HELP: I am sick of being bloated .never know what or how much I will balloon out or what the trigger will be no food, a little food my belly has a mind of its own and when it wants to blimp out it does and cannot cope , I have thyroid issues, menopausal crap, adrenal fatigue and am always dealing with a new surprise bag each day not knowing what clothes I will be able to wear where the water is going to go front sides all around upper and lower abs this is literally driving me nuts because exercise does it help this particular issue,, bloating or water weight or both. I am starting to feel it is a NO! I am fed up how the hell do u get this sorted out and stop it! It is so hard to live like this and have anxiety and depression to boot And da da da da The F$@@@*G icing on the cake is I am blessed with BDD! Not good really dark thought no control over this lost confused no light and I need a light anyone can anyone help I am desperate to the point of a breakdown but do not want to be in the looney bin HELP! Dread waking up everyday to whatever monster took my body and what did it shape it into this time !!!????
Life's Cruel Joke :(..... NOT
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menothyro
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sorry to hear you are feeling so awful. Have you ever tried a gluten free diet? Do you eat a lot of processed foods? Try keeping a daily food diet so that you have a record of what you have eaten. Are you on any treatment for your thyroid, if so what are your latest blood test results? Hope you find some answers
Maybe you're just not on enough levothyroxine for your body. If your GP is keeping your TSH at a certain level or not prescribing sufficient as you are not in 'a range'. This is a link re swelling which was a major clinical symptom before the blood tests came and patients took NDT.
If you have had a recent blood test for your thyroid gland, please get a copy from the surgery with the ranges and post them for members to comment on them.
If you need an up-to-date test, don't take your medication on the morning of the test (if you take meds in morning) take it afterwards and have the earliest appointment. Also ask for Vitamin B12, Vit D, Iron, ferritin and folate to be checked.
so sorry to hear what a rough time you are having. We are all different but I found gluten free a real help as well as low sugar. I also went onto HRT which I had resisted for a few years and so wish I had gone on it before - it really seemed to help level out my thyroid medication (I take mixture of NDT & levo). Have recently started on the paleo diet as had nausea from a tummy bug a couple of weeks ago - has really helped.
Hello helenbones I am back on HRT and have this bloating. I am now on the progesterone and estrogen patches which I prefer to tablets. I noticed that you mentioned that it levelled out your thyroid medication, what did you mean exactly by that? I know that I have read a lot about upping your thyroid medication when you go on Hrt?
I just meant that I was on an even keel - able to sleep, no more hot sweats and just felt much better (probably being able to sleep helped that). I am actually on a slightly lower dose of thyroid medication now - maybe because the hormone levels were all over the place before - we are all different of course and it is all about how we feel. Gluten free really helped too as well as probiotics.
Before you take up a gluten free diet ..... ask your GP for the blood test to show gluten-antibodies ...... you might have Coeliac Disease ...... it's really worth getting this diagnosed properly ..... visit the Gluten-Free-Guerilla site on health unlocked or go to Coeliac UK site. I was first diagnosed with hypothyriodism & pernicious anaemia at about menopause time (but had hysterectomy 15 years earlier so never really sure ) .... went on meds .... sort of felt better but had increasing tum&bum issues ( such pain and too many loo trips!) ...... went back to GP about this 5 yrs later (at end of my tether) and after a few weeks and tests Coeliac diagnosed ..... feel so much better now 2 years on .... used to feel 80yrs old, now feel almost like a teenager ( but I am a grandma!)
Also, to help with bloating, acid reflux (if you have it) caused by low stomach acid and helps with general food digestion : Betaine Hydrochloride & Pepsin Capsules (Betaine Hydrochloride- 648 mg- Pepsin- 130mg-). I take 1 with every meal and buy from gnc.co.uk/betaine-hydrochlo... .
