Bloating

[Luluhoops]

Hi there, i'm new here and looking for anyone who may be having the same issues as me and advise as to what can help. To start off i have extreme health anxiety which i am having help for and my doctor thinks that this may be triggering my IBS (understandable i guess) but for the last few months i keep getting recurring bouts of bloating which is so painful. My belly button area goes so hard and tender and going to the toilet doesn't really help. It normally lasts for 24 hours then i'm fine again for a couple of days then it comes back. I'm so low, i don't want to go out and even struggle to the basic things for fear of the pain coming back. I convince myself i have alsorts and can get in quite a dark place. I had tests a while ago which all came back fine, and my doctor is sure it's IBS but i just don't know where to go now with this. Sorry for carrying on, but hoping someone may be able to help me.

[Rod2020]

Hi I,ve suffered ibs for ages was on buscopan & immodium which helped I’m now trying Colpermin (peppermint oil capsules) and think the,re beginning to help the pain & bloating, I still take immodium before I go out anywhere as I’m scared I,ll need the loo when I’m out, hope you feel better soon.

[Luluhoops in reply to Rod2020]

Thank you, i'll look into Colpermin

[Rod2020 in reply to Luluhoops]

Good hope it helps you x

[Hidden]

For sure your Dr is on to it. Not often you can find a Dr who knows what they are talking about.

Stress can be a major factor with IBS. I use a product called Rescue remedy in pastille form. Two sucked together until gone does wonders for me being a serious worry wort. I don't use the fluid version as it can cause reflux burn with me. The product is available around the world.

Pare back your food to bland foods like chicken or fish and start the fodmap, gluten free and lactose free diets until the stomach eases. Then you can reintroduce foods one at a time until you know if they trigger a reaction or not. I also take a quality probiotic with bran in the mornings to start the day. Drink water or a cup of tea but not coffee as it can be aggressive with IBS. Don't over exercise as this has the same effect as stress. try to stay standing after eating as it helps with digestion, less kinks in the stomach. Trying to sleep on your left side is best for digestion and don't eat before bed.

Honey can help settle the stomach short term as can a small square of cheese.

Don't be misled by the title IBS as it means nothing but a convenient title for they don't know what we have. It is not a disease just a name to get Dr's out of a tight spot.

Above all else don't sit back and take IBS, It won't go away without help. Advocate for yourself and don't be afraid to rumple a few feathers along the way. The squeaky wheel definitely gets the oil.

Walking and communicating are both good for your health which helps the body function and the mind think of other things. Both good tonics and free for the taking. Don't sit around and stew in your own fat. That is the worst thing you can do. I know, as I'm guilty of it!

Cheers

[Luluhoops in reply to Hidden]

Thank you so much, i really needed to hear that. Some amazing tips for me to try too. I started fodmap yesterday so lots of bland food in the cupboards ready to go, but i really want to give it a go and see if i can root out a problem dietary area. I'm still very nervous to eat anything but hopefully this will improve over the next few weeks. Again thank you for your words it really is appreciated

[Hidden in reply to Luluhoops]

When I have a flare up I stick with cooked chicken breast and the occasional boiled egg for protein. Sardines are another good source of energy which seem to go down well as long as I don't smother them in tomato sauce. Or as my wife tells it, I put sardines on my source! They are a slow release food so no big sugar hit. Actually perfect for diabetics. I have just spent the last 4 months on chicken/fish, cabbage, carrots, gluten free bread and lactose free milk. As ordered by my dietician. I was also allowed rhubarb and pineapple, no juice with a gluten free cereal. Eggs were optional for lunch, but I usually miss lunch and opt for just a cup of tea. After 4 months I have started introducing other foods, slowly. Like wholemeal bread, x2 slices per day, occasional red meat but only in small amounts, once a week. I have noticed the bloating has gone.

Anyway slow and steady but definitely try a probiotic with it. There are two enzymes in the stomach which need to be in balance. Usually the yeast based enzymes are dominant which causes the bloating. The probiotics are the "good" enzymes that keep the yeast in check. Not that the yeast is bad, they each have their place.

