know, does ANYONE also experience any of these symptoms, I wonder if they are related?

Sorry that everybody is suffering too but I am also thankful that I am not alone. 6 months ago I started getting headaches and lightheadedness for about 2 weeks. After that I would periodically have sharp stabbing pains in my lower left abdomen that would be debilitating, usually initially started when standing and getting a pelvic exam from the gyno. Since then my monthy cycle has been very short. I ended up quitting my job because of these pains and they have since gone away but I am not sure if its from being off my feet or because I got back on the birth control Pill (possible endometriosis). Well my stomach is always swollen now it usually gets worse as the day progresses. I also have dull pain and mild cramping fairly regularly in my lower left abdominal area (doc is trying to convince me it is IBS) and extends into my lower back which is constantly aching, I also feel fatigued quickly, similar to when I was pregnant, if I fight the fatigue I end up with headaches and dizziness. I have always been very fit, I am 26 5′ 3" I have pretty much been a size 2 between 115 to 120 pounds my entire life besides pregnancy. I was able to maintain this weight simply by hitting the gym 2 days a week. I have gained 8 pounds within 2 months of the onset of my symptoms and have been unable to shed anything. I am working out 5 days a week burning 1000 calories a day! Just to stabilize my weight because I can’t lose anything. All the weight is in my lower abdomen, it has grown 3 inches, while the rest of my body measurements remain the same as when I was a size 2. I have had a ct scan of my abdomen and brain, extensive bloodwork including thyroid tests, internal/external ultrasound, std tests, spinal x-ray. They now have me on miralax to check if it is possibly IBS, if not they are going to do laproscopic surgery to check for endometriosis. Please help I can’t keep up this workout routine forever especially with the fatigue and I am afraid to gain weight as my entire family has weight and health problems, this is why I have spend my life being fit.

Have you looked into endometriosis? Its a long shot but I know that symptoms are supposed to get better in pregnancy. I have been looking into this myself because docs have told me it is a possibility to my problems, considering getting laproscopic surgery to find out. Birth control pills are also supposed to help with endo symptoms. But I have read that endo can also cause weight gain and inability to lose weight. So tired of working so hard and getting no results. I feel your pain, good luck.

I used to work in an OB/Gyn clinic doing ultrasound, followed by four years of hospital work. These symptoms do not point to endometriosis. Endometriosis is a condition in which the endometrial tissue (the innermost layer of the uterus) grows in areas where it doesn’t belong, such as on the ovaries and in the bowel. It has been found in other places, but the pelvis is most common. Its biggest symptoms is PAIN, especially during menstruation, because this is when the endometrium sheds, also known as menstruation or one’s period.

The weight gain and the bloating is more similar to my situation. I’m a mountain biker – lots of exercise and I eat well. I do eat some organic foods, low fat, no artificial sweeteners, unless I eat out. I lost my job, last year, and had to leave the town I absolutely loved. I gained 30 pounds just last year. It was pretty devastating.

I tried using Weight Watchers to lose the weight, but this time, it just would not work. I’ve lost 40 pounds using Weight Watchers, before, but my body just would not respond, this time, and I was pretty strict. I decided to try a different diet – the Zone – which changed my carb/protein/fat ratio tremendously. I lost 10 pounds in the first two weeks, now it is slower, and I lost almost two inches around my waist and hips. My energy went way up and my cycling performance has improved significantly. I would strongly recommend trying a lower-carb diet. It is absolutely NOT a low-carb diet, but it has a different balance.

Since starting the zone, my bloating has decreased, my ulcer-like symptoms have gone away, and my bowels are being more cooperative.

I know from professional experience that a lot of women have GI problems – maybe even just chemical problems resulting from the wrong diet, like me – but a lot of these women go through long, drawn-out diagnostic processes because many doctors seem to always start with gynecological diagnostic tests rather than referring the women to a gastroenterologist. Some women go to gynecologists, for EVERYTHING, but this is absolutely the wrong thing to do if their problems fall under the scope of another specialist. If you’re having right-sided upper abdominal pain and bloating, chances are that you don’t need a pelvic ultrasound and a gynecologist. 🙄

Hi, i am a 27 yr old female living in wales, when i was 19, i was suffering from chronic heartburn and lost lots of wight as i was unable to eat anything apart from bread, the doctors decided that i had a scared and non functioning gall bladder and they opperated and removed it, fast forward a few years and the symptoms got worse, the doctors have now had me on lansoprazone to reduce the level of acid in my stomach to that of a polar bear, and following routine blood tests which showed that i had abnormally high liver function tests they did a liver biopsy, which was very painfull, they have now diagnosed primary billiary sclerosis of the bile duct which means the liver will eventually need to be replaced as the bile duct spreads into the liver as a tree and once it has scarred all over it will no longer work. the docs recon ill need one by the time im 40. At present they have me on Ursodeocloric acid (polar bear tablets), i literatly rattle, when u include the pain killers, since they removed my gall bladder i have suffered from being constantly tierd, and have a real struggle to get up in the mornings, have put on wieght that no matter what i do i cant shift, and have bloating that i look pregnant, and i am able to balance a can of pop on top of my bloated tummy. the amout of streach marks that this streaching has caused is unbeleavable. I just wanted to tell people that i was young and nieve and did what the doctors told me, and it turns out that none of them actually knew what was wrong and they were really in the dark and did the first thing that came to mind, as it turns out there was nothing wrong with my gall bladder and after having further tests and scans of my liver it turns out they have left part of the gall bladder in by mistake, so god knows what kind of mess is in there. Please Please Please think things through before you opt to go under the kife as once they have taken bits out they can not put them back!!!!! im thank full that with the medication i can live a realitely normal life, but they are unsure what long term effects the tabs will have or if i will be able to have children of my own, so make the most of what you have and think carefully before u make any big desiccions.

im female and they were unsure due to me having a liver complaint what contraception i could have, before i was diagnosed i tried the pill but it made me nauseous, they then put in the implanon, hormonal tube olaced under the skin on the arm, none of these were any good for me as i had a period every week and was continuously being sick, i have now had a meneva coil fitted which was very painfull as i havnt had any children, and its been in about 2 years, the 1st year i didnt have a period and now they have started again andd im thinking it may have to be taken out before long, all of them have caused some weight gain, and stomach bloating which is quite anoying, hope this helps a bit?

[quote="tulippetal"]Hi,
I have been experiencing the same problem for 10 weeks now. When I eat anything I look 5 months pregenant and I gained 15 pounds. I am currently being tested for various conditions by my GI doctor at Ceders Sinai in Beverly Hills California and I am seeing a nutritionist weekly. I don’t have a diagnoses yet but it seems like I am having problems digesting wheat, dairy, soy and highly seasoned items and high fat, high sugar items. I would recommend you remove all wheat, diary, soy and other items that cause gas such as beans and brocolli. I find when I do not eat these items and I eat small portions of food every 2 hours rather then eating a normal size meal, I feel better and don’t bloat and I have lost 10 of the 15 pounds.
My GI doctor thinks I may have a bactria overgrowth in my small intestine and I am getting tested for that this Friday, July 14, 2006. I will let you know if that is the problem because it seems like we have the same issue.
Please email me at my regular email address kcurran@vantagepartners.com and I can email you the information regarding the strict diet that my nutritionist placed me on.

