Hypothyroid and bloating: Dear all I would like... - Thyroid UK

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Hypothyroid and bloating

astroscopesuk profile image
47 Replies

Dear all

I would like some help , as I have now gone back to work, but i am finding that whatever I eat i feel constantly bloated,

The only thing ive found i can eat comfortably are some soups and sort of bean salad, and fruit,

this limits my diet, a great deal,, some fish i can eat, and i don't eat meat,

I want to know what i can eat without feeling bloated ?

Also i tried the raspberry key tones, that didn't do a thing, i didn't lose a pound in weight!!

Lost about £20 trying it, and didn't feel any better after two months with the apparent colon cleanse tablets one is supposed to take .

Could any one please suggest a diet that is reasonable and edible that doesnt make one feel bloated, or uncomfortable,, eating is such a chore these days , every meal seems to be an experiment!!!

thankyou all

regards

Astro

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astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk
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47 Replies
gabkad profile image
gabkad

If you want to de-bloat you'd need to do something radical. Like eat nothing but fish for a few days. That will settle your guts down. Then introduce foods one at a time. Fish will totally be absorbed by your digestive tract and not contribute to bloat. Fatty fish is best. Your poops will be very small but not hard.

I did this a few years ago after having my guts destroyed by the H1N1 vaccine. It was desperate times. My M.D. denied that the vaccine could have been the problem.... oh yeah. The various things like swollen finger joints started up 2 weeks after the vaccination and what was coming out the other end is best left to a florid imagination. It was truly terrible. I only went to see her after I'd been having trouble for 6 weeks and it wasn't going away. I had to figure out on my own what to do but not before I left a very very explosive and smelly deposit in her toilet. HA! Revenge of the disatisfied patient.

2 weeks of nothing but fatty fish re-set my guts. Then I gradually went back to introducing normal foods like vegetables. All the omega 3 fatty acids in the fish helped to get rid of the inflammation in the finger joints too. Nobody says eating sardines, mackeral, tuna, salmon and steelhead trout for 2 weeks and nothing else is fun. But a person can live on them for 2 weeks no problem.

Eating anything carb or fruit just made the whole situation untenable. I decided to give my intestines a vacation.

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk in reply to gabkad

oh gabkad

you're funny,, (Happy new year dear),,but helpful however , and this is greatly appreciated.

I must admit my illness , the thyroid , menopause and hip and knee bursitis really left me flat broke, and am trying to feed my son and myself on my meagre overdraft,,

so i will have to see what fish pound land can offer me,,, !!! but its worth a try, as all the gps seem to have signed me off,, my back mri team signed me off when i wouldn't have a steroid injection...I cant do steroids,,they really mess me up,,, my endo signed me off as he said i was optimally medicated on 50 g levo and tsh of 3,3!!!

however whatever i do i seem to put on weight, and feel very bloated,, i only have muesli with brazil nuts for breakfast as the selenium content is good for thyroid patients, and then veg soup and maybe an omelette for tea, i heard its best to keep to proteins,, but i will try the fish thing as i also get sticky finger joints that are painfull , and have stopped using my crutch , but it still hurts to walk , and i dont think the extra weight is helping., im only little,,! but ok will give it a go,,how long does one stay on the just fish diet? is two weeks long enough?

many thanks

ASTRO XX

gabkad profile image
gabkad in reply to astroscopesuk

I think you need to consider how long it takes for your body to process food to poop. If it takes several days for whatever you are currently eating to pass through the system, then you'll need a week or more after that to help the system get a vacation. Then start them up again gradually so you'll find out what works and what doesn't work.

The fatty fish have plenty enough calories, you won't feel hungry. And if that's all there is, that's all there is. Pretend you are living in an igloo and hunting was poor. All you have is fish. Fatty fish is really good nutrition. (Salmon, sardines, tuna, mackeral, stickleback..... lots of fish out there. Not white fish like sole or bassa or tilapia.)

Start with vegetables,mushrooms, bean sprouts, etc when you feel like your stomach is happy. Steamed not raw. Graduate to raw later. Easier to digest cooked vegetables. You need the roughage too. If you are feeling like you are missing out on something, save the cooking water from the vegetables, add a bit of salt and you have a vegetable broth. Even if it's green.