As suggested get yourself tested for gluten tolerance. Do not as in the case of thyroid results believe the results if come back negative. The body generally does not cope with gluten/wheat, we are not designed for it, some people COPE better than others, does not mean it is good for us. I would suggest radically overhaul of diet, no gluten, wheat, sugar in any form (watch sugars in fruit), and finally no dairy. The body heals from the gut, if you don't get this fundamental part of your journey right you will always feel unwell. Of course, your treatment must be correct too, plenty of good people on this site to help you with your results. There is light at the end of the tunnel, we are on this journey too and often feel fed up, but getting things sorted out, eg adrenals, diet, vit d, etc all help a lot. We are all with you.
I agree with you totally Bridiesmum and I know that I have gut issues, with all this bloating etc Have got Vit D sorted and the test I had for gluten and Coeliac was normal but have always doubted. I know that I have adrenal problems also. So hard sorting all this out.
Often gluten intolerance will not show up, the only way to try is to give it up entirely. I will never go back on it! You may feel worse for first couple of weeks, also take a very strong daily probiotic! MaryF
Hi Bridiesmum What can we eat instead of doughnuts then, I have bloating and thyroid issues too and I do abstain from the doughnuts but when life gets tough (again) then I eat 20 to 30 dougnuts per day, any suggestions most welcome.
I can understand your feelings when life gets tough with these issues. BUT, think not what the doughnuts do for you, but what you can do without the doughnuts. These will contain gluten which should be avoided at all costs, and copious amounts of sugar. Together this is a lethal combination for your thyroid and health, both physical and mental. We all like to feel we can have something comforting in these moments, I would suggest some 70% green and blacks chocolate, 4 or so squares, let each square melt in your mouth. This should address the sugar rush often required, and help with feelings of treating yourself. We really must move away from seeing food such as doughnuts as a reward. Hope this helps, am aware of raw sugar in dark chocolate, but sometimes lesser of two evils! I have baked gluten and wheat free for years, for my sister but, like myself suggest you leave all baking out initially until health issues are more even.
This is really good advice, thanks for your time in replying, I wish I could write more but sometimes I find it difficult to string some sentences together (and spell) but I will defineatly put your advice into practise. Cheers!
Have you totally given up eating gluten? Most people with autoimmune do better without it, I had extreme water retention and bloating which went with the eradication of gluten completely out of my diet. MaryFx
I'm so sorry you are feeling dreadful. Your symptoms mirror mine to a degree so I genuinely have an idea of how you must be feeling. Clearly what worked for me may not be helpful to you. That said, I will share how I am dealing with things. Firstly, you sound like you may have a food intolerance. I uses 'York Test' laboratories to get my bloating and bad tummy checked out. Iv had good success following the results that came up. Also, make sure your medication is suitable and sufficient. Go back to your GP if needed and persist.
Next...it's the mental adjustment knowing you can't do what you always did. I had to change work patterns, mornings are no longer my friend sadly. Without going on.....most importantly, given time and commitment you will improve. One of the most incidious things about multiple medical issues is it saps your will. So...for me it is 'take it in small chuncks'. All you can do is deal with your condition 'one day at a time' and often one thing at a time.
Same as all the above, get off the gluton, wheat and read, "Wheat Belly" and you will know why you are swollen like a baloon. Also parasites (and we ALL have them) is another reason and they will make you feel tired and unwell and fat too. Check out sites where you can do a cleanse. I found mine on NurtiCentre.com and they have a nutritionist you can speak to for free.
it's not a nice place to be, I understand where you are and it's exhausting. please look into "fructose malabsorption" I can't tell you what a relief it is to end the bloating. I used to go to work in size 12 clothes and need size 18 on the way home for 10 years!! I have a whole wardrobe of expanding clothes. follow the FODMAP diet strictly for a few months then start to reintroduce things. I still MUST avoid sugar but i can now eat fruit without being in agony. try not to worry about the other stuff yet, sort one thing at a time. I'd also look into your liver function, being nice to your liver has a massive effect on mood and all your other stuff. It's not easy and we all fall off what every wagon we know works for us now and again, but these 2 things work for me. also please avoid wheat at all costs. Dairy i found was the cause of my water retention so try to limit that too, especially milk. I do hope this helps you. good luck and don't give up!
Have you been tested for lyme. You sound like me and doctors can't work out why I have been hyperthyroid for 6 years. From what I have read and heard from people a lot of these symptoms could be lyme related as it affects the thyroid and adrenals. I tested positive to mould trichothecenes so now I am waiting to get the lyme test delivered so i can do that.
