Bloating

[hafadai43]

I have been gluten-free for four years but I still am very bloated ALL the time!!!! For a young woman who wants to look good, this can be devastating. I have trained myself over the years to keep my stomach constantly flexed. I work out and have nice muscles, but I still bloat. I have recently lost a bunch of weight even though I am not cheating on my diet. Although I am not underweight just yet, if it continues I will be very soon.

So my question, does anyone still bloat even after being on the gluten-free for awhile? My doctor doesn't think it is Irritable Bowel Syndrome since the bloating is not relieved after a bowel movement. We are in the process of trying to figure out my general symptoms such as bloating, constant fatigue, weight loss, etc. Many tests have been done, but no significant results just yet. Has anyone else experienced this? Could it be celiac?

[Sweetfudge]

yes, i have bloat all the time. i hate it. i think i might have other food intolerances, and stress/anxiety problems. hope you and your dr can get this figured out. i have an appt tomorrow w/ my general dr.

[gfpaperdoll]

are you dairy free? what foods are you eating in a typical day?

[hafadai43]

I don't drink cows milk, i drink soy milk. Cows milk upsets my stomach to no end. But cheese doesn't make my stomach hurt, and I eat a lot of cheese. Is it possible that it is still bothering my gut, causing the bloating, but doesn't really hurt? I would hate to cut out cheese...It's one of my favorite things. I guess it could be useful to try to eliminate it for awhile. Are there any good cheese alternatives out there? I've looked at some dairy free cheese once but it had oats or something in it. In a perfect world it would be easy to find foods that don't kill us!

[oceangirl]

Just to be safe, have you seen a gynecologist and had things checked out there? Bloat can be indicative of other things. I have bloating from gluten and I THINK from some other intolerances, too. I agree, wouldn't it be nice if the things that are supposed to nourish us wouldn't hurt?!!! Hope you figure it out. (I know it's horrible to lose something else, but I'd definitely try taking the cheese out for a bit and see if it helps.)

lisa

[hafadai43]

Just to be safe, have you seen a gynecologist and had things checked out there? Bloat can be indicative of other things.

Well, I had an ultrasound done a couple weeks ago...ovarian cysts and cervical cancer run in my immediate family. But, they didn't find anything except for a small uterine fybroid, which my doctor said wouldn't be the source of my bloating. I was definitely glad to rule out that stuff, although it puts us not much closer to the answer. I'm glad I'm not a doctor...searches like this for the source of the problem and cause of symptoms for many people would drive my nuts!

[zarfkitty]

This won't help you with finding the answer, but it may help relieve your symptoms a little... when I'm bloated (which is a fair amount of the time) I find that apple cider vinegar tablets relieve the symptoms a little. I found myself taking them often enough that I just added them to my morning and evening vitamin routine.

I wish you luck. Even though it sucks to go off all dairy, I would give that a shot.

[Bravie]

I still bloat and i've been gluten free for almost 5 months. I don't bloat as often as before but, it's still there. I'm off dairy and it's absolute hell. First I can't eat wheat, now I can't eat dairy. Soon, I'll probably find that soy bugs me too...I found that cheddar doesn't upset my stomach tho.

[Guest j_mommy]

Vegetables make me bloat...I eat alot of them as a snack!!! You know the beano commercial....there'll be no gas! That's me!!!(Don't tak ebeano but the commercial fits!

[loraleena]

I bloat more gluten free than before. It could be soy. A lot of people are intolerant. Soy gives me gas, bloating and the runs. I think candida overgrowth is the culpret in my case.

[Acersma]

I still bloat since being gluten free. Mine, I have been told is a Hiatal Hernia. My mom has had the same problem and the GI found it when I had my Endoscopy. Google it.

[hafadai43]

Thank you all for the suggestions, I greatly appreciate them!

[Betty in Texas]

YES I HERE YOU LOUD AND CLEAR I AM 4 YEAR IN TO GLUTEN FREE AND STILL BLOAT REALLY WORSE I THINK MY INSIDES DOES NOT LIKE ANY FOOD WISH I COULD GIVE IT ALL UP BUT I STAY HUNGRY ALL THE TIME I DON'T EAT ANY KIND OF GLUTEN FREE BREAD ARE PASTA AND MY FOOD DOES'T SEEM TO HOLD ME VERY LONG .

[MN Grannie]

I've been gluten-free for over a year now and still have significant bloating most of the time. I have had all the tests and my gastro doc assures me that it is irritable bowel. I take Gas X quite often which helps a lot but I wonder how much is too much. The doc says what I'm taking is OK.

I also have the preggie look which is sort of funny for a grannie! Not really but what can we do but laugh at ourselves?

I'm so thankful for these forums -- what did folks do before I wonder? They are so helpful and reassuring. Thank you all.

Jane in Osakis MN

[Cris]

I am trying to get really scientific about finding the worst offending foods so I'm keeping a food diary. It helped so much when I was having really bad symptoms at first and now I'm fine tuning and trying to add more fiber, so I want to figure out which fiber foods work best. I remember I got terribly bloated from soy milk. Almond milk seems better. I got an enzyme sup that has that bean digesting enzyme in it called Enzimend by Rainbow Light. It seems to help when I eat beans, but still every evening I notice I'm still a little bloated. Using ground flax seed for fiber doesn't create nearly the bloating that beans do. This is a big challenge for me that I need fiber to avoid C and all the other good reasons, but it's hard to find a good way to make it work.