By taking a probiotic you are trying to reset the balance of overactive yeast. In extreme cases when large amounts of antibiotics have had to be taken it is not a wise choice to rush into the probiotics until you have weakened the yeast. Or it will gobble up the probiotic becoming stronger. So what is the extreme end of IBS. For me it was massive amounts of antibiotics were administered to keep me alive. The antibiotics kill the "good" enzymes with whatever bugs you have. In my case severe campylobacter. Not what is likely with most IBS sufferers. Not knowing how you have arrived at IBS it is important to cover all the bases just in case.

By taking a probiotic and eating bland foods you are not allowing the yeast to become anymore dominant and reestablishing the "good" enzymes to balance the gut flora as it should be. You may find the bloating subsides but will always have to be careful of what you eat.

Long winded but I needed to cover it all, it is no fun making a bad situation worse.

Give a lot of thought to what you want to do first. IBS is not something you should rush at all gun blazing. Slow and steady with considered action is the best policy for IBS.

Cheers

[Sparrow58 in reply to Hidden]

I also use the Rescue Remedy. I use the night time drops in water as they contain no alcohol and is mixed with glycerine. You can use them during the day too .

[drax83]

I been here a long time, so welcome anyway. Bloating and niggly pains, noisy tummy's is one of the most common blights to our life, which as you say affects people's normal activities. Importantly IBS needs to be confirmed. If you get confirmation, then you can target your diet accordingly and try manage your anxiety. I suffered from anxiety many years And IBS don't like stress and thrives on the spasms you describe. I'm much older than you, I have diverticular to deal with as well. Start by looking at ways to avoid certain foods. I can't seem to eat any sort of beans last few years. Ice cream don't like me. Pies give me loose stools cos of the pastry. Avoid veg like cauli, sprouts, etc. Gravy too effects a lot of people on here. Greasy foods and sausages bacon KFC etc are bad news. Dairy is a biggie for problems, I love cheese but my tummy don't, it's a complicated subject, but we all been there, you have great support here from numerous sufferers. There is also a forum on r/reddit that's useful. Good luck, and keep posting😀

[xjrs]

IBS symptoms are often due to a gut bacterial imbalance. Sometimes this can be caused by stress. Before trying the FODMAP elimination and reintroduction diet, it is worth giving a well studied probiotic a go. Alflorex worked best for me and it has been scientifically studied for IBS. Plus it may make you more tolerant to a wider range of foods. This means that if you do need to try FODMAP elimination and reintroduction diet subsequently, there may be less foods that you need to eliminate. This diet is best done under dietitian referral from your GP, but as said try the probiotic first (for 3 months at least), since you ultimately may not need the diet.

On the anxiety front you could also try the Nerva, gut directed hypnotherapy app. There is also a new app available via the NHS called Mahana IBS:

nhsaccelerator.com/innovati....

[MuppetChristmasCarol]

Hello 👋

If your tests are all fine and it seems like ibs I would say the next step is to see what foods you are eating could be causing the bloating and pain.

So trying cutting out the major ibs intolerances (Google ibs on a reliable website - NHS if you are in the UK) totally for two weeks to see if there are any improvements and if it does improve start reintroducing the foods one by one leaving a week between each new food group to see if they bring back any of your symptoms.

It usually takes a couple of days for food to reach your bowel so keeping a food diary helps you remember what you ate before you get a flare up.

My food intolerances are wheat, alcohol and weirdly nuts - but dairy, caffeine, alcohol and particularly fizzy drinks can make people bloated.

Oh and you might need to clean up your diet and try to avoid fatty/spicy foods.

Good luck and I hope you find the culprit soon 🤞 Jac x

Oh and yes take a probiotic!

I used Bioglan

[fibnum]

I assume you have been tested for celiac disease and other food intolerances?

[Luluhoops in reply to fibnum]

I've been tested for Celiac which came back negative, but i've not had a general food intolerance test. Over the last 2 weeks, I have completely cut out dairy, wheat and other foods on the fodmap list and (touch wood) my symptoms have improved so it's a process of elimination now i think. I've looked at buying a food intolerance test, but the reviews are mixed and for the money they cost i want something reliable. I may speak to my GP again and see if this is something they are willing to do.