Let me know how you feel when you remove these items. I hope you feel better I know how horrible this can be.

Sincerely,
Kristi

hi my name is tanya im 29 and ive been reading everybodys posts here. i literally am sick to death of having all these problems like you guys are. lots of bloating, gas, tummy cramps, mood swings, light headedness, nausea, diarrhea, tiredness, excema (or really dry skin), i have been diagnosed with rheumatiod arthritis about 5 years ago but that seems to be under control alot lately. i workout 3-4 times a week in the gym with my husband (whos a personal trainer) and im not really seeing results, something that im eating or not eating is obviously effecting my shape and what not. i dont eat junk foods, plently of veggies and some fruit each day, fish, other meats, eggs. ive stopped taking regular cows milk (even organic) and stopped eating natural yoghurts, i have switched to an oat milk which is gluten free and lactose free. i wanna know if anyone got solid help via seeing a nutritionist or a dietician and can give me some advice. im not on the pill or pregnant, have reduced the amount of coffee i take each day (one small cup now) and take expensive paradox oil (the best quality of fish oil) and vitamins (also the best quality). please im hoping someone can help as im getting desperate! 🙁 🙁

Still suffering from the same issues since January. Bloated stomach (eased by daily miralax), constant crampy pain in lower left abdominal region, weight gain/inability to lose weight with extensive exercise, fatique, headaches, fat build up around love handle area only. Anyway here is a link that I am considering looking into maybe it will help somebody. I am getting used to dissapointment and am willing to try pretty much anything to feel normal again and not have to kill myself at the gym just to maintain my body shape which is 8 pounds/1 dress size larger than I should be. Good luck.

Ive had all the same symptoms, ive had them for going on 4 years now. Ive been diagnosed with i.b.s, possible ulcer, just my endometriosis, gallbladder (stones), and ive been told nothings wrong with me. Went to a stomach doc last month and im having my gallbladder out this friday :), they did a HIDA scan and my gallbladder isnt emptying the bile. I am excited to have the surgery, and hope this is it!

Hello All

The past year I have been experiencing the stomach bloat after everything I ate. Looking 5 months pregnant became the norm for me. I tried cutting out dairy, soy and gluten to no avail.

Recently I took the advice I found in this thread and researched "Leaky Gut" syndrome. I started taking some supplements suggested for this condition and over the past two weeks have had some amazing results. My stomach is the flattest it has been in over a year. I have reintroduced dairy, soy and gluten with no problems and the best part is that my digestion/absorption of food has dramatically improved. Instead of a constant bloat with no real feelings of hunger or fullness no matter how much I did or did not eat I now get fantasically hungry and after eating feel completely satiated. It is wonderful.

So here is what I have been doing. Tons of probiotics (the kind with 50 billion plus good bacteria), constant hydration and "Digest Gold" digestive enzymes. I consulted my Dr. about these supplements and he thinks it is the digestive enzymes that are helping the most. The "Digest Gold" are supposed to be the best on the market. They are expensive, but I highly recommend them. Amazon.com has the best pricing.

I have also been doing some research on kick starting my digestive system so I do not have to take these supplements forever. I found some interesting articles about liver health and how improving your liver will improve you ability to digest food.

I really think my problem is/was that my body was not breaking down food into in energy and instead storing it causing the weight gain.

Hope this helps!

I do not usually reply to subjects such as these, as I am not a doctor. But I have had to learn how to deal with my OWN body over the years, and did not always make the right choices, due to advice I was given (including medical advice). I would just like to say that everyone’s body and digestion are different, no remedy is going to work for EVERYONE….EVER!
Myself and my daughter both had troubles with bloating. I had the bloating, pregnant looking, and weight gain issues for quite a long time, with no relief from changing my diet or taking a few doctors advice. Until I realized a few things. You need to learn what works with your body. If you eat something and get bloated. DO NOT EAT IT!! Or at least know that you have issues with it, and learn to eat smaller amounts of it less often.
When my daughter came to me with her issues, I told her the same. She gained 15 pound in only a couple months and her bra size went up 2 sizes. She was tested for pregnancy, along a few other things, and still no explanation. After she came to me and I explained to her how to listen to her body, she not only lost the weight, the size and the frustration, but she has tons more energy.
Now in my case, it was mostly sugared drinks (Iced-tea was the worst)…tons of milk (I am not intolerant) and quite simply eating when I was not hungry. She agreed she does the same.
One of the biggest problem with people today is listening to what works for others. Diets containing strictly fruits, veggies and fiber and all the good stuff ..does not agree with me. I personally need a little bit of everything to run smoothly. Sound stupid? It’s true. And to agree that eating 5-6 times a day for good health, is ridiculous…not everyones body can handle that the same way. Just eat what you normally do, and if you bloat, find a new strategy for that food, and go on to the next. Eventually you will find what works for YOUR body. That is YOUR diet, and only yours…..simple

Now

Oh ..and I forgot to mention

All the things that do not agree with my stomach….I still eat.
I have just learned how and when to eat them.
Iced-Tea is my favorite thing in the world, but it makes my stomach grow by the day.
So I learned to have 1 glass instead of 3, or only once or twice a week. And I exercise regularly…not because I want to, but because I have to, I am 43 years old and just being active is not working for me anymore.

Good luck all. No one wants to be sick or not feel their best. Just take a minute to accept who you are and what your body is…that made it a whole lot easier for me.

This thread began years ago…as did my bloating, chronic fatigue, weight gain and general unhappiness about the lack of control I have over my body!

I have been tested for Lupus, Fibromayalgia, Chrones Disease, Addisons Disease, every auto-immune disorder, Rhumetoid Arthritis, etc. Everything. Even if it sounded irrelevant, it’s been considered.

I’ve eaten healthy for the last 10 years. I’m only 27. Salads, gluten-free and limited dairy, almost zero carbs and low-sugar foods. I couldn’t eat any heathier. And although I enjoy everything I eat, it doesn’t do me any good. No matter how much I exercise, I can’t do it anymore. My stomach expands so hard and empty, it’s painful and annoying to wear clothes that feel so tight. I can’t even tell the difference between when I’m swelling and when I’m just gaining weight.

I was 125 pounds last summer, when I was at the doctor for a regular visit. I’m 145 now. How…Why, does this happen? I’m so sad, uncomfortable and angry. I’ve seen so many specialists. It’s a joke. Each doctor gives up and I’ve given up on every doctor.

What do I do when I reach this point of unhappiness…when you are so uncomfortable in your own body that you can’t emotionally stand it anymore? I hate how I feel and look. And if I was at least enjoying myself, eating bad foods or drinking too much, than I would welcome the chosen weight gain. But it’s not the life I’m living.

