Suggestions for bloating?

[PipIsOutNow]

Hey guys!!

I'm really suffering at the mo with horrific heartburn and acid reflux. Im also feeling really uncomfortably bloated and full of wind. I'm not constipated which is something, in fact I had a hideous bout of diarrhoea last night :/

I just can't get comfortable because of this bloating. It's awful. I'm only 15 weeks too!! Any suggestions on how to improve the situation? Or get rid of the discomfort? Gaviscon cures the heartburn but is there anything I can take for bloating and wind? What is the bloating caused by?

Peppermint capsules are good

Where would I get those spice?

Holland and Barrett type places I would think. Peppermint tea is good too.

What is the bloating caused by? Is it trapped wind? Will peppermint relieve that? I'm so uncomfortable :(

Rennie deflatine. Gastric reflux can cause flatulence according to my Internet research (I suffer from both!) so they are likely linked.

Rennies aren't absorbed into the blood (they just sit in the stomach, do their work and then come out the other end!) so you can basically eat them like sweets if you need to. NB this is not what the label says on dosage, but the "not absorbed into your blood" bit is true and the rest my own interpretation.

Bloat is the worst - I find exercise helps, swimming is particularly helpful. Go easy on the rennies though, if you get reliant on them your stomach will start to over produce acid to counteract them and you will end up with worse reflux than you started with. I did this and ended up vomiting up chalky acid (contradictory, but you know what I mean). Your GP can prescribe something for reflux which reduces acid production and is much more effective than rennies.

Peppermint is great for trapped wind, yes. Sympathies, the bloatedness is horrid in the latter stages of pregnancy.

I'm only 8 weeks pregnant but look about 5 months pg because of bloating , I've got bad ibs which has got a lot worse because of the pregnancy I think, so have been watching your thread OP, but is there anything that will help with bloating if you've not got reflux?

Pregnancy hormones slow down digestion so bloating is due to more than the usual amount of undigested food in the gut, and trapped wind. Exercise is in all honesty the best was to speed things up and it really does help. Try some brisk walking panda, or a swim.

Other things that work for me: well cooked bulky veg at lunchtime (not evening as that makes reflux worse) e.g courgette, or green beans; fruit such as bananas and apples rather than things like strawberries; lentil or bean dishes (again at lunchtime); drink lots of water.

I don't think there is a magic cure as such, but try different things until you find what helps you.

Pip, sorry for delay.

I have IBS so mine was on free prescription but you can get them in H&B type places without it. I take one before each meal and it works well (as long as I remember!)

Peppermint tea also good, as someone else said and I would jut have a few teabags on you if you're out and about - so you can drink one when you feel really bloated.

PS my bloating got a lot better after about 12 weeks but I feel for you, I wanted to 'pop' myself with a pin at times!