Hello Ladies,
I've been having a persistent issue with my belly. It has been going on for approximately 1 year but it is getting worse. All of these issues started after I had an appendectomy. Every time I eat by stomach fills up with air which leaves me looking and feeling 6 months pregnant. I have had lactose tests that was "slightly" positive and I begun to take the lactose pills which seemed to work for a little while. However, over the past couple of months it doesn't matter what I eat or drink by stomach fills up.
From a piece of gum to a glass of water I'm almost instantly back to looking pregnant. I have been watching what I eat and exercising regularly and it doesn't seem to be getting better. I am currently trying ginger but I am at my wits end!
PLEASE HELP!!!!
We can't answer you only the doctor. How old are you? It could be hormonal as well. There could any number of things that could be causing this.
Keep us posted.
the other S.
A couple of thoughts (and I have a daughter with severe gastro issues so this is something we deal with frequently):
1. You mentioned gum: are you eating or drinking anything (even a tiny piece of gum) that contains artificial sweeteners (sorbitol, mannitol, erythritol, aspartame, splenda, sucralose, etc)? In some people those can lead to serious bloating, gas, and distension. My daughter is extremely sensitive to those and cannot tolerate them even in tiny amounts (I realize that's not the case for everyone). Cutting out these things is a pretty simple thing to try.
2. You may have a small bowel bacterial overgrowth, which is excess bacteria that may not have symptoms other than abdominal distension. Your doctor can discuss this with you and there are medications to reduce the bacteria.
3. A good quality probiotic is important. Don't buy the stuff on the grocery store shelves. Probiotics need to be refrigerated. Go to a Whole Foods and look for a refrigerated probiotic with different strains and a balanced formula.
4. I know this will sound unusual, but there is a food plan called The Low Residue Diet, nutritionist-recommended when digestion is a problem. My daughter was put on this plan and it did help. Basically, fiber is useful in digestion (fruits, vegetables, grains, etc), and residue is not. Trying to be discreet here: residue is similar to fiber, but is useless in digestion and is passed from the body intact (the outer parts of corn kernels, tomato seeds, things you could see and identify in a stool sample). A low-residue food plan means eating almost no fiber and no residue. All vegetables are peeled. Some vegetables are forbidden. No breads or pasta or rice with fiber. Vegetables are cooked until soft. You can look up the recommended and restricted foods on sites like the Mayo Clinic under Low-Residue Foods. It can help give the intestines, stomach, and entire digestive system a rest, while dealing with any bacteria or stress. Of course, consulting a doctor or nutritionist would be a good idea, but really, trying this for several days won't cause you any harm.
5. Try eliminating all sugar for a week or more (two weeks or three would be good). This means eliminating fruits and vegetables high in sugar (just look up online what fruits and vegetables contain the most sugar). Don't take the lactose pills - that's a sugar. Limit dairy and just drink lactose-free milk in very limited quantities. Of course, this means no cookies, soda, etc. Sugar can feed any bacteria and just like bread dough that rises with yeast (bacteria) and sugar, the same can happen in you. And make sure to read labels. For example, there's a canned whipped cream from a national brand that says "sugar free" in bold letters on the front of the can. On the back, in teeny tiny letters, it says "sucralose" in the ingredients list, and of course, that's Splenda, which advertises "made from sugar so it tastes like sugar", reformulated to contain zero calories. But sucralose (and everything else ending in "ose" is a sugar). So you'll have to be careful.
I hope this helps.
You might have a diastasis rectii. Its a separation of your abdominal muscles along the midline, which then fails to hold all your organs in tight. It's commonly worse after eating and towards the day. Check out mutusystem.com there is a lot of good information that may help you determine if you do or don't have it. It's great info for mamas, anyway!
Interesting, my husband had the same issue after his appendectomy. His resolved on it's own after he took several antibiotics for a possible bacterial infection - his appendix had ruptured. He saw his surgeon a few times for various tests, since he was having all kinds of sharp pains and bloating for months after the surgery. Definitely go to your doctor again and see what they can do. Also try a probiotic. I'd discuss options with your doctor though to see which one they recommend. You might also try an elimination diet to see if your stomach needs a break from certain foods. I had to go with a liquid diet for a while to heal my stomach after a viral infection that left me lactose intolerant to the point of severe pain and bloating each time I had dairy. After a couple of weeks of broth, soup, tea, etc, I was back to normal.
T.,
Have you discussed this with your doctor?
Have you seen a GI (Gastrointestinal) doctor?
Are you drinking a lot of water or more carbonated drinks?
Have your husband take before and after pictures of you eating. Show them to a doctor.
Good luck! I'm sorry you are experiencing this!!
Do you take a probiotic?
It's AMAZING for the stomach!
Have you consulted a GI specialist other than being tested for lactose intolerance?
I have no knowledge about this, but I am sorry you are going through it. Are you eating a lot of fiber? I would think that would help. Don't eat white bread, white rice, white, flour, etc. If eating a lot of fiber (fruits, veggies, oatmeal, etc.) does not help, call your doctor. Good luck!
Go see a GI. They should have answers for you! Good luck.