What do I do? I can’t take this anymore? I eat so healthy. I’m a good person. I hate myself in this skin. My stomach is so bloated I look pregnant. My face and feet are fat. I’m tired. I’m sad. And I shouldn’t be. I have a good life, a good job, I’m loved and I’m a nice person. But this so-called "condition" is ruining my ability to live my life normally. WHAT do I do?????? 🙁

I can’t afford doctors anymore. There’s no test that hasn’t been taken. Allergens, deficiencies, white blood cells high, red normal, blood pressure low yet I’m not anemic. Nothing else shows up. I’m not allergic to anything but my own body.

Colobankergirl,

Your posting reflects my feelings for the past 2 years- when the weight gain, bloating, etc really became an issue. I weighted 130 for years, gained 5 pounds and couldnt loose it on my own. Even with the help of a personal trainer 3 times a week (she was a co-worker) and exercising on my own another 1-2 times a week and following a healthy diet, I not only maintained my 5 pounds, but gained an additional 3.

After 6 months of this, and an additional 8 pounds over the past few months, I noticed that my periods were changing- to nearly non-existent despite being on birth control pills. I was feeling very tired- actually falling asleep at lunch. I am now up to 146 lbs. This may not sound as drastic as some of the previous posts, but on my 5’2" frame it’s quite noticible and makes me quite self conscious. I cannot afford, and do not want to, buy more clothes. Ive had all the lab work and everything is negative.

My doctor has mentioned eating a healthier diet and more exercise, but I do so more now that when I was younger without results. Depression also came up- though not an issue. I thought maybe I was pre-menapausal, though my doctor disagreed as I am only 36 and there is no test to confirm it until you’ve gone through it (hormonal tests).

Im going to try seeing a gastro doc and see what he has to say. Its very frustrating and I empathize with everyone.

hi
recently i saw a gastro specialist and dietician as iv had trouble with my g.i tract for 11 years an have been diagnosed with many different things the most useful advice ive been given over the past 11 years was to try the FODMAP diet i think it was developed my a australian nutrisionalist and is about carbohydrate chains in different foods and there are 4 groups which many people cannot tolerate if you look it up on the internet there is a lady called susan shepherd who has some great advice is pretty much changed my life

i hope it helps

Hello Everyone, I am new to this site.

I would like to share info with you & to remind you to always, please do your own homework regardless of what is suggested. Having said that, search all forums ie: allergies, ibs, celiac, crones etc. These forums have a wealth of info & can save us all a lot of pain & suffering & monies.

I had one of my worst IBS attacks these past 2 weeks. The bloating, gas, burping, alternating diarreah & constipation, excruciating pain was off the charts.
I was at the point of screaming, just let me die. I have lost everything over the years, due to this illness. Unable to work, unable to go out & socialize, you name it….I can’t do it. I am so home bound it’s pathetic. I have done the whole gamut of tests, SIBO, Celiac, Crones, etc. Everything comes back negative. I have been in 2 IBS drug studies, which almost killed me. Every year or so, I get back on line checking for up to date info.
Eliminations Diets have NOT worked for me.
I use to be super thin, now everything I eat I bloat like a balloon all over my body. Even strict dieting does not help me to loose weight long term. Water loss is about it. Then it all comes back again.

Pls. check out these things for yourselves, as we all CAN have different causes to this horrible stomach bloating & weight gain.

– Activated Charcoal POWDER FORM: (you have to take to many pills to get the same effect as 1 teasp of powder. Pills not cost effective. Any brand will do just make sure its pure, no additives. IMMEDIATE RELIEF OF GAS & BLOATING…also removes toxins.

– L-Glutamine: Rebuilds intestinal lining, great appetite suppressant, must take with B-6 for proper absorption…so I pop a high mg. Vitamin B complex with it.
This practice over the past 3 days has allowed me to even eat bread again.

– Probiotics: TOTAL WASTE OF TIME & MONEY. Here’s several reasons why…. google search everything I am saying, use the right key words. Remember, most info on the net is posted by ppl selling something. Forums are a great place to find new stuff.

a) Ingesting probiotics, they DO NOT ADHEAR TO INTESTINAL TRACK. They can’t.
check out the famous Australian Dr. Borody. He is the GLOBAL pioneer on this subject.
He also, over the past several years has been doing fecal transplant of friendly bacteria. Yep, you read correctly. Fecal transplant of friendly bacteria from donors, because probiotics cannot adhere anywhere, you just poop them out in a day or two.
Also, check out medical reports on probiotics & placebo effect. hmmm.

b) Intestinal Eco-Balance of bacteria is so complex. I found years ago, by studying Dr. Borody, that the best way other than my flying down there & trying his fecal transplant method (which btw: Last week I found a forum where ppl are doing their own at home!!!)

Google search: FOODS THAT FEED THE FRIENDLY BACTERIA. Years ago, Inulin was not available in Canada. So I went to a European health food store & she ground up some AIR DRIED NOT HEAT DRIED (as heat destroys the benefits) CHICORY ROOT. Now I had my own Inulin. lololol Today, Canada does have Inulin in capsule form. The good bacteria will feed on this stuff, multiply at a blink of an eye and fight the bad guys for territory on the intestinal track. So be prepared for some die-off symptoms….several days & you will feel so much better. You do not want to over-populate the good guys either, as they, along with the bag guys, will expel their own toxic waste into your system, causing more gas, bloating & pain.

c) Probiotics may NOT contain the right good bacteria that your system is lacking. So if any of the billions that were put into the container are still alive by the time you ingest them, and IF out of those few some manage to make it past your stomach acids, think about it……1) are they the right ones? 2) if they have no place to stick, then what good are they? 3) if you mega dose them, then you are contributing to overpopulating a group that is throwing the balance out of whack, therefore you still have tons of bloating.
Research all this. It’s best just to give the good guys the foods they need & they will do the rest to maintain the eco-friendly intestinal balance. Just remember the die-off stage.
EVIDENCE: so many ppl with SIBO complain that when they stop taking the probiotics their symptoms come back. hmmm? Now doe not that say it all.

– See an Endocrinologist: Check Thyroids, Menopause & anything else you can think of.

– Vitamin B-6 & Zinc are necessary for the production of Pancreatic Enzymes which help you to digest food. hmmm, add that to your L-Glutamine & you will not need to buy digestive enzymes. If you rely to much on the store bought enzymes, your body will forget how to make their own, and you will then have contributed to a life long problem. hmmm? lots to think about, eh? (I’m Canadian, just had to throw in our famous eh? lolol)

– FOOD ALLERGIES VS FOOD INTOLERANCE: Full blown allergies do show up on tests. Intolerance’s to foods don’t. hmmm, elimination diet. Here we go again, vicious cycle. As soon I manage to settle everything down & go into remission and eat normal again, for some reason, IBS will kick in again, more vicious than before.

I WANT A CURE TO BLOATING, WEIGHT GAIN & IBS, NOT A BAND-AID, DON’T YOU???
I am sick & tired of just getting things under control only to have them come back when I stop taking $$$$ of stuff.
So back to researching……here’s what I have found these past two weeks on the allergy forums & even on my IBS forum.