Don't start up with sweet fruit until you know that the vegetables are making happy stomach. No dried fruit like dates or raisins... .

Then rice (it's the least offensive grain.) If you use basmati rice, soak it for an hour first, then use only 1.5 cups of water to 1 cup of rice. You can use a bit less. This way it won't be too soft. Then keep this steady for 2 weeks. ( you can freeze cooked rice in serving sizes, thaw and heat. I made big batches and bag it up in the freezer.) Don't add other grains or fruit. If that works, then go for oats. You might find that the oats will bloat. Eat very small amounts only until the guts get used to them. Or potatoes. Baked or boiled. Keep it simple though because you don't know what's causing the problems and the more things you mix up the less you can pinpoint what it is that causes bloating.

So now you have a pile of rice with a pile of vegetables and some fish on top. Asian diet.

Once your guts are doing their thing, move on to other grains and fruit.

Too bad you are not into meat because pork is the least problematic, easiest to digest.

Your levo dose is too low. Can't your GP increase it? Especially in winter. Theses people are nuts.

I've noticed that therapeutic doses of omega 3 help with pain in synovial joints (fingers, knees) but do not help vertebral joints. For some reason. ??? There's a big difference between supplemental doses and therapeutic doses. Where let's say 2 capsules at 500 mg = supplement, 12 to 14 capsules = therapeutic.

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk in reply to gabkad

as i thin ive said.. ta, gapkad,,

am trying the fish thing,, will let you know,, seemed the most sense, since carbs make me feel crap at the moment,,

will let you know x

gabkad profile image
gabkad in reply to astroscopesuk

Fish and shellfish do not contain N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) which is present in all mammalian flesh except human. The molecule causes antibody response in humans. So since fish is exempt, it is the best possible source of protein for someone who wants to do an elimination diet in regards to adverse effects from other sources. For some reason our genetics result in no production of this substance. Exposure results in antibodies. You can also eat shrimp, oysters, mussels, clams, lobsters, crabs, and whatever else comes out of the sea. Winkles. blah blah blah.......

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk in reply to gabkad

well gabkad

I am trying what you said, so far a little less bloa ted,, just hard to to keep to just fish,, i have been having tuna salads so far , and just clear soup and basically no carbs,, am going to try for two weeks.

thanks

anythings worth a go,,,

Regards

astro

gabkad profile image
gabkad in reply to astroscopesuk

From an antibody production perspective, fish is the safest. When guts bloat, the least annoying thing is to eat something that doesn't ferment in the colon or small intestine. Let things heal and introduce the vegetables and mu mushrooms first. I don't recommend smoothies because a.) the vegetables are raw and b.) most people add fruit to their smoothies to make them palatable and right now that's not what you need. Fruit can make a person bloat too.

You'll probably lose a few pounds doing this as well. Don't worry. Most of it is bowel contents and water. Bacteria do weigh something.

Heloise profile image
Heloise

Have you thought you might have low acid? This makes almost anything indigestible. You can take apple cider vinegar with your meals or there are Betaine tablets you could buy. You can also take digestive enzymes which can help as well.

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk in reply to Heloise

thankyou i could have,,,? would lemon juice in water also work?

Heloise profile image
Heloise in reply to astroscopesuk

Actually, I don't think so, astro. From what I understand, lemon juice while acetic turns alkaline after swallowing. vitalitylink.com/article-ho...

faith63 profile image
faith63

If you are having trouble with weight and bloating, it really sounds like you are not on adequate thyroid meds. and still very hypo. Maybe your digestion is slow. I had this for years and finally got relief on t3 only. Lost weight and the bloat. I tried apple cider vinegar, supps that give you more stomach acid, prescriptions to help my food move along and only the t3 helped.

faith63 profile image
faith63

What meds are you on? How do your labs look? Have you had your free t3 and reverse t3 tested?

