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Enlarged stomach - looks at least 5 months pregnant

I have a very enlarged stomach that comes and goes. Normally, when I wake up in the morning, my stomach is flat. Small waistline, no problems. I know it has somthing to do with food. My stomach swells after I eat, but I'm unsure if it's eating that does it or what I'm eating. I can go from a flat stomach to 5 months pregnant within an hour. It's really starting to scare me. This has been happening for a long time, but not nearly as big as lately. I've been looking very pregnant for about a week now, constantly. I can't fit into any of my pants, and I wear very baggy clothes. I'm going to go to a maternity store tomorrow to get some pants for when I'm swollen.

I've been tested for Celiac disease years ago, but it came back negative. I'm wondering what this could be? I also have GERD, which I've had for 7-8 yrs now, and am on Nexium 40mg once a day for the last 11 months.

Once I get my medical sorted out, I'm going to go see a doc and find out what this is, but I'd like to hear any sort of suggestions on what to ask. I'm going to experiment for the next couple days by eliminating all gluten from my diet and see if that does anything. Anyone have any other ideas of stuff to try? Stuff that doesn't include buying any herbal remedies or medication, though. I can't afford it right now, and don't want to chance anything reacting with my Nexium.
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Avatar universal
im really worried and scared,im really young so yous might think im crazy or have weightproblem, but i swear i dont! the thing is in the morning my stomach is fairly flat, i look like a normal sizedgirl! but when icomein atabout 3:30 after only eating breakfeast and a sandwich for luch, mystomach looks much bigger and looks like im pregnant, swear im not:/ its driving me mad- any adviceqhat this could be? x
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I had the same thing happen to me, & it was a build up of fluids from my liver shutting down.I was told I had Hep C. also, but my doctor put me on water pills & my stomache is no lnger large, normal.I hope by now you have seen a doctor concerning this, because it could be very serious as I found out. I'm sorry I took so long in writing this but I just now found this website.
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Hey, just to let you guys know that I may not be posting very often until about the second week of Jan. My roomie went home for the holidays, and took her laptop with her, so I have to find a computer lab every time I want to check my mail or whatever.

Happy Holidays!
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Marygold,
Thanks for posting back. I hate you are going through this but at least I don't feel so alone now. A little about me I'm 25 happily married with two beautiful kids. I've never had ANY health problems until now. And unfortunately I haven't had any answers yet. I've had occasional bloating in the past but never this bad I always figured it was just something I ate that didn't agree. Right before thanksgiving I started having diarrhea and kept it for about two weeks I was bloated then but thought I just had a really bad stomach virus well finally went to the dr and they gave me medicine to stop it and something for bloating ( which does absolutely no good )and scheduled me to come back for a follow up tomorrow. But this past week has been terrible! Anything I eat blows me up (even worst then before) - I hate going anywhere - and I hate eating I'm so uncomfortable afterwards it feels like I'm gonna explode. Mu husband is having a fit for me to eat - he just doesn' get it I know I need to but even just two bites of a hot dog and I look like I swallowed a basketball. I doubt I will get any real answers tomorrow - since it's my regular family dr but I will post if I learn anything. I know it is hard but I do agree we both need to eat - you could try this my mom bought me some carnation breakfast drinks to at least keep some nutrients in me I haven't tried one yet she just brought them by but maybe my stomach can handle that.Again thanks for posting!! Smurfette
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Avatar universal
Hey, Smurfette!

Wow! It's not just all in my head! Thank you! I was starting to think I was just being stupid or something. I'm going in for some sort of test on dec 20th to figure out exactly what is going on. I have no idea exactly what it is, but after the test, I'll post and give you an update and stuff.

Little bit about me. I'm a 19yr old university kid, and have had GERD since I was 12. This may or may not be related to my GERD. Who knows, it may even be a cause of my GERD because I've had it about as long. It was one of the 2 main reasons I turned anorexic in junior high. (The other reason was to get some control over my own life because my dad (who disowned me last year) is a paranoid schitzophrenic and a control freak.) I'm skirting anorexia again, and really don't want to go back down that road again. I don't think I will become nearly as anorexic as before because now I live on my own in an apartment 20 hours away from my hometown. I have independence and control over my own life, so that trigger's gone. My roomie (also a former anorexic) and I are watching each other to make sure we won't fall back to anorexia again because neither of us want to go through it again.

What this upcoming test is supposed to measure is how long it takes for food to travel from my stomach into my intestines. They're trying to see if the sphincter is too tight and not letting anything through. It just sits there and bloats. That's what they're testing right now, anyway. At work my uniform pants were a size 8, but now I have size 16 pant just cuz the waistband's bigger. You could fit 2 of me in each pant leg! What have you learned about this so far?

Keep posting, and see ya round!

