Bloating, fullness and other unpleasant topics...

From the get go, this may be a lot o' TMI. Sorry about that. If you're squeamish, best move along ;).

I started this journey at the end of April. Made the switch to major amounts of cooked veggies, one salad a day, yogurt, fish, soy products once or twice a week, occasional flour wrap or light bread, hummus frozen fruit bars/ a piece of fruit a day...maybe one rice/pasta meal a week. Everything but the veggies in moderation.  When I say major amounts of veggies, I'm not fibbing...dinner is usually a cup or more of various different kinds of veg and fish/soy. I've been a veggie who occasionally eats fish for 17 years, so green stuff is by no means new to me, but perhaps not in this volume!

I was feeling great, really great actually. I DID notice I was not getting smaller through the belly at the rate I had thought I should, but I assumed it was in my head or it was going to take much more work. The, erm, plumbing was working just fine...maybe a little too good sometimes.

Then last week BOOM! Bloating started big time, overnight. And not just cute lil' tummy pooch. Like impoverished child belly kind of bloating. Soon after, the plumbing stopped working almost entirely. I tried OTC gas-x type stuff, spent entirely too much on Beano and neither worked for squat. I cut out broccoli and cauliflower full stop, but kept the salad and other veggies. I've been adding lemon juice to my water---and I DO drink 64oz a day without fail. According to my log, even WITH the amount of veggies I was shoveling down, my fiber was within the ideal range.

Nothing is working...I'm still hugetastic and so miserable and full I want to cry. I plan to get probiotics, flax seed, and if I can talk myself into it, prune juice. I'm embarrassed to say I even tried a salt water flush (in my dumber days, I did them to "detox" and they worked amazingly well---not for their supposed magical purpose, but in other ways. Ahem.) today and Yogi Tea...neither of which did anything but make me even more full and a little vomitous.

What makes zero sense to me is that I went along swimmingly with my food choices for 8 weeks and then suddenly my body rebels? I can't figure it out, and it's beginning to make me really miserable. I don't care about the weight gain because I know the culprit, but the pure misery of the distention is killing me. It's also making ab work impossible, but that's so the least of my concerns right now.

Help? Please and thank you!

let me make sure I understand - your plumbing has stopped entirely and your tummy is bloated?

Have you tried Milk of Magnesia (SP?) spelling is not my strong suit ok :-(

Did you notice if one particular food triggered it? If so, have you heard of diverticulitis. My mom had this. Raw veggies and nuts would do her in. These are some of the symptoms:

Tenderness, cramps, or pain in the abdomen (usually in the lower left side but may occur on the right) that is sometimes worse when you move.

Fever and chills.

A bloated feeling, abdominal swelling, or gas.

Diarrhea or constipation.

Nausea and sometimes vomiting.

Loss of appetite.

Thanks for the reminder on MOM...that was the other thing I wanted to try.

I have NO idea if any one thing did it because I eat primarily the same things daily---nothing was new and different at all.  Honestly, I know I can work with the constipation with the right stuff--I'd be willing to bet one of the things I get be it MOM or (urf) prune juice will set it right.  That's only been a couple of days, but the bloating is what is KILLING me.  That's been going on a week, about 5 days before the other lovely issue arose.

There's no pain at all, no fever or chills or loss of appetite (outside of not wanting to add to the pressure that's already in the old belly), just major discomfort.

Thanks for the suggestion :)

I would strongly suggest that if the laxative doesn't work, that you see your doctor.  Many things can cause this other than IBS but your doctor needs to be one to make that call.

hmmm ...

I assume that you are on a low calorie - lowfat diet.  If I assume that your diet is low fat, you may want to try adding some healthy fats.  Add healthy fats like olive oil when cooking; a handful or so of walnuts (or any nut); perhaps more fatty fish (salmon).  Seems like a catch 22; you want to lose weight and you have to restrict calories and as such fats - ugh!  So try to add fats, good healthy fats (perhaps even a fish oil supplement with omega 3's) for maybe a week until you are able to see your doctor.  If you notice an improvement then you know you were missing healthy fats! and don't need OTC laxatives.  Ick!  Laxatives should always be the last resort.  As I said, ugh!  Catch 22.