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk in reply to faith63

HELLO faith 63

How do i go about having that done?

happy new year xx

Regards

Astro

faith63 profile image
faith63 in reply to astroscopesuk

It is about slow metabolism and inflammation from Hasi's..i doubt it is anything else and nothing works when you don't have enough thyroid hormone. Even going gluten free, laxatives..nothing works. I got off t4 meds, like levo and ordered t3 from mexico and self treated. Many on this forum are doing it. The meds are very inexpensive.

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk in reply to faith63

my metabolism is slower than a snail dragging a breeze block,,, i only eat one or two meals a day as i get bloated ,,im so fed up of nothing working!! thankyou xx

faith63 profile image
faith63 in reply to astroscopesuk

I could barely eat ..living on fluids much of the time. When i did eat and maybe ate a tiny bit too much, i would have to throw the food back up, hours after eating, so i could breath better! The food had not digested, sat there and fermented, causing huge amounts of stomach acid to develope. That's how bad it was. They wanted to send me to Gastroenterologists for testing, but i knew it was low thyroid, because i was having other symptoms too, like being puffy, unable to lose weight, swelling around eyes, scalloped tongue, low temps etc.. The only thing that helped was t3 meds! It is a miracle, as i never thought i would be able to eat normally again. I really think that you should give them a try. I'm sure that you have low ft3 levels and don't convert your t4 to the active t3 very well. You and i have had many of the same symptoms. It is amazing that you are back at work. I suffered with my stomach issues for nearly 5 years before i learned about reverse t3 and how t4 could actually make a person worse. That the stomach needs t3 for digestion.

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk in reply to faith63

my endo was very short about the t3,,he said if you have t3 it will only work for about half an hour and then you will be back to square one,,im not entertaining any t 3 nonsense,, and he signed me off back to my gp!!

faith63 profile image
faith63 in reply to astroscopesuk

This has happened to most of us. If you continue to listen these doctors and not take matters into your own hands, you will stay ill. We need to be educated and our own advocates. If you will not self medicate and feel that you need a doctor, you can contact someone named Louise, on this forum, who has a list of doctors.

Alexandra4 profile image
Alexandra4

Have you tried cutting out gluten? Also as you say you don't eat meat it would be worth getting your B12 level tested as It is needed for thyroid function. Take a look at B12deficiency.

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk in reply to Alexandra4

i hardly eat , let alone cutting out gluten.. i take b 12 supplements and have Marmite on my omelettes, that has b 12 in it,, thanks for the link x

Jackie profile image
Jackie

Hi If ankles swelling too , then this is Oedema and ascites which needs diuretics.

Jackie

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk in reply to Jackie

no thankfully they are ok .. but my skin is a funny colour since i have been ill,,its gone very blotchy..

Jackie profile image
Jackie in reply to astroscopesuk

Hi There are a lot of skin problems associated with thyroid, especially eczema . My Endo says the diabetic diet is best, see the American diabetes association.

Jackie

hellybaybee profile image
hellybaybee

I agree that ur medication may not be sufficient but there are foods you should avoid with hypothyroidism anyway... I suggest that u look at the blood group diet for the o blood group... It suggests that people with o blood are more likely to have thyroid problems so the diet is tailored toward that.

Kas65 profile image
Kas65 in reply to hellybaybee

I am blood type AB, hypothyroid and have major issues with wheat (including bloating) and minor ones with dairy... seems I'd be best on the group O diet too !

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator

I don't know if this will be of help.

stopthethyroidmadness.com/s...

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk in reply to shaws

thankyou shaws

happy new year

regards astro

shaws profile image
shawsAdministrator in reply to astroscopesuk

I wish you a good 2015 too especially a more healthy one.

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk in reply to shaws

thankyou shaws,,

i feel this year is going to be full of food experiments till i actually find the right one,,,

happy new year to you ,,

regards astro

kym46 profile image
kym46

I had the exact same problem for many years. It wasn't until I was extreme and cut gluten out of my diet that I finally returned to normal. I never get bloated after food now. I've been gluten free for almost a year. I have Hashimoto's and I've read that we can have the same problem as celiacs. I still have issues and problems with my guts but the bloating and painful cramps etc I used to get since I was in my twenties.

