Aibu to ask you to help me figure out why I'm so effing bloated?

[DextersMistress]

It's been going on for about 9 or 10 months now, every time I eat my stomach goes massive. I'm not exaggerating, I look 7 months pregnant. I saw the GP back in December who said I was constipated but surely that wouldn't still be the case? Blood test for celiac came back negative.

Please help me figure it out, can post a pic if it'll help.

[shushpenfold]

Keep a food diary, noting when you're eating gluten/wheat, dairy etc. A Nutritional therapist whom I knew said that you often experience symptoms on the meal after the meal containing the thing which sets you off - in my case gluten and although not coeliac, most definitely intolerant. I can cope with it in an evening meal only and if i have days in a row when I go off the rails, it deteriorates fast,moving from bloating to diarrhoea. Good luck.

[NewLife4Me]

I was like this for some time and never found out what it was. I still get it sometimes now.
It could be a food intolerance and I found that cutting out white bread helped a lot.

[QueenOfNothing]

You can still be sensitive to gluten even if a celiac test came back negative.

I'd certainly eliminate gluten for a few months to see if it helps. (Gluten peptides can stay in your body for around 6 months)

I'd also probably eliminate dairy to see if that was the problem.

[londonrach]

Brown bread is my killer. Id keep a food diary.

[SaveOurBogBrushes]

Sorry no advice just sympathy - I had someone offer me a seat on the bus once during a particularly bad bloating period. I wasn't even offended as I DID look pregnant:/

[Drgonzosattorney]

Have had the same problem for years! It seemed like every time I ate I felt uncomfortable. I've been squeezing half a lemon in boiled water every morning and I do feel a bit better . It apparently aids digestion. Hope you get a remedy though.

[DextersMistress]

I'll start keeping a diary, thanks.

Does anyone think the implant could have a factor in this? The start of it coincides with me getting the implant.

[fairfat40]

Yep, I have same prob, haven't been tested for coeliac dos I can't face eating 4 slices of bread a day, but I am so much better for not eating wheat ..

[Sallystyle]

I spend most of my life being bloated.

Sometimes I look 9 months pregnant.

All I know is that it is much better if I eat like a hamster.

It's horrible and I fart all the time but after years and years of it I have not been able to notice a pattern. My mum is the exact same way as me as well.

[MarchelineWhatNot]

I had this. My stomach would be huge about half an hour after eating. On my doctor's advice, I cut out all wheat (bread, pasta, biscuits) and it stopped.

[SaucyJack]

The implant is as good an explanation as any. My get up and go turned into a sit down and eat Pringles within a couple of days of having it fitted :-/ I also look about 6 months gone.

Are you eating more since having it fitted, or is it all just bloating from your usual diet?

[elizadolittlechoc]

Bet you are skinny, OP. No one would notice if I was bloated. Cutting down and bread and pasta helps me. Rice and potatoes don't bloat me, but judging on the strand about people's daily diet I am just eating way too much ????

[SniffsAndSneezes]

Same thing happens to me OP! I'm usually a size 8 but I get so enormous I've been offered seats on the tube I tried cutting out gluten but it made no difference (although if PP is correct about the 6 month thing it may not have been for long enough). I've been tested
For coeliac and thyroid function, been told it may be a touch of IBS and taken mebeverine but again no difference. So if you do ever find out what it is let me know!

[ghostyslovesheep]

don't just cut out some food stuffs!

do you have other symptoms, is it related to your cycle?

I would go back to your GP and ask for further investigation

[DextersMistress]

Sorry for everyone else suffering. I do eat more since having the implant and have put weight on but the bloating is something else. I'm not skinny eliza but not particularly fat either. Comfy size 12. I'll try and post pic from today...

[elizadolittlechoc]

Dexter, definitely get it followed up. If simple dietary changes aren't helping, investigations are needed. Implants don't suit everyone, but more sinister( sorry to say) possibilities need to be ruled out ASAP.

[DextersMistress]

Not a great photo but my boobs are dd if that puts it into context.

[mrwalkensir]

Look up FODMAPS en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FODMAP . I've only just discovered this. Have had years of pain/bloating especially with fruit, cheap bread (Cranks brown wholemeal much better), milk - waist measurement pretty much doubles in size. Since going low-FODMApP, my whole gut has been happier

[londonrach]

That is noticeable. Do you get any cramps. I have ibs and if i eat brown bread my tummy feels like its twisting within itself. Really think you need to keep food diary and visit gp.

[mrwalkensir]

Good idea londonrach. Re the cramp thing - ate half a small pack of minstrels at work the other day. Despite having taken lactase pills, was in so much pain half an hour later that had to go home. And when I was probably in overload, a pizza session literally made me feel like my innards were scoured out. Symapthies extended to all ...

[ghostyslovesheep]

see I have IBS and suffer horrible bloating but it was coupled with feeling full, pain and sometimes not being able to sit down

blood tests etc did indicate possible serious issues - in the end it was more adhesions and endo - plus IBS

do follow it up with somebody medically trained to give advice x

[QueenOfNothing]

This Site says gluten takes at least 3 - 4 months to leave the system.

I'm certainly not suggesting go gluten free for 6 months and do nothing else. But equally going gluten free for 2 weeks isn't really long enough to find out if gluten is the problem.

It probably takes longer than 2 weeks to work out how to go gluten free! You have to read every single label........

My DD used to get a lot of bloating, and I kept trying gluten free, and thinking that wasn't the problem. But it was the gluten. She just had to go properly gluten free for a while (can't remember how long) for the bloating to go. Certainly a food diary wouldn't have shown a link.

[DextersMistress]

Other symptoms:

My stomach aches as its being stretched so much I think.

I have bad wind sometimes with the bloating.

poss tmi coming up
I also have piles, which used to come and go but have been constant for around a year. I bleed from my bum everyday (bright red) and get a lot of dark brown jelly like mucus.

I told the GP about this in December, she diagnosed irritated piles.

Periods are all over the place, I'm currently on for the 4th time in 6 weeks.

I'm pretty much fucked aren't I

[MadauntofA]

Stopping dairy made a huge difference to me - bloating, cramps, wind+++ and terrible headaches but took a few hrs after eating to start. I stopped for 2 wks and felt amazing, tried a glass of milk and had symptoms +++++ so now figured out what dairy I can and can't eat. A food diary made it obvious for me

[Downtheroadfirstonleft]

I had this and sorted it out by (in desperation) cutting out wheat and dairy and only eating minimal chocolate. Don't know exactly what he problem was, but this seems to keep it under control. Good luck!