Help - chronic bloating

[bloatedinmtl]

Hi.  I'm a 31 yr old woman suffering from chronic bloating.  I'll start with the history of the problem and then give you my current status.
History:
It started about 6 yrs ago, I noticed that after eating my stomach would bulge out, making me look pregnant.  There was also pain associated with the trapped gas, and no effective way to release the gas.  At the time, I went for a gastroscopy and colonoscopy, as well as an xray of the small intestine.  Everything was normal.  My doctor said I must have IBS and must be stressed at work or at home.  I didn't agree and the only solution to my problem was to eat less.  So I did, but this was not a healthy way to control my bloating as I lost 30 lbs (normally I weight about 115-120 lbs, I'm 5'4", and after this weight lost I weight 90 lbs, and my hair started falling out).  I underwent more of the same tests, still nothing was found, so I took time off work to rest and eventually I started eating normally again and just basically ignoring the bloating and pain.  
Fast forward to today:  I have a steady job that I enjoy and I would say is a little stressful but definitely nothing excessively stressful - just enough to motivate me to work hard!  Anyways, I have the same symptoms whether I'm working or on vacation.  I live alone with my two dogs and therefore do not have much stress in the homelife (no relationship drama).  I exercise regularly (walk the dogs briskly twice a day for 45 mins - 1 hr each time, and do at least 45 mins of cardio or 45 mins of strength training about 5-6 days a week).  I sleep well.  I eat healthy - lots of fruits and vegetables, lean meats and fish, legumes, whole grains, limited caffeine (one coffee or tea in the morning) and limited alcohol (maybe one glass of wine a month when having dinner with friends or family).  I try to limit *empty calorie* foods but once in a while I will eat dessert (hard to resist!).  I need to be careful about making sure that I eat fiber because I do constipate easily.  But when I am careful I will have at least one bowel movement per day (sometimes two).  I do know that some foods cause more bloating, such as beans or cabbage for example, but I have bloated regardless of whether I eat these foods.  In fact if I get bloated due to these foods it's a different kind of bloating, I will feel more pain and will eventually be able to pass the gas.  I am not lactose intolerant, and I don't believe I have celiac's disease (never been tested for it but I have symptoms regardless of whether I eat a yogurt, a salad, or cereal).  I have tried including probiotics such as activia yogurt and bio-k in my diet but with no success.  I've also tried cleanses and they will work momentarily (obviously, since they clean you out) but the problem always returns when I eat normal foods again.  I try to eat slowly and not swallow air but it doesn't help.  I can eat meal replacement bars and not suffer too much from bloating but that's probably because they're not as voluminous as a normal meal.  I've tried to eat more calorie-dense foods so I don't need to eat as much volume (ie less veggies, more meat) but to no avail (plus I end up constipating).  I've tried to eat smaller but more frequent meals but this doesn't help either.  I tend to have more severe bloating the more the day progresses - breakfast usually won't cause much bloating but lunch and dinner definitely will.  Not sure if this is because I eat less at breakfast or if it's cause my system just can't cope anymore as the day wears on.  Sometimes I'll be fine until the afternoon when I'll eat a handful of nuts or a plum (ie something small) and bam!  we have onset of mega bloating!  

So...My question:  I am sick of always looking pregnant and would like to know what is wrong with me.  I can't function after dinner when I'm bloated and I have having to limit activity in the evenings.  When I'm not bloated I have a decent midsection that I wouldn't mind showing off once in a while ;)  Can you help me here?  Is there something that I have not been tested for that could be a likely culprit - am I lacking some kind of enzyme to breakdown something common that is found in most foods?  could this be diabetes or something else that isn't necessarily digestive in nature?  

[Crystal91479]

You should have your doctor check your thyroid. My *pregnancy look* is because of my thyroid.

[Crystal91479]

I went through the IBS/stress/colonoscopy in May of when I turned 22....7 years later they finally figured out that I have Hypothyroidism, induced by Hashimotos Thyroiditis.

[Mitch5]

Do you have nausea with it? I have gastroparesis which causes severe bloating and I also have nausea daily as well. But bloating is a huge symptom of gastroparesis since your stomach is not emptying properly. Can be diagnosed with a gastric emptying test. Nausea with bloating would indicate this more though since it's the stomach that is causing this. If you don't have much nausea then lower intestines is probably causing the bloating in your case.

[bloatedinmtl]

Nope, no nausea.  Just bloating.  
I'll look into having my thyroid checked.  Crystal91479, did you have the same symptoms as me or any additional telling signs of hypothyroidism?

[Crystal91479]

I did have all of your symptoms, back 7 years ago.
In January of this year my lung collapsed and I had to have surgery......after my 6 weeks of healing I was still very fatigued and had ZERO energy. I was also going through crazy mood swings..I seen every specialist in 3 months....last one being the endocronologist, who is the one who found the thyroid problem through a panel of blood tests.
In the past 7 years (which is how long they think that it's been since my immune system has been attacking my thyroid), I have been put on medicines for Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar, High Blood Pressure, IBS, migraines and sleep disorder. All of these have now been attributed to the thyroid.
Hope this helps!!!
~Crystal

[bloatedinmtl]

Yeah, that helps, it sound exactly like me.  I have migraines (not frequently but still do), lots of tension-type headaches, I have low blood pressure not high though,  I also get this odd stabbing pain in my wrists once in a while when I bend them, kinda like I've got a pinched nerve or something, which started recently, and I am tired a lot (like if I close my eyes, I could fall asleep anywhere - bus, bathroom at work, face down in my dinner, etc - I fight it and try to stay active nonetheless but there are definitely days where I could just stay in bed).  So... I guess I will have this checked out.  I have to find myself a family doctor again - I haven't seen my gastroenterologist in a few years and they've probably closed my file there.  I only have a gyno!  We've got a shortage of family doc's here :(
Anyways, thanks! and best of luck to you.

[Crystal91479]

Best of luck to you to!! Make sure you keep in touch and let me know how it all goes for you!