Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Is Extreme, Sudden Abdominal Bloating Part Of Celiac?

ksangie

Recommended Posts

ksangie Rookie
ksangie
Posted

A little background:

I was diagnosed with IBS and fibro back in 2006 due to mysterious pains and consitpation. They tested my EMA and it was negative, so no further tests were done. A (highly regarded) doctor from a university research hospital said it couldn't possibly be celiac and that test is accurate unless there is an IGA deficiency which he claimed I obviously didn't have due to my otherwise good health.

Fast forward to late 2009. I started having extreme joint pain in my feet, then my hands, then my other joints. They tested for RA and lupus, both negative. Then the really strange thing happened in January. My stomach swelled so that my waist is 5 inches larger than it used to be. I was totally poopooed for worrying about this by my PCP because I'm just 6 months past having a baby. I tried to tell him I'd regained my figure already, but he wouldn't listen. Anyway, my stomach swelled and has yet to go down.

Got a new PCP and he ran a celiac panel. My IGG was literally off the charts, my IGA was literally below the charts (IGA deficient?) and my EMA was negative. Awaiting my biopsy on Friday and the results of that next week.

Okay, to make a long question much shorter... Has anyone had extreme and sudden stomach bloating that has gone down after going on a gluten-free diet? I'm just praying this is related to Celiac and easily solved. I've yet to get a diagnosis of Celiac, but I'm actually hoping to.

Thanks for reading/ answering.

Angie

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Wolicki Enthusiast
Wolicki
Posted

Angie,

I am one of the few strange ones who never had bloating before going gluten free, I think it's because nothing stayed in me long enough to cause bloat.

When I first went gluten-free, it took a while for my body to figure out how to process everything, and I literally looked 8 months preggers :blink:

Now, if I get accidentally glutened or get cc, BOOM , massive bloating.

Regardless of your biopsy result, you could probalby benefit greatly by the diet. Testing isn't foolproof, and gluten intolerance will not show up on any test, only Celiac.

A strict dietary trial would probably give you a "firm" dx.

Janie

bekkaz Apprentice
bekkaz
Posted

A little background:

I was diagnosed with IBS and fibro back in 2006 due to mysterious pains and consitpation. They tested my EMA and it was negative, so no further tests were done. A (highly regarded) doctor from a university research hospital said it couldn't possibly be celiac and that test is accurate unless there is an IGA deficiency which he claimed I obviously didn't have due to my otherwise good health.

Fast forward to late 2009. I started having extreme joint pain in my feet, then my hands, then my other joints. They tested for RA and lupus, both negative. Then the really strange thing happened in January. My stomach swelled so that my waist is 5 inches larger than it used to be. I was totally poopooed for worrying about this by my PCP because I'm just 6 months past having a baby. I tried to tell him I'd regained my figure already, but he wouldn't listen. Anyway, my stomach swelled and has yet to go down.

Got a new PCP and he ran a celiac panel. My IGG was literally off the charts, my IGA was literally below the charts (IGA deficient?) and my EMA was negative. Awaiting my biopsy on Friday and the results of that next week.

Okay, to make a long question much shorter... Has anyone had extreme and sudden stomach bloating that has gone down after going on a gluten-free diet? I'm just praying this is related to Celiac and easily solved. I've yet to get a diagnosis of Celiac, but I'm actually hoping to.

Thanks for reading/ answering.

Angie

I am wondering the same thing Angie. I also get very bloated right after eating and also get a little cough for about 10 mins. or so. I had a baby 7 months ago. I sound just about like I could have written your post!

boysmom Explorer
boysmom
Posted

Yep, sounds about right to me. In my case, my tummy just never returned to normal after my 4th baby, which I attributed to it being my 4th baby ;). However, I had finally begun to suspect something wasn't normal a few months before I went gluten-free and had measured myself to see whether it was all in my mind. I found that I could gain 2-5 inches on my waist just by eating a small meal. Once I finally discovered celiac disease and went gluten-free I lost 8 inches off my hips (measuring around my lower abs also) and 2 1/2 inches off my waist the first month!

OptimisticMom42 Apprentice
OptimisticMom42
Posted

I ate a dill pickle and a handfull of walnuts and swelled to about the 7 month size. Started forcing down the cherry juice/maple syrup/miralax tonic as soon as the itching started and today I'm tired but things are moving again. Not sure if it was the pickle or if the walnuts were CC'd. Anyhow my tummy will be flat again in about a week :angry: Hate it when this happens.

DoodleDog Apprentice
DoodleDog
Posted

bekkaz,

My symptoms are identical to yours! Fiannaly I don't feel crazy! I was diagnosed with IBS, symptoms exactly like yours when I was 17 now I am 38. My stomach pains are in the middle of my abs above belly button...so I question if IBS is a correct diagnosis for me. REgarding the belly, I am very thin and thought my belly was due to children. And this past year my belly has been swelling to look like 3-5 months preg. after I eat sometimes. In addition, I have been having joint pain and numbness in feet, hands and other joints. RA test came back negative as with other tests. I was not tested for celiac. Doc said no reason for my fatigue and etc... So I have gone gluten free for about 2 months with cheating about 3 times. For about 2 weeks I have been swelling up like a baloon! I must be getting gluten somewhere. But I can tell you when I first went gluten free, I was not sure what to eat so I ate rice and stuck to safe, boring food items ... the result... a flat belly! So maybe the same will be true for you.