*** BioEnergetic Intolerance Elimination *** Please check this out.
I was offered this by a friend of mine for free 2 yrs ago & refused it as quackery, because of my reading about it on Quack Watch.com. Well, this year I did my own homework on the author of that site, and found out that he is the real quack!!!
Check out: True Hope.com
Health Canada closed them down because they were using mega dosing of vitamins to heal Bi-Polar victims. Look at the videos in the "News Room" tab, especially the ones in many parts…..breaks your heart. The True Hope ppl went to the Supreme Court of Canada. Long story short, as of last yr. they are back in business and now, Globally, the entire psychiatric profession is using this treatment strategy in hospitals, even on children. A new direction of medical healing has been finally established.
And this Quack Watch guy still keeps putting them down. hmmm?
So, now that I know about him being the quack, and stumbling upon the " BioEnergetic Intolerance Elimination " method in the allergy & IBS forums, I thought, hmmm, why not.
I have tried everything out there since I was a kid (I will be 58 next mth). I read that they give a money back guarantee, no one else does that, so why not give it a shot.

I also read a pile of testimonials on many of the sites. They will blow your mind. Sound to good to be true, well maybe, but then again, so did True Hope.com & they actually are saving ppl from being locked up in a mental institution, heavily sedated, so I figured, it’s time to try something outside of the box. Money back guarantee says it all to me.
It’s a cure, not a band-aid, and NOT a life long commitment of seeing them forever.
1-4 visits and your done!!!

I found a teaching center of this method in Oakville, Ontario & they have a list of practitioners, one of which is close to me in Toronto. I fired off an email to her yesterday (Sat.) & will set up an app’t to get the ball rolling.

I will let you all know IF this works or not. Keep your fingers crossed for me, because IF it does work, then it’s worth for you to also check it out.

In the mean time, do your own homework on this method.
Read all the testimonial…..I am sure some of them will resonate with you too.

Check out their video: http://www.soulembassy.com/treatment.html

NOTE: I am not selling anything, just sharing! And thank God, that I finally tried the Activated Charcoal powder……my tummy which was on the verge of exploding, when down many inches within a day.

Also check out:

– Low Fodmap Diet by Sue Shepherd (New news for IBS…..this too may help inspire new ideas for you, even if you don’t have IBS)

– What is Fructose Malabsorption Disorder?
http://avthompson.wordpress.com/what-is … -disorder/

– Fructose Malabsorption Disorder
http://sites.google.com/site/fructmal/

***The Diet Cure, take their FREE Quick Symptom Questionnaire
http://www.dietcure.com/Questionnairea.html#

I hope that the info above will help someone out there. Remember, do your own homework.

Me again,

I forgot to mention that the L-Glutamine PURE POWDER (not pills), see instructions on jar,
should be taken 30 min before eating. Remember that it needs B-6 to absorb properly so you might as well throw in some zinc as well to get the Pancreas to start making its own digestive enzymes.

Also, check out:

– Orthomolecular Medicine for weight loss.

– Mega dosing with Vitamin D. (Actually, you really should get a physician to check your Vitamin D level). Many of us are so deficient in this IMPORTANT vitamin.
The D deficiency can & does manifest in many symptoms & illnesses.

Sometimes is just something so simple, yet seriously overlooked.

Just to let you know how our BIE (BioEnergetic Intolerance Elimination) app’t went today. I should have done this years ago. Guessing what to eliminate is NOT the way to go. Best have a qualified Naturopath person check you out for food intolerances.

No wonder my IBS would not go into remission all these yrs.

My food intolerances, although a short list, is the foods I have been eating.

Even tho I would avoid wheat products I was still dying. Apparently I am Gluten intolerant. That is a real bi*th.
And even tho I avoided cooking with long chain fatty acids ie: olive oil (only used it raw), and primarily used coconut oil,
it’s the coconut oil that I am having problems with, along with my True addiction…….coffee!!! OMG!!!

Also,
Turkey, cherries, pork, spelt, green & yellow beans & corn (which I highly suspected since I was a kid.)

Oils to also avoid are Sunflower & flax…..so I guess I have to go back to the old rancid olive oil, that they camouflage with
scents so that we don’t know how really rancid it is. Maybe I should just use Organic Lard for cooking, but I sure do
hate the smell of it. hmmm. I guess now I will get back down to my skinny self again, by avoiding these foods. YEAH!!!

The blessing here is that I am not lactose intolerant. YEAH! lololol I just love my dairy & cheeses.

So all that healthy eating that I have been doing was actually killing me, believe it or not. Oh well, I guess it could
have been worse…..the list of foods could have been much longer.

My mom has to avoid wheat, brewers yeast, bakers yeast and a bunch of other things, but not gluten, she’s lucky on that one.

Well, we both got cleared of our food intolerances today with BIE and I already have been noticing a difference in my
IBS attacks. Yes, it works that fast. Also the so called Die Off experience, my head wants to explode.

So, by tomorrow, I should be able to tolerate the above much better, BUT, due to the seriousness of my intestinal inflammation,
I was advised to avoid ALL the above for a while so that the lining of my intestines will heal. And after that, to take it slow.

I was advised NOT to consume any of my vitamins for now….nothing that would compromise the lining rebuilding itself.

I was also cleared for Amino Acids, as well as Glucagon???, Estrogen & Cortisol (a biggie in the Rome III theory of IBS)

Julie also advises strongly AGAINST pill forms of vitamins bcos HUMANS don’t have the enzymes required to digest them
properly. We only absorb about 10% of them that way…..a total waste of money & health in her opinion.

She HIGHLY recommends for all HUMANS to use liquid forms of supplementation…….ie: the company "Salus" (which can be bought at any health food store) and their products
FLORAVIT (without brewer’s yeast, gluten and honey) Calcium & Magnesium & Vitamin D……or any other types that we need……must be in liquid form.

Capsules are 2nd on the list for absorption and pills the last. hmmm. Good to know for all of us.

Only time will tell if the BIE clearings really worked. I think I will give it a mth of abstaining, that should be enough time for the intestines
to heal, and then I will eat some gluten foods & coconut oil to see if in fact the BIE did get rid of the intolerance.

I will be seeing Julie in 2 weeks to clear other issues, like my cat, mould and dust allergies. We did way to much today.
It will be interesting to see how fast my symptoms clear up after that clearing. That too will be a great test of this procedure, as
it should be immediate, so I will let you know a couple of days after my 2nd session how things are proceeding there.

Apparently BIE is NOT a band-aid treatment, requiring one to spend $$$ on a steady basis. Once cleared of specific intolerances or serious allergies, your done. YEAH!

If my allergies (tested by a MD Allergist) are cleared, then I highly recommend BIE.

I hope that this info can benefit you. If you take away anything from my sharing, take this……you might just be consuming, bathing in, or brushing with something that your body does not like, hence the stomach bloating & gas. Best to check things out in both fields, the MD & Alternative.

Me again. I just looked up Glucagon on Wikipedia & still could not figure out what it does, so I googled searched: Glucagon Weight Loss and now I get it. Insulin & Glucagon come from the pancreas and they determine your weight gain or loss.
This link is a pretty interesting read:

I’m pretty sure, that Wiki has much more (real) info about glucagon and insulin than your spam.

