# Breathing problems related to IBS?



## Galaxia (Feb 4, 2004)

I have apparently had IBS for many years, and it is getting progressively worse. I did not know there was anything I could do about it, because my doctors have never suggested anything -- just their favorite slogan, "learn to live with it." I am SO glad I found this forum, because now I feel there is hope.However, in recent months I have developed a new problem, and I wonder whether it is related to the IBS. Whenever I eat even small quantities of food, my stomach (not my abdomen) blows up like a balloon and seems to put a lot of pressure on my diaphragm, making it very difficult to breathe. It is hard to do even simple chores because I get so out of breath, and I don't dare bend over. It's almost like the food can't get out the bottom end of my stomach, so it stays in there and builds up gas.I went to my doctor about it, and he didn't know, so he sent me to a gastroenterologist. He didn't know, either, so he did a colonoscopy and endoscopy ($2,500 out of my own pocket). When he was done, he said nothing wrong with my interior except for a hiatal hernia. He prescribed Nexium, even though I have not complained about heartburn or acid reflux or anything like that.I said I could not afford to take Nexium for the rest of my life (especially since I didn't think he was treating the right thing), and I asked him if he could recommend a diet that would solve my problem. He said, "I went to school to become a doctor, not to tell people what to eat."So, anyway, has anybody else had this problem of their stomach blowing up like a balloon and causing breathing problems? It is pretty scary! If it is related to the IBS, maybe that problem will be fixed if I can fix the IBS.


----------



## Poppys (Feb 4, 2004)

> quote: have apparently had IBS for many years, and it is getting progressively worse. I did not know there was anything I could do about it, because my doctors have never suggested anything -- just their favorite slogan, "learn to live with it." I am SO glad I found this forum, because now I feel there is hope.However, in recent months I have developed a new problem, and I wonder whether it is related to the IBS. Whenever I eat even small quantities of food, my stomach (not my abdomen) blows up like a balloon and seems to put a lot of pressure on my diaphragm, making it very difficult to breathe. It is hard to do even simple chores because I get so out of breath, and I don't dare bend over. It's almost like the food can't get out the bottom end of my stomach, so it stays in there and builds up gas.I went to my doctor about it, and he didn't know, so he sent me to a gastroenterologist. He didn't know, either, so he did a colonoscopy and endoscopy ($2,500 out of my own pocket). When he was done, he said nothing wrong with my interior except for a hiatal hernia. He prescribed Nexium, even though I have not complained about heartburn or acid reflux or anything like that.I said I could not afford to take Nexium for the rest of my life (especially since I didn't think he was treating the right thing), and I asked him if he could recommend a diet that would solve my problem. He said, "I went to school to become a doctor, not to tell people what to eat."So, anyway, has anybody else had this problem of their stomach blowing up like a balloon and causing breathing problems? It is pretty scary! If it is related to the IBS, maybe that problem will be fixed if I can fix the IBS.


I've had something a little similar. My stomach does get bloated after eating sometimes and it can feel like I'm having trouble breathing, not to the extent you have it, but for me it's because I swallow a lot of air when I eat. Also do you eat quickly, as that sometimes can cause the same problem. Hope this helps.


----------



## Galaxia (Feb 4, 2004)

Nope, I don't eat quickly. And it happens with very small quantities of food. I realize there are all kinds of things that can cause this, including food allergies, or too much stomach acid or not enough stomach acid, bacteria, good, bad, whatever.But I was just wondering whether anybody else who has IBS has had this particular symptom of stomach inflating and making breathing difficult. I'm just trying to figure out what is causing this and tie it into something, because the doctors obviously don't have a clue.


----------



## Poopy Problems (Feb 4, 2004)

I too have been having chest pressure/shortness of breath, and I believe I may have IBS, I've already gone 3 times today and feel I must go again soon. I go multiple times about every day, sometimes solid, sometimes loose, it's gettin wackier all the time. In the mall this weekend I started feeling very nauseas and had to go to the bathroom, I had diarrhea and started feeling a little better after, then I left the bathroom and my girl and I were in a store and I started feeling really sick again and had to run back to the bathroom again, once I felt a little better again we went home and I didnt feel good enough to go out again for awhile.


----------



## sadone (Dec 17, 2003)

galaxia,i get trouble breathing, but it's more when i'm getting really bad symptoms--jabbing, burning pains...especially if i'm trying to walk somewhere...feel like i'm going to collapse. i get very bloated, too, but i only really notice the breathing problems with the pain.


----------



## Guest (Feb 5, 2004)

galaxia - i get what you are talking about too. my upper abdomen becomes very swollen adn tight and its very hard to breathe or talk. i crane my neck forward to. its very uncomfortable. i htink this is a symptom of ibs but not sure how it works. your doc sounds awful - eating/nutrition relates to the gut. do you not have insurance by the way? anyway, why do they think you have a hiatal hernia? i agree with you - the meds don't sound like they would fix the problem and i'm curious why your doc thinks they would . if you feel like you can't ask this nasty person questions, then please go somewhere else.


----------



## Galaxia (Feb 4, 2004)

Now that I have found this forum, I don't think I need to go to another doctor. There is so much great advice here. I now suspect that the reason my stomach was blowing up every time I ate something was that nothing was able to get out the bottom end of my stomach. I think my plumbing was just totally backed up. This past week I went to the bathroom at least 20 times in a 24-hour period, and now I feel 20 years younger. Stomach isn't swelling up any more. No more breathing problems.Now that I am pretty much cleaned out, I have started on Heather's soluble-fiber diet. So far, so good; knock on wood.


----------



## Guest (Feb 8, 2004)

thats great. i too generally feel better when i'm not backed up. docs thing that a backed up colon won't affect the upper digestive system, but it REALLY does. even when i'm just having spasms and trapped gas, its hard to swallow and eat. its easy to tell/feel/see! that this is a mechanical problem and not an issue of hypersensitivity. i think fiber will help. good luck to you!


----------

