What Causes Abdominal Bloating?

[nikki2008]

Is it because food stays too long in the intestine, or not long enough, or...?

I've been gluten-free for almost three weeks, and the bloating is really bad.

My stool is still soft for the most part, and often yellowish in color. I'm not sure if there's a connection.

Is it better to eat or not eat when you're bloated?

I've been taking Gas-x and Pepcid, but they're not helping much. I'd really appreciate any advice on how to stop the bloating and whether it's stopped for people on the gluten-free diet, and if it has remained so.

Thanks.

[tom]

I think it's often a problem w/ eating certain foods.

2 of the possible causes are food intolerances and candida overgrowth, both of which I've had.

Are you also dairy-free and soy-free?

If not, I'd say start there.

Nearly every celiac starting gluten-free should also be dairy-free for a few months.

[Motorboater]

  nikki2008 said:

Is it because food stays too long in the intestine, or not long enough, or...?

I've been gluten-free for almost three weeks, and the bloating is really bad.

My stool is still soft for the most part, and often yellowish in color. I'm not sure if there's a connection.

Is it better to eat or not eat when you're bloated?

I've been taking Gas-x and Pepcid, but they're not helping much. I'd really appreciate any advice on how to stop the bloating and whether it's stopped for people on the gluten-free diet, and if it has remained so.

Thanks.

Make sure the Gas-x and Pepcid are gluten free, I was told in July '07 the chewable Gas-x was not gluten free, that maybe why your still bloating......

[constantly questioning]

  nikki2008 said:

Is it because food stays too long in the intestine, or not long enough, or...?

I've been gluten-free for almost three weeks, and the bloating is really bad.

My stool is still soft for the most part, and often yellowish in color. I'm not sure if there's a connection.

Is it better to eat or not eat when you're bloated?

I've been taking Gas-x and Pepcid, but they're not helping much. I'd really appreciate any advice on how to stop the bloating and whether it's stopped for people on the gluten-free diet, and if it has remained so.

Thanks.

Hi. My bloating was really bad. People thought I was pregnant. It was embarrasing to go out to a bar and drink! I agree with Tom, check your dairy intake. At first I couldn't handle lactose and now I can in small doses. Check everything that is going into your body...meds, food and drinks. Some people recommend to go with natural non-processed foods until the bloating ends. And, yes, I hope for you it does. Mine still comes and goes. However, for the most part once you get a handle on your diet you can begin to control your bloating. Sometimes, there is something you are injesting that you don't even realize is doing it. So for now, I know it sounds tough, but check everything.

[Guest hightop girl]

I am pretty new to this, but my bloating is going away. I gave up lactose and dried fruit as well as very sugary fruits... basically working on lactose intolerance and a yeast overgrowth. Within a day the bloating started to subside.

[AliB]

When I stopped gluten I also stopped dairy, most carbs and sugar. Within 5 hours the pain had gone, within a week the bloating and discomfort had gone.

If Candida/yeast is a problem, the yeasts use the carbs we eat as foods, especially the di- (lactose and sugar) and poly-saccharides (grains and starches), as damage to the gut usually means that we are lacking the enzymes needed to break them down properly. The gas is a by-product of the Candida. The more carbs we eat, the more gas is produced.

The carbs in veg and fruit is generally mono-saccharides which are easily assimilated by the body and less likely to be a problem. I try to eat fairly simply and just stick to unprocessed meat, fish and poultry, fruit and veg, some nuts and a little honey. It seems to be working as I can now tolerate a few foods that I couldn't a few weeks ago, like eggs.

[bluejeangirl]

I read an article on IBS on why they get bloated. It seems if you have problems with a food and it sets off intestinal cramps and diahhrea, that movement (parastalic) is going to push that food out. If there isn't any food or waste to push then air/gas gets sucked up in there instead. So the air/gas will bloat you. So it can just be the contractions going on that is causing the trouble. You could be getting c.c. or you might have another intolerance.

Gail

[MELINE]

hello

for me it was IB Syndrome and lactose intolerance. For IB syndrome boil your fruits and vegetables, NO fried food, no fat, exercise and drink 6-8 glasses or water every day. Fried oil is bad bor IB S but also for lactose intolerance cause your body thinks fried oil is lactose.....weird....

[BRUMI1968]

It sounds like folks have given you great answers/experiences. I was bloated and uncomfortable from about 2 years old to about 38 years old. I would go from a 28 inch waist to a god-knows-what waiste, definitely pregnant looking, doubled over in pain, have to unbuttton pants, etc.

These are the things that helped me:

1. quitting gluten

2. quitting dairy (the biggest culprit for me, along with constipation)

3. quitting dried fruit - especially when mixed with nuts

Other things that help are walking. Lots of fiber works for some folks, makes other folks worse. I'm a high fiber person myself. I eat lots of raw veggies and avocados, figs, and flax meal sometimes as well.

It took a while to get this under control - it was quitting all sugars/fruits that finally solidified it...and if I eat dried fruit today I will definitely end up bloated tomorrow. (If I eat dairy today, I'll be constipated for a week.)

Good luck.