Good Morning to you to…….what a way to start the day, with an attack now from you & not my tummy! And after all the hell I have been physically going thru these past 3 weeks, were my poor mom, 85 yrs old did nothing but cry over my agony. Thank you very much! Spam, listen up JackBean. I was sharing from the heart. I still don’t understand what ppl mean when I read posts in forums of ppl accusing others of spamming.
I will remove that link and just leave the google key words. There are many ppl out there that do not know that key words are so important in searching & to switch them around.

If you BOTHERED TO READ any of my posts you would see, right from the beginning that I said that EVERYONE should always do their own research, regardless of what is posted.
I also pointed out that I could NOT understand what Wikipedia was trying to say. The link I found, albeit an ad, did use plain laymen’s terms…..which I used to find more key words to finally understand the function & purpose of insulin, glucagon & the pancreas.
What I learned for FREE, WITHOUT BUYING ANYTHING, was that I got into all this tummy trouble by following all the internet advise about eating 3 squares a day or even more. I learned that what I was doing in the past……NOT EATING VERY OFTEN, kept my weight down, my health up, and my IBS in check……..So instead of using your own head, take what I have shared, did your own research to find out more information to bring to the table and share with me and others, all you can do is offer sarcasm. hmmmmm. Thanks a lot.

Last night was the 1st night I actually slept, uninterrupted & woke up at 8:30 am, which is a miracle for me. My tummy is still making all sorts of gurgling noises, without the agony of pain and I am finally passing gas from both ends which is a miracle itself, instead of my intestines being all twisted up where the gas was trapped and forcing my tummy into an incredible distention mode, where the sides of my tummy muscles felt like they were being ripped apart. I have not urge to eat anything right now, not even my addiction to coffee. I think what I have learned is NOT to follow the daily food pyramid and to do what I did in the past…..eat when only hungry. That is what I took from that man’s video on youtube…..and it was FREE advise. Spam, I still don’t understand what that means when ppl are trying to share info and not sell anything. hmmm???
Have a nice day. And thank you for NOT sharing what might help any of us.

Oh, I just noticed that that link was removed. So I guess that the problem is solved. Thank you.

So, am I to take from this that my sharing is NOT appreciated? That I should not continue to post my progress regarding the BIE treatment that I had yesterday, and the avoidance of the foods she found to be intolerant to MY body, to see if it really does in fact really work or if it just is a placebo affect on my part?
I thought that the purpose of forums was to share info on what is working for some, rather than just posting complaining, symptoms or just sarcastic remarks to one another.
Like I said, I still don’t understand what spam means. Would you pls explain it in real non tekkie laymen’s terms to me please.

Hopefully, this may help some you….I’m a healthy 42 year old woman – married with a teenage son, and work fairly long hours. I’ve read so many comments on this site, and empathise wholeheartedly. Bloating, pain, clothing that has to accommodate three or four different sizes in one day, and frustration at just wanting to have aa ‘normal’ stomach can be really depressing. No wonder some of us have been prescribed anti-depressants! Despite doctor visits, scans etc., I’ve had no real diagnosis but I know now what causes it. There’s a history of ‘nervous stomachs’, colitis, some serious allergies and auto-immune diseases in my family, so through this, I found out about Salicylate intolerance. Salicylate is a naturally occuring chemical in plants, and is in many foods – especially high levels in fruits, vegetables, beverages (including coffee – my favourite). Once I have a ‘build-up’ in my system coupled with some stressful times at work, my stomach bloats to pregnancy size. My feet swell – I have night sweats – feel incredibly tired, foggy, depressed and ‘dis-engaged’ with the world – sometimes I can’t even drink water without bloating when a reaction takes hold. For the past two weeks, I’ve been eating tomato on crackers for morning tea – thinking the tomatoes were ‘low acid’ – they weren’t – also been chewing gum to lose weight – bad move – so I’m trying to ‘Sylicylate detox’ this weekend. I feel better even after 12 hours. I hope this information reaches many of you in case Sylicylates are your problem too. 😉

Just do not post advertisment and comercial links.

WOW, AUSSIE:

YOU described my symptoms to a T.
I just made some posts about the BioEnergetic Intolerance Elimination treatment I am going thru.

I have never heard of Salicylate before. (btw: google search has the spelling different from yours, is this the same thing?)

Thank you so very much for the heads up!!! I will look into this immediately.
I have been scouring the internet for gluten free recipes. Looks like I have to invest into a bread machine & bake my own bread! Yikes! But at least there is no kneading with GF baking. lolololol

Gosh, I wish we were in the Star Trek era already, where the Dr.’s just waved a scanner over our bodies, pushed some buttons, and we were immediately fit as a fiddle. :)))

Thank you for sharing.

Great News…..They think they have found the Cause!

ScienceDaily (Aug. 20, 2010)

Professor Michael Schemann’s research team at the TUM Department for Human Biology has managed to demonstrate that micro-inflammations of the mucosa cause sensitization of the enteric nervous system, thereby causing irritable bowel syndrome. Using ultrafast optical measuring methods, the researchers were able to demonstrate that mediators from mast cells and enterochromaffin cells directly activate the nerve cells in the bowel. This hypersensitivity of the enteric nervous system upsets communication between the gut’s mucosa and its nervous system, as project leader Prof. Schemann explains: "The irritated mucosa releases increased amounts of neuroactive substances such as serotonin, histamine and protease. This cocktail produced by the body could be the real cause of the unpleasant IBS complaints."
For FULL story click link
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 … 141950.htm

Hi CheeMiss,

Thanks for the post of Schemann’s theory – very interesting. To me, the term ‘histamine release’ certainly suggests that the body is trying to ‘attack’ something it doesn’t like. Actually, that’s what it feels like too…like there’s a war waging in my stomach and I’m on the sidelines, waving the white flag. There’s alot of good info about Sylicylates on the web – here’s one that particularly good as it provides the (long) list of symptoms, explanations, food tables etc…http://salicylatesensitivity.com.

Thanks for your reply
Take care 😀

Hi Aussie,

Thank you for the link. Yes, I have been checking the Salicylate Sensitivity since you pointed it out to me. I will look this link up too. Thx.

I found a better web site for the German Research…it will blow your mind. Just put what ever into their search window. They are making amazing new research discoveries even with nano technology

After reading about the over abundance of histamine, I popped one of my Claritin tabs this afternoon.
I have 4 tabs left, I will monitor my tummy over the next 4 days.
The BIE that I had this week, did not have time to clear my allergies, that will be done on the next visit and that will be the true test if BIE actually works.

The abundance of histamines makes sense, especially if one already has either food intolerances or allergies. And with the Serotonin & the Protease thrown in the mix…..yep, Now, I sure can understand why we have so many weird symptoms.

So far, eating WHITE rice based meals is such a bore. I think I also have a problem digesting the olive oil that I put on the rice noodles today. But it will be interesting to see if the Claritin, being an antihistamine does anything for the tummy.
I rarely use the tabs, I always try to get rid of symptoms naturally, but I have them on hand just in case things get really bad. But now, with the IBS cause discovery, I will pay special attention to see if they help.
My tummy is still pretty bloated, but the serious, horrendous pain has greatly subsided since the BIE session.

