# Bloating results from whatever I eat-- what is it?



## Alternative Solution (Feb 12, 2011)

I'm not sure if what I have is IBS, but I know there's something wrong. It's been the same way for as long as I can remember, which is only about 4 years (yeah I have terrible long-term memory). I'm 21 right now, and for all I know there may have been stomach issues for most of my life.No matter what I eat, it seems to cause bloating. I also pass gas a lot, and burping too. Burping is usually voluntary, though it seems necessary and seems to be one of the few ways to relieve the uncomfortable bloating. I don't understand what it is. I've had blood tests, an upper GI endoscopy (scope through the throat), stool tests, and x-rays. Everything so far has come up normal. It could be IBS. I have OCD and general anxiety, so that seems to support the possibility of IBS, based on what I've read. Still, some things don't seem to add up. For example, the types of foods that irritate my stomach seem unusual. Like I said, everything I eat seems to cause bloating, but one of the biggest offenders is soup. It's just canned beef and vegetable soup, and it wreaks havoc on my stomach. Even water seems to cause bloating! Also, I don't think I experience either diarrhea or constipation regularly. I almost never have diarrhea, and constipation-- well there could be some of that, but I have bowel movements usually twice a day. I've tried using Miralax, probiotics, extra fiber, and more water, but none of that seemed to do much of anything other than make me have to use the bathroom more. After weeks of using all that, I still experienced bloating. I have a few theories of my own, but they're not very good. I basically just tried to think of things I do that may be unusual.I figured it could have something to do with posture. I've often watched TV in bed, and when I do this I prop my back up so I'm somewhere between sitting and lying down. I'm trying not to do that so much since my spine bends in ways it shouldn't when I do it. It affects my posture for sure-- but my stomach? I don't know.Here's another theory: Maybe it's bacterial? For years I've had a nasty habit of never brushing my teeth. Yeah I know, that's bad. I figure that bacteria from my mouth might get dragged along with my food and cause the bacteria in my stomach (or intestines) to be overpopulated. However, I've been brushing my teeth at least once a day for the past 3 weeks and no changes so far.My final theory: Maybe it has something to do with my respiratory system? I've noticed that my breathing always seems unsatisfactory to me. Maybe that's because of my bloating and not the cause of it, or maybe it's not connected at all. I don't know. I get out of breath after running for just a little while, but that could simply be because I'm out of shape. I do walk a lot, but for much of my life I haven't done much running.Those are really all the ideas I have. All I know is I want to get this fixed. It's very hard sitting down and doing school with all the uncomfortable bloating, so I want to fix this before college. I'd appreciate any help you can give me.


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Do you use any digestive enzymes or probiotics?? They may help...


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## Alternative Solution (Feb 12, 2011)

BQ said:


> Do you use any digestive enzymes or probiotics?? They may help...


I did use probiotics. They may have helped...it's just kinda hard to tell you know?


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## BQ (May 22, 2000)

Have you ever been tested for SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth)?Here is some info:http://www.medicinenet.com/small_intestinal_bacterial_overgrowth/article.htm


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## Alternative Solution (Feb 12, 2011)

BQ said:


> Have you ever been tested for SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth)?Here is some info:http://www.medicinenet.com/small_intestinal_bacterial_overgrowth/article.htm


No I haven't. That could very well be the problem. Although, when I asked a GE specialist if the problem might be bacterial, he dismissed it saying that there's tons of bacteria in the body that we need (no really doc?). Maybe if I bring up SIBO specifically he might not immediately dismiss it.


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## somewhereiniowa (Sep 30, 2011)

I have the same problem and have been tested for EVERYTHING!! I think my issue is because I don't know how to burp. I hear that it is an actual medical problem that has a name, dysfunction of the belch reflex. Doesn't sound like that's your problem though because you said you do belch. I did the testing for SIBO, food allergies, food intolerances, stomach emptying study, ovarian cancer, you name it, I did it. Everything comes back negative. Which is good!!! But it doesn't give me an answer to my problem. I was also taking Aciphex but this was after I complained about bloating. But I went from being bloated after only eating to being bloated 24/7 due to the Aciphex. I quit taking it. I am not talking about a little bloating I seriously bloat like I am 8-9 months pregnant. I actually have to walk like I am pregnant because of the huge belly. Trying alternative methods now. I am taking olive leaf extract and couple teaspoons of honey each night. I hope you find an answer soon. Please update us if you find anything out. I would really like to know!!! Good luck!


