Help! Always Bloated

[JessieFree]

I had a positive biopsy and negative blood tests. My GI told me to try the diet for 3 months and if I wasn't improving that it was IBS. I've been gluten-free for 5 months my legs cramp have stopped and I have more energy. I'm following the diet very strictly but I still get bloated and constipated no matter what i eat. I've tried probiotics and every otc med there is. I've even tried eating smaller meals gone off dairy. I thought this would have improved by now. I'm starting to think it isn't celiac at all. Is there something else that could cause this? What can I do I've tried eveything!

[hathor]

After dairy, the third most common problem seems to be soy. Corn also bothers some people, or legumes other than soy.

If that doesn't do the trick, you may need to go on an elimination diet to try to isolate any other food intolerances.

I don't understand how it couldn't be celiac, though, if you had positive biopsies. You are feeling better, so I certainly wouldn't go back on gluten no matter what.

What do you eat in a typical day? Maybe there is a common bloating trigger or not enough fiber.

I trust you have checked all your supplements and medicines to make sure that they are gluten and casein free? You read labels and avoid artificial flavors and other ingredients that may contain gluten? You've checked your personal care products, done what you can to avoid cross-contamination in your kitchen, haven't been eating oats, etc.?

[melmak5]

I am in a similar situation. Diagnosed via blood tests June 28th. Since going gluten free I have seen some improvements, but I am ALWAYS bloated.

I am now headed for food allergy testing (I also have occasional hives that aren't DH).

I agree with hathor, if you have a positive biopsy, you have celiac disease, but it sounds like something else is going on as well.

Do you have pain after you eat? Does it hurt under your ribs?

[JessieFree]

I am in a similar situation. Diagnosed via blood tests June 28th. Since going gluten free I have seen some improvements, but I am ALWAYS bloated.

I am now headed for food allergy testing (I also have occasional hives that aren't DH).

I agree with hathor, if you have a positive biopsy, you have celiac disease, but it sounds like something else is going on as well.

Do you have pain after you eat? Does it hurt under your ribs?

[JessieFree]

Thanks for the replies. I don't really have pain after eating just fullness but I can't pinpoint any one thing. I haven't tried cutting out corn yet but I did have a allergy test for all those things and it was a normal. In fact my family doctor told me I wasn't celiac because the allergy test was negative I'm not really happy with that diagnosis I think it's wrong. The only thing I can't think is my I bloat badly because I am still underweight (5'7 and 93LBS).

I am in a similar situation. Diagnosed via blood tests June 28th. Since going gluten free I have seen some improvements, but I am ALWAYS bloated.

I am now headed for food allergy testing (I also have occasional hives that aren't DH).

I agree with hathor, if you have a positive biopsy, you have celiac disease, but it sounds like something else is going on as well.

Do you have pain after you eat? Does it hurt under your ribs?

[aikiducky]

An allergy test won't pick up intolerances, only allergies, and it also won't pick up celiac disease. A positive biopsy however is a sure sign that you indeed do have celiac. You can stop doubting that.

Things that bloat me that have nothing to do with gluten: legumes (peas, beans, soy), nightshades (potato, peppers, eggplant), eggs, dairy

I was still bloated after six months gluten free, pretty much until I figured out all of the above.

I would stay gluten free and start looking for other foods that may be hard for your stomach to handle.

Pauliina

[gaby]

Hi I also have occasional hives and a lot of rashes and also bloated...I am just trying to figure out what to do....I am skinny and bloated and Food scares me a lot now.....its so stressful when its time to eat.....

IF ANYONE FINDS OUT WHATS GOING ON I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IF YOU SHARED IT. THIS IS SO HARD TO SOLVE THE PUZZLE.....I WORK AND WHEN I HAVE THE TIME I RESEARCH TROUGH THE INTERNET TO FIND OUT WHAT THIS IS....BECAUSE ITS SO HARD WORKING WHEN YOU FEEL SICK..

