I've always bloated up massively and remained bloated for weeks sometimes months without it ever going down. I never fart which I assume is the issue, no amount of exercise, massaging of my stomach or peppermint tea seems to help, it simply goes away when it wants to. I am bloated around 90% of the time, I have tried every tablet to reduce it, (wind-eeze, deflactuline, etc) none ever made a difference. Its really starting to take its toll on me mentally having friends comment on weight gain and just the pure discomfort of always being uncomfortable.
Up for any suggestions, I have also tried taking laxatives for it, it isn't related to my bm's.
Thanks
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I should of mentioned I tried this and it didn't work for me sadly. Neither did being gluten free or eating no dried foods. Also tried the elimination diet and never found anything specific such as dairy. I'm glad you found relief though!
Hi! I am in exact same position as you, really takes a toll on self esteem☹️ and like you, nothing helps. However have just seen a gastroenterologist who has recommended infacol- which contains Simethicone, a treatment for colic (infants suffering with wind, reflux which causes pain-basically ibs in babies😂) apparently it breaks up all the wind bubbles in your belly. This is the only thing I haven’t tried, sounds a bit silly to me but I’m willing to give anything a go and I’m sure you are too!
I would have suggested a Lactose intolerance but since you've tried the low FODMAP route, I guess this has been ruled out?
How long did you stay on the elimination phase of your low FODMAP trial?
I did have bloating like yourself but after two months on the low FODMAP elimination phase, the bloating went away. Only when I then tried to re-introduce lactose, did I get the boating back.
Did you know that, about, 50% of people in 'first world' countries are infected with parasites? That's everyother person... Check out Jennifer Daniels on YouTube, she's helped countless people who have the exact symptoms that have gone through exactly what you've been trying. I wish you good health! Good luck!
Have you tried taking Alflorex? It’s a prebiotic and has worked massively for me with regards to bloating. It’s not the cheapest at about £25 for a months supply but you should know after a month if it’s working for you or not. I suspect it doesn’t work for everyone but it has for me and it backed up by clinical research etc.
Can you explain how you do the hot water and flaxseed. For example do I drink hot water and when do I use it? And how do you do flaxseed? Sorry, I never heard of that treatment and I'd like to give it a try. THANK YOU..
Hi. So with the hotwater bottle I just place it on my lower abdomen and quite quickly, I can feel the bowel relaxing. Theres lots of gurgling and eventually the pain I get with bloating starts to subside.The flaxseed is a daily thing. I sprinkle it on food eg yoghurt salads cereal 3 times a day and my bloating has been noticeably less since I started. The N.H.S. website recommended this. Im not sure how it works.
A combination of these two things is keeping me relatively painfree at the moment.
Thank you for that info. I'm going to give it a try. I will let you know how it works for me.
I'm not asking this to embarrass you but I'm wondering do you also suffer from constipation??? Because I'd do and I'd like to share with you how I manage that. Also, do you think that you may have slow digestion issues or what they call GASTROPARESIS?
I haven’t had an IBS flare- up for a couple of years but now my tummy has bloated again, and I’m suffering with constipation. I’m taking Mebeverine , and have done for some years, also daily Yakut. This latest flare- up has coincided with me going back on Azathioprene for auto immune disorder. Very uncomfortable at present - don’t wish to go to the doctor this time
I know the feeling well. Nothing helped not even referral to Gastroenterology dept. What I found was over active yeast enzymes in the gut were responsible. ie antibiotics had killed off the good enzymes in the gut so even a cup of tea would bloat up in minutes and felt like a life time to go down. It can't be released from farting as it is in the gut, wrong place for a fart, belch yes.
What I had to do in the end was fast for 2 weeks to weaken the yeast, then took prebiotics and probiotics. The fasting wasn't a problem as not fasting continued to cause the bloating. Anyway the reason to fast and weaken the yeast is that by not weakening the yeast you run the risk of strengthening the yeast, if your good enzymes are too low. The prebiotic was used for the probiotic to live off until sufficient was contained in the gut. Some foods are prebiotic.
My situation was probably the more extreme end of the scale but the remedy would likely be the same as would the cause. An imbalance of enzymes in the gut, the over active yeast causing the gas. If this proves to be the answer then you will need to watch the food you eat for awhile if not permanently.
Be careful of which probiotics you use. The ones requiring refrigeration must be shipped and stocked refrigerated or they are dead. Yogurt is not recommended as the manufacturing process kills most of the enzymes as indicated from scientific research. I went with a non refrigerated one and had good results. I also used onion as my prebiotic, sounds counter productive but it is a prebiotic and didn't cause more bloating.
Do you know what type of yeast caused your problems.
As long as someone isn't intolerant to onion it's great to use.
Did you have tests of any kind.