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk in reply to kym46

i am very very poor since ive been ill , and my salary has been going down and down and now am on basic and im told that i should be grateful to still have a job since they nearly got rid of me,,nice after 29 yrs in the same job. but i hardly eat any gluten at all and have cut out lots ,, but im fed up with the fact that every meal s an experiment!!

kind regards

astro

DumbBlonde profile image
DumbBlonde

Hi - another thing, more of a general nature, that I would like to add is that there is such a lot of tampering with foods these days - so between that and our own personal difficulties (be they thyroid-related or not), it is no wonder that food can be a problem for many. It was/still is for me - but I am doing several things to combat it -

Full range of vitamins - plus spatone for gentle supplemental iron

Digestive enzymes WITH main meals - I understand apple cider vinegar works well too (my horse used to love it - in a much larger amount than a human would have!)

Cut out all breads, cakes, anything that might have had a raising agent (again; common sense)

Plenty of water, although NOT with meals - never anything fizzy or juice from concentrates (not even pure

fruit juice really); first thing I drink is warm water with lemon slice and "liver salts" as my grandmother used to call them

I personally eat NO animal flesh or substance - that is my own ethical stance and I know to eat some

protein in this form would help me, but I just cannot do it. My stomach thanks me :o)

I also avoid most cheeses and any milk is either organic, "pure" - or almond/coconut

Anything highly sweet/ened, even naturally - although I eat one or two fruits per day, usually from berries as they are lower sugar (if I eat something with refined sugar - or even fructose depending on the fruit - I actually feel my poor system trying to break those saccaharide (?) bonds....)

I do drink coffee - but must be decaff (even though there are some issues about that even ) and fairtrade. BUT it must never be the first thing to hit your empty stomach. Very bad - and with a laxative effect (coffee enemas anyone?

I do eat a lot of vegetables and lentil based sew/casseroles from the slow cooker and even will occasionally use a condensed (I used to work for the red and white can company and yes indeed, I know what goes into these processed foods.....) soup as the liquid ingredient. Recently I have started to add raw spinach as a side to almost every meal.

With all of these things - and occasional T3 (it bothers me but I know I need something and the Drs will not help me - another story) - I do feel a whole lot better.

Sorry, this was not meant to be list of what I am doing - and I have probably forgotten something (I have a lot of issues/thoughts about food; am about to watch Cowspiracy later - and of course have seen Food Inc and Earthlings.....the fast food side of it doesn't affect me personally physically (mentally/emotionally is different) as I never touch the stuff) but I wonder if any of my suggestions might help you at all.

(Side note - if you go to your GP and he suggest antacids/PPIs, do NOT take them - my Mother went from an 18 to size 24 in the course of a few weeks due to those dastardly things and it wasn't until she and I spoke and I recollected my recent biology studies (an exam question on the digestive system) that she became a little more clued in.

Oh - and a last thing - Liquorice tea is very very kind and helpful to your digestive tract - and throat, something to do with mucus production (niiice).

xx

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk in reply to DumbBlonde

yes i drink that ,, its very yummy,, think i may try the green tea too app it makes the metabolism work a bit harder and faster.

regards

astro

helen_m profile image
helen_m

Hi Astro - I have hashimoto's and also had painful bloating and bagged up feeling. I remember going to my doctor along with various other wee things and he mentioned stopping eating wheat. I did a bit of research and decided to stop eating wheat as much as I could, and within about three weeks (the time I used for an elimination trial) the bloating went down. I think being wheat-free is also helpful for some other symptoms I had. I've mostly become completely gluten free. The first month is hard when you suddenly realise that going out to eat is a bit challenging as most of the cafes and restaurants I know have menus based on baked foods or pasta. All of the major supermarket chains have a free from shelf and in some cases an entire aisle! Wheat is also used in way more things than you think; I've been slowly replacing things in my kitchen cupboard, like soy sauce and learning how to cook better.

The gluten free diet takes some getting used to but I feel a lot better and when I'm tempted to eat a Krispy Kreme donut (like I was recently) I just think of how awful it made me feel. The best thing to do is eliminate it from your diet for a few weeks then reintroduce it.

