Always bloated & embarassed

[Nicole33]

always bloated & embarassed

I haven't been on the forum for awhile, but it always makes me feel better to read other's experiences. I have had Crohn's for just over 3 years now, and after going through a few medications I am on Humira, which has made my severe pain and flare ups less frequent. However, I still have such problems with establishing a safe diet. I am uncomfortable almost daily, and almost always feel bloated, (except if I just have liquids) - especially when I try to eat healthy.
The biggest thing that gets to me is sometimes people ask if I'm pregnant -(a rude question unless someone has a huge belly, I want to scream!) because often after I eat I look bloated, especially in comparison to my otherwise small frame. I work out, stay active, and try to eat healthy, but without incorporating grains, green veggies, and other trigger foods it can be hard. For a 20-something girl, the pregnant question can really weigh on your self-esteem.... Any suggestions? Things that help decrease bloating?
Thanks guys Take care

 

[mickey]

A very good probiotic will help reduce it. Non-carbonated beverages...ginger tea...try some pure garlic capsules (natural antibiotic, in case you have slight infection in belly). Also look up Bikram Wind Removing Pose and do that daily. I have found that to eliminate the air trapped in the belly and flattens the stomach a little more . Good luck!

 

[Jessasha]

Hey Nic,

Try keeping a food diary and noting what is causing the bloat.. I have to eat small meals often and stay off of anything with preservatives or I get really bloated and bad pain with it.. At the moment I'm pretty much living on light food, fish and salad, boiled eggs, cruskits and salads, etc this has helped me so much.. Last weekend pizza put me in hospital, I thought my gut was going to explode..

Good luck Nic

 

[AllanH]

One really good thing for bloating, is yoga. Most of the standing stretches are really good, and will help you massively with bloating or anything that's trapped.

Here's a small list of moves you can try, you might want to Google them for a full explanation but these are all good ones and really do help:

Mecca
Ustrasana - Camel pose
Trikonasana and Parvritta Trikonasana
Parsvakonasana - Extended Side Angle pose

Some are a bit more advanced than others, but give them a go and see how you get on - yoga is extremely beneficial, but don't do anything if you're post surgery or suffering from diarrhea!

 

[Irene3]

Iv been reading a couple threads on bloating, and this is the first with a couple of good ideas. I have garlic capsules, so Im going to take one with my castrate daily, to see if that will improve the bloating.
Also yoga??? I already want to give probiotics a try after reading a thread on them earlier.

And yes, it's a horrid look, I get the small frame with big belly sticking out too. Some days it bothers me so much, and besides the discomfort not wanting to get out and about, some days as superficial as it sounds, I look in the mirror and can't believe how bloated I can get. But I'll be trying these ideas guys, so thank you. Already keep a food diary (more recent) but as yet I have a lot of varied symptoms thanks to Pred weaning and candida, so it's hard to say it's only milk or whatever that causes me to bloat.
Thanks again

 

[rygon]

pro bio yoghurt
peppermint tea
food diary
liqourice?
easily digestable foods, and little sugar

 

[AllanH]

pro bio yoghurt
peppermint tea
food diary
liqourice?
easily digestable foods, and little sugar

As Rygon says, diet is extremely important and if you're not very closely regulating your intake, then you'll be bloated more often than not. Are you paying close attention to what you eat & drink?

I would cut out all sugars altogether, at least until you have a handle on it. No wheat, dairy, gluten, oats or anything like that until it settles - even after it settles I would be very wary/gentle with reintroducing them.

 

[mickey]

Once you figure out the food triggers (if that is the cause), stay off them for QUITE some time, if not at least a year. You need to get the inflammation down and rest your body from that reaction. Some foods may never be able to be introduced, but since they are not healthy for you anyway (causing negative reaction), do not let your mind get caught up in missing them. Better to feel better and healthy than continuing inflammation. Good luck!