newgfcali Rookie
newgfcali
Posted

Ditto what DoodleDog described. I'm pretty thin, but when I was eating gluten, I would blow up and look like I swallowed a bowling ball. Very uncomfortable. Now that I'm gluten-free, my abdomen is almost flat, even after I eat. The only difference from what you're describing, Angie, is my belly would go down in size overnight, then blow up again the next day after eating gluten.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


ksangie Rookie
ksangie
Posted
  • Author

Ditto what DoodleDog described. I'm pretty thin, but when I was eating gluten, I would blow up and look like I swallowed a bowling ball. Very uncomfortable. Now that I'm gluten-free, my abdomen is almost flat, even after I eat. The only difference from what you're describing, Angie, is my belly would go down in size overnight, then blow up again the next day after eating gluten.

My belly actually does get a bit smaller overnight and I just experienced it going down even further after fasting for yesterday's edoscopy (by about 3 inches.) Here's to hoping this is it and the biopsies come back positive!

CecilyF Rookie
CecilyF
Posted

My belly actually does get a bit smaller overnight and I just experienced it going down even further after fasting for yesterday's edoscopy (by about 3 inches.) Here's to hoping this is it and the biopsies come back positive!

CecilyF Rookie
CecilyF
Posted

I too have extreme bloating and the other symptoms you described. I went gluten-free December 7th and my bloating has been better, but I still cannot get into my pants. I've had NO weight loss whatsoever and am VERY discouraged. I feel 100 percent better. I also find that right before my cycle I get extremely bloated. I went back to my natural doc Monday, and he said my thyroid and hormones are out of whack too. Anyone have any wisdom or knowlege for me.

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

It might be time for a visit to an endocrinologist. You need to get all your systems back into "whack" :)

Girrlock Newbie
Girrlock
Posted

Hi. Extreme bloating can be a symptom of small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO.) SIBO is very common in people with Celiac disease. In fact one in ten people with Celiac also have SIBO.

Please review the relevant information on medicinenet: Open Original Shared Link

Its a great resource on SIBO. The treatment is completely different; and the diet, unfortunately is...stricter...than just going gluten-free. I have a SIBO; I made the mistake of eating at a gluten-free restaurant once and I got very bloated after!

For even more info, a recent Huff Post article called "All that Bloats is Not Celiac Disease" is helpful: Open Original Shared Link

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,163
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Estee
    Newest Member
    Estee
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • DAR girl
      Celiac and allergic to common subs and adds in prepared foods

      By DAR girl · Posted

      Looking for help sourcing gluten-free products that do not contain potato or corn derived ingredients. I have other autoimmune conditions (Psoriatic Arthritis and Sjogrens) so I’m looking for prepared foods as I have fatigue and cannot devote a lot of time to baking my own treats. 
    • Scott Adams
      Disregarded

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I am so sorry you're going through this. It's completely understandable to feel frustrated, stressed, and disregarded after such a long and difficult health journey. It's exhausting to constantly advocate for yourself, especially when you're dealing with so many symptoms and positive diagnoses like SIBO, while still feeling unwell. The fact that you have been diligently following the diet without relief is a clear sign that something else is going on, and your doctors should be investigating other causes or complications, not dismissing your very real suffering. 
    • Oldturdle
      Paying for my own Celiac screening at WalkInLab so a positive result doesn’t become part of my medical history

      By Oldturdle · Posted

      It is just so sad that health care in the United States has come to this.  Health insurance should be available to everyone, not just the healthy or the rich.  My heart goes out to you.  I would not hesitate to have the test and pay for it myself.  My big concern would be how you could keep the results truly private.  I am sure that ultimately, you could not.  A.I. is getting more and more pervasive, and all data is available somewhere.  I don't know if you could give a fake name, or pay for your test with cash.  I certainly would not disclose any positive results on a private insurance application.  As I understand it, for an official diagnosis, an MD needs to review your labs and make the call.  If you end up in the ER, or some other situation, just request a gluten free diet, and say it is because you feel better when you don't eat gluten.      Hang in there, though.  Medicare is not that far away for you, and it will remove a lot of stress from your health care concerns.  You will even be able to "come out of the closet" about being Celiac!
    • plumbago
      Paying for my own Celiac screening at WalkInLab so a positive result doesn’t become part of my medical history

      By plumbago · Posted

      Yes, I've posted a few times about two companies: Request a Test and Ulta Labs. Also, pretty much we can all request any test we want (with the possible exception of the N protein Covid test and I'm sure a couple of others) with Lab Corp (or Pixel by Lab Corp) and Quest. I much prefer Lab Corp for their professionalism, ease of service and having it together administratively, at least in DC. And just so you know, Request a Test uses Lab Corp and Quest anyway, while Ulta Labs uses only Quest. Ulta Labs is cheaper than Request a Test, but I am tired of dealing with Quest, so I don't use them so much.
    • Scott Adams
      Does Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov site have filters for gluten?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      PS - I think you meant this site, but I don't believe it has been updated in years: http://glutenfreedrugs.com/ so it is best to use: You can search this site for prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
×
×
  • Create New...