I am waiting for my Dr. to book an appointment with a new G.I. that I found on Rate M.D.’s (dot)com
which patients say thinks out side of the box. I will take this new found info to him and see if he will work with me on the Ketotifen drug, see below. Perhaps you too should check this drug out with your doctor.

btw: on this new site, at the very bottom, I found the drug (Ketotifen) they were testing the histamines with. Even the IBS forum has posted their findings. Everyone is so excited.

Quote from below link, found at very bottom of page:
"The mast cell stabiliser ketotifen decreases visceral hypersensitivity and improves intestinal symptoms in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Gut. Online vorab veröffentlicht unter"

Here is the German Research link:
http://www.research-in-germany.de/51200 … =8240.html

Hi Aussie,

Guess what I found on the SS forum you gave. Quote: I and a few others here are taking a drug called ketotifen (I am in the UK too and asked my GP to prescribe it) and we are finding it to be helpful.
It is a Mast Cell stabiliser.

That is what the German Researchers used!

I found that quote on this page, by: lindyd 8 hours ago: http://salicylatesensitivity.com/forum/ … e=1#Item_0

I’d love to check out the German research – do you have a web address?

Salicylate sensitivity/intolerance is responsible for many things – interestingly, it’s also directly linked to behavioural disorders in children and depression/anxiety and oppositional defiance behaviours in adults too. I know that when I have ‘attacks’, it’s not just physical, it’s very much an emotional reaction also. Basically, I can’t face people. Making the simplest of decisions is ridiculously difficult. I’d like to think I’m a generally well-organised, amiable, fun-loving person – but when an attack hits, I’m none of those things – and that’s sad.

If you’re sensitive to Salicylates, that olive oil on your noodles will keep your stomach bloated. Not sure about Claritin – many drugs also have salicylates – asprin being the worst. Even inhaling eucalyptus can strike a blow. As it’s fairly new, beware of ‘old’ information – best to keep with the updated foodlists.

This website is wonderful: (sorry, meant to give you this one earlier)
http://www.fedupwithfoodadditives.info/ … 2.htm#food

The Ketotifen looks very promising…at present, I think I know what my body likes/dislikes – just have to keep health up there in the priorities and not let work pressure win. I’m like you – not keen on taking drugs – panadol is my limit, but if Ketotifen is going to be your answer, then that’s a small price to pay for ‘normality’.

Best of luck 😀

Hi Aussie,

*** Yes, I posted it at the bottom of my previous post, but here it is again so that you don’t have to search for it:

http://www.research-in-germany.de/51200 … =8240.html

*** Also, I found the trial for Ketotifen on the SS site, forum, that you gave me in your last post to me.
here is the page with the trial: Zaditen (Ketotifen Fumerate) TRIAL:

http://salicylatesensitivity.com/forum/ … e=1#Item_0

It looks like you and I are behind the news on this treatment. I am so excited! I will definitely see my doc about this and also testing for SS. That way I have all my ducks in line for when I meet up with the new G.I.

The other 2 G.I.’s that I have seen these past 5 yrs., never tested me for anything. Only the good old colonoscopy…..yuk…..and then pushing me to be a subject for IBS drug trials. They were testing some sort of psychotic drugs……I WAS GOING THRU HELL, BEGGING TO QUIT….but they begged me not to. The last drug study, last year almost killed me. They had to cut the dose to almost nothing, but they would not let me quit.

So, I am looking forward to this new G.I. who apparently "thinks outside the box", present him with the German Research findings as well as the SS forum members using the Zaditen (Ketotifen Fumerate) TRIAL, and get him to start me on a monitored treatment right away.

In the mean time…..I will follow the SS diet. I did look over the food chart, and I do seem to have problems with the foods that rank high. So it won’t hurt me to just focus on the foods in the low dep’t. for now, just until I get properly tested for SS.

THANK YOU SO VERY, VERY MUCH FOR SHARING. YOU OPENED MY EYES TO ANOTHER POSSIBILITY FOR MY MISERABLE CONDITION.

BLESS YOU!

Hi Aussie,

I have found something interesting to read. Apparently they use it in conjuction with Ketotifen.

Check out this page:

Clenbuterol and Cytomel — Fast and Easy way to get rid of excess fat

http://www.articlesbase.com/health-arti … 65774.html

That SS forum you gave me, sure has given me a lot of hope for using Ketotifen. The IBS forum is still just talking about it. I left that forum last yr bcos the moderators always put down anything that someone says worked for them. One of the mods always quotes the ROME III & earlier research. He does not like when someone with SIBO claims they have IBS. He still picks on ppl, even when they have healed themselves. hmmm!

So it will be interesting if anyone over there will be brave enough to try Ketotifen. lololol

Hi Aussie,

I guess that I am in such a hurry to feel better that I am jumping ahead of myself. I came across this web site again. I read it years ago and dismissed it as voodoo snake oil…..and here I am doing cold laser with BIE. lololol This web site is pretty informative. Read all the way thru and click on the links along the way. Further down the page, there is a link for a DIY Allergy Kit. This home kit looks pretty interesting. It does what the BIE treatment does. hmmmm. I think that I will hold off with the Ketotifen drug for now & buy some Benatryl to tide me over until my next visit with BIE where they will do the allergy treatment. If it does hold, I would rather by the kit & do it for myself down the road.
I am by no means trying to sell this to anyone. I am just sharing. Since having the 1st treatment with BIE, I now know the ropes, so to speak and that is why this home treatment seems appealing to me. hmmm, more to think about.
I hope that they don’t delete the information web page. Knowledge is power, and the more we share with one another, then our lives will change.
Allergy Escape.com
http://www.allergyescape.com/allergy-cure.html

I don’t recommend the NATE program bcos they make you buy a whole bunch of very expensive vitamins & enzymes, with their label, claiming that they are superior to other brands. With the BIE & the home kit cold laser, there is no need for supplements.
I had a Kirlian photography taken of my body 2 yrs ago at a Health Expo and it shocked me. My entire chakra, energy system seamed to be shut down. Only a tiny bit of the chakras were visible and some not at all. Yet my friends pic came out brilliant. She was in great health.
hmmm, that got me to thinking about the energy treatments via these methods.
Just sharing….it’s time that WE start thinking outside of the box rather than hoping the doctors will. After all, they are trained by schools supported by the Drug Companies.
Like my cousin who is in her last year of Medical School said "Auntie, if it were not for mum & you telling me about natural cures, I would not know anything, bcos we are only taught how to use drugs."
And I think that that says it all!

I’m 16 years of age and i’ve had reflux since a baby. I get really ‘random’ flares of bad wind, sharp pains and sickness. However, i’ve just started to bloat, i weighed myself a week or so before i bloated, and now i only weigh 2 pounds more so i know it isn’t simply weight gain. If anyone knows of a way to just ‘soothe’ the bloating that would make me feel a LOT better about myself (as i’m very self conscience anyway.
Thanks.

