# help with abdominal distention / bloating



## kaymj (Jun 21, 2016)

hello everyone! I just found this forum recently, and I am so thankful that I did! (so much better than googling "PLEASE HELP IM BLOATED" and google replying with "EAT FLAX SEEDS")

I will keep things brief, but i will add any clarification if needed

I have had ibsc my whole life-- I had hemorrhoids and as a young child (still do), and the smell of preparation H still makes me cringe.

when I was a freshman in high school, my abdominal distention go so bad that I was embarrassed to go to school. I am very active and had always been rather trim, aside from my pregnant belly. I was eventually diagnosed with H.pylori (great because I've also always had ulcers).

eventually, my pain and discomfort, and my very LOUD tummy caused me to drop out of college in my senior year. I was depressed, had constant anxiety attacks, was gaining weight, losing hair, and my massive stomach made me self conscious (i'm a vain person, i'll admit it).

I am currently sugar free, low carb, and following a mix of the paleo/candida/fodmaps diet (to follow allergies).

I feel like i've tried EVERYTHING (broth fasting, regular fasting, enemas, anise, papaya, ginger, turmeric, peppermint oil, and all sorts of things to try to get my colon to stop being an asshole (lol) but i just can't get over that hump. My GI has even put a ban on me wearing pants.

one last nail in the coffin-- my distention has been S bad the past eight months that I have a hernia from the muscles stretching apart over whatever the hell's going on in there.

just looking for some advice from anyone who has similar troubles. or solidarity, I'll take what I can get.


----------



## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

have you been tested for SIBO--small intestinal bacterial overgrowth? constant bloating that doesn't subside can be one of the symptoms. sibo can also cause constipation.

there's a lot of good SIBO info here on this website including treatment, diets etc.

http://www.siboinfo.com/

i had a lot of bloating and gas and then tested positive for sibo in 2015. my insurance company refused to pay for rifaximin but a course of augmentin helped quite a bit.

keeping the constipation under control helps a lot with bloating, too. hopefully your GI doc is helping you with that. and there are a lot of suggestions here on the board about dealing with chronic constipation.

good luck. hope you can find some relief. take care.


----------



## Patrick ibs c (Mar 5, 2016)

yes ive been thru similar problems too my whole life


----------



## kaymj (Jun 21, 2016)

annie7 said:


> have you been tested for SIBO--small intestinal bacterial overgrowth? constant bloating that doesn't subside can be one of the symptoms. sibo can also cause constipation.
> 
> there's a lot of good SIBO info here on this website including treatment, diets etc.
> 
> ...


Hi Annie, thank you for the reply! I haven't been tested for SIBO, but I have had infections of h. pylori, blastocystis Hominis, and candida albicans. so I think I am definitely prone to bacterial overgrowths. I'll ask my GI about this test, thank you!


----------



## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

oh yes--it's worth getting tested for SIBO, especially in your case, having had the other infections.

good luck. hope you and your doctor can find a solution to your problems.


----------



## kaymj (Jun 21, 2016)

UPDATE TODAY: I tried steaming my veggies into goo and removing almost all fiber from my diet, then taking gentle fiber supplements. so far my bowels have been happy. still bloated beyond relief, but i'm having movement! Hurrah!

Additionally, I doubled up on my Holy basil supplements that aid anxiety (I have a crippling case), and I think it may have relaxed everything a little. I have been prescribed antidepressants for my anxiety/panic disorder, but I just can't "stomach" the side effects.

with ibs everything can go back to hell within a day or two after a relief spell, so we'll see how this goes!


----------



## annie7 (Aug 16, 2002)

oh good--so glad you were able to get some movement. fingers crossed that continues.







and i do hope that the bloating subsides.


----------



## dlind70 (Aug 7, 2015)

have you tried coffee enema or cobalamin

figs and apples and almonds will work

coffee, cocoa, maple syrup or eat tamirand will work too


----------



## kaymj (Jun 21, 2016)

dlind70 said:


> have you tried coffee enema or cobalamin
> 
> figs and apples and almonds will work
> 
> coffee, cocoa, maple syrup or eat tamirand will work too


Hi! I haven't tried cobalamin, but saline enemas (the turkey-baster looking ones) have been extremely helpful when I get really backed up.

