Stomach problems in healthy woman

[Mack27]

Hello:  I am a 38 year old female with three young kids ages 1 1/2 to 6 years.  I've had stomach problems since my third child was born, stomach very bloated with constipation.  After he weaned from nursing at 14 months I seemed to be fine but now every two to four weeks I have stomach pain with either vomiting or diarrhea.  Otherwise, I am a healthy woman who exercises daily and eats right....I'm a Registered nutritionist.  My  husband is tired of me blaming it on food poisioning, stomach viruses, etc.....I'm now starting to think he is right and that I should be followed up by a MD.   What test would be appropriate, what does this appear to be?  Thank you.  

[Mack27]

Thanks, I am aware of the elimination diet and gluten intolerance....I'm a registered dietitian although my speciality is kidney disease not GI or food allergies, but I have a good solid background in all areas.  Perhaps I should consult our GI nutritionist. The foods I tend to notice are chocolate and tea, two times I ate tuna fish out.  I tend to blame most problems on diet or fix my problems with diet.  I almost feel like I'm getting a small blockage but can't figure out the reason, but it has occured since having my third child, year prior to him I had appendicitis...possibly scar tissue???? I don't have any other symptoms, I exercise daily, not tired with three young kids and working 12 hour days twice a week.  The pain is like I'm getting a stomach virus or have food poisioning, comes on all of a sudden, severe, I'm sick for the evening and the next day I have cramping and most everything goes thru me.  Colitis????  Of I just have bad luck and have picked up stomach viruses and food poisioning?  I don't take medications, occasional vitamins because I was nursing a baby before.  Doesn't appear to be gluten.  Thanks for your very thought out response.  I keep food records once in awhile to keep my diet healthy, I'll start the elimination diet.

[CalGal]

While you're waiting to go to the doc, consider thinking back on what changes have gone on. Were you on medications like antibiotics? If so, consider probiotics. Have you noted that any foods contribute to the bloating? If you've not started a food diary, do so. Take a look at specific foods and food groups. Then do some eliminatons even if you don't feel they're 'likely' candidates. You'd be surprised at how often foods can contribute to both constipation and diarrhea. Consider the two biggest 'offenders' - dairy and gluten. There are many, many adults who find out that they've unable to 'stomach' those items even if they've been fine all of their lives.

Keep in mind that test for food problems are not 100 percent, so elimination is a old, but tried and true way to find out what's going on.

Check to see in anyone in your family has any form of food intolerance issues. You'd be surprised at how much we don't know about 'hidden' family problems.

Is the pain 'true' stomach, or abdominal in origin? If true stomach, you might want to consider following a GERD diet and see if that's of help. Check to see if fatty foods contribute to the vomiting and diarrhea. If they do, you may want to consider going low fat. And check to see in those in your family have a history of gallbladder issues.

Pain, bloating and diarrhea are a description that could relate to a number of GI issues. Do you have any other symptoms that are more 'specific?' Rashes, tiredness, dizziness, etc?