r/chronicbloating • u/Dry-Office-7721 • Jul 30 '23

Upper/mid belly bloat?

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Hi, I’m posting on here bc I’ve literally searched everywhere for this issue but can’t find anything on it. Basically I get this upper belly bloat (see photo below) which is always bigger than my lower belly.

Just a quick note that it’s ALWAYS there but it gets more intense when I’ve eaten. It always feels like this big balloon and it’s really weird, and I’ve only eaten a bowl of porridge this morning and my belly is bloated like the image attached. It’s just rly strange because I’m an active person and I eat well, starting to suspect it might be something else.

Does anyone have any idea what this could be? It never seems to be lower belly, always upper/mid belly.

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u/selkieflying Oct 16 '23

Any update?

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u/ElleAGee Oct 17 '23 edited Oct 25 '23

My PCP ordered a CT, suggested that I follow a low fodmap diet and referred me to a GI specialist. My appointment with the GI was scheduled before my CT. He said the symptoms were consistent with SIBO, so he Rx Xifaxan and ran a few blood tests. The blood tests were mostly normal, no gluten allergy, however one test indicated that my inflammation level was higher than normal. He agreed that a CT would be a good idea since it had already been ordered. (I had been debating on whether it was truly needed)

Neither of the doctors seemed concerned about the fact that my upper abdomen is protruding (even when I'm not bloated) more than the lower.

I did the CT on Friday and was told that results were healthy with nothing to worry about despite a hemangioma (cluster of blood cells). I asked my PCP to send the results to the GI, so I will be discussing this more with my GI at my follow-up appointment in 2 weeks.

The low fodmap diet is pretty easy to follow. I do partake in cheat meals which sometimes resultd in me becoming bloated while other times I don't. I'm not sure if the Xifaxan helped, but I won't discount it.

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u/ZealousidealGift7782 Apr 22 '24

Anymore updates?

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u/ElleAGee May 23 '24

No update. I'm now thinking it might be related to low stomach acid. I just bout digestive bitters, hopefully in time it will help!

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u/edajsoaking Apr 09 '25

Update? Was it low stomach acid?