After being told to live with it by the chief of Gastroenterology I had to go it alone. I had lost a lot of weight which I could ill afford and had to argue my way to referrals. I had what I believe would have been an extreme case after a course of antibiotics to keep me alive. My stomach skin was stretched to the limit making it very difficult to move and almost impossible to bend at the waist.
As I understand it there are basically good and not so good enzymes in the gut which need to be in balance. The not so good are yeast based which are kept in check by the good enzymes. Being left to figure it out myself means I'm not sure of what tests may there may be, but I do know I was not going to survive the way I was and had to do something. Luckily I was proved right with the initial success.
There are other foods that are prebiotic, but I love onion so went with the onion.
Sadly the yeast can get stronger unintentionally and this was my first worry.
The first time I succeeded doing the fasting, prebiotic and probiotic for 3 months while eating bland food. Then slowly reintroducing more food diversity to my diet.
Life was looking up until a second course of antibiotics set me back again. This time I was not so lucky and have had to slowly find what I can and can't eat, then build on that. Six years on and I'm consuming only 60% of my daily requirements.
It would not be likely that too many people would be in the same position I was with a complete break down of the gut flora.
I'm only guessing from the limited information you provided, but I certainly know the feeling.
If this is the problem you have there is a reasonable easy fix if you can get medical personnel to do it. Faecal transfer, the good enzymes from a donor who has been toughly tested can be used to repopulate the gut. I was told it was not possible here and very expensive. But subsequently found out via a TV news documentary that it had indeed be performed at my local hospital successfully. Sadly our health system is what I consider 3rd world here in NZ. The transfer can be done by yourself but this is very risky and could introduce more problems that the donor may have and not known about.
I now don't have the capacity to eat more than a small meal or drink more than a litre of fluid before I start having gut problems. So I can eat a larger range of food but not a lot of anything as the gut reacts to too much food/ fluid at one time.
in reply to
Sorry had to take my partner to work. I would suggest quizzing your Dr or doing some online research. Be warned no everything online is factual, go with scientific fact not anecdotal evidence. I make that distinction because too may people pass on information they believe is gospel but short on substantiating fact. It is a known fact that placebos can work for some! I stuck to major medical foundations info with an eye on the not so factual. Yes it takes time but better to form a plan being informed than not.
I have other dietary restraints that have forced me into the diet I have adapted. I basically follow the kidney diet which has as a fortunate consequence helped me with the gut problems and I generally feel better for it.
So I'm salt, sugar and processed food free don't use herbs or spices and only drink tea or water. I can eat medium amounts of wholemeal bread. For CKD I eat very little red meat and mainly eat fish, chicken. No fast foods or any man made substitutes for sugar as these do effect kidney function. I do not drink sodas/soft drink and especially not colas or no/low sugar drinks. I stick to clean fresh wholesome foods and never eat anything I don't know how or with what it has been made. Food wise there is no fun with my food, I eat because I die without food, I don't eat because I can't resist it. Mind you there have been occasions that I have had new potatoes with my real butter! My partner uses margarine spread (man made plastic butter as I refer to it) instead of butter, by default so do I, but not by choice!
I seldom suffer the bloating now and pretty much have it under control, as long as I stick to my diet. I'm always mindful of the saying, a moment on the lips a life time on the hips, except for me a moment on the lips turns into a day of bloating. I got tired of feeling 9 months pregnant, or what I perceive it would feel like, being male.
My advice, apart from Dr and researching the problem is to try bland foods as a start. If you don't get a change then try the biotics. Also be aware that stress can be a contributing factor as can vigorous physical work, both stirring up the gut juices and making gas.
I took a leap of faith as there was no help in sight and after careful consideration of my research. There was no choice ultimately for me, do or starve was what I had left, I did.
Buy some fennel seeds. If you have an Indian market near you they will be fresh and cheap. (Penzeys is also great.) This is the stuff they have in a bowl as you are leaving an Indian restaurant. (But those are candy-coated and colored, and that's not necessary.)
Toss them with a bit of sugar. If you are at an Indian market, look for something called "sakar". That is just plain old sugar, just in bigger crystals. Combine a bit of fennel seeds and sugar and enjoy. Yum.
Or make a tea with a teaspoon of fennel seeds sweetened to taste. They have been doing this in India for ages, I hear.
Works great for me to get rid of gas and belly aches.
Hope you're feeling better soon.
Just back from a new Dr, He recommends digestive enzymes. There are some natural sources for these. I'm just starting a search into them so can't offer more at this point, but it looks promising at a quick glance and worth a mention.
Hi, plant based enzymes are best, onces that contain high levels of each enzyme.
Protease to break down protein, lactase to break down lactose, amylase for carbohydrates and lipase to break down healthy fat.
These are the main digestive enzymes that a supplement should at least contain.
I can try find a link for you cheyne for the digestive enzymes I used for years.