[sickchick]

I have this problem too. I have been diagnosed with systemic candida and when I started eating theraputic amounts of probiotics I noticed a change. (I was eating 50 billion organisms a day, FloraSmart)

But I had to quit so I can get tested for Celiac. I have ALL the symptoms right down to the weepy eyes and skin rashes. Been suffering for a little more than 10 years!

Try probiotics though if you aren't eating them already.

good luck ladies

sending you lots of healing

sickchick

[Ginsou]

You're not alone. I've looked about 4 months pregnant for the past 40 years!! I've always been very slender, so weight gain was not the problem. I developed lactose intolerance many years ago, and now have other undiagnosed digestive problems. I have started taking Probiotic acidophilus with bifidus, and it has made a great difference. Going lactose and gluten free has also helped.Now I have very little gas and bloating. Apparently the contents of my entire intestinal system was "backed up" all those years, I'd only eliminate about twice a week. I now am more regular. Dyspepsia is no longer a problem with me,either.

One thing I have often thought about....I have what is called a "tipped" uterus....it runs in the family. The uterus is shaped like an upside down pear.....does the upper part of the organ tip toward the front, or does the upper part tip toward the back? Doesn't it make sense that if it tips toward the front, that would explain the "bloat" just beneath the navel?? All these years of having this condition, and I never asked my gynecologist!!

[sickchick]

Ginsou I have a tipped uterus too! I found out just a few years ago..lol:)

Good news with the probiotics, too, I am telling you they are natures healers and balancers.

Your body produces them naturally too! Sometimes with illness and stress our system goes out of balance. And sometimes it seems like were barely paddling above water.

Good luck in your healing and nice to meet you

sickchick

[JamiD]

I had a hard time w/ bloating even after several months of a strict diet of meat, canned fruit, cooked veggies and olive oil.

Another poster sent me info on fructose and after eliminating fruits that are high in fructose, the bloating has essentially resolved and I've been able to tolerate Snickers (gift from heaven), Sorbet (corn syrup), and small amts of Cheddar Cheese.

Until I eliminated certain fruits, probiotics and prescription enzymes didn't resolve the bloating/gas. And I lost too much weight from being on such a low calorie diet. I had no idea that my base diet was the problem until I got that valuable bit of info.

So based on my experience, I would recommend an elimination diet.

[MN Grannie]

Guess I am kind of out of it but I don't know what probiotics are -- someone please explain!

[hathor]

Guess I am kind of out of it but I don't know what probiotics are -- someone please explain!

Here's an article: Open Original Shared Link

I personally bloat worse with casein than with gluten. Egg is even worse. I may also bloat up if I have more than a minimal amount of fat. Recently I got a little crazy with some flavored PBs I found (dark chocolate, cinnamon raisin, & spicy). I really suffered.

If it is casein that is your problem, explore different soy cheeses, making sure you don't get the one's with casein added. Some like this (sniff, I can't have soy either ...) I've also found that I do not react to goat's milk cheese. But so far I only have a little bit at a time -- of course, a little is enough to flavor something. One of these days I'm going to be brave enough to try buffalo milk mozzarella. I had a thread on this recently -- some react, some don't.

You could always test and see if your problem is lactose intolerance.

[ebrbetty]

I'm like you, bloated all the time. I workout, lift weights, but always have the awful little belly, I hate it

[The Lovebug]

I have been gluten-free for over 4 years but still bloat constantly. I start by looking 6 months pregnant in the morning and by the end of the day I look 9 months pregnant -- WITH TWINS! I have a hiatal hernia, also, but don't think that has anything to do with my bloating. (At least the hh was diagnosed long before I started having Celiac-related symptoms.) I, too, have candida overgrowth but had never thought of that as being a cause of the bloating. After reading this thread, I think I will increase my probiotic intake. I'm currently taking 1 billion live cultures/daily. What is the therapeutic amount? I'm also going to cut dairy completely to see if that makes a difference. I only use Lactaid milk on my cereal, but consume a lot of cheese and, occasionally, ice cream.

Any other thoughts?

Sue

[Acersma]

A hiatal hernia occurs when the upper part of your stomach protrudes into your chest cavity through a weakness in the hiatus (opening) in your diaphragm, which causes bloating in the upper part of the stomach where a lot my bloating is. Other symptoms are gas, heartburn, adominal pain. Again just somthing to consider.

[Cat5]

Try cutting out the Dairy completely for a while and see what happens. Also you may have an allergy to Corn or the SOY! I cannot tolerate Soy at all and I have read some not so great things lately about Soy so perhaps its part of the culprit too. I switched to Rice milk but then found out that the very brand I was drinking contained barley malt, a No No for us Celiac's so I now drink no milk whatsoever and feel a lot better. Since dairy products are known mucous stimulants (causing things from runny noses to ear infections in children), it could be that the cheese is adding to the bloat or may be a part of the irritant to your stomach.

Just a suggestion and worth a try. Also other food allergies could be causing the bloat too.

Good Luck to you and I hope you find some relief.