Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Tummy problems - bloating etc

Does anyone else get a lot of tummy problems from Lyme?

I used to have diarrhoea all the time, very severe, (up to 20 times a day) and when I started on abx it settled down and all was much improved.
Now, after 18 months of abx, I have recently developed constipation instead. I also have incredible bloating - I look about 7 months pregnant!!! Sometimes I have a lot of wind, but not always, so that cannot explain the bloating.

I did develop low thyroid over the last year and that does cause constipation, but I am taking thyroid supps now and the constipation is still just as bad. Has anyone else had anything like this? It is driving me nuts, going from one extreme to the other.
12 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
My Lyme doc says that he believes yeast like to feed on the dead bacteria, so the yeast problem also suggests the treatment is working.  I am hoping the diflucan takes care of it.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Your chocolate stuff sounds delicious! Fingers crossed that you don't have to give that up!!!

I'm getting going with a diet that's as carb free as I can get. Just meat/fish/egg and lots of veg. No starch or sugars and so far I'm not even having fruit - I hope I'll be able to add in one fruit a day after a while, as in the past I've usually managed to get away with that. My tummy is still sticking out so far, but I feel more energetic already.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I saw my LLMD today and showed him the 3 different kinds of probiotics I am taking.  He asked, "Can I show you something better?" Guess I have been using the cheap ones. The new ones are stored in the fridge and cost twice as much.  But I only need 1/2 as many capsules, so it works out even.

He also prescribed me 10 days of diflucan to get the yeast under control.

I must admit I didn't completely cut out sugar.  I have some dark chocolate almond and dried fruit clusters. I eat one after lunch so it's not on an empty stomach.  They have about 1/2 the sugar of my regular chocolate, so I indulge this one thing. I guess if the yeast isnt't resolving in the next week or so, I'll have to cut out even this little treat.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Your tummy sounds a lot like mine.
I cut out dairly and gluten a few years ago. They say if you have leaky gut you do need to cut out both of them. I definitely seem better off without them.
I also have nasty yeast problems. It used to give me pain as well as bloating, now it's just the bloating.

I had a poop testa couple of years ago that found all kind of nasties living in my intestine. I take heaps of probiotics but they don't seem able to sort it out. I think with our imparied immyne systems, we are just not able to maintain the right balance - it is really a full time job for the immune system keeping the balance right.

I get gas on adn off - when it comes it is in unbelievable quantities (sorry about the overshare!) I feel convinced it must be related to some specific food or foods, yet I cannot figure out what. I have also wondered about parasites, since I have read some of them can cause gas.

Although we know what infectins is the underlying cause of problems, there seem to be so many other variables that change or influence symptoms. I jsut wish I could work them out a bit more clearly.

I'm taking the yeast meds that Jackie recommended. I think they help but they need more time. and I need to grit my teeth to eliminate sugar and carbs completely. I just feel fresh out of willpower right now!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have definitely had gas. Lately, I just have bloating without gas, which I think is from yeast. I still have malabsorption and bulky stools (forgive the detail, but I would call them 2-3 man-sized poops a day).  At least most of my abdominal pain is gone. My stomach has been bloated and sticking out for the last few days.

Talk about paralyzed intestines... I once went 3 days without a bowel movement followed by only 1 small movement in the next two days. I wasn't constipated in my colon. The pipeline had stopped much further up, even though I didn't feel acute pain.

I am pretty sure the lining of my intestines are damaged as my balance of gut bacteria is way off and I felt much better when I cut out gluten (which suggests leaky-gut syndrome).  I cut out dairy for a while - they say it can cause inflammation in an irritated gut. I have slowly reintroduced it and have a small amount occasionally.  Seems okay so far.

I do take quite a few vitamin and mineral supplements as I figure I am probably low on a lot of things.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Bell's palsy of the gut - that definitely sounds like part of my problem. I actually said to my husband a few days ago that it seems as if my intestine has gone completely to sleep!

I am starting to think that bartonella plays a major role in all my gut problems. Can that give you gas as well as all the other stuff?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My LLMD likes the full GI panel from Metametrix, a lab in Georgia (USA). Supposedly, it is very comprehensive and not many labs do that much testing.  They check the good bacteria levels, short and long chain fatty acids levels, Ph, digestive enzymes, et.al. They also look for yeast, parasites, campylobacter, and h.pylori levels.  I had them all!  It was very useful in finding medications and supplements to help my digestive system, which in turn helped me feel a lot better.

I still have some bloating and tenderness in my stomach, but it is nowhere near what it used to be.

