Any ideas??

[blondie74]

I too suffer severe and persistant bloating. Sometimes it's painful, sometimes uncomfortable. I have had the usual tests, they know my digestive system is very slow after having a radio active pill and scans for 3 days running...the pill hadn't even budged!! I even had a biopsy of the colon, no abnormalities :S. I am very slender, which makes the bloating look so much worse. It also fills me with wind and i won't go out for meals etc in case it gets embarrassing! I feel as though i have constant trapped wind!! I really feel this is impacting my quality of life severely and has done since i was in my early 20's, i am now almost 35. Wheat makes it heaps worse, but i bloat with only a mouthful of food it seems. I am at the end of my tether with what to try and feel like my Dr feels i am a hypochondriac. I don't know where to turn next. I also used to be extremely skinny (6 and a half stone even after my first child) and eat whatever with no issues. Since this began, i have put on more than 2 stone, at one point i had put on 4 stone and really struggled to shift the weight. Every diet failed to help me, then about 3 years ago, for no apparent rreason, i lost 3 stone in as many months and everyone was worried sick. I have since put on a stone, and my weight fluctuates between 8 and 9st 4. I have to keep clothes in 3 dress sizes to accomodate for the bloating and have seriously had enough. I also get a lot of heartburn, for which the Dr gave me Protium. I would really appreciate any help and advice i can get!!



This discussion is related to Ongoing Bloating and Feeling of Fullness.

[blondie74]

Hello :)

Thanks for your response! I should have stated that i follow a strict diet in which i avoid all Gluten. I was tested for Celiac's about ten years ago and was told this wasn't the case. However, eliminating gluten eased my symptoms, although they are not completely relieved.

I bloat and get pain whatever i eat, sometimes whilst i am eating, which makes it impossible for me to finish my meal, sometimes a short time after i have eaten. I haven't had a gastric emptying exam nor have i been tested for Crohns. My Dr seemed to think Crohns was unlikely... i don't know why.

I've not eliminated dairy before, so that is worth a try, and i will also suggest the combination of Protium and Domperidone to my GP :)

I've not heard of gastroparesis before, so will look it up!

Thank you so much!

[GhostOf1901]

Two thoughts:

First, if wheat makes it worse you may have a gluten intolerance. Check out the tests from EnteroLab and see whether you might be either Celiac or, more likely, non-Celiac gluten intolerant. What you're saying sort of screams of this, which is why I mention it. If

The second thing is have they give you a gastric emptying exam? The kind of bloating and slow digesting with heartburn you describe sort of sounds like gastroparesis. Now, this may be caused by the gluten intolerance or by something else (a pseudo-blockage from something like Crohn's disease might do the same: Have you been tested for this?), or it may be "idiopathic". In any case, ask your doctor about this type of exam, and see whether domperidone, in addition to the Protium (pantoprazole) might help. (By the way, gastroparesis is often associated with childbirth, for some reason.)

In the meantime, start moving to a gluten-free diet to see whether it helps. (It might take a few months of a strict gluten-free regimen for symptoms to begin clearing.) In fact, to be on the safe side, try avoiding ALL grains and dairy. (Start with the gluten-containing foods first.) Depending on how you eat this might be nearly impossible at first. Still, try it. And keep a food/symptom journal as well. Trust me, they help.

Good luck.