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what is wrong with my stomach?

three years ago i started to experience stomach problems. i was 14 and in class i would get extremely gassy and bloated no matter what i ate. i mentioned something to my doctor but i didn’t pay much attention because shorty after covid pulled me out of school and i wasn’t worried about dealing with it at home. now that we are back in school it’s almost unbearable. whenever i eat or drink my stomach bloats so much my muscles feel sore and i can’t eat without it coming up one way or another. my family has a history of gallbladder disease and we aren’t sure if it has to do with that. i got an x-ray about a week ago and the doctors couldn’t seem to find anything. having chronic pain everyday makes it really hard for me to feel like a normal teenager and the constant bloating and gas is really embarrassing in a school setting. please help if anything like this has happened to you or you may be able to help. thank you!
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Avatar universal
I'm confused.  Are you saying this problem went away when you stopped going to school due to covid?  If that's so, did you eat differently?  And if not, does being at school make you nervous?
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"i didn’t pay much attention because shorty after covid pulled me out of school and i wasn’t worried about dealing with it at home.

now that we are back in school it’s almost unbearable."

To put it bluntly, they still had the problem. While a "fart" usually (but not always) has an unpleasant smell and it is rarely silent. Farting in the privacy of your own home is one thing. Farting in a very public setting such as school is entirely different. Kids (and adults) can choose to be empathetic, sympathetic, showing kindness; they can also be complete jerks about it. Quite understandably this individual would have more anxiety about the health problem now that they are forced to deal with it publicly.
Avatar universal
Headoyle, I sympathize because I've had similar problems in the past!  In my case it turned out to be certain foods & food additives I can't tolerate.  Things that can cause these symptoms:  Milk or anything with added lactose; any sweetener that ends with "tol" such as sorbitol, xylitol, mannitol;  saccharine;  anything with inulin or chicory root.  Those are the big ones for me.  I've learned the hard way that I have to read the labels of EVERYTHING I put in my mouth.  I can't even chew gum that has xylitol!  Another possibility you might consider is gluten intolerance.  Irritable bowel syndrome is another possibility.  Please keep us posted, I really hope you can solve this issue!
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11174952 tn?1461874487
I had this issue. I had changed my salt to pink salt then Celtic then to another out of the way salt. They had messed up my chloride levels. The sodium level might be the same but the other stuff is not the same. My stomach acid was low, food wasn’t breaking down and then once undigested food with undigested bacteria and fungi gets to the small intestine it can alter micro biome, which can cause bloating, Candida, SIBO and IBS.

What I did to fix this issue: eating regular sea salt and taking bitter herbs to stimulate stomach acid and its level.

Not sure what is causing your issue but maybe you are not consuming foods with enough chloride, like tomatoes.

Also, so people might not be getting enough fat in their diet which would cause gall bladder issues since the bile has nothing to do but turn into stones. If you got enough fat then the bile has something to do and everything will work efficiently.

Helpful - 0
4059465 tn?1349410296
About five-six years ago in my early 30's I was having (well still kinda have) a similar problem and spoke with my GP (family doctor) about it. She offered to refer me to a gastroenterologist and I accepted. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis in 2012 three months shy of my 28th birthday.

Gastroenterologist, a big word describing a specialist with expertise in the disorders and diseases that affect the digestive system — which includes the GI tract (esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum and anus) as well as the pancreas, liver, bile ducts and gallbladder. My first suggestion is ask to go see one, this is who you need to see to help you figure it out.

My second suggestion is start keeping a food diary of anything and everything you eat, drink, or chew in a notebook. Write the date at the top of the page, when you go to eat, drink, or chew write the time, under that a list of what you ate/drank (even if it's just water). As others have suggested it could be due to specific ingredients so be as specific as you can - if it's a food with multiple ingredients and by a specific brand include the brand name i.e. if you eat Quakers Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal don't just write down oatmeal. Keep track of your symptoms, come up with a scale that works for you to rate how severe they are. Don't stress out about not doing it perfectly - do what you can when you can. You can't possibly remember it all, the biggest thing is having some "data" for yourself and your doctors to look at.

