Any relief for distended abdomen, bloating and gas?
#261280 - 05/03/06 09:39 AM
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Please help. I have been suffering for almost 4 years now with what my doctor diagnosed as IBS. I religiously use Acacia fiber, comply with all of the dietary guidelines of "Eating for IBS", drink gallons of fennel and peppermint tea along with the peppermint oil capsules, and yet my abdomen is still distended and I am filled with gas by noon. Does anyone have any further suggestions?
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I have had the same symptoms and have yet to find relief. I have an appointment with a new GI on May 11 and I'm going to ask to be tested for food allergies and small intestine bacterial overgrowth.
For me, I get filled with gas or some other sort of bloating/swelling in my abdomen. It's not usually relieved when I pass any amount of gas. Sometimes I get the "solid bloat" and other times I get the "moveable bloat". The solid bloat feels like I ate too much and nothing is going to be passing through anytime soon. The moveable bloat is when I can actually press on my stomach and push 'air' around. Sometimes I can get some out, but it seems as though more rushes into its place immediately.
I don't have any suggestions for you, but wanted to let you know that I know your pain.
-------------------- ~jules
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Are you C or D or A? If you tend towards C like I do, you might not be getting enough IF. Also, are you doing any stress/anxiety reduction activities like hypno or yoga? I don't think food alone fixes IBS - you need to handle stress, too.
--AC
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I too have the same symptoms as you! Sometimes, I feel so hopeless and depressed about it. All I can say is that I just started to change my diet, drink fennel tea, cut out dairy, and limit my coffee/alcohol intake. I hope this helps! I wish you the best of luck!
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I know the "solid" bloating and the "moveable" bloating all too well! I wish there was something that could be done!
-------------------- Tierney
IBS-C
www.StandardProcess.com[/url] = the home of REAL supplements
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I have the same problem as the rest of you. I have tried walking after eating and applying heat to my stomach. Nothing really helps.
-------------------- Harley Kye
IBS - C in Pittsburgh, PA
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Hi Jules and everyone else. I am a first time poster, though I've been reading the message boards for a couple years! I am IBS-C and have struggled with it for about 8 years.
Jules, your post encouraged me to post. I felt like you were describing me. I've read several of your posts and it sounds exactly like me. It's nice to know I'm not the only one that feels this way. I am very interested to hear what you think about the false fat diet. I have tried the EFI diet for a long time now without much success. I'm ready to try other things.
I also noticed you live in W Michigan. I live in Grandville. It's a small world. I'd love to hear what has/hasn't worked for you since your symptoms sound so much like mine. Thanks.
~Mary IBS-C, gas, bloating, spasms, pain
-------------------- ~Mary
Had surgery for rectal prolapse in Sept. '06 and feeling good now! Loving life with our IVF miracle #1.
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LOL Mary, I went to Jenison HS and now live in Gaines Township. The world keeps getting smaller and smaller!
I have recently started doing the False Fat Diet (by Elson Haas, MD) and am on week two. It's basically an elimination diet that helps you identify food you are 'reactive' to; foods that make you bloat. It's actually a diet book designed to help people lose weight, but the diet also claims to clear up a myriad of health problems. If you want more info let me know. I know that this site doesn't encourage posting about other diets, so I don't want to step on anyones toes here.
I also started taking triphala, which is an ayruvedic herb, and I'm having more regular BMs, and am experiencing a little relief in the bloating/distension area. I tried Zelnorm about two months ago and that totally didn't work for me.
I have an appt with a new GI doctor on Thursday and I hope to be tested for food allergies. There's two tests out there that Dr. Haas recommends, and they are ELISA and ALCAT.
I don't feel I can handle living this way indefinitely and I'm actually hoping that my new GI doc discovers something actually 'wrong' with me. Something that can be 'cured' by either avoiding certain foods, or some other medical condition that's not IBS.
-------------------- ~jules
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How did your GI appointment go? Did you get any allergy testing done?
How's the False Fat diet working for you? The triphala?(how much do you take?) Or are you still just taking the Celexa?
I'm curious as to what's up with you!
-------------------- ~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Hey Augie,
My GI put me on Celexa, an anti depressant. I felt relief within one hour of taking the first pill. It was weird. I also was eating very clean per the False Fat Diet. I made some bad food choices over the weekend and paid dearly (had bday cake, pizza).
I'm now doing Zelnorm in combination with the Celexa and I've been having regular BMs daily. I have a tiny bit of cramping, but things are moving and it's tolerable.
I'm getting my allergy testing done tomorrow morning. I'll post to let you know how it goes.
Have you checked with your doc about taking an anti depressant? It's worth asking about.
-------------------- ~jules
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He put me on Prozac...but I don't think it's helping much. He told me Celexa would constipate me worse. Also, my other doctor will not do allergy testing for me! Why????
-------------------- ~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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Hmmm, I would try and push for allergy testing. I switched GIs and my new one was very empathetic. You can also order the tests yourself, but they can be expensive. I think you can order directly from the lab that makes them, and then take them into a local lab and have them draw your blood. If you want more info let me know and I'll look it up in The False Fat Diet book.
-------------------- ~jules
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Personally I found allergy testing to be a waste of time and money, but if you are really unsure as to if its allergies or not then go for it. You can probably get your regular doctor (not just a GI) to send you to an allergist. Not sure what the cheapest way is though.
-Becca
-------------------- At least I've learned a lot about my
body...
IBS-A and still figuring things out
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I had my allergy testing today. I'm allergic to milk, egg yolks, peas, hazelnuts and peanuts, and a variety of tree pollins, dust mites.
I have ZERO typical allergies, no seasonal allergies, etc. The allergist was VERY surprised that I had tested positive for so many.
My next step is to get a biopsy for something that would be causing allergens in my intestinal track. I cannot for the life of me remember what the name of it is.
The allergy was covered by my insurance and only cost me a copay.
-------------------- ~jules
Edited by jules (05/23/06 05:08 PM)
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I want to get tested for allergies so badly. How did they do this? A blood test at the hospital? Or some other way? Did you go to an allergy doctor?
did the doctor feel that if you avoid these foods/allergens that you won't have GI problems anymore? How awesome would that be!
Very interested!
Oh, are you going to keep doing the False Fat diet? Or just avoid these allergen foods?
-------------------- ~ Beth
Constipation, pain prodominent,cramps, spasms and bloat!
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It was a scratch test on my back. The allergist said that the blood testing that the author of the FFD talked about was not accurate. Which was discouraging.
Also, since I'm an allergic person, there's a biopsy that can be done to determine if there's allergens in my intestinal track (I'm not sure if I got this correct, she threw some big words at me)...which would help me further avoid foods that irritate my bowels.
I went to an allergy doctor. Call your GI and see if they can refer you to an allergist for testing.
-------------------- ~jules
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