I have been tested for Lyme but came up negaive as did Coeliac and Gluten. Yet people say that the test's are not that reliable. I have all the classic symptoms of bloating like a beached whale, hate it.
Thank-you everyone for all the replies although I am still hoping for a miracle post saying YES you can get rid of this through exercise sadly that has not come to pass. I am replying to all pots to my question in one as It exhausts me to be on the computer typing for more than 5 minutes t time . Exhausted now like always sick of the prescription meds for sleep the poisons I ingest every fn night for chronic insomnia it is debilitating to my functioning on a daily basis YES another issue I have been dealing with for several yrs but has gotten worse since meno and my borderline hyper/hypo(no meds so far getting a toxic adenoma 1.5 cm removed soon I hope), the swinging pendulum I call it. A pain in the bum too, so guess what more scrip!! I just want to sleep so I can have somewhat of a normal life with some quality which is now in toilet Cannot work AND never signed up for this..was healthy and now always sick it seems. Weepy and angry right now so fed up sometimes death seems like the answer... sadly the only answer. The last 2 yrs have been hell and does not let up so many Docs and so little relief . I have tried herbal supps for sleep, eat little gluten try to avoid it still not much change, use stevia an in general eat very limited but try to be as health conscious as possible and I am afraid to eat much and am literally stuck as eating healthy or trying to is problematic so sometimes avoid food because it happens whether I eat or not!! GRRRR! I have pain sometimes for a minute above the bellybutton and then boom I just balloon out in minutes and pain disappears. Sometime I just bloat no warning or trigger. I eat well go gluten free as much as possible take Vit D3 and other supps no test for gluten intolerance or celiac costs money for proper testing. I am sick and tired of being sick and tired. I am losing it and noone understands my friends family etc..I feel like I am dying although part of me already is. My own private hell that I cannot get out of no social life no gatherinfs so ashamed of my appearance it is not me I see nymore I am just a messy shell now ! On that note my wriing time is up for now need sleep to come to me soon exhausted beyond exhausted mentaly physically and spiritually Thankyou to you all for your support for now over and out and sorry if I have repeated myself I am going in circles right now..back on soon! Again appreciate the support as I have none outside of these forums! See u soon X
I really feel for you, bad health is just dreadful. I know lots of people have suggestions and ideas to help, and you may not want any more, but I will post my own solution just in case and there is no need to reply.
Years ago, I had serious and continual "tummy troubles" - bloating, pain, you name it and I had it. Looking back now, it became routine to have it I ended up in A&E on two occasions, followed by a stay in hospital, tests, and no answers.
I had no support from my GP. I was put on an exclusion diet by a private dietician and, within days of starting, my problems stopped. It was a very strict diet, but I was prepared to do anything. I reacted very violently to a few foods when I tested them, but it totally solved everything.
I do understand how you feel, please don't give up keep on this site and people will help you. We are all in the same boat, but we must not give in to this debilitating illness. Wishing you well.... Dianex
Dear menothyro - firstly, please don't expend energy in reply, I just want to send you internet good wishes and solidarity. I don't have any kind of solution but do know how you feel.... (mentally and physically)....to the point that I have excluded a lot from an already limited (vegetarian/low carb, sugar/minimal dairy etc etc etc) diet (as in way of eating, not diet-diet) and am at the moment following an "Eat Less - Exercise Less" sort of programme - as daily running/cycling had not made an ounce of difference, although I have not set foot on scales for over two months!
Two things that I believe to have helped a little with the stabbing pains and/or bloating are -
1) Taking digestive enzyme supplements - with whatever main meal I might have. Restricting food groups in the way I have and it sounds as though you have, results in the incorrect balance of enzymes and acid in the digestive system.
2) I re-introduced the Nutri- Adrenal supplement (re. Dr Peatfield's advice after seeing him). I reduced the 1/day to half/day and the side effects that I had been affected by have reduced a lot. I am also waiting for delivery of T3 from ****** :o)
I also suffer badly from bloating and I know first hand how uncomfortable it is. But recently I have mad a concerted effort to drink more water. As a result I am less bloated as simple as it sound. You could have diverticular disease. A common cause of major bloating .
