gas pain, bloated after eating

[gusb234]

I am a 33 year old male. For the last 5 days or so I have had an almost constant feeling of pressure/bloating in my lower abdomen.

I notice it most after eating. It feels like I have to pass gas or have a bm, and often I do but the feeling only subsides for a small time (often after a bm it becomes more of a dull ache then a bloated feeling).

The more I can remain up and active or laying down seems to help, sitting down aggravates the feeling and becomes rather uncomfortable after a time.

The only way I have found to get rid of the feeling completely is to lay on my stomach for an hour or two, that makes the feeling go away.

The feeling is in my lower abdomen, focused on the left side of my body. It hasn't gotten any worse of the last 5 days but just the constant uncomfortable feeling is starting to wear at my nerves and annoy me to no end.

[gusb234]

Haven't posted here in a while, just thought I'd give an update.

I went a week on a very strict diet (water only to drink, no dairy, little sugar...mostly sandwiches and plain boring non spicey food) and things seem to have calmed down.

Started back on regular food (for me) yesterday and am not experiencing the bloating I was before, so hopefully things are back to normal. Am feeling a little stuffed after eating sometimes (but I was eating small meals while on my diet of blandness) but no bloating like before.

BTW, an aunt recommended Flaxseed Oil (in capsule) as a good dietery supplement to keep things regular. I have been taking anti-gas Legumase before diner and it seems to help (it doesn't hurt at least). Wondering if anyone had any thoughts on that.

Anyway, hopefully whatever was bothering me is gone now, thanks to all who posted for their thoughts and advice, it was really helpful and I appreciate it greatly.

[boron]

I won't list meals here, it's not necessary to be so strict. Basically, you really have to avoid 1. and 2. (alcohol and pretty much all sugar - both glucose and fructose). Now don't get fanatic and seek for every single molecule...but sugar has to go out, and...this is a diet trial, not a life-long regime. Starch from potatoes is easily broken down to glucose, so I mentioned it. Corn and bean yield gas more from fibers than from carbohydrates, so use the common sense. No need to avoid startch 100%.

Rice may be ok as a basic food. Also whole grain bread. Meat, fish, eggs. Cooked vegetables, like carrot.

Suggestion: start with 2., if no improvent in 3 days, proceed with 3., if still nothing, procedd with 4. Again, these are temporary diet regimes. If alcohol was the cause, you should be able to go back on a normal diet after some time, you'll see.

[gusb234]

Thanks for the suggestions. Limiting sugar is fairly basic, but I am having problems finding low starch food, as potatoes, corn and bean products all seem to have some level of starch in them, do I need to become a total carnivore to avoid the nutrients I want to limit? Any meal planning help would be greatly appreciated.

[boron]

It's only a temporarily diet (few days until bloating goes away). The most important are sugars. So, if you please, you can choose one of the following levels of the diet:

Exclude:
1. ANY alcohol, also beer.
2. 1. + sugars: glucose (sweets, soda, fruit juices), fructose (fruits)
3. 1.+2. + potatoes
4. 1.+2.+3.+ all dairy. Use this, if by your experience, dairy has bloated you in the past.

[gusb234]

Well, the nutrients you mention (sugars, starch from pasta, potatoes, etc.) to cut down on pretty much make up my entire diet (I am single), so maybe there's the direction I need to look into. Hopefully starving the bacteria of those nutrients instead of offering them a grand buffet will help.

[boron]

Bloating is from gas and this is produced by colonic bacteria. Alcohol is delicious nutrient for bacteria, they happily grow on it...

Alcohol, if in sufficient amount, also impairs small intestinal epithelium, and thus causes malabsorption. Non-absorbed nutrients then reach the colon and again feed bacteria.

If all this was from alcohol, it should go away in...days. But if stress was strong enough, it's possible, you've developed IBS.

A matter of concern would be mucus, and even more blood. If you don't have diarrhea, I don't think it's something other than gas, and doctor can wait for your new job maybe...

Cut down sugars (sweets, fruits, fruit juices, also dairy), and starch (potatoes, pasta). These are nutrients for bacteria. So, if you starve them a little, they may close their gas industry. :) And if not, it's possible it is candida...this one would need more thorough and long-term low-sugar diet though.

[snoozies43]

I would see a doctor if this does not go away. Make appointment on Monday. Your drinking 5 days ago should not be keeping this aggrivation going on like it has. There may have been an underlying problem b/4. It' is better to take care of U!...and the money needed will come. Just trust. It can be very annoying.

Best of luck. ;O)

[gusb234]

So I should see a doctor about this? I am currently between jobs without insurance so I am very hesitant to see a doctor. I have no other symptoms of the conditions you mention (diarrhea, vomiting, etc.)

The feeling started the day after I did some rather heavy drinking with friends, and so at first I thought maybe it was that or just I slept in on my side wrong and maybe twisted some muscle in there or something. Wondering how serious this can be that maybe I can just wait another week or so and it will go away?

[boron]

It is possible that something is happening in your last part of the colon (diverticulitis or inflammatory bowel disease). The first investigation is usually an x-ray with barium enema.