Stomach problems

[figment3258]

Hi all I didn't know which boards to post this is so i thought i would give it a shot here!

I have awful stomach issues and the doctor without running any test just told me it is IBS but I feel that there is something else there. My stomach blows up so big and hard that i look 6 month pregnant when I eat a lot of gluten. So i am trying eating gluten free for a while. My doctor told me that I probably do not have a problem with gluten and that I should not try to eat gluten free because it is a hard diet.

So I was wondering for those of you who eat gluten free what do u eat or what are some of your favorite snack or brands. Thanks!

 

[princesspiglet]

Well first off, I would find a new doctor, stat! I can't beleive he would be so flippant about Celiac Disease. If not treated properly, it can rip your intestines apart and you can die from it. You need to have blood work and a biopsy done to determine if you do have Celiac.

Regarding the diet, my sister has it and has been gluten free for about 15 years. She used to buy the gluten free foods at the grovery store, but now she makes everything homemade. She does eat a lot of fruit and veggies and eggs. There are a lot of good gluten free cook books out there to try to get started. Basically you need to stay away from bread and processed snack foods, like doughnuts, crackers, cookies, etc. Stick to natural foods that come from the earth. Try it for about 2 weeks and see how you feel. If you feel better, you will know you are gluten intolerant.

Also, this is not something that you can repair just by eating gluten free foods for awhile. This is a lifelong diet.

 

[design_mom]

If you are not going to a gastroenterology specialist, I definitely recommend it. I love my primary care doctor but we messed around for 6+ weeks trying to figure out what was wrong with me (similar symptoms to what you describe, although I haven't tied the bloating to any particular food). I finally got into a GI doc and he had figured out my problem was Crohn's disease. I started on meds and felt *much* better quickly.

I do not have suggestions for eating gluten free, because I don't follow that diet. I have been tested for celiac sprue several times and it always comes back negative.

 

[Octoberbride03]

Its not IBS. My mom has that and her stomach doesn't swell with it, at least not so other people can see. Its all on the inside. I definitely agree a switch of Drs and GI specialist appt. is in order. I really would not want to fool around with it.

Don't have celiacs and know very little about it so no advice there. Good luck.

 

[RachaelA]

I have IBS and I may get bloated, but never enough to look pregnant.

helpforibs.com is a wonderful site for people with ibs

It helps explain trigger foods to you do you can try and see what could be the cause.

 

[disney1990]

My sister was just admitted to the hospital with similar symptoms. She has
Pancreatitis.

 

[AKL_Megs]

I have IBS and I may get bloated, but never enough to look pregnant.

Same here. I get bloated when an attack is coming, but it goes away after said attack. I never look pregnant, and it's never "hard", just uncomfortable.

 

[emer95]

I have to agree with everyone else here- go see a GI! I cannot believe a doctor would say that to you! If it's not gluten, another possibility is bacteria in your small intestine. I recently fought that battle and it took months to diagnose and correct. My symptoms were not the same as yours, but what you're experiencing is common for people with bacterial overgrowth in the small bowel. It took 3 different rounds of antibiotics to get rid of it for me. It is diagnosed with a breath test.

I wish you luck! I know how brutal stomach afflictions can be!

 

[Katie's Butterflies]

Go to a gastro. IBS should be a diagnosis after everything else has been ruled out. Also, get checked for food allergies. For some reason, many doctors (ime) don’t suggest this.


As to what to eat… there are many different gluten free companies and products. I think almost anything can be substituted with a gluten free substitute that doesn’t taste too bad. (I admit, I have not found a good sandwich bread product yet). Just google gluten free, or look in your local health store, and I’m sure you’ll be able to find all sorts of things you’ll like.

Good luck and feel better.

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

Its not IBS. My mom has that and her stomach doesn't swell with it, at least not so other people can see. Its all on the inside. I definitely agree a switch of Drs and GI specialist appt. is in order. I really would not want to fool around with it.

Don't have celiacs and know very little about it so no advice there. Good luck.

I have IBS and bloat to where I look pregnant. I also have Celiac.

 

[busyshrew]

Is it possible that it's a lactose intolerance or allergy that has come on? I bloat like a whale when I drink milk or eat soft cheeses. Just a thought.

 

[LisaNJ25]

I agree.. go to a gastro. I finally went last months after years of stomach problems. He thinks either Celiac or IBS. I did go for blood work and have a colonoscopy scheduled in a few weeks so I will know after that.

My primary kept saying acid reflux but that wasnt it.

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

I agree.. go to a gastro. I finally went last months after years of stomach problems. He thinks either Celiac or IBS. I did go for blood work and have a colonoscopy scheduled in a few weeks so I will know after that.

My primary kept saying acid reflux but that wasnt it.

It could be IBS and Celiac. I was misdiagnosed as IBS for years and was diagnosed Celiac 4 years ago. This past year after experiencing severe stomach problems again, it was discovered that along with Celiac I have severe IBS. This means that even though I am completely gluten free, everything I eat still makes me sick.

 

[5lilfish]

I suspected that I had wheat/glutten issues. I had horrible stomach issues. I was always popping Tums. Then I went on the Atkin's diet. All of my stomach problems miraculously disappeared. Why? My guess is because by eating this way, I have basically cut all wheat out of my diet.

Jess

 

[LisaNJ25]

It could be IBS and Celiac. I was misdiagnosed as IBS for years and was diagnosed Celiac 4 years ago. This past year after experiencing severe stomach problems again, it was discovered that along with Celiac I have severe IBS. This means that even though I am completely gluten free, everything I eat still makes me sick.

Oh no.. double the stomach issues. Can you tell me if you get headaches? I have noticed recently certain foods are triggering headaches.

 

[Tuffcookie]

OP, Could it be your gall bladder?

I used to get bloated after eating. I could not figure out why because I didn't even have to eat that much.

One morning I woke up with a gall bladder attack and ended up going to the ER. They found my gall bladder highly inflamed and I was scheduled for surgery to have it removed.

I no longer feel bloated!

TC

 

[5lilfish]

OP, Could it be your gall bladder?

I used to get bloated after eating. I could not figure out why because I didn't even have to eat that much.

One morning I woke up with a gall bladder attack and ended up going to the ER. They found my gall bladder highly inflamed and I was scheduled for surgery to have it removed.

I no longer feel bloated!

TC

I also have Gallbladder issues (along with the wheat issues I mentioned earlier). I have not had my gall bladder out (yet). Oddly, cutting wheat seems to have drastically reduced my gall bladder attacks. For me, when my gallbladder is acting up, it feels like someone took a softball and shoved it under my right rib cage. The bloating and stomach pains I would get before I cut wheat from my diet were different.

Jess

 

[daughter_of_amid_chaos]

Oh no.. double the stomach issues. Can you tell me if you get headaches? I have noticed recently certain foods are triggering headaches.

I pretty much have a constant headache that gets worse at times and subsides some times.
My Celiac is not typical especially with the addition of IBS and acid reflux.

I have already had my gallbladder out but if you have not that is something else you may want to look at.

If you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

 

[fireworks fan]

If you are going to see a GI doc, please wait to eat gluten free. You must be eating gluten for the celiac test to be accurate. I have celiac, and I definitely had painful bloating before my diagnosis. You might need to try several doctors, I had to go to 3 before getting a correct diagnosis. Good luck!

 

[figment3258]

I just thought I would share what's been going on. So for the past few days I have been eating gluten Free and have had no bathroom problems so stomach cramps and pains but nothing bad. we tonight I had bread sticks from papa ginos and right after I was done I was in the bathroom so I am going back on the gluten free for two weeks before I call the doctors. Thanks so much!