Have you read Virginia Sherr's article called "Bell's Palsy of the Gut?" (Bell's Palsy is when the 7th cranial nerve is affected and paralyzes one side of the face.) It really explained a lot of my issues.  She says that when Lyme infects the 10th cranial nerve, it in turn affects breathing and digestion. (I have problems with both!). She reports the worst gut symptoms in people who also have Bartonella.

Parts of the digestive tract can be paralyzed, or get incomplete signals that tell them what to do. This can result in an inability to control stomach acid, resulting in too much or too little. If the intestines are partially paralyzed, constipation can result.

I knew nothing about all this 6 months ago.  I hadn't even heard of a cranial nerve before all this!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I take antifungal supplements like Candex or YeastCleanse or others -- they have a combination of anti-fungal herbs and supplements like

caprylic acide
pau d'arco
grapefruit seed extract
garlic
licorice
tea tree oil

along with some Vit C, calcium, magnesium and zinc.  That's what I just took from the label on one of them.  

I got a huge yeast infection throughout my body when I had Lyme and went on a very strict diet of healthy foods, along with Diflucan.  The dietary change adjusted the pH at some level, so that it made my body less hospitable to the yeast.  (I had also been taking yeast-based probiotics, which it turns out I am sensitive to, so had to stop that.)

Hang in there, you'll figure it out -- Lyme and its co-infections combined with our different genetic make up and own medical history makes it a continuing puzzle, and there isn't a one size fits all -- you are taking a thoughtful approach to unraveling what works and doesn't work for you, and that's the best approach, in my experience.

Hang on, you'll figure it out!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Very interesting about the alkalinity.
How did you have that analysed?
Do you have low stomach acid? - I am pretty sure that I do, and I have been wondering how to deal with it, adn wondering if that could be part of the overall problem.

I'll ask my doc about intestimax.

I had better grit my teeth and cut out sugar too, arggh! as candida is perennially a problem for me.

Thanks for all the advice - really helpful.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
And one more thing I learned from my GI analysis... I was very alkaline.  I hear it is common for Lyme to mess with our Ph levels. I add 2-4 Tablespoons of lemon juice to water and drink a little at a time over the course of the day to add acidity back in.  

Someone else recommended sipping it all day, but my mom warned me that it would eat the enamel off my teeth. On top of my dry mouth from a medication, that is not a good thing. (I just learned I have two small cavities, which is rare for me.)  Now I drink more in one sitting and rinse my mouth afterwards.

When I stop the lemon juice, I notice an ammonia smell in my stool within a couple days. From what I read, ammonia comes from being too alkaline.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have lots of gut involvement thanks to Bartonella.  I was fast and loose for a couple months until a fellow Lymie recommended I go gluten free.  Within 5 days, I wasn't so loose anymore, and the burning and itching greatly decreased. But I still had bulky stools and undigested food.

I used one supplement called UltrainflamX for a month. It's a medical food for IBS sufferers. I believe it helped.  The one I have stayed on is Intestimax. I like the capsules better than the powder. The powder doesn't mix well. It really does soothe my intestines.

Before my last GI analysis came back, I had bouts of uncomfortable bloating, mostly without gas.  Even my hubby agreed I looked pregnant! I think it was  because my yeast levels were so high in my gut. I have been on Nystatin for 3 weeks now and it is definitely getting better.

I have also increased my fiber intake and cut my sugar intake. The overall tenderness in my intestines is way down from before treatment, but still there sometimes.

After 4.5 months, my gut is still not 'normal'.  I still have a continuous dull ache in my stomach, but it is so much better than the severe pain I had earlier.  I have a whole new empathy for sufferers of IBS, IBD, Crohn's, and Celiac Disease!
Helpful - 0
1763947 tn?1334055319
The constant diarrhea is how mine started, like you, I had it  over 20 times a day.  The gastro dr did every test, looking for something and there was nothing the "oh you are nuts' face came over him after a while. My thyroid also went down and I went on the meds for that only I am not sure if those pills caused the diarrhea to slow down or what but if finally did and I am sorry because I know how miserable the whole situation can be. Wish I had a better answer for you.
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Lyme Disease Community

Top Infectious Diseases Answerers
1415174 tn?1453243103
CA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Fearing autism, many parents aren't vaccinating their kids. Can doctors reverse this dangerous trend?
Can HIV be transmitted through this sexual activity? Dr. Jose Gonzalez-Garcia answers this commonly-asked question.
A breakthrough study discovers how to reduce risk of HIV transmission by 95 percent.
Dr. Jose Gonzalez-Garcia provides insight to the most commonly asked question about the transfer of HIV between partners.
Before your drop a dime at the pharmacy, find out if these popular cold and flu home remedies are a wonder or a waste
Fend off colds and the flu with these disease-fighting foods