IBS?

[Hollie22]

Hi everyone, hoping someone can give me some advice!

For the past 5 years or so, I've been getting very bloated for no apparent reason. It's got a lot worse over the last 6 months, to the point where I wear size 12 trousers into work and have to switch into size 18s I keep stashed in case it blows up (and even those are tight!). Last month, I wasn't able to wear trousers for a whole week because I just couldn't do anything up and had to just wear dresses that went over the bump.

I don't get diarrhoea or constipation- I'm pretty regular and go every day. I don't have wind. I don't get pain (it's uncomfortable because I feel like I'm going to burst but not painful). It doesn't seem to be brought on by specific foods. The other day I fasted and just drank a litre of water for an ultrasound and it bloated right out just from water.

My doctor did blood tests and an ultrasound but they've both come back clear. He's told me it must be IBS and discharged me with IBS tablets, saying there's nothing they can do. I don't want to accept this as I don't have any other symptoms of IBS and it's causing me a lot of distress. Almost weekly, I'm mistaken for being heavily pregnant and have been told I can skip loo queues or given seats on public transport. It's really embarrassing as I'm a teacher and the kids constantly ask if I'm pregnant. My belly is round and bigger than my friend who is 34 weeks pregnant!

Any advice? Does this sound like IBS? Is there anything I can do? I'm taking the tablets he's prescribed but no joy so far 😕

[Hidden]

Hi Hollie,

A close friend of mine recently had a similar bloat problem to yours which turned out to be caused by adhesions from previous abdominal surgery. Could this be the case for you?

[Hollie22 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Rosie, thanks for replying! I haven't had any surgery so it can't be that, but good idea!

Lx

[polly2000]

Dr Jensen's book Guide to Better Bowel Care (available on amazon) helped to explain a lot to me, you can do the programme yourself although there are centres to where you can go and do it, also seeing a nutritionist and having colonics - which I paid for privately helped me. Good luck.

[polly2000]

PS to my reply above - a really good probiotic might also hep - a lot are rubbish - you need the ones kepr in fridge in real wholefood shops - the best is VSL3 but is expensive but there are others too.