The doctor is a touchy subject...mine is notoriously impossible to see.  I'm trying to get an appointment with an ND, actually...but thanks, you're totally right morrighu that there are things far more serious than IBS that I need to be aware of.

playergirl, you have a tremendous point.  My one major no-no in my diet (aside from that pesky one or two bourbons I have to have on the weekend!) is a ridiculous aversion to fats.  Aversion isn't really the right word...it's not really intentional.  I simply don't eat enough--if I get 50% of the recommended daily amount I'm lucky!  I'm not really a fat-free gal...I do low-fat cottage cheese and other dairy when I actually eat it, and anything less than full fat half and half is a mortal sin in my opinion.  But I was definitely raised on Pam and I use that damn spray butter because I lose control around real butter...and while I love olive oil, I'll admittedly get tweaked by not the fat but the calories.  I'm working on it.  While I'm at the store bleeding my next paycheck into probiotics and flax seed, I'll pick up some healthy fats. 

Is it wrong I'm having fantasies of pricking my belly with a pin like a balloon?  That won't work, will it?  WILL IT?????

 

 

Taco Bell works every time!

Ok seriously though - I would consult a doctor.  It doesn't sound normal to me and it could be that you are impacted.  But that would cause a lot of pain in the end.  So who knows.  Dr knows best either way.  Good luck!

OTC - you can try an enema.  Like the ones you are supposed to do before a colonoscopy.  Down the regular shampoo isle in the grocery store - it's called Fleet.  Takes horrible but if that doesn't do the trick for you - no clue what would.  BTW, I wouldn't do the recommended amount on the back.   Check with your dr about it first though just to be safe.

@loriwilson1:  You said "Takes horrible"  I REALLY hope you didn't mean "Tastes horrible",  lol   because that would be .... just.... wrong.....

Hi, there- I have had similar issues and I eat a lot of fiber, too- my stomach would become distended after eating veggies- raw OR cooked...and I love them! Went to the MD and I have IBS with constipation...starting taking Amitiza and it is working so well and my stomach motility is back in action...sometimes may take a day or two, but it works. Sometimes I get headaches with it, but it is worth it to me as I was MISERABLE for a long time w/my tummy like that. It was so embarassing at times.

Original Post by lorawilson1:

Taco Bell works every time!

Ok seriously though - I would consult a doctor. It doesn't sound normal to me and it could be that you are impacted. But that would cause a lot of pain in the end. So who knows. Dr knows best either way. Good luck!

OTC - you can try an enema. Like the ones you are supposed to do before a colonoscopy. Down the regular shampoo isle in the grocery store - it's called Fleet. Takes horrible but if that doesn't do the trick for you - no clue what would. BTW, I wouldn't do the recommended amount on the back. Check with your dr about it first though just to be safe.

I REALLY do not recommend anyone doing the colonoscopy prep UNLESS they are getting a colonoscopy or are planning on sitting around in their house the entire next day. I had to do it and was sobbing by the end of the night.

I would go for more of the 'natural' tea laxatives or something softer on your insides.

There is not enough money in the world to get me to do an enema!!!!  Squeal!

I'm going to do more Yogi tea tonight and see what happens. 

The bloating is really pissing me off---I sincerely expect the tea will yield results for the plumbing, but I have NO idea how to get rid of this belly otherwise.  I was finally seeing results from my work outs too, dangit. 

I got more Activia, but couldn't find probiotics outside of a bottle with only 2 billion CFU, which to my understanding isn't enough.  Then again, I may have been totally forgetting the right number!  Couldn't find MOM...invested in some Sunsweet PlumSmart Light, which is the same fiber as Prune but less, well, nasty. 

If I ever get a doctor's appointment, I can investigate the IBS thing...but man, if this IS medical, where did it come from?  Literally out of nowhere.  The only other thing I've had in the past was severe and debilitating abdominal pain a few times---left me in the ER with no explanations...but I believe that was a product of my now resolved ED.  I'm still not in any pain either.

Le sigh.  Only I can lose 20 pounds and be LESS healthy!!!