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Sometimes bloating after meals is an inappropriate response to eating. There are meals that will cause any human (even perfectly healthy people) to have bloating.When they feed those meals to people they do find that digestive enzymes (the prescription version) with pancreatin in them can reduce bloating and I find the OTC version can reduce that post meal bloat thing on the rare occasions I get that.You may need to play with size of meals and amount of fat. The meals that will bloat anyone tend to be high-fat and large (like Thanksgiving feast meals). Some people do better on 5-6 small meals a day rather than 3 larger ones.


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## Alternative Solution (Feb 12, 2011)

somewhereiniowa said:


> I have the same problem and have been tested for EVERYTHING!! I think my issue is because I don't know how to burp. I hear that it is an actual medical problem that has a name, dysfunction of the belch reflex. Doesn't sound like that's your problem though because you said you do belch. I did the testing for SIBO, food allergies, food intolerances, stomach emptying study, ovarian cancer, you name it, I did it. Everything comes back negative. Which is good!!! But it doesn't give me an answer to my problem. I was also taking Aciphex but this was after I complained about bloating. But I went from being bloated after only eating to being bloated 24/7 due to the Aciphex. I quit taking it. I am not talking about a little bloating I seriously bloat like I am 8-9 months pregnant. I actually have to walk like I am pregnant because of the huge belly. Trying alternative methods now. I am taking olive leaf extract and couple teaspoons of honey each night. I hope you find an answer soon. Please update us if you find anything out. I would really like to know!!! Good luck!


Thank you. I will definitely let you know if I find anything.


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## Alternative Solution (Feb 12, 2011)

Kathleen M. said:


> Sometimes bloating after meals is an inappropriate response to eating. There are meals that will cause any human (even perfectly healthy people) to have bloating.When they feed those meals to people they do find that digestive enzymes (the prescription version) with pancreatin in them can reduce bloating and I find the OTC version can reduce that post meal bloat thing on the rare occasions I get that.You may need to play with size of meals and amount of fat. The meals that will bloat anyone tend to be high-fat and large (like Thanksgiving feast meals). Some people do better on 5-6 small meals a day rather than 3 larger ones.


I already eat 5-6 small meals with low fat.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Have you tried the digestive enzymes? Not the all vegetable ones, but ones with pancreatin in them?The enzymes also are signals, and we don't respond to plant signals, but animal ones are close enough.


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## somewhereiniowa (Sep 30, 2011)

Kathleen M. said:


> Have you tried the digestive enzymes? Not the all vegetable ones, but ones with pancreatin in them?The enzymes also are signals, and we don't respond to plant signals, but animal ones are close enough.


I know you are not asking me but I went and looked at my digestive enzymes and mine do not have pancreatin in them. You mentioned earlier that it was a prescription kind. I didn't know there was such a thing. What is it called? I will ask my Dr to see if he can prescribe me some. Thanks!!!


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## Alternative Solution (Feb 12, 2011)

Kathleen M. said:


> Have you tried the digestive enzymes? Not the all vegetable ones, but ones with pancreatin in them?The enzymes also are signals, and we don't respond to plant signals, but animal ones are close enough.


No I haven't tried that. Maybe I'll bring it up to my doctor. Can I get them prescribed?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Creon is the prescription version.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10489912 is the article if the doctor wants to look at that.This is a place I buy (have a store near me) and you can order online http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/search/controller?N=0&Ntk=SiteSearch&Ntt=pancreatin&Nty=1&D=pancreatin&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Dx=mode+matchall


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## SarahLund (Aug 16, 2010)

Have you tried possibly halving the amounts you eat. Just another suggestion really. But i found i don't get as bloated as i used to. Sometimes we eat subconciously.


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## Alternative Solution (Feb 12, 2011)

Kathleen M. said:


> Creon is the prescription version.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10489912 is the article if the doctor wants to look at that.This is a place I buy (have a store near me) and you can order online http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/search/controller?N=0&Ntk=SiteSearch&Ntt=pancreatin&Nty=1&D=pancreatin&Ntx=mode+matchallpartial&Dx=mode+matchall


Well, the article says it's for high fat meals. Would it be relevant to someone who has low fat meals?