Hello Calista,

This is only my opinion, based on my many years of similar symptoms. I recently had muscle testing done & was told I was gluten & wheat intolerant along with a few other things incl coffee. Apparently coffee is really harsh on the intestines. Google search: effects of coffee on intestines bowels acid reflux.
Soooo, my suggestion is that you google search: gluten free diet or gluten free foods.

It’s been 2 weeks since that diagnose by the ppl at BIE & today was my 2nd visit. I dropped into our local health shops for Soba Noodle (a real safe food & great for weight loss & bloating) and the ppl told me that I lost a ton of weight!!!! YEAH!!! My tummy went down a huge amount & my swollen face as well.

Try eliminating all wheat & gluten containing foods & see how you feel. You should see results within days.
Also, my favourite site for home remedies is: Earth Clinic (dot) com
They are really big on Organic Apple Cider Vinegar (AVC) in a glass bottle with the mother. Not the kind you buy in a local grocery outlet & definitely not in a plastic container. Just in case you also have to much acid or candida. So check out what others have tried to heal themselves over there.

Just remember to read labels as gluten can even be hidden in lipstick.
The sneaky so & so’s! lololol 😉

Hi Calista,

I forgot to mention that your local health food store also carries Rice Noodle Pasta in assorted shapes & sizes, along with the Organic wheat/gluten free (read ingredients on pkg) Soba Noodles.
Try including Yams or Sweet Potatoes and assorted Squash’s into your diet…..before you know it, you will not miss the Wheat & Gluten products that may be giving you your problems.
Also google search: The Elimination Diet…….that is a free/inexpensive way to see what foods your body is intolerant to. It’s a much harder path, but pretty accurate. Don’t buy The Elimination Diet from anyone online, as you can find it for free if you just look for it.

Good Luck
🙂

I am now 56 but about 8 yrs. ago for some reason my belly distended.There was no bloating or gas my belly was big and round and hard. The first 2 weeks I gained 15 lbs. then during the next 2 months I gained an additional 40 lbs without changing what I ate. Also I felt like my body was toxic like I had been poisoned and could not be touched without it causing me pain. I am only 5′ 3" so I ended up weighing 200 lbs. and my body felt like it couldn’t stretch anymore without tearing open. I also felt something on the upper left quadrant of my abdomin like a water balloon inside my body. I was so scared doctors wouldnt do all the test’s needed as I have no insurance and cant have a medical card either. I went on Atkin’s Diet lost some weight but ever since then have had a belly that makes me look pregnant its not as hard and round as it used to be and the feeling of something being inside me that doesnt belong there is still with me. I have still got weight issues no matter how much I work at losing weight. Some weight is creeping up on me now as I have once again reached 175 lbs. 24 yrs ago I was hospitalized and checked for Mono and then Luekemia and told I didnt have so was going to be checked for Lou Gherig’s Disease and never was. But the doctors did find that I had lots of immature white blood cells and my spleen had tripled in size. Well now I have been bitten by a tick and have either Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever or Lyme Disease and have 6-7 more days before I know what it is that I have. Anyway during my research it looks possible that I may have had some kind of tick-borne illness before. I hav been at my wit’s end with this and gave up trying to figure this out but pray that someday GOD will let something happen so that I get to know what this is. I was always a small person until 8 yrs. ago. Anybody out there have ANY ideas?

Hi Debl and WOW, you poor sweetheart…..what an ordeal!

Well, seeing doctors 1st is a must, as well you know. Your condition does not seem like something to mess around with by searching the internet. There must be some sort of clinic/hospital that sees patients without any health insurance. There just must be…..search around for that 1st.

Having said, apparently histamine in the body in overdrive mode, does create a lot of problems.
pls. google search: mast cells, ketotifen and search around the links for something that matches your description. Again, gee wiz, I wish you found a proper hospital that would look into this, just to rule out major other things.

I found a German Research web site, state of the art nano technology, that just this past Aug., found that we have more neurotransmitters in the gut instead of the brain and that the mast cells are misfiring causing all sorts of problems as they are releasing a cocktail of histamine, protease and serotonin. Until now, all GI’s that gave a colonoscopy & took a bit of tissue to test, were NOT equipped with a Stain kit…..so that they could not see a low level of inflammation and that is why the mast cells went crazy causing my problem with IBS.

Since then, I am finding more & more info as to the trouble all these mast cells in the intestines are causing. For me, I am taking Ketotifen an anti-histamine for asthma patients, but I am also finding that K., is being used for other problems as well. So you might check out problems that mast cells are creating. Keep switching around the key words in your search. ie: mast cells create health issues; list of health issues mast cells create; cause of mast cell over producing histamine etc., you get the idea.

Anyway, it all boils down to food intolerances, believe it or not…..but more and more info is now popping up to support that fact.

Perhaps a good Naturopath or someone along those lines that does muscle testing for food intolerances would be a cheaper start for you.

Good Luck and don’t give up being your own doctor. 🙂

Hi,
I have been suffering from the same symptoms; bloating, breathing difficulty, big belly… someone suggested that my stomach bacteria could have been destroyed by antibiotics or for some other reason. They suggested that i try probiotic (a form of the bacterias) and i was wondering if any of you have tried this and where i can find it.
thanks

Hello Gsweden,

I am so NOT a supporter of probiotics. WHY? I’m glad you asked that question! lololol
Because of many reasons and the 1st & foremost is bcos they are a waste of monies, they are just a TEMPORARY band-aide. In other words, they do not stay in your system, you poop them out by the next day. They have no way of adhering to your intestinal track.

Next important reason. You stomach dumps the food directly into the small intestine which is super long. There should be NO bacteria in there what so ever. The small intestine is strictly for digestion only. From there, the food is dumped into the large intestine, also very long, and that is where the colony of our bacteria’s, good and bad live. They are already adhered to the intestinal walls and constantly fight for territory. Keeping them in an eco-friendly balance system is the key. If one eats nothing but the foods favoured by the bad guys, ie: candida, then they will win the battle and take over more territory. Probiotics cannot get rid of these guys. What you have to do at this point is google search: Foods that feed the friendly bacteria, and eat those foods. But that too takes so long. Or what if the good guys are over populated? hmmm. Or what if the probiotics that you buy are not the correct bacteria to help you with your problem in the first place. More and more proof of what I am saying is coming to light. Don’t read the web sites that are selling this stuff. Find the medical web sites. A great place to start is read about the pioneer of the bacteria transplants from health human donors, Dr. Borody, Australia.

There are a bunch of other reasons, but those are the 2 most important ones.

Also, what is coming to light since the German Research companies discovery of the cause of IBS, is that most intestinal problems are cause by food intolerances. The cheapest way to go is to find an Naturopath who does muscle testing to see what foods you are intolerant of. Even the naturopaths with limited knowledge about the eco-balance of the gut bacteria colony will promote probiotics, but if you do your homework b4 seeing one of those, you will just say it’s a band-aid and not a cure, that you want to re-build your intestinal linings and what to take for that.
I was advised by a member in the IBS forum to use L-Glutamine powder and to stay away from probiotics. here is the link to that page:
http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/index.ph … heres-how/

Keep in mind the author knew he suffered from SIBO (small intestinal bacteria overgrowth)
If you are doing the hit and miss guessing, like most of us did in the past, you will suffer longer and be out of a lot of money with no cure in site.