I wrote exactly the same into my diary back in late May this year and since then I have lost 17ibs and turned my life around. It can be done .
I will tell you how I achieved my turnaround but it may not suit your circumstances and situation obviously.
First of all I realised that most of the problem lay with continual constipation ! I was so constipated that some days I couldn't go at all and straining to go for months on end eventually gave me an umbilical hernia! I was so bloated I had to wear loose tracksuit bottoms and was too embarrassed to leave the house.
First I cut out all the junk food I was eating like cheese, biscuits, ice cream, chocolate,potatoes, chips, etc
Next I set about keeping myself hydrated , I bought some bottles of spring water and added a little fruit juice and kept a glass or 0.5Lt bottle of water by my side at all times.
I aimed to drink 2lts of fluid a day
The next step was to intoduce some good roughage into my diet. My personal choice was Kelloggs All Bran which is awfull to eat ,like cardboard so I mixed All Bran and Kelloggs special K in a box 40%/60% and added a cup of raw porridge oats.( Mixed fruit or bannana would be a good addition )
I ate a large bowl of cereal twice a day and within 5 days my constipation had completely gone ! I actually emptied my bowels twice on the 6th day and my bloating had also gone ! I felt so much more comfortable and mentally more positive . My depression had lifted and I was able to concentrate better I'd lost about 5ibs in that first week.
I felt so good that I decided to repair my garden shed and ended up rebuilding it completley. Its taken 10 weeks but in that time I've lost 17lbs dropped a waist size can wear all my trousers again and feel like a brand new person.
In conclusion I'd say the improvement in my health has been mainly due to rehydrating and eliminating constipation. When we are constipated the body is unable to eliminate all the toxins it accumilates every day which eventually makes us feel so ill all the time.The lack of water makes our stools hard and compacted and compromises our lymph and blood circulation and prevents the kidneys excreting toxins .
Hi I have just had an adrenaline rush that is what I refer to as my energy as I rarely have it and when I do it is usually short lived and i try to do what I can with that time. I have slept roughly 6 hrs or so over 2 days during the day and nowi have tthis burst I can try to reply to some of the posts again just not individually it is easier this way for me to do so. In resonse to some of the replies I do take digestive enzymes and a probiotic have been for sometime now I do eat as gluten free as possible some dairy mostly cream in my coffe and some feta cheese but it does not even matter I bloat anyway. My body can change in size over 1 day from 3 months prego to 6 or up to 10 mths???? It is a very messed up situation. I do not know if the combination of my health issues are to blame or whether it is strictly my thyroid . I do know even with a little stress something most people might shrug off I cannot handle and thetiniest slight can set me off then I get pain for a short period maybe a couple minutes and I all of asudden resemble a balloon. My stomach is always somewhat puffy now and my weight is yo yo ing about 5 lbs up or down when up I look not 5 lbs larger but 15 or 20 it is disturbing how water and bloating can do that and I t may only be 3 or 5 lbs with me anyway 2 lbs is bad too! I eat Green and blacks 85% when I can and stay away from most foods so try to take my vitamins because I lack the proper nutrients. It seems I cannot eat much of anything healthy anymore getting progressively worseand this so called toxic adenoma on my thyroid well unsure why it is termed toxic my Endo neglected to inform me of that r much of anything my options were blast with RAI thyroidectomy and/or anti thyroid meds UMMM NOPE! I will chose another option thankyou she was pissy stating declined treatment when I did not I was looking for less drastic options like endoscopic removal of the nodule and armor I read up on the 2 AT meds available and no way am I touching those !! So I continue to suffer bloa isolate and weep when I am not angry at the world I was just getting on track with my life fter being very sick with depression when I kinda fell into meno without warning and then went on BHT and then did not respond well as m prog estro and testo levels were always low and my tsh ft3 ft4 were all NORMAL and was tested monthly for 4 months but then I had a sharp gyne who decided to send me for an US and what do you know nodules 4 in total 1 biggun and a cyst would have never known then onto the twit Endo who sluffed off any adrenal issues when I know the thyroid and gut are connected maybe that is the sourse of my digestive issues and this insidious monster body /belly my miracle may well lie in removing the nodule..i can hope for that and I think that is why I have not taken my life yet there is still the hope that when that toxic adenoma is gone I will be able to start my life again but I am so lost I cannot remember what it is like to live. So thankyou to all of you for your input and support I hope I addressed all the posters I may get an endoscopy for celiac but i doubt I have that. I take my D3 plu a few other things although not everyday due to my sleep schedule being all over the place hard to schedule in all the supps at certain times etc... I need to start exercising again even though I doubt I will get to far but he Dr says not right now not sure why will have to ask him can I work out my legs and bum ..I cannot look worse so I need to workout the parts I can before it is beyond repair. I wish everyone a healing journey and I pray we all get well and I day of happiness for me right now would be great. Now I am pooped again zapped starting to crash...will wake up round 7pm!
