Tmi possibly! Trapped wind?

[sophie150]

Help! Sorry if tmi...
Have had a very very gurgly and crampy tummy for 24 hours. Feels like bubbles popping in my tummy and I was awake in pain for a couple of hours last might. I went to boots today and the pharacist said I Must be constipated (which didn't feel quite right as I had a bit of diarrhoea in the night.) He said nothing was licensed for pregnant women off trapped wind.

Have had a bit more diarrhoea so really not convinced re the constipation (and regret the fybogel I took 2 seconds before running to the toilet (it can't have worked that quickly surely)!

Does this sound like trapped wind? And are there any OTC medicines I can take? I'm 18 weeks .

Can't wait to get my normal digestion back - I've never burped so much in my life! Luckily DH finds it quite amusing!

Thanks!

Oh I sympathise. Trapped wind can be really agonising, and yup, sounds like that to me. Windeezz say they are safe to take in pregnancy on the packet. You can also buy peppermint oil capsules which are safe (think they are called colpromint or something similar, sorry, I can't find the packet!) - they might not say on the packet but my doc prescribed them to me and you can also buy them OTC. Cutting down wheat may help as it's a very gas producing food and everything is sitting longer in your intestines so there is more time for that gas to build up. I found I had to cut wheat out almost entirely in my first pregnancy but didn't struggle with it second time round. Drinking pepermint tea (from tea bags or just put boiling water onto fresh mint leaves) can help and warm hot water bottle/wheat bad on your tummy is very soothing.

Thanks so much. Some good tips- I haven't had bread for a couple of dats and feel so much better! So maybe reducing the wheat is the answer...

I find yogi teas 'stomach ease' (from health food shops) helpful for tummy problems, worth a try?

Believe it or not loose stools can be a sign of chronic severe constipation. When did you last open your bowels fully?

The reason this can happen is because if you are constipated you are so bunged up somewhere that what you are eating and putting in the top end has to go somewhere, the loose stuff finally finds it's way down past the blockage and ends up being diarrhoea, it's actually called 'overflow' google it. If this is overflow and not diarrhoea it will be very watery indeed and you probably won't have much control over it. Not fun! If you suspect overflow, I would ring your GP tomorrow, it's not serious but would be if you didn't act on it as you would become unbearably uncomfortable and would need to phone the GP anyway! A skilled healthcare professional would quickly work out which of the two it is if you can't decide for yourself.

GP could simply give you a mega dose of Movicol or something similar if it is severe constipation, very gentle and safe for baby (I'm taking 1/2 a dose a day as my progesterone supplements are causing me to be stubborn) hope this has helped.