 

[CLynn]

I'm with you, Nicole, have always been on the smaller side, couldn't get past 105 lbs for years, especially when the Crohn's kicked in. The nurses at my first GI's office would always complain when they weighed me that a middle woman who had children should not be thin like me, lol! I have the same bloat problem and am going to try probiotics and the yoga mentioned above...

 

[mickey]

Bikram "wind removing" pose is awesome! Only needed once or twice a day and keeps you on schedule! Good luck!

 

[David]

Nicole, have you been evaluated for Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth? One test they might do to check for it is called a hydrogen breath test. Reading your post made me think of it.

 

[joeychang]

Nicole, have you been evaluated for Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth? One test they might do to check for it is called a hydrogen breath test. Reading your post made me think of it.

Hi David,

I've heard a lot about this. I recall there was a study showing peppermint oil might be effective for this. Are there any other promising treatments?

 

[David]

Antibiotics. Though it can come back depending on the cause. For example, if you have slow intestinal motility due to stricturing there's a decent chance it'll come back.

 

[Beach bum]

Probiotics are good, you need to stick with them for at least 4 weeks to decide if they are working - I used to try them for a week and give up - but now I have found probio 7 to be really great and cheap compared to alot of brands.

 

[hugh]

Bloatng can be a reaction to some foods, particulary gluten and dairy.

 

[joeychang]

I've tried almost every probiotic under the sun, cut out gluten & dairy (I'm pretty much 100% Paleo now, with a little bit of white rice a day), and the bloating continues.

Anyone know how SIBO is best diagnosed? I read this:

"Hydrogen breath testing with lactulose may be able to diagnose only 60% of patients with SIBO....A major problem is that there is no "gold standard" for the diagnosis of SIBO since culture of the bacteria has its own limitations" - http://www.medicinenet.com/small_intestinal_bacterial_overgrowth/page4.htm#how_is_small_intestinal_bacterial_overgrowth_diagnosed

 

[mickey]

I had the same problem with probiotics (as far as feeling known worked) for years, but recently doc informed me of two that contain the certain bacteria that works (the brands are Healthy Trinity and Jarro-Dophilus EPS, 5 Bil organisms per capsule). It is based off a study by a Dr. Ivan Bogdanov of Sofia, Bulgaria back in 50's. He did studies on probiotics and affects on digestive tract. Others have been done as well. Anyway, doc told me to take up to 5/day if stomach back and wean down to 1/day within a week thereafter. Works like a charm for me now. Jarro is less costly and does not need refrigeration.

Eliminate carbonated beverages, if you drink them, and see if changing only to water as drink of choice for a week or so, to see if that helps.

hope this helps!

 

[Rachel]

Hi Nicole, thanks for starting this thread. I too struggle with this and it is embarrassing. I am 25 and weigh about 106 pounds. But I do not feel attractive when my tummy is sticking out and I feel like I have a baby growing inside me. I watch what I eat and drink peppermint tea and take a probiotic. This usually helps. Except I am on prednisone right now and I think that drug is making me super puffy and bloated in my abdomen all the time. Ugh. But I just wanted you to know I know how you feel. Not fun!

 

[Laura Dawn]

What probiotics do you guys recommend ?

I'm sorry about that ever so rude pregnant question. It is so rude! I've gotten that one too. Hang in there.

 

[vanilla_chai]

I use healthy Trinity. Not cheap but gentle and clears up the painful gurgling I get

Unfortunately on the food side, I find foods that are safe and only try one new thing at a time. No more often than once a week. I'm so jealous of people who can just avoid one or two things. I have a food phobia with new foods and every time I try to get past it by eating more adventurously I end up making myself sick

I use to be bloated all the time but had surgery to remove a stricture. Now I just have occasional problems, which I can usually track back to foods. So its always possible it is caused by multiple things...

Good luck, its certainly not an easy road to figure these things out

 

[Rachel]

I used to take align, which worked really well for me, but it is do expensive! Now I take Acrdophillus Pearls. They seen to be working well and are much cheaper.