Please help my terrible, awful digestion

[dogsandcoffee]

It’s got worse and worse and worse. I’m forever constipated. Usual poop situation is a couple of malteser type things. Often bloated. Forever burping. Often getting acid reflux and abdo gas pain that means it hurts to touch my abdomen from the boobs down. Last three days have been awful. Very painful stomach from late afternoon onwards. Feel awful.

I’m on GERD meds already. I eat prunes to try and get my bowels moving. I’ve upped my fruit and veg already.

Help!!!

My GP referred me to a dietitian. She put me on an exclusion diet. This is a very limited diet for two weeks, then start adding foods back in, keeping a diary to record results. If a food is causing problems, it's more evident if you reintroduce after you've excluded it. My triggers were dairy, wheat, potato, onion, brassicas, pulses. I'm better eating soluble fibre and cutting down on high fibre foods - so courgettes rather than cauliflower, and definitely no allbran. Fybogel sachets are an easy way of getting soluble fibre, although natural ispaghula husk or psyllium husk seems to work better - a spoonful in a glass of water, miraculous. Tradenames lepicol or regucol

I've no idea if it would help you, but I find Pret's smoothies get things going (which personally I don't want!), specially the Berry Blast. There must be something similar if you're nowhere near a Pret. I blame the apple juice, but I may be wrong.

Also, coffee, fresh and strong. And a lot of brisk walking.

And carbs bung me up, too.

@user1464279374

Controversial (maybe) take but try limiting or lowering your fibre intake. I can tolerate white bread but not brown, cornflakes but not weetabix etc. Try to get soluble sources or just lots of fruit + veg. My digestion verges on "normal" when I do this but I'm in severe pain otherwise (have mild ulcerative colitis).

One of DHs consultants talked about removing high fibre for constipation as fibre swells in your stomach/bowels. wholemeal bread makes him constipated now. It can be a real trial and error to see what works for you.

Have you had a camera down your throat?
I have hiatus hernia and had h.poly infection.
It could be a number of diff things effecting you all at the same time.

Not sure if I’ve been tested for h pylori, I’ll ask. Haven’t had any cameras down my throat, no.

Careful of which fruit and veg you’re eating, some types can aggregate digestive issues, I was advised to avoid green, leafy vegetables which was weird to hear given how we’re all told they’re great!

I don’t think it would do any harm to try and improve your gut bacteria with probiotics and diet (kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut are meant to be good).

Also, anecdotally it’s a ‘thing’ that a significant amount of people notice an improvement in their symptoms following a colonoscopy. The bowel prep basically flushes your system so well that that it can reset things and sort people out, at least temporarily. I wouldn’t advise seeking out bowel prep strength laxatives unsupervised but I think taking that into consideration it’s worth thinking about upping your water intake and adjusting your diet to have a ‘flushing’ effect.

Do make sure you’ve been tested for coeliac. It could be causing all this and the fact you’ve recognised you’re intolerant is already a sign. The thing is if you are coeliac you have to cut it out completely even traces so likelihood is even if you’re broadly speaking avoiding it it could still be making you ill. I had terrible acid reflux for upwards of a decade and within days of being diagnosed it vanished never to return.

Hrft but you need to try the fodmap diet.

Could you try dulcosoft for a few days to get things moving.

Are you still around OP? I've just come across your thread and I am experiencing everything you describe. I have read many threads about various, slightly familiar symptoms but have never came across one that matches my own symptoms 100%.

I've done a home H.pylori test which was negative but my GP wants me to take another test, provided by them. They've also asked me to provide a stool sample so they can check for traces of blood/inflammation. They might be waiting a while for that 😬

She has put me onto omazeprole for a second time with some mild laxatives and suppositories with an aim to help the constipation side.

I've had all of these symptoms for over two years now so was hoping they'd just send me for a camera down the throat, at least.

It would be great to hear how you're getting on?

Add fennel seeds to water and boil. Strain and drink

Have you had the check of your stomach for reflux? And antibiotics? A camera down there - I know it doesn’t sound nice but it can be important to do this for persistent reflux.

also don’t eat late at night or drink tea after early afternoon. As soon as you lie down the reflux will happen.

For constipation - Drinking adequate fluids is very important. Fibre also but water or fluids is the thing.

It's a zombie thread, I resurrected it 😬

If those replies are to me - thank you!

SIBO

For constipation - Drinking adequate fluids is very important. Fibre also but water or fluids is the thing

This is crucial. Some meds for constipation just aim to introduce more water to the bowel. Also, more fibre means even more water required.

What time are you taking GERD meds at? Are you taking them 30 minutes before eating anything in the morning? Are you taking them daily? Do you drink enough water and get exercise? I ask because, you could be describing me a few months ago.