I’m new here so I won’t ramble but wanted to know if anyone is experiencing anything similar.
I have been suffering from bloating since the birth of my son. This has been ongoing for around 5 months now. By bloating I mean feeling full , all of the time but generally feels slightly worse after eating. The doctors have ruled out anything post partum and due to quiet a difficult labour has said that my anxiety has trigged abit of IBS.
They have carried out a blood test and stool test that have all come back normal and other than the bloating, what seems to be quite alot of gas and the odd muscle spasm n the abdomens area I don’t have any other symptoms. Peppermint capsules that the doctor have prescribed haven’t done me any justice and I’m just so worried that it could be something more serious. The doctor has said that it could be due to blood pressure tablets that I have been taking since the birth of my son. We are weaning off these now as I don’t need to be on them but it’s not a definitive answer that these are causing the disruption Has anyone experienced anything like this or have any advice as to what they think I should say when going back to the doctors as it’s making my life miserable. I’m relatively healthy, non smoker and only just turned 30!
Thank you in advance
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Flowers12
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Is the bloating and gas ongoing? Or does it seem like certain foods aggravate it? I would suggest you start a food diary and put down what you eat, when and how you feel before and after. Or try an elimination diet. You can google that but generally you cut out all foods but a few, see how you feel and then slowly add them back in. Another is to stop eating gluten. See if that helps. That's a big one for me.
The bloating is there from the moment I wake up to the minute I go to bed. Some days I’m more gassier than normal. I’ve never ever had guy problems and the doctors don’t seem to know what to advise. I just feel so disheartened. I thought maybe keeping a food diary but nothing I seem to eat eased the feeling full feeling. I think I maybe had one day this week where I felt normal and then the next day,,, back to my new normal.
Jodaer made a great suggestion about the food diary, it can help you work out if there are foods that make it worse which you can avoid.
Also , note what happens to your body after eating , does it get more painful , does your stomach swell out as well as feeling bloated.
At the time my IBS was most out of control my stomach would swell out so much about 15 mins after a meal I looked pregnant , then about an hour later it had sunk back again.
It's the time I first took photos for my symptom diary because I knew the doctors wouldn't believe it unless they saw it , they could not argue with time stamped photos of the incredibly expanding and shrinking woman!
Your GP sounds very ignorant about IBS , and the type that I would happily imagine poking in the eye.
Over the years I have been left fuming by doctors with no idea of what's going on basically blaming you or blaming anxiety. Yes , you may feel anxious about your symptoms and it is true that if you have diagnosed anxiety it can make your symptoms feel worse but it doesn't necessarily mean that anxiety is the cause.
More often an illness causes Anxiety or Mental Health changes.
I got into the habit of saying , as politely as I could, I am not ill because I am anxious , I am anxious because I am ill and I am not getting the help I need to treat it yet.
You need to retrain your GP , with polite , but firm , suggestions and requests.
You can ask to be referred to gastroenterology for a proper assessment.
It is not surprising that it has got worse during and after pregnancy , especially with a hard labour , as IBS and intestinal pain can often be triggered by the change in the area near the intestines in the body during pregnancy. Hormones and blood pressure issues can also make IBS worse , especially in women .
Progesterone changes during pregnancy and periods can effect the body in lots of ways that make your IBS worse at certain times in the month.
Instead of palming you off with peppermint pills , perhaps you could ask if they will prescribe you some Buscopan to try, it is usually possible to take with blood pressure medications . It can take 4-6 weeks to have effect and it can feel a bit worse in the first few days you take it as your body adjusts.
Eating five small meals instead of three big ones and drinking more water , especially sipping cool water after eating can ease the feeling.
I take Turmeric , just one capsule rather than the recommended 2 a day and that helps me but everyone is different.
I actually have probiotic live natural yoghurt for breakfast with fruit or nuts and honey , it is settling before your medications, and a spoon of yoghurt before meals ( often made into a dip for crudités or bread sticks).
Live yoghurt or trying probiotics can often help if bloating and fullness are your main symptoms.
Lying down and doing relaxation after food also helps.
A little gentle exercise like tai chi or low impact Pilates stretches can also help ease the bloating.
If you see a gastroenterologist, and tests are normal don't be surprised if they say it is IBS and they don't know why or there us nothing you can do , believe it or not some consultants can know as little as your GP does.
Yes I often feel bloated and look about 5 months pregnant ,which at my age 69 is not a good look lol, for me it is ibs related had it years ,still don't like it but have to live with it , hope you find this reassuring , hope you get sorted so you can enjoy motherhood as much as I did ,would love to swap places and do it all again ,good luck .
I feel for you! I have intermittent bloating etc, but have started taking Centaureum, 10-15 drops before each meal in water, as suggested by someone on the forum elsewhere, to help balance the stomach acid-not necessarily reduce it as it needs to be acidic, and also helps to reduce any reflux. Omeprazole etc won't help, and might make things worse.
Buscopan helps relieve the pain of cramps but also slows down the transit of food in the gut. Antibiotics, also kill all the good bacteria, as well as the bugs it's taken for, so that is another aspect to consider too.
Try Actimel immune support little drinks each morning, =what are your poos like? Are you regular, -whatever that is for you, might be 1-3 times a day, or three times a week, we are all different.
Keeping a diary and pics is a good idea-then you and the GP can SEE what happens when. Are you taking different medication at all to what you took before?
I assume you aren't breast feeding, as that would affect what you take to alleviate the bloating.
Anxiety can wreak havoc with our systems too, so when the babe is sleeping try and get a bit of relaxation in for yourself too! Good luck and look after you too!
Thank you so much. I normally got the the toilet no more that 3/4 times a week. That’s quite normal for me. At one point that had stopped but it seems to have picked up however its ranges now from constipation to diarrhoea. Not too sure if that’s the peppermint caps that I’m taking.
Have you tried anything for the actual bloating/feeling full?
I rarely get any abdomen pain. Mostly the bloating and I rarely get any distension. Mainly just the feeling.
I’m just so fed up with it all and it makes it’s harder so to enjoy my baby. I know the constant worry most likely doesn’t help things but it’s hard to switch off and just enjoy life
I’m going to pick up some actimal today. Hopefully I’ll start to see a difference.
Also. I take labetalol daily and have been changes doses as I ween. The doctor did say the disruption could be the tablets but she didn’t go into it any further.
Flowers12, congradulations on the birth of your son. This bloating and feeling full may be a result of vitamin B1 (thiamine) depletion during pregnancy when thiamine is in high demand. As the ncbi and stuttersence links point out pregnancy causes thiamine to be diminished and stuttersence goes on to provide a conprehensive list of others The amount of thiamine in prenatal vitamins is barely above the minimum daily requirement coupled with inadequate thiamine in the diet sets you up for digestive issues as the eonutrition link expands on. Magnesium is needed to activate not only thiamine but vitamin D as well and is also low in the diet and many multivitamins. Please review this information and request your healh care professional for guidance on supplementing these possible deficiencies.
Ive had nuclear emptying but no gastroparis they said functional diapepsia and ibs and diabetes ive keep getting chronic pain allround had camera up my bum all blood test every thing but come back normal my weight as dropped off really worried
Not getting no help from the gastro team get told to go to A+E just for them to do nothing been in aloud of times lossed count how many times to keep ringing gastro to ring 111 every time fedup of going round in circles my gp thinks the diagnosis is wrong but gastro just make you for 3 months at a time
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