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## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

omg--185 grams of cookies--what a fun research study--sign me up--lol!but seriously--thanks for the suggestion on the digestive enzymes, Kathleen. i'm a vitamin shoppe customer and i've been looking for a good digestive enzyme--think i'll give it a go.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

I don't eat high fat and it helped with my post-eating bloating.With health controls you have to do something that will cause distress and it takes a lot more to do it to them than it does to us.


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## paraAdrian (Nov 5, 2010)

I am always bloated , I hate It and It has taken a big toll In my Life. I've gone to see so much GI doctors and no one could come up with a solution , they have done all type of test on me and everything comes back negative witch is good but at the same time It sucks cause I don't have a answer to my bloating problems. I also have taken all type of probiotic and ensymez and nothing has worked out for me , so I feel your pain this ###### sucks.


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## Alternative Solution (Feb 12, 2011)

paraAdrian said:


> I am always bloated , I hate It and It has taken a big toll In my Life. I've gone to see so much GI doctors and no one could come up with a solution , they have done all type of test on me and everything comes back negative witch is good but at the same time It sucks cause I don't have a answer to my bloating problems. I also have taken all type of probiotic and ensymez and nothing has worked out for me , so I feel your pain this ###### sucks.


It really does suck. Can you let me know if you find an answer? I'll do the same.


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## pretordan (Nov 22, 2011)

Wanted to respond. I have very similar symptoms. I used to get a lot of gas, now it's mainly stomach gas that takes hours to find its way out. In the morning is when most comes out, but it will start building up in the evening. I went on cipro and I was about 90% better some days, 80% on others, but overall I was always >50% better even after the first day. I was never 100% though in that I would always at some point during the day get the rumbling feeling of gas being made.I am starting align now and am renewing my bottle of digestive enzymes. I will take both religiously and will see what happens, but so far they hadn't helped. My symptoms are startingto come back now that I've been off the cipro a few days.


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## sprigzie (Oct 26, 2011)

I have the same issues plus loads of others. I find taking colofac before meals helps. And the most important thing is to eat regularly and SLOWLY. Eating fast causes u to swallow loads of air.


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## Alternative Solution (Feb 12, 2011)

pretordan said:


> Wanted to respond. I have very similar symptoms. I used to get a lot of gas, now it's mainly stomach gas that takes hours to find its way out. In the morning is when most comes out, but it will start building up in the evening. I went on cipro and I was about 90% better some days, 80% on others, but overall I was always >50% better even after the first day. I was never 100% though in that I would always at some point during the day get the rumbling feeling of gas being made.I am starting align now and am renewing my bottle of digestive enzymes. I will take both religiously and will see what happens, but so far they hadn't helped. My symptoms are startingto come back now that I've been off the cipro a few days.


That's interesting. I've seen a few people on here saying that antibiotics really helped. I'm not sure I want to go with Cipro though, because I read that there is an increased risk of tendinitis and a bunch of other side effects.


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## imike12345 (May 18, 2010)

Hi All,I have the same issues. I really think mine are all bacterial as this all started for me after taki g antibiotics for a sinus infection. I'm better some days and not others. I went on a low carb diet and that helped for awhile. Now it's not helping much either. I always feel bloated. My GI has given up. I think I may have SIBO, but I am not sure about taking more antibiotics as that is what did this to me in the first place. I have a follow-up GI appt next month and may mention it. I just don't know what to do anymore. I've tried everything and I feel bloated all day long. Any other suggestions would be appreciated.


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## AIRPLANE (Mar 15, 2004)