P.S. I will be starting a water fast for 1 day after my dinner tonite to detox myself I am sure I m toxic the Doc thinks so. I tried 2 days but it was hard and I was starving I deprive myself enough no pleasure in that at all. I cannot eat much anyway so water with lemon after 7pm wish me luck. I was tested for H Pylori via blood test and came back negative but I took a PPI for pain and bloating for a month for so called gastritis so that is why I had the BT for HP anyway getting irritable and stressed so need to peace out for a while thanks again for the support. I just keep praying for health and life although death seems my only out lately especially with the BDD which has gotten much worse to the point where I will not even go out unless I have to and after dark if to visit my BF in pj's when I have some clothes I wore not so long ago I break down a lot asi see not me now but a monster... pretty fn sad! gtg now see u all later XX
jsut a quick note ( no reply needed0 to say I do feel fro you and hope you find some ideas here to help, it sounds like you have tried lots of things, but there may always be more options and hopefully some of them will work for you.
any time you fanyc oming here for support - there is always someone here, sending you Big Fluffy Hugs,
Sorry that you are all upside down! Fear not that it does get better.....It's obviously hormonal. It took me one year (like most) for alot of the symptoms of menopause to start calming down. I was a "train wreck" like you. What helped the most was getting a vitamin spectracel and finding what my deficiencies were. Almond milk is god sent. It helps the bloat, calm the nerves and loose weight. I use 30 calorie Blue Diamond. Vit B deficiencies cause bloating. Exercise also did nothing for me. Only time and vitamins. feel better soon!
gemprincess
Just an observation - I've not been constipated on T3 but do get very bloated. I now realise that this is due to not completely emptying my bowels despite going every day. Now try to remember to put some milled linseed (from Aldi) on my porridge every morning.
Also worth taking a prebiotic and probiotic daily.
Take care menohypo you have had so many excellent responses and good advice. Guess you won't know what's what until the adenoma is removed and gynae probs sorted. With BDD on top it must be a killer having to cope with rapid body changes. Do you have a good professionsal or support person to call on?
Hope you can at least get good endo support you have to shop around but it's hard when you're ill.
I'm off to my GP in a few hours to discuss similar bloating ballooning probs but I'm way past meno.......long story! We'll get there xx
Just to share something that is working for me but not sure why! In May I did a food intolerance test and out of a list of about 130 I showed 42 problems! Horrendous and at a loss to work our what I can eat! Went on a cruise a few days later so at least I could try varying my diet and not have to worry about being a hopeless cook! My legs were very swollen after the flight. The straps on my sandals cut into the flesh and I felt dreadful. The first day at sea I could rest-struggling to walk so good but I needed to be active to do the trips-that was the point of going. Walking though extremely painful helped a little but after about 4 days I woke up and it felt easier to get the sandals on and the next day the swelling, particularly in my feet had gone. I was conscious of walking around and knowing my belly was almost flat! I kept thinking I was all a dream and kept feeling at it! Got home and continued my daily weighing and found I must have been unusual as I had actually lost a little weight but why? Well had walked more but had also found the energy to do that. The biggest change was breakfast. My normal cereal is oats and nuts but not noticed before an awful amount of sugar-one of my intolerances. I didn't want to do fruit for breakfast as that was usually on my dinner menu so had a cheese I omelette every morning bar one! the tests showed I was ok with dairy and although I don't have them every day I have introduced a few during the week and when my stock of bad cereal runs out will move over to porridge. So why eggs are making a change I don't know but its helping me!
