# SWOLLEN STOMACH AND ABDOMEN



## Gingerflossie

Hi! EveryoneI'm new to the site so forgive me if I make a total mess of this!I have MS as well as IBS and can't seem to rid myself of a very swollen abdomen - I look VERY pregnant!My Doc says it's because my muscles have been weakened by the MS - no feeling and no exercise because I can't!Is there ANYTHING that may help? I don't know what to eat - everything makes me swell up!Sorry! This is a sad and self-pitying tale!LOL! Sandie.


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## Trixyinaz

Sandie - Sorry to here about your illnesses. I can't comment on MS, but I do know that IBS and IBD can cause bloating. I get it and sometimes look very pregant too. I just posted this in one of the other forums, but for your convenience I will post it here too. I'm not sure if it will help, but it's worth a try.The following information is from the *"Listen to your Gut"* book by Jini Patel Thompson


> quote:If your bowel movements are not too frequent (between 3-5 per day) but you are getting a lot of discomfort and cramping from gas and bloating, follow the guidelines listed below...Eliminating yeast, sugar and oil from your diet for a while often resolves this problem.


Here are some other things to avoid:
Alcohol
caffeine (don't forget chocolate has caffeine in it)
decaffeinated coffee
carbonated drinks
cabbage family vegetables (especially onions)beans
lentils
raw vegetables
roughage/high fiber foods
hot/spicy foods
deep-fried foods
processed foods
preservatives
MSG
nitrates
margarine or butter substitutes
artifical sweeteners
carrageenan
Things she recommends you reduce:
cheese
cream sauces
milk products
sour, vinegary, acidic foods and condiments
tomatoes, tomato-based foods
citrus fruits (consume fruit in isolation)
garlic
ginger
cumin
Things she says you can eat:
6-8 glasses of water daily
japaneses green tea
very weak chinese tea
decaffeinated english tea
diluted fruit juices (no citrus)
well-cooked carrots, peas, zucchini, pumpkin,
potatoes, yams, acorn, butternut, and spaghetti *squash, avocados, cucumbers, regular and shi!ake mushrooms, seaweed, tofu
2 eggs daily (good for diarrhea)
medium to non-oily fish (sole, cod, seabass, monkfish, salmon, tuna)
shrimp
scallops
chicken
turkey
extra lean beef
lamb (this gives me heartburn so I stay away from it)
pork
sushi
japanese grilled fish
pasta
brown rice
cous-cous
millet
amaranth
quinoa
kamut
tapioca
spelt
cream of wheat cereal
dry curd
60% whole wheat bread
well-ripened bananas
watermelon
apples
mango
papaya
canteloupe
cold-pressed sesame, flax hempseed or sunflower oil
light extra virgin olive oil
basil
oregano
cilantro
thyme
tarragon
fennel
rosemary
turmeric
soy sauce
I just got this book and it couldn't be more accurate on how to reduce the gas/bloating (of course I never put two and two together until I started looking back at my food journal). Ever since having this past flare up, I was reduced to a liquid diet and then slowly was able to add in low fiber foods. Looking back at the past 5 weeks, my gas and bloating have diminished drastically. However, this past week I've been eating a lot of candy, been having 1 cup decaf coffee every morning, had some alcohol, ate potato chips, and other sweet things and on Friday I started getting the cramps and bloating again. On Sunday and Monday I cut out sugary stuff, didn't have any decaf and the cramping and bloating isn't around today. Seems like there is some truth behind this book.Also, someone else mentioned they cut out wheat, especially bread from their diet and it has also helped with this a lot.Another person responded and gave some very good advise...


> quote:Eating slowley is really good advise, Also chew your food thougherly and make sure its well cooked - this might help, but every one's different.


PFH ~ I hope your pain goes away soon. Keep us posted.


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## SLBEL3

Hi Sandie. I have the same name as you, but spelled Sandi. How odd. Also what's odd it that I too hav MS. I also have IBS-D, fibromyalgia, and I've had 2 strokes. I'm only 31 but feel 90 half the time. My strokes were one at 19 and one at 23. Not fun, but doing ok.I have noticed recently (actually about the past 5 months) that my abdomen has been more swollen an more painful. I am at the point that I look like I'm about 7 months pregnant or more, I can't stand any pressure on my abdomen at all, I actully have to wear elastic waisted jeans but only so that I can pull the front waist band under my belly and onto my pubic bone. Needless to say I wear really long shirts.Anyway this all happened when we moved and my ibs got worse and my fibro is getting worse due to the cold weather and so is the MS. I may have to break down and go on the medication for MS. I was trying to avoid that but may not be able to anymore.So I can definitely relate to your problems. I don't have any easy answers for you since the same thing is happening to me, but just thought you'd like to know you are not the only one with it. If you would like to talk to me alone about the MS or the ibs (was diagnosed with MS in December of 1994)feel free to send me an email at BelangerClan###aol.com and I will be happy to talk.


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## TonyDouglass76!

AVOID CARRAGEENAN!!

I have been affected by this additive, I lost my job my home and nearly my family all because of Carrageenan!!! I had dizziness, nausea, headaches, gut inflammation, D and V, cramps and loss of energy, not to mention and extremely large belly. Recommend stay away from it is a must!!! I cannot emphasise this enough!!!! Since removing Carageenan from my diet I have none of the above and now can read while traveling on a train!!!. Unfortunatly the GP had no idea about Carrageenan, and subsequently mis diagnosed my ailment, and so was thought to be putting it on so to speak(making it up).


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## Linoleum

Whenever I get like that, the only thing I can eat is bacon.


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