I will have to try the tamirand! I haven't heard of using it!

on a side note, my digestion is fine-- I have an extremely fast metabolism, but everything slows down/stops once it reaches my large intestine/colon, so I am the kind of person who NEEDS to go once or twice a day otherwise I get extreme bloat/pain. so the coffee/cocoa sometimes speed the initial part of digestion for me, but doesn't do much near the end, haha!


----------



## kaymj (Jun 21, 2016)

annie7 said:


> oh good--so glad you were able to get some movement. fingers crossed that continues.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


You were right about th SIBO! my nutritionist had a supplement ready for me when I went in for my followup! supposedly, it's going to "napalm the bad bacteria-- in a natural way" which is music to my ears because regular prescription drugs make my system go haywire.

Still trying to get the bloat under control, but everyone's suggestions have been very helpful!


----------



## Howl (Jul 6, 2016)

Try eating some coconut oil. Its anti viral/anti bacterial and anti fungal. Eating that may help decrease your chances of getting infections of the gut. And coconut oil can help grease up your insides and move things along.Make sure you eat it with a meal though as it can make your stomach roll if empty. About 1 tablespoon sized chunk per meal

Another thing that could help kill off infections is colloidal silver. Its a natural form of antibiotic but kills viruses and fungals too. It kills 650 types of infections. I think i started taking something like 15ml under the tongue for 7 minutes then swallow (helps absorb into blood stream) around 4 times a day for 4 days then about 5ml twice a day to maintain there after if needed. Can even take probiotics to restock your good bacteria for 7 days afterwards.

Have you tried magnesium citrate at all? When im not constipated it makes me run to the loo within 30 mins. Maby that could work for you?

And dont forget to try black cohosh. If your missing your periods that may point to a hormone deficiency. Black cohosh is very well known for inducing periods.


----------



## flossy (Dec 8, 2012)

Hi kaymj -

I take this every day for my IBS-C, it works well. Click on below link to read:

http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/topic/239065-finally-a-product-i-can-recommend/


----------



## kaymj (Jun 21, 2016)

flossy said:


> Hi kaymj -
> 
> I take this every day for my IBS-C, it works well. Click on below link to read:
> 
> http://www.ibsgroup.org/forums/topic/239065-finally-a-product-i-can-recommend/


Hi Flossy,

Thank you for the link, it was a really good read! I'm glad you have found some relief to your symptoms!

*an update for this topic--*

The fiber supplements have stopped being effective (still taking because why not), but I'm on some new supplements( ionic fizz before bed, so my metabolism doesn't get sluggish at night, magnesium/potassium/calcium tablets, inulin powder, and omega 3) that are supposed to indirectly help strengthen my colon muscles. (although I have always had ibs-c, I had diarrhea due to medication for 7 months, so my nutritionist is thinking my ibs-c is so much worse because my muscles have completely degraded) So far not much has changed, but I was able to go a few times without an enema, although it was in slow motion, hardly anything, like four times in one day. very annoying.

on a happier note, I am ulcer-free as of my last endoscopy! still taking prilosec for 2 more weeks to make sure they're completely healed tho. Has anyone ever woken up during an endoscopy? because I did and it was AWFUL.


----------



## flossy (Dec 8, 2012)

kaymj said:


> Hi Flossy,
> 
> Thank you for the link, it was a really good read! I'm glad you have found some relief to your symptoms!
> 
> ...


You might want to try to stopping the fiber supplements completely. For me, and I'm guessing about 70 to 80% of us on this board? More fiber = more constipation. I avoid extra fiber like the plague.


----------



## Patrick ibs c (Mar 5, 2016)

i awoke during endo exam too


----------



## kaymj (Jun 21, 2016)

@ Flossy I did avoid fiber for a while ( I still won't eat foods that are fibrous because of the pain), but my stool became very hard and more painful on my hemorrhoids when my body wasn't getting ANY fiber. I agree that fiber causes more harm than good-- even for me, but the supplements that are partially predigested loosen my stool a little, which causes less bleeding and pain for my hemorrhoids. But yeah fiber can go to hell.

@ Patrick it's so awkward!! I can't believe I woke up!


----------