I was unable to get back on last night . I was unsuccessful with my fast . I had supper at 6pm a small pork chop, mushrooms and onions sautéed in olive oil, and a 1/2 cup steamed broccoli and cauliflower. At 6:45pm I had a handful of chips chia and white bean cheddar (all gluten free snacks) I was okay drinking my lemon water up until midnight then the cravings ohhhh bad real bad like an addict I could no longer fight the need for a sugar fix . I used to use coconut sugar but now use Stevia so I ate some of my bf's icecream he left here I was in give up mode by that time . I am a little angry with myself but I will try again. After dinner but prior to eating i had bloated up quite a bit and my bf took some pics for me to show the Doc in Sept. yes I have tried to figure it out and tried different things so will continue seriphos for adrenal support and I will start pregnelone or pregnegdelone today and hope to GOD it does help me. I was n so much discomfort after dinner but had eaten nothing all day even though my bloating occurred prior to my dinner but I needed to eat and paid for it severely. My bloating got worse and gas everywhere which I could not release through either end. I take a laxative also because I have problems pooping a daily one although I try to take a break from it from time to time. It is called Lax a Day and apparently safe to take everyday, I was using Restoralax (same thing but switched cost wise was better)
Anyway 7 mnths down to 4 mths prego looking today weight down 2 lbs again. Frggin up down up down water grrrrr... hate it in my belly enjoy it 6-8 glasses a day with my lemon. I eat eggs often now I feel I am looking like one ..lol. I will try the almond milk with some berries for a smoothie if that is ok to combine. I have some vanilla blue diamond. Anyway just getting up about 1hr ago slept ok but foggy but got some anyway and needed it. Hope I did not miss anyone's suggestions. As I said right now no treatment for the thyroid still waiting for that. One more biopsy then ENT for consult and hope this thing is out before Xmas as it will be a yr since I was found to have nodules. I amt working on restoring my adrenals right now. HUGS for all xx
P.S. Will look into food intolerences and malabsorption too and testing for those things will talk to the Integrative medicine Doc in Sept. He took a urine test to check for bugs ???? I thought they did a poo test for that ..lol ? Anyone?
P.S.S. To the poster who mentioned my BDD thnkyou it is traumatizing and that is putting it lightly . I am on meds for depression and anxiety and a sleep aid so I do see a shrink and now a therapist mostly in relation to the BDD and just recent. I hope I can get help because suicidal thoughts are horrible right now...I do not hold out much hope for BDD as it is still a disorder not completeyl understood and no meds directly for that so what I see i see what I know I know and for sure I know it is not a or exaggerated perceived flaw of my 10 mnths pregnancy belly cause I do not have to look in the mirror just down.. .lol It is however a whole other can of worms regarding my face and the change due to meno and thyroid maybe even the sleep problems and stress WOW big lot rolled into one ..ughhh rapid is right!! I appreciate all the support keep it coming I still need that tmiracle post ..lol cheerio for now all XX
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sadly that has not come to pass. I am replying to all pots to my question in one as It exhausts me to be on the computer typing for more than 5 minutes t time . Exhausted now like always sick of the prescription meds for sleep the poisons I ingest every fn night for chronic insomnia it is debilitating to my functioning on a daily basis YES another issue I have been dealing with for several yrs but has gotten worse since meno and my borderline hyper/hypo(no meds so far getting a toxic adenoma 1.5 cm removed soon I hope), the swinging pendulum I call it. A pain in the bum too, so guess what more scrip!! I just want to sleep so I can have somewhat of a normal life with some quality which is now in toilet 
for now over and out and sorry if I have repeated myself I am going in circles right now..back on soon! Again appreciate the support as I have none outside of these forums! See u soon X
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