Has anyone found anything that genuinely helps persistent bloating?

[PrincessofEuphrania]

I am 56 and am constantly suffering from bloating. I was diagnosed last year with mild diverticulitis after being referred to the hospital because of change in bowel movements, bloating etc.

My stomach is huge by the end of the day, embarrassingly so. I can’t wear anything remotely close fitting anymore.

The latest thing I’m reading about is apple cider vinegar but I’m concerned as it says it keeps you regular and I really do not need any help in that direction 😁.

Has anyone successfully beaten the bloat?

I find intermittent fasting helped with evening bloat.
I finish eating at 6pm and wait until 10am to eat the next day.
i used to get quite bloated by the end of the day, but not since I started fasting (about 18 months ago).

Not successfully yet - but following as I am trying to get to the bottom of mine as fed up of looking pregnant at 53!

So far:
Abdominal scan - not liver, kidney, spleen or gallbladder
Uterine scan - numerous fibroids, but not big enough to cause bloating this size. So full of gas could not view ovaries

Poo test - ok

Many blood tests - just taken, to be discussed at appointment next month

Other possibilities - IBS, food intolerance, contraceptive implant (16 years, due to come out) colon/bowel issue - Gastro visit might be next step

What have they checked so far for you?

Thank you for your messages. I have tried intermittent fasting but it didn’t work. I might give it another go.

I had everything from my waist down tested! They removed a few polyps from my cervix and from my colon. Could be food intolerance I tried cutting out lactose but was a bit half hearted as I hated the taste of the milk and probably didn’t do it for long enough to see any improvement. I think I will have to try that again.
its such a pain.

For me it was anything with yeast or pasta. Both make me so unbelievably bloated, it was so uncomfortable. Also fybrogel sachets twice a day.

Same here but if I fast and cut down/out white bread/pasta that helps enormously.

Peppermint oil capsules help me a lot.

16:8 intermittent fasting with lower carbs intake has helped. I have endometriosis and it's really helped. I drink a lot more water when fasting too so I think that is also helping. I also take vitamin D and probiotics. (I take Omega 3 and vitamin C as they are also helping with endo pain)

Stopping eating the stuff that I find ferments inside me.

For me that's beans, peas etc. So no soya, chickpeas, butter beans, peas, lentils. I can get away with a few green beans or a few mange-tout.

I bought a low FODMAP diet book, looked through all the lists of the different types of FODMAP and clocked there was one that left me consistently more ill than others.

I can’t eat bread/pasta/potatoes etc but I do find Wild Dose really helps.

Another one who swears by intermittent fasting and working out food triggers

It's a faff to work out what sets you off but it leads to a much more comfortable existence afterwards!

Assume you are not eating white bread, pasta, pastry etc? And sugar?

I've found a mix of things helped
Very little or no bread
Actimal drinks/kefir/live yoghurt
Intermittent fasting

Yes, I was constantly bloated for almost 2 years and kept taking charcoal tablets which helped a bit but eventually I worked out I had become intolerant to many of my staple foods. Quinoa which I used to regularly eat is one the worst things for me, swells me up hugely. I also can’t have soy mince anymore and some types of beans - I’m vegan so this has been particularly annoying. I rinse beans very throughly now as there are things called saponins and something else in beans that cause bloating but throughly washing them before using drastically cuts the levels down. I also switched to sourdough bread (I buy brands without oil added).

Then I tried taking a probiotic every morning and this has given me my flat stomach back. It’s a little annoying as needs to be taken when first waking up with no hot food or drink within 30mins of taking and some days I just want my coffee but it’s a small price to pay as it has helped me so much. I use this one -https://www.naturesbest.co.uk/live-bacteria/probiome-everyday/

For me, the issue isn't white vs brown bread, it's nasty vs good quality bread. I can eat unlimited amounts of bread in Italy or France but anything in the UK that comes in a packet is hopeless....

For me, other triggers are beans, many vegetables, most fruit

It’s very interesting reading about all of your experiences. I am a vegetarian so quite a lot of pasta and beans are consumed. I think I’ll get the probiotic mentioned above and also seriously monitor my food. I now think that coffee causes me to bloat or is it the cows milk in the coffee? Aargh!!

I'd start with your diet, as laborious as it is to go through it systematically.

Do you eat a lot of sugar? Bread? These can cause issues.

Losing shed loads of body fat. No idea why it helped but I got sick of being chunky so I doubled down and lost about 18kg and not only did I obviously become slimmer all over but I lost my menopausal belly and don’t get bloating anymore c

Just looked it up and found this:

Losing weight post menopause likely reduced evening bloating by lowering visceral fat, which is metabolically active and can increase inflammation and bloating in the abdomen.

Yes, same age as you OP, and a 12-15 daily hour fast gives me back a (very) moderately flat stomach and a comfortable digestive system.
I really need to start again..

Cutting out certain foods has helped me massively, no more pizza or pasta!

Oh yes, and limiting gluten. Gluten = bloat for me.

Yep. When I'm full keto Im suddenly less bloated within a couple of days reaching peak non-bloat at 7-10 days. Low carb is anti-inflammatory so it makes sense.

Definitely working out food triggers is key. White bread (and as a pp has said, bad quality especially) is a big thing for me, or most white foods (maybe they're more processed?). I started taking these gummies a few months ago, and it was honestly a game changer for me. No bloat, and no IBS symptoms after certain foods any more (I couldn't leave the house without emergency buscopan in my bag!). I mainly got them for peri menopause symptoms, but the gut health was an interesting bonus. I would say that I've not noticed an improvement in anything peri wise, but my guts are like new!! https://ankhway.com/products/mushroom-gummies?tw_source=google&tw_adid=793001133275&tw_campaign=21821090597&tw_kwdid=kwd-2259976867430&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21821090597&gclid=CjwKCAjwnZfPBhAGEiwAzg-VzL-PLgtO4rVhqJMgSpb4Z2PcNGrrLsc-n43H9W8qRSqzvoNraa0pOBoC4QIQAvD_BwE

I forgot that I gave up caffeine a year ago. It didn't cure the bloating but certainly helped with IBS type symptoms. I don't think there is anyone thing in my case that helps but more a combination of things making a small difference.

Low FODMAP is the most likely thing to help. But somewhat restrictive.