The other stuff I take that helps with digestion and constipation - also related to my bloating - is flaxseed oil capsules and probiotics. Not sure how they help exactly but they do.

Good luck

Helen xx

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk in reply to helen_m

thankyou

its a horrible feeling it makes life very uncomfortable, one feels pregnant but im too old for that malarchy now,,i just get few up feeling bloated after every meal, and all i seem to eat is soup muesli and eggs and a few veg,, i dont eat meat,, and its all a bit boring especially as im so short of cash too,,

as i said i will have to see what fish poundland offers...!!

regards

astro

BonsaiKid profile image
BonsaiKid

Bloating can be a sign of IBS. Any food can cause it. It is a matter of experimentation but the FODMAP diet is the latest successful solution for it. You can Google it for the list of foods that can cause fermentation in the gut. Another approach that helped me was the SCD ( Specific Carbohydrate Diet).

Cutting out wheat and dairy initially as others have suggested can also prove helpful. Taking some digestive enzymes is also good. Take time to chew your food well and eat slowly. Hope you get it sorted out soon. I know how uncomfortable it can be.

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk in reply to BonsaiKid

yes bonsai kid

its very uncomfortable and when all your jumpers and clothes dont fit and you look like you've spent a week in the pub just drinking fizzy beer and youve done none of it.. lol

i dont think ive got ibs,, my brother has just had bowel cancer and ive lived it with him,, that was a nightmare.. but its just that i hardly eat a thing and i seem to put on weight,, im walking more

but my hips still hurt , i dont think the extra two stone is helping but ive tried the keytones and the colon cleanse and nothing ,,, im trying to include selenium with the muesli. and foods that support thyroid health ,,but my diet is limited and im losing the will to live,

regards

astro

BonsaiKid profile image
BonsaiKid in reply to astroscopesuk

Bloating is one of the main symptoms of IBS. There are many causes. It's ruling the causes out one by one. Not always easy but remember that your body does want to get well. It strives to to do the best it can under the circumstances. Eating easily digested food is best. Some people have found that blending their food first helps. Hang on in there, you will find the answers.

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk

thankyou honey

regards

astro

danceforever profile image
danceforever

Bloating is not always from what we eat.

Medication can cause it and thyroxine is well known to cause bloating.

Menopause/unbalanced (hypothyroid) hormones causes bloating.

SUGAR.

Coffee.

Too much fruit.

Wheat.

Bran.

cow's milk.

kym46 profile image
kym46

The one thing about going gluten free is that you can't go half way. You are or you're not. If you even consume the smallest amount you're back to square one. It takes six months to get out of your system. So basically, eating small amounts of gluten... not much gluten doesn't work.

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk in reply to kym46

i dont actually eat a great deal of gluten,, i think i will try the fish thing, first,,

i find gluten free products are difficult to eat,, especially the gluten free spagetti, it also doesnt cook well

thankyou

Inna profile image
Inna

GAPS might be a thing to try gapsdiet.com/INTRODUCTION_D...

sued007 profile image
sued007

have your vit d checked ,ihad all these symptoms after thyroidectomy and ended up having vit d injections and ferritin infusions. i still bloat occasionally fish, chicken and eggs being the main culprits for me but since drinking actimel and having a couple of activia yoghurts each day thing have definatlyimproved,plus being correctly medicated of course

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk

thankyou eveyone

i will try some of these xxx

Artemiss profile image
Artemiss

I agree with all the posts here. I also have bloating. It's worse in evening and after dinner, I look very pregnant. I'm thin, with a bloated belly and hate it with me trying to date!

A big factor for me is Candida, or yeast. The Candida can be in your intestinal tract and feed on things you eat. I also have trouble in my esophagus with food or pills sticking and a bad coating on my tongue. I keep trying everything and doing all the natural remedies, but may need medication.

astroscopesuk profile image
astroscopesuk

good on you at least youre trying to date,, i feel so crap i dont even want to try,,

however i am trying the just dish thing and no carbs,, see how that goes,,

x

regards astro

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