WHAT BOOK DO ANYONE RECCOMENDS WHICH IS GOOD FOR A NON GLUTEN DIET???? I LIVE IN CENTRAL AMERICA AND THERES NOTHING FOR CELIAC PEOPLE, NO COOKIES, NOTHING...IM PROBABLY THE FIRST ONE HERE .....AND THE FIRST ONE IN MY COUNTRY WITH A CYST IN MY HEAD WHICH IS CATALOGUED AS RARE. I HAD IT TAKEN OUT 1 MONTH AGO, THOUGHT MY SYMPTOMS WOULD DISSAPEAR , BUT NO, ITS STILL THERE...

GABRIELA

[buffettbride]

It was so nice to see this thread today. DD has been complaining of feeling bloated but not "glutened." Unless she picked up some gluten from surface contact at school (which in the past has triggered a full-on glutenining) the only other culprit in her case at least would be the milk she is drinking so I'm thinking about removing dairy or having her go dairy-lite for a while to see if that improves it.

She does get some relief from taking an antacid and drinking lots of water.

[melmak5]

Oh trust me, if and when I figure this out, you will hear from me, LOUD AND CLEAR.

I have reported to not eating during the day so I can function at work. If I can eat solid food during daylight hours, you will hear me from across the continent.

[sickchick]

Are you taking a theraputic amount of probiotics? I ate 50 billion organisms a day and after about 2-3 weeks I was really feeling better and hardly bloated at all.

good luck

[Joanne11]

After I went gluten free I was becoming bloated again, mine seemed to be due to constipation. I guess after cutting out so much fiber from my diet and adding a bunch of rice prooducts that was the result. I tryed a combination of prunes and magnesium supplements every morning, it helped a ton with the bloating because I was no longer constipated. Once in a while I forget for a couple of days and I am right back to feeling bloated and constipated.

Hope this helps

[mftnchn]

You've had some good replies here. I'd add the reminder that some people don't see any improvement for the first year (I remember one posting here to that effect) so patience can be the name of the game. Meanwhile, our intestines simply don't work that well, and it takes up to 2 years gluten-free for the healing to finish.

I have a lot of bloating as well, but have seen signs of gradual improvement. I am GFCFSF, and probably could benefit from avoiding some more foods, but so far have just decided to wait it out. I did test all grains and all legumes through elimination diet. If I do more of this, I'll check all nightshades next. Testing for these is at best an indication--dietary testing is the only accurate way.

Meanwhile, L-glutamine seems to be helping me, plus pharmaceutical grade cellulose twice a day for fiber, and high doses of Vitamin C and magnesium to help with constipation. I also take probiotics and activated charcoal to help bind toxins. The activated charcoal can help absorb gas--so could help you.

You might also consider dysbiosis secondary to celiac (you definitely are, positive biopsy is gold standard diagnosis regardless of the blood test results--your GP is not up to date), and if it doesn't clear up, there can be other things going on. (other autoimmune disease, parasites, mold/fungus/candida issues, to name a few).

[BRUMI1968]

Don't have time to read through what folks have already said, but I've got tons of experience with bloating.

first, dairy, but you've quit that. and gluten, of course

garlic, especially if eaten with nightshades

nightshades

sugar (feeding yeasties in the colon)

not chewing

too much at one meal?

I still get it now and again, so haven't quite pinned it down. Garlic fore sure gets me. Just some thoughts. Good luck.

[gfpaperdoll]

are you eating any grains? I would say to watch out for dairy, soy, grains in about that order.

Also, potatoes, & legumes, are generally not tolerated well, at least by the people that are having problems.

I think at the beginning you should not eat any grains. Your insides just cannot handle them. If you can do corn, maybe, maybe some white corn tortillas occasionally. Just eat meat, cooked veggies, fruits that you tolerate well & with a postitive biopsy you might want to have your nuts in the form of nut butters, like almond butter. I would not eat peanut butter, a legume, but switch to almond butter. I did that recently & noticed a huge difference, I also cut out rice.