The Bioenergetic Intolerance Elimination (BIE) treatment that I finally stumbled upon got me fixed up pretty quick as they do the muscle testing and permanent removal of not only your food intolerance but clinical allergies as well. This past Wed., was my 2nd session and she could only incl. one of my clinical allergies into this treatment, as we are still addressing my intestines…..cat allergies. I woke Thurs morning with much less head congestion. hmmm. The 3rd session will address my other clinical allergies and I will have a better handle on knowing if BIE really does work. btw: they also test for parasites and candida.
Since I gave up the foods that they found that I was intolerant to, my tummy has gone down so much that every where I go, ppl comment on the incredible weight loss in such a short time.

So if I were you I would have 2 things checked out, food intolerances and SIBO’s b4 attempting to fix anything. But then again, that is only my opinion.
I sure did waste a lot of time, health & money trying to diagnose myself. I hope that you too will not make that mistake. All I know is finally, after all these years of suffering, I am on the mend now.

Good Luck 🙂

Hi CheeMiss,
I see you made here your little Queendom, didn’t you?

Well, the bacteria are all around, even in your stomach and small intestine. How do you think they go to your large intestine? Through anus or mouth?
You eat plenty of bacteria each day.

Thank you for your sarcasm and jealousy of my efforts to share INTELLIGENT knowledge & even suggest that ppl do their own investigative homework.

I would like to ask you one thing…….are you actually, really serious????
The bacteria in your mouth and every where else IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT to that of the bacteria in the intestines!

I strongly suggest YOU do your homework…….I have no crown nor am I a queen, but I am making an effort to share knowledge & have civil discussions, what are you sharing?
Your sarcasm and lack of knowledge?

Try google search words like:
– intestinal bacteria versus mouth or anus bacteria.
– Dr. Borody Australia fecal transplants
– where does intestinal bacteria come from
– different types of intestinal bacteria
– why probiotics do not stay in the intestinal track
– purpose of intestinal bacteria
– food intolerance, histamine, stomach bloating
– food intolerance histamine health issues
– food intolerance histamine treatments cures
– food intolerance cause of weight gain

I strongly feel if you made your own effort to look things up, you would know more and would post helpful advise/opinions/share to those in need of it. bb 😉

Well, educate me, how do you get the bacteria into your gut? 🙂

Hi,

I started noticing I looked pregnant also. I also eat well and exercise. I went to the doctor and told her I felt bloated and would feel bad after I ate. I also had a loss of appetite and would get full really quickly. She tested me for H. Pylori and it came back positive. I am treating it with the Prevpac and it should go away. I would suggest getting tested for it. It can lead to ulcers and stomach cancer if left untreated.

Wow, great post here because it is very educational and informative. Thank you all who have made your post here. It is really helpful.

————
Dub Turbo Beat Maker Software

Hi have been looking for answers to this terrible and ongoing problem with stomach bloating. I woke up on Monday and my stomach looked like I was nine months pregnant. As one lady described on the forum that it looked as though she had swallowed a basketball. I haven’t been able to eat much since then because my tummy is so tight and full. Actually I feel a bit scared to have anything much in case I pop.
Anyway I think I might have found some answers today…I hope. Three weeks ago I had a tooth extracted and was put on a course of antibiotics. I found some apple cider vinegar in the fridge and decided to take a tablespoon everyday because it is good for you. A week ago I developed thrush and have been taking antibiotics since then.
Google Candida: How to cure your symptoms. THIS COULD BE THE ROOT TO ALL OUR EVILS!

quote by JackBean » Wed Oct 06, 2010 10:24 am

Well, educate me, how do you get the bacteria into your gut
______________
Ok, smart people. Educate me too. I am going to try probiotics, because I do not know any other way.

Eat. Anything. There are very few foodstuff that would be sterile.
Touch your mouth with your hand…
Plus remember that unless you have been raised in a bubble, your gut has been quite filled with bacteria since almost day (hour?) 1.
There is not proof that probiotics are any better at sticking inside that any other bacteria coming through any other way.

I had to take antibiotics to get rid of some bad bacteria. So after reading all the comments on this blog (yes, I read all 32 pages before this page), it seems that I must need to repopulate the good critters. At least that seems like a place to start, and see if it works.

I do not understand the comments that probiotics do not "stick". It seems to me that any critters will reside the same as any other critters.

I appreciate all of the comments. I hope that everyone finds a solution for what is causing their basketball tummy. It is horrible. I’ll let you know if probiotics helps after the antibiotics.

I’ll summarize here my observations after having read all 32 pages of comments. Maybe this will help someone who does not have time to read all of the comments:

1) Doctors seem to be clueless in their diagnosis of bloated stomachs.
2) The people on this blog who say they have been cured, did so in the following ways:
a) 1 HCL tablet/Pepsin tablet before eating (needed more stomach acid)
b) consuming acidic food, especially grape juice, possibly apple cider vinegar, vitimin C, or cranberry juice
c) probiotics, especially if you have been taking antibiotics
d) digestive enzymes from a vitimin store

Good luck. Let us know what works for you.

It seems that You & Jack Bean seem to have something in common, or you both are one and and the same person. You just post for the sake of posting without educating yourself.

You seem to think that eating yogurt or taking a probiotic that may have a handful of live bacteria in it by the time you buy it and put it in your mouth is going to miraculously cure you, IF that handful can even survive the stomach acid!!!??? Or what IF that handful is the wrong strain & is rendered useless against the strain you are trying to kill or what IF you are over populated with that strain in the 1st place & it is the reason for the bloating as there is an eco-balance war going on.

You also seem to be under the same delusion of Jack Bean that all the critters, as you call them are the same species so that just taking yogurt or probiotics is going to kill them!!!???

If it were that easy, then people would not have died from stomach ulcers, or the millions of ppl that suffer from intestinal problems. And what about Candida, which is the hardest to eradicate.
ALL CRITTERS AS YOU PUT IT ARE NOT THE SAME……PERIOD! Sheeesh, talk about misinformation!

If you did read all the posts on this site, then you would have done your own research as to the links, doctors or nutritional info that was left for others to research to educate themselves as to what does and does not work.

Probiotics are a band aide plain and simple and anyone with SIBO’s WILL ATTEST TO THE FACT THAT WHEN THEY STOP USING PROBIOTICS THEIR PROBLEM COMES BACK WITH A VENGEANCE.

And pretty much everyone who does their homework, also learns that these parasites ARE ADHERED to the problematic area of the body……they just don’t float around. And that is why they win!

If a person suspects that they have SIBO’s, then they would be wise to get a medical check up to confirm this and to find out what species of SIBO they have and take it from there. All critters are NOT the same and different measures must be taken to eradicate them.

Not all antibiotics are the same, they target specific bacteria’s, therefore it would stand to reason that all critters are NOT the same………period!

well, you still didn’t tell us, how you get the special bacteria, if they do not survive in the stomach…