Marygold
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Avatar universal
I've been surfing all over the web trying to figure out what was going on with me - when I came across your posting I couldn't believe it, there was someone else who could suddenly look 5 months pregnant after eating. I've gotten much worst lately and can barely foce myself to eat because I'm so uncomfortable afterwards. Have the doctors given you any answers yet?
Well I wish you the best of luck and thanks for posting!!
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Avatar universal
I think that cancer would enlarge it all the time because cancer is a mass of cells. The cells can't just decide to shrink or grow in that short a time frame and be triggered to enlarge or not by eating something. I'm not worried about cancer. I do have medical now! I'm so happy, I finally have medical! I got it on friday afternoon, after having no medical whatsoever for about 3 months. The university health centre will be open on monday, and I'm going to drop by there right after my economics final on monday morning. I'll get a referal to a new GI, as my last one is now at least 17hrs away by driving. I will definitely keep you all posted. I told my roomie I was going to swear off food like you'd swear of drinking or something, cuz something bad happens whenever I eat anything. (Yeah, I'm just joking, but there is some grains of truth in there.)
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I am sorry to just be getting back to you know. I didn't read this forum for a couple of days. I usually read the Hep C, becuase my husband has that. So i Just now saw your question. I can't recall any other things Iv'e heard except the cancer of the ovaries. After posting this (I work in an Er) and I saw a case study of a 66 year old skinny woman who looked prenant with twins, and sure enough this is what she had. I don't say this to scare you cause your's is probably not this, and I don't even know if the woman's belly is always like this, or only at times like your's. Pleasego get it checked though. It sure doesn't sound right. And please let me know what you find out. You can Email me if you like-***@****- I really want to know who you are doing and what you find out.
Dejsa
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Avatar universal
Okay, mine is not that bad! :)

I went to GI yesterday and part of my problem is my gallbladder- 14% ejection fraction and I am having it removed.  That's probably why I can't eat fried foods.  The other part they haven't figured out yet- still think it could be Chrone's.  Water doesn't do it to me, but I never can tell what will....  Sorry I'm not of more help!

I hope you find an answer about your problem soon!
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I really hope I get an answer soon too. Both my roomie and the guy in the apartment down the hall are on my case to go to the doc's. I compromised and told them that I'd go as soon as I get my medical plan sorted out. (I have no medical right now, and so haven't been to the doc's.) I've never had any sort of treatment or diagnosis pertaining to this. Heck, I've never had anyone look at it before! I do have severe chronic GERD, and take medication and follow a strict diet, as well as other things for it. I'm starting to think that they might be related. Have you ever heard of any sort of connection between GERD (Gastroesphageal Reflux Disease) and whatever this might be? My gut has so many problems. And they're all serious. I'm an oddball case in every way. I'm too young for any of this, I don't fit any stats or high risk groups, and everything that I have is in the most serious stage or level. Now this. Oh, well, life comes as it will. And I'll deal with it as it comes at me. I refuse to let anything out of my control let me down.
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Avatar universal
I am having the same problem... the docs are looking at gallbladder and/or intestinal (Chrone's)  So far all tests negative, but I see the GI today.  I will let you know if I find anything out.  I have had this for over a year and it comes and goes, but became really bad about six weeks ago.  I found that cutting out caffeine/carbonation, and eating small amounts at a time helps.  Eating foods will less fat seems to help too- I can't eat anything fried anymore.

Good luck and I hope you feel better!
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I been experimenting with different foods, and it seems to be caused by eating. It doesn't matter what I eat. I drank a waterbottle of water and got fat off of just that. It's starting to really get annoying.
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What are some of the other possible causes you've heard of? My stomach stayed flat all day until I ate something at 3:30pm. Right afterwards, I walked to the train station (20min) and felt my pants get incredibly tight by the time I got there. I set my watch cuz I wanted to know how long it would take to walk to the train station, so I know it was only 20 min. And my stomach went from flat to 6 months pregnant in that amount of time. It's almost hypnotic. Usually I only look 5 months pregnant, but when I got in the apartment, my roomie's jaw just dropped. I am bigger than ever right now. It's an ongoing joke around here that I'm pregnant. I'm only 19, in university, and  I am not overweight and never have been. Flat stomach, I only weigh 120lbs, tops. So that makes my stomach only that much more prominent when it decides to make an appearance.
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Avatar universal
I have had this for problems for years and have never had it checked because it has never caused any other problems. However, if you feel that something is wrong, it possibly is.Having to wear maternity clothes when you are samll and have a flat stomach doesn't sound right.  I have heard of several different causes of this over the years, one being cancer of the ovaries. You know your body better then anyone. Even the doctors. You obviously feel that this is a problem so make an appointment soon. If for no other reason then peace of mind. And make sure you make them realize that you feel that you do have a problem. Sometimes they don't take us seriously unless we let them know we think it is. Good Luck. Dejsa
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Avatar universal
My mother had that to happen to her. You could just sit and watch her stomach swell. It ended up being her gallbladder.  After she had her gallbladder removed, she was just fine.  Do you have any pain with it?  Just an idea...
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