[melmak5]

Sorry for the multiple posts, but I think its warranted under the "will scream it from a mountain top" clause...

This week was a really rough week. I was in a lot of pain, not eating during daylight hours so I could function at work and falling asleep as soon as I did come home. I really lost my fight and was feeling like I would never get better.

This weekend my mother mentioned "oh as a baby you couldn't eat rice."

4 hours later when I was doubled over in pain and had only eaten rice noodles for the day it clicked.

I have been 48 hours rice-free and while I don't feel 100%, its like my head has been lifted out of a fishbowl and I am not in pain!

I am still going to go to the allergist next week (I had another reaction to fresh fruit, a banana) so I want to figure out what is going on, but if not eating rice helps, I am down with it.

I had no idea that people could have allergies/intolerances to rice, because it is one of the ONLY things people have been telling me to eat.

-I am still bloated, but I think that is because I am unbelievably constipated. I took an herbal laxative and miralax and have still been having difficulties. I am hoping once the rice is "out" things will settle.

[silly celiac]

I'm still figuring things out right now with regards to bloating, but I actually lost the bloat for a few days last week (it's back right now). From what I can tell, what seemed to help me was exercising. And exercising is one of the first things I quit when the gluten symptoms were kicking my you-know-what because I just didn't have the energy! But perhaps time will prove me wrong...

[Queener]

Are you eating popcorn? I found that it bloats me up. I also have found I'm reacting negatively to soy in peanut butter and Nutella. (My way of making gluten free bread taste ok!).

[confusedks]

Are you sure you're reacting to the soy in peanut butter, not the peanuts? Try organic peanut butter, the ingredients in mine are peanuts and salt...that's all that is in them.

Also, if you find out what is bloating you...LET ME KNOW!!!

Kassandra

[Jon2121]

I had a positive biopsy and negative blood tests. My GI told me to try the diet for 3 months and if I wasn't improving that it was IBS. I've been gluten-free for 5 months my legs cramp have stopped and I have more energy. I'm following the diet very strictly but I still get bloated and constipated no matter what i eat. I've tried probiotics and every otc med there is. I've even tried eating smaller meals gone off dairy. I thought this would have improved by now. I'm starting to think it isn't celiac at all. Is there something else that could cause this? What can I do I've tried eveything!

I hope you get my message since it's been so long since you posted. I just saw your message & I know the hell your going through. Yes you have food allergies & that's why you aren't getting any better. I'm sure most people on this forum know this, but I want to make sure you do. The Celiac " Gluten intolerence" It makes your gut leak & the food go so the everything you eat you are reacting to! Food allergies & Gluten intolerence go hand in hand. I saw major improvments in my digestive tract after going on the diet after about a month I've lived the last 12 years in hell from IBS that is was so bad that I still to this day it traumatic to even think about it. Even my Constant anxiety & OCD were clearing up & I had been so numbed out for so long like someone who was on Morphine or opiate type drugs. It was the morphine like peptides having a major effect on me. Also post traumatic stress from all the torture I've been through after being put on Nerve pills which are Benzodiazepines. These type drugs are Valium, Klonopin, Xanax, Ativan, Serax are just some of the types of benzo's. And they are hell once you stop taking them. Please if anybody takes don't take them more than two weeks in a row. They are used for anxiety, but they are a controlled substance & they don't cause me to get hight they would make me feel better for a few minutes then when they wore off I'd feel worse. But the doctor told me to keep taking them that they would build up in my system. I know this doesn't have anything to do with you, but if anyone that is reading this, please please don't ever let a doctor put you on nerve pills antidepressants are ok, but not Benzodiazepines. If anyone has nerve problems or panic or anxiety attacks. They make them 10,000 times worse & the withdrawls can last for years. If any one has gluten intolerence please go get tested for food allergies & make sure they put you on allergy shots. Don't let them test you for the molds & dust first. That's what happend to me & I'm so sick right now from food allergies that my anxiety is so bad & my insommnia is so bad with my sleeping backwards also my doctors is 100 miles away. The really bad part is my other Doctor is 14 hours away in Dallas at the Enviromental Health Center in Dallas. Her Name is Dr. Katherine Henry. She is exspensive but an awesome DR. Whe go to sleep I start having seizures & pain starts shooting through my head. This is from the past Benzo's & they cause seizures & your blood pressure to shoot sky high. Yes my symtoms clear up with food allergy shots. The reason I made improvment on the gluten diet was because I had started eating foods I'd never eaten before also like Buckwheat, Brown rice flower, but I've devleoped a food allergy to these now because you have to rotate your foods. Pray for me to make it to my allergy doctor. The lady said the first apointment she had was in two weeks. I don't know what I'm going to do. If you only have a few allergies you can clear them with NAET. Yes NAET works miracles. You hold what ever allergen in your hand for 20 minutes and press your pressure points down your spine & then avoid the alergen for 24 hours. <make sure you avoid it for 24 hours or it most likely won't clear. On the 25th hour it will clear. But I have so many allergies & it can make you sick clearing them or you might feel much better whitin the first few minutes.