They were brilliant but they don't ship to England anymore, and not sure what other countries they stop delivering to.
Also In England you have to see a qualified nutritionist to get digestive enzymes that are good quality and high in strength.
Hi,
Thanks for the input, every little helps.
I did a quick search last evening and believe I should have been told about these years ago by my Dr. My wife and I are just discovering just how bad our Dr has been with giving us information, seems she has had her own agenda. What a fresh breath of air another Dr can be. We started connecting some of the dots to make more sense of what is going on with my health. While there won't be a cure there may be a better lifestyle from the changes afoot.
I was wondering if the processing of supplements would destroy the enzymes as they don't fear well with being heated. Tinned pineapple was one I was wondering about. Will need to look further, not sure if it is canned naturally or heated in the process of canning, I suspect heated. I seem to recall raw onion is a digestive enzyme which if I can verify it, would suit me nicely. Although I will have to be careful as too much raw onion effects my heart muscles, I get hours of hyper activity and extra long muscle movement about the heart, yet the pulse remains steady. My heart literally beats out of my chest. You can count the heart beats by sight alone. I can see cheese and onion sandwiches coming my way soon.
I'm optimistically hopeful this may be an answer to my slow functioning gut. I may even be able to add some new foods to my diet. Food could be fun again.
Yes, cheese and raw onion are both digestive enzyme foods. I found a fairly comprehensive food lit for digestive foods. It is a pdf file so if anyone has any idea how to upload a pdf file here I will list it. Guess what I'm going now to have for lunch!
Found I could cut and paste the pdf file so here it is.
All foods are raw or (in the case of some fermented foods) never heated after fermentation.
Fruit
Papaya
Avocado
Banana
Bilberries
Cantaloupe
Dates
Figs
Grapes
Guava
Kiwi
Mango
Melons
Papaya
Pineapple
Saw palmetto berries
Vegetables, Grains, and Herbs
Ginger Root
Aloe vera
Barley grass
Cucumbers
Garlic (raw)
Ginger root
Olive oil
Olives
Onions (raw)
Pau d'arco
Sprouted grains Sprouts (According to Howell, sprouts contain the most enzymes when they are 1/2" long.)
Wheat germ (raw)
Wheatgrass juice
Nuts and Seeds Coconut (but not coconut oil)
Flaxseed
Germinated tree nuts
Unrefined oils
Sea Vegetables and Algae
Chlorella
Kelp (raw)
Spirulina
Mushrooms
Shiitake Mushrooms
Maitake
Reishi
Shiitake
Animal Products Milk Bee pollen Honey (raw)
Royal jelly Butter (raw and unpasteurized)
Milk (raw and unpasteurized)
Cultured Foods Cheese
Kefir
Yogurt
Other cultured dairy products
Sauerkraut (raw)
Kimchee (raw)
Pickled vegetables (raw)
Natto
Miso Soy sauce (traditionally made)
Tempeh
Benefits of high-enzyme foods Enzymes are special proteins that act as the life force in living beings. In both plants and animals, enzymes carry out all the activities of metabolism. Some enzymes from the plant or animal's life are retained in uncooked food. When you eat this food, the enzymes can continue their activity.
One activity is to help digest the food itself!
The raw avocado contains the enzyme lipase that breaks down the fat (lipids) in the avocado. Unpasteurized milk contains lactase, the enzyme that breaks down the milk protein lactose. People with lactose intolerance actually lack the ability to produce enough lactase in their digestive system. They often can't comfortably drink pasteurized milk, but can drink unpasteurized milk that includes its own lactase. Raw beef contains the enzyme cathepsin. Beef that is aged is tenderized by the action of this enzyme.
Other foods contain enzymes that affect other foods.
Raw pineapple and raw papaya contain protease enzymes that digest protein. They are often used as tenderizers and marinades.
As we age, or under toxic conditions, our body's ability to produce enzymes is compromised. Enzymes in food, or enzyme supplements, help take the pressure off our need to produce digestive enzymes. In particular, an overworked pancreas can be relieved.
As enzyme researcher Edward Howell put it, food enzymes add to our “enzyme potential.”
Consumed enzymes do indeed help our bodies in ways not thoroughly understood, but the case for their promoting health and alleviating disease has been well made.
Unheated Food High-enzyme foods are high-calorie, special superfoods such as those listed above that are also raw or never re-heated.
The heating of food destroys its enzymes. Cooking, canning, pasteurization – all permanently deactivate any enzymes in food.
All foods that have ANY enzymes are raw. They are:
1. Raw: never been heated 2. Raw cultured (fermented) foods
2. Raw cultured (fermented) foods
3. Foods cultured after cooking and never re-heated. These contain enzymes from the fermentation process, not from the original food.
The foods in this list have especially high levels of enzymes.
It is the most comprehensive list I have found so far, there may be better out there yet to be found.
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