Have you looked for straight up probiotics? I take capsules preferably bfast, lunch, and dinner but usually just bfast and dinner. I think they help me out a lot and I have what you'd call a 'nervous stomach' stemming from gastrointestinal problems. I love yogi teas! Herbal teas are much softer on your stomach, rather than black teas.

i have had the same problem, all though not as severe, sometimes i wouldn't poop in days.  which drove me crazy because i used to be so regular practically to the hour.  i have tried different things like probiotics, teas and stuff but as someone else mentioned, the only thing that worked was forcing myself to add more fats to my diet.  when i sat down and actually calculated my calorie in take, by carb/fat/protien, i was really under in the fats department and hugely over in fiber.  it's tough adding fats back in, after i've trained myself to enjoy dry salads, plain steamed veggies, dry toast/cereals ect...

i've been forcing myself to make sure i get at least 20% of my calories from fat.  it's been challenging for me to find cheap, vegan, "clean" ways of adding it back into my diet.
but yeah trust me...you need SOME fats.  i found the easiest for me to add is organic peanutbutter.

I REALLY do not recommend anyone doing the colonoscopy prep UNLESS they are getting a colonoscopy or are planning on sitting around in their house the entire next day. I had to do it and was sobbing by the end of the night.

I would go for more of the 'natural' tea laxatives or something softer on your insides.

 

I AGREE here!! it is awful, i had one done for a sigmoidoscopy. 

I urge you to see a doctor. This problem may not have anything at all to do with your diet. A family member of mine was unable to urinate and his tummy area swelled greatly. We took him to the doctors and he was seriously ill because the problem was ignored. Even though the problem with you is with your back passage and not the front like my relative, it is deffinately worth it to visit the doctor ASAP. Being unable to open your bowels is not natural so there may be a build up of waste that could make you very ill.

skinnyogi, definitely working on locating probiotics. I found some, but I won't waste my money on anything but the maximum number of organisms, so I'm holding out. And yes, I love me some Yogi Tea. And I totally spaced bringing it to work today GAH!

cerealaddiction, I'm beginning to wonder if you and playergirl are absolutely onto something. My fiber intake is excellent, but I went back to my logs and in the last 2 months, I've hit the recommended amount of fat exactly twice. All other days were 50% and below. No bueno. I guess it takes a while for the bad effects to kick in. Of course, it's a tough habit to break...when I unpacked my bag of groceries yesterday, I realized I'd gotten fat free shredded cheese, AGAIN. I'm starting slowly---I actually ate a tablespoon of lowfat peanut butter right off the spoon (as my dog watched. And drooled.) after the gym this morning. It's only 6 grams, but it's a start.

saratink91, thank you for your concern!  But honestly, that was a one or two day thing max.  In fact, the rest of the time I've been eating like this I felt like I was going a lot more than usual!!!  Again where the confusion kicks in!

 

FYI, the plumbing is um, moving again....as I expected (I have ZERO problem peeing...in fact, I pee like every 15 minutes. We call it my kitten bladder). But the bloat is STILL THERE. I'm at my wit's end here. Today makes an entire week of this. The simethicone pills are doing nothing, nor is the lemon water, and I cannot find activated charcoal pills to save my life. It's driving me mad!!!

 

hey musicismydestiny!

the good fats - great plan - I can see you've figured that out by now though. To stop the bloat, just drink a sh*tload of water and try magnesium. I started taking magnesium a few weeks ago bc I was kinda stopped up too. It worked. Immediately. and I take it about every other day or so. but seriously, if you are really bloated, it may take you awhile to drop all of that extre water. The best thing to do is to crazy up your water intake and be patient. I would say take a diuretic, but that is a last resort.

Hey there ...

Sorry to hear that you have found no relief yet *sigh*

May I suggest this read:  http://www.calorie-count.com/forums/post/1038 18.html It is posted in health and support.  You might see the general population that answered (while few did) find that there is one thing that was missing :  FAT.

Again, if you can find a way to work into your diet plan, please do try.  I bet you are in agony. 

Good Luck at you. 

BTW, smile.  How you can you be miserable when you're smiling : )

Yeah.  Desperate times, people.  Epsom salts and I are getting really friendly this weekend.

Incidentally, I also came to the realization that for a couple of weeks I halved my water intake because I was sick of peeing every 15 minutes.  That may have also been just enough to reek havoc on my insides with all the fiber I eat.

Had a load of yellow squash, zucchini, yellow and red peppers and mushrooms last night and 1/4 cup of REAL CHEESE.  Holy dog, I'd forgotten how damn good real cheese is.  Seriously.  Keep your chips and chocolate, I'm a sourdough and brie kind of girl.

Hopefully by monday I will be all better---and hey, it's not like I've stopped going to the gym the whole week since it started...maybe when the bloating is gone my tummy will be revealed as flatter than before it started.  A girl can dream.

Thanks again, everyone!!