My GI doc listened to my symptoms and performed a few tests: (1) a Hydrogen Breath Test for Lactose Intolerance and Bacterial Overgrowth (2) Gastric Emptying Scintigraphy Scan, (3) Upper Gastrointestinal Endoscopy

The first test came back clear. The third test also clear for celiacs disease (an immune reaction to eating gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye). The second test is what led to my diagnosis of dumping syndrome also referred to as rapid gastric emptying.

The second test, can take up to 4 hours long. The tech scrambled an egg with a very small amount of radioactive tracer; gave it to me to eat along with 8oz of water to drink in a limited amount of time. It tastes like an egg.

Dumping syndrome is a collection of symptoms that can occur when your stomach empties its contents too rapidly into your small intestine. Dumping syndrome most often occurs as a result of surgery on your stomach or esophagus. The only omething I've never had). Rapid gastric emptying causes large amounts of undigested food to flood your small intestine.

Early rapid gastric emptying is most common with symptoms starting 10-30 minutes after you eat/drink especially after a meal rich in table sugar (sucrose) or fruit sugar (fructose). Symptoms CAN include:
Feeling bloated or too full after eating Nausea
Vomiting
Stomach cramps/pain
Diarrhea/Constipation
Flushing
Dizziness, lightheadedness
Headaches
Rapid heart rate
Weight loss/gain
Heartburn
Sweating
Fatigue
Feeling the need to lay down afterwards

There's also late rapid gastric emptying with symptoms starting 1-3 hours after you eat/drink a higher sugar meal. Symptoms CAN include:
Sweating
Flushing
Dizziness, lightheadedness
Weakness
Rapid heart rate
Hungry

Some people experience symptoms of both.

Symptoms will be different from one person to the next. My symptoms include:
feeling bloated or too full after eating (often)
nausea (rare),
stomach cramps/pain
Diarrhea (rare)
Constipation (common but I also don't drink nearly enough fluids either)
Headaches (common)
Weight gain (hard to lose weight too)
Heartburn (occasionally)
Sweating (often)
Fatigue (often)

My GI Doc at UNC gave me a 3 page pdf printout from the University of Virginia Health System titled: "Post-Gastrectomy and Anti-Dumping Diet". You can find it at https://med.virginia.edu/ginutrition/wp-content/uploads/sites/199/2014/04/Post_Gastrectomy_and_Dumping_Diet_2017.pdf

It has basic guidelines, some other tips including a chart with suggestions of good choices and what to avoid for each food group. There's also a sample menu for a day to show what 6-8 small meals and snacks looks like. Start with this PDF and see if it helps your symptoms at all; if it does this may be an avenue worth looking into.

Basic Guidelines to Avoid Dumping Syndrome
1) Eat small, more frequent meals.
Try to eat 6-8 small meals or snacks throughout the day instead of 3 large meals.
2) Eat more slowly and chew your food thoroughly.  
3) Eat a source of protein at each meal. Poultry, red meat, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts, milk, yogurt, cheese, and peanut butter are good choices. Avoid processed meats, such as hot dogs and bologna that contain sugar, starches, and other fillers.
4) Soft, ground, or pureed foods may work better for you.  
5) Avoid sweets and sugary foods such as candies, cookies, soda, juice, and syrup.
6) Eat more complex carbohydrates. Whole grains, pastas, potatoes, rice, breads, bagels, and unsweetened cereals are great choices.  
7) Choose foods high in soluble fiber. This includes apples, oats, beets, Brussels sprouts, carrots, spinach, and beans.
8) Try adding a serving of fat to meals and snacks. A modest amount of fat will slow stomach emptying and may help prevent dumping syndrome. Too much fat at one time, however, can have the opposite effect. Butter, margarine, gravy, vegetable oils, salad dressings, cheese, and cream cheese are good choices.  
9) Do not drink liquids with meals. Instead, drink 30-60 minutes before or after meals.

I really hope you are able to get to the bottom of it soon!
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