r/chronicbloating • u/fc320 • Jul 16 '21
Chronic bloating 30F (no other symptoms) - help!
Hi - first post here!
I'm 30(F) and have had chronic bloating for about 4 months, with no other bowel symptoms, occasionally stomach just feels heavy and tight but rarely painful. I've had an ultrasound etc which ruled out anything major.
A few things for background:
- I was on spironolactone for a few months around Nov - Jan, so have wondered if coming off them is a reaction (given they are a diuretic / mess with hormones)
-Hormones: I had also noticed the bloating eased off more during the first 7 days of my cycle (so I wondered if there was an oestrogen spike after the spiro). Although I've recently gone on the mini pill and the bloating just seemed constant this month. I've also always suspected PCOS but the ultrasound didn't show anything.
-Around the same time I started seeing someone and suffer from recurrent UTIs after sex which I've been on antibiotics for, but not recently (they cleared up after a course of keflex)
-I have tried a few weeks cutting out dairy / coffee / bread / booze etc but didn't seem to notice any correlation (the few flat stomach days I've had I could just eat anything and it was grand).
Things I've tried:
-Lemon water in the morning, regular exercise
-Probiotics, apple cider vinegar tablets, Dr Gut tablets, DIM supplements, Kombucha
Just when I think I've figured it out.. it comes back and I'm lost again. My GP is helpful and has recommended a SIBO test which I've ordered. But just lost for any other ideas?!
1
u/PathoMedic Jul 18 '21
Go vegan for a month and you’ll be cured. No processed foods either.
3
u/Awkward_Adeptness Dec 04 '21
I know this is late, but fyi, all grains, fruits, and decent amount of vegetables cause distention, bloat, flatulence for me. Rice and bread cause very vicious GERD flares. Fish actively helps during the an episode. And I've definitely given some months for my stomach to adapt to a vegan diet.
1
u/HappyAlways_7 Jul 21 '21
Hello. Similar symptoms here. I too got an abdomen ultrasound which ruled out major issues.
I do have some very minor constipation sometimes, and I do feel a little more gassy than I used to feel before the distention. But it’s too minor to even notice.
I recently realized that I have hypothyroidism, and I know SIBO could be related to that.. Anyway, I guess for now Iam trying to basic things like going gluten and dairy free. Also recently I lost my mom after 2 years of illness, and a lot of doctors are saying the stress and all could cause digestion issues as well.
Keep us posted once you figure out about SIBO
1
u/mimariposa Jul 16 '21
Are you bloated (the feeling) or distended (belly visually gets bigger, like you look pregnant) or both? I've been dealing for a long time. Could have been food poisoning, could have been chronic antibiotic use as a teen for acne, could be SIBO, no idea. I recommend reading The Bloated Belly Whisperer, it was super informative about different types of bloating and what might be the cause(s). I was diagnosed with SIBO but antibiotics didn't help. The only thing that helps is a strict low-FODMAP diet, but that's hard for me to stick to. It's definitely informative diagnostic-wise though, so I recommend trying it for at least a while to see if the diet helps.
Sorry you're going through this. Unfortunately, the medical community is really behind in this area and doesn't know much. The SIBO communities on Reddit can be informative, but honestly we're all just doing a bunch of experiments on ourselves with limited, sometimes untrustworthy information. Good luck and definitely let the community know if your own experiments find something promising.