[Jon2121]

I hope you get my message since it's been so long since you posted. I just saw your message & I know the hell your going through. Yes you have food allergies & that's why you aren't getting any better. I'm sure most people on this forum know this, but I want to make sure you do. The Celiac " Gluten intolerence" It makes your gut leak & the food go so the everything you eat you are reacting to! Food allergies & Gluten intolerence go hand in hand. I saw major improvments in my digestive tract after going on the diet after about a month I've lived the last 12 years in hell from IBS that is was so bad that I still to this day it traumatic to even think about it. Even my Constant anxiety & OCD were clearing up & I had been so numbed out for so long like someone who was on Morphine or opiate type drugs. It was the morphine like peptides having a major effect on me. Also post traumatic stress from all the torture I've been through after being put on Nerve pills which are Benzodiazepines. These type drugs are Valium, Klonopin, Xanax, Ativan, Serax are just some of the types of benzo's. And they are hell once you stop taking them. Please if anybody takes don't take them more than two weeks in a row. They are used for anxiety, but they are a controlled substance & they don't cause me to get hight they would make me feel better for a few minutes then when they wore off I'd feel worse. But the doctor told me to keep taking them that they would build up in my system. I know this doesn't have anything to do with you, but if anyone that is reading this, please please don't ever let a doctor put you on nerve pills antidepressants are ok, but not Benzodiazepines. If anyone has nerve problems or panic or anxiety attacks. They make them 10,000 times worse & the withdrawls can last for years. If any one has gluten intolerence please go get tested for food allergies & make sure they put you on allergy shots. Don't let them test you for the molds & dust first. That's what happend to me & I'm so sick right now from food allergies that my anxiety is so bad & my insommnia is so bad with my sleeping backwards also my doctors is 100 miles away. The really bad part is my other Doctor is 14 hours away in Dallas at the Enviromental Health Center in Dallas. Her Name is Dr. Katherine Henry. She is exspensive but an awesome DR. Whe go to sleep I start having seizures & pain starts shooting through my head. This is from the past Benzo's & they cause seizures & your blood pressure to shoot sky high. Yes my symtoms clear up with food allergy shots. The reason I made improvment on the gluten diet was because I had started eating foods I'd never eaten before also like Buckwheat, Brown rice flower, but I've devleoped a food allergy to these now because you have to rotate your foods. Pray for me to make it to my allergy doctor. The lady said the first apointment she had was in two weeks. I don't know what I'm going to do. If you only have a few allergies you can clear them with NAET. Yes NAET works miracles. You hold what ever allergen in your hand for 20 minutes and press your pressure points down your spine & then avoid the alergen for 24 hours. <make sure you avoid it for 24 hours or it most likely won't clear. On the 25th hour it will clear. But I have so many allergies & it can make you sick clearing them or you might feel much better whitin the first few minutes.