Same issues here. I just recently read the book on SIBO and for 2 weeks now I've been trying to follow the advice in the book. I am avoiding sugar, eating mostly gluten-free bread and cereals (though that wasn't mentioned), using lactose-free milk (because lactose is a hard-to-digest sugar), NOT snacking as he said that you should allow 3-5 hours between eating to encourage what is called the 'cleansing waves', and also trying a slew of various supplements, including digestive enzymes and grapefruit seed extract, but have noticed no benefit- and maybe even am worse. I had just starting taking psyllium but when I read the book it said to avoid things like that because it would likely feed the bacteria, if one did have SIBO, so I stopped. Well, I decided yesterday to try taking psyllium along with some of my supplements after reading that some people do this to try and help carry and disperse the supplements in the small intestine and I thought it made sense. Well today was a horrible day for me at work- passed gas constantly and of course overheard the expected comments. Having to go to work like that makes me feel as though I'm being thrown to the wolves! You're right- it gets real old real fast and doesn't help my job performance, either. And people who don't have this problem seem to blame it all on you and make you feel like a disgusting, worthless slob- no matter what you say (to those few that will even LET you try and explain it!) I've never been tested although I've heard that they can give false results. I'd be willing to try the Rifaximin even though I know I'd probably have to pay for it myself and it isn't cheap, if I could find a willing doctor. I am currently on a waiting list to see the only gastro in my area- apparently he's backed up with patients and I've been waiting several weeks to get a phone call for my appointment date. And I have no way of knowing whether he's into things like SIBO because there are still some docs who won't consider it until there has been what they think is enough evidence that it is an issue.I've had IBS for nearly 30 years but the gas and bloating really flared earlier this year. I was put on a course of Flagyl and Cipro by a doctor over the phone because I was so bad I was eating almost nothing and I was getting weak and dizzy. It did take the edge off of it but didn't get rid of it completely. I either needed a longer course or something else. According to the book, it is also a good idea to follow any treatment deemed successful with another prescription like erythromycin to encourage the 'cleansing' waves that are supposed to keep SIBO at bay which I of course didn't get. And I would also probably stay away from sugar and regular milk for awhile. I have also seen where zinc was recommended afterwards to heal the intestinal lining, as well as L-glutamine.So we'll see. I need to find a gastro who is willing to be thorough. Too many of them only want to deal with one thing and then leave you high and dry when you know there could be more than one issue causing the problem but they don't seem to think you're worth their time to try and find the culprit.


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## imike12345 (May 18, 2010)

Yes, it's frustrating. I called my GI doc today. He wants me to try FODMAP diet and see how that works. I feel like I have tried so much, but I'll give it a go and see. I had had a lot of tests but not a whole lot of small bowel specific tests, so I'm thinking it's something to do with that. But we will see at my next appt. Does your issues interfere with daily life? Mine does, every single day, and it's frustrating. Not a single day goes by for me right now without feeling bloated and thinking of my stomache. I have a whole counter full of things i tried. It would be nice to just have at least one day where I have zero stomache issues. Sigh.


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## faze action (Aug 6, 2009)

Alternative Solution: I didn't read every single post in this thread, so someone may have mentioned this, but you should get checked for SIBO (lactulose breath test). The test isn't 100% accurate (what is?), but it'll give you something to go on at least. I saw you took cipro-flagyl once and said it helped a little. I was DXed SIBO a couple of years ago and rifaximin really helped me initially (didn't solve the underlying problem, but really helped with my symptoms). It is expensive if you don't have insurance that will cover it though, unfortunately. Here's another link about enzymes as well. I took the H-Zyme-Prime stuff for awhile (should be available OTC or via mail) and it helped me with bloating, which was the main symptom of the SIBO.My link


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## AIRPLANE (Mar 15, 2004)

[quote Does your issues interfere with daily life? Mine does, every single day, and it's frustrating. Not a single day goes by for me right now without feeling bloated and thinking of my stomache. I have a whole counter full of things i tried. It would be nice to just have at least one day where I have zero stomache issues. Sigh.[/quote]Absolutely- it makes going to a full-time job utterly miserable. Plus my job is very physical which seems to exacerbate my symptoms and then they last all day. I'd be better off doing something where I didn't have to move so much. Of course, in my case, I know that it is due to adhesions which get pulled and stretched when I move and my gut doesn't like that.I'm hoping that the gastro that I am STILL waiting to see will be open to considering SIBO. If I could get tested for it, and 'IF' it showed positive results, then maybe I could get him to consider adhesions as a cause because those interfere with the cleansing waves which leads to SIBO. Otherwise, if I did have SIBO and was able to treat it successfully, it'd only return if it's due to having adhesions.I too have a ton of supplements sitting on shelves, most of which haven't helped. I'm sticking to the no-sugar, low-carb thing. Though I can't avoid it entirely as all of the milk substitutes, i.e., Hemp Milk, Almond, Coconut have some type of sweeteners, even the plain-flavored ones. I was using lactose-free milk but for now have stopped that as well so am trying the alternatives. I also bought a popcorn popper. I never see popcorn listed as either good or bad on any of the diet plans so assume it is OK. I figure it is something to help fill me up and also has fiber that doesn't seem to cause gas. I of course wouldn't want the microwave type because of all the ingredients. I'm trying to avoid foods with a lot of artifical stuff- just eating whole foods.


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