I'm ALWAYS bloated!

[crazycutie]

I'm always bloated with that stomach dissention and pain. I can also be very gassy at times, and it's not uncommon. Are there any reasons for this or things I can do to help it? Am I possibly eating too much fruit, beans, carbs, fats? I don't know, it just get annoying.

[fadeaway1289]

Have you increased the amounts of fiber that you've been eating?

[crazycutie]

No, I'm pretty sure its relatively the same. I eat a ton of fiber however, I don't see how a vegan can consume only 35-50 grams in a day! Could that possibly be the culprit? I eat a lot of fruit, some veg, and always get a cup of beans in so I get enough fiber thinking it will regulate me more.

[karenlovessnow]

How's your soy intake? Some people are a bit sensitive to soy and that can also cause bloating.

[crazycutie]

Actually, I stopped eating soy a while ago because I found it did upset my stomach more. I've always been bloated for as long as I can remember, it's awful.

[Clarita Osita]

If your fiber is stable and your not eating soy, it's possible you've got something like Irritable Bowel Syndrome. I have it (not acting up lately, luckily) and sometimes it gives me intestinal pain but sometimes it's stomach bloating and pain. If you're eating over 70 grams of fiber a day, though, that could cause problems. But if this has been happening for a long time, you might want to check with a doctor. Usually if it's a dietary change that causes problems that will resolve itself in a few days, and this sounds like something that's been happening a lot longer than that.

Lots of fiber will regulate you, but too much will dehydrate you and give you diarrhea.

[crazycutie]

Yeah, I was diagnosed with irritable bowel a whille ago. I personally think that it is too broad of a diagnosis for many symptoms of different things. It doesn't exactly diagnose the cause, in my opinion.

[SomebodyElse]

It may not be what you are eating. It may be that you are either low in digestive enzymes, or low in hydrochloric acid. Try some enzymes first, and if they don't help, get some hydrochloric acid supplements. The usual process is to start with one tablet taken with each meal, and increasing the dose each day until you feel a warmness in your stomach after your meal. The warmth, like heartburn, means you have reached your limit, and should not take more. If you feel warmth right away, you are producing enough hydrochloric acid, and don't need the supplements.

Peppermint oil supplements can help too, but they can cause reflux in sensitive people.

[crazycutie]

Hydrochloric acid supplements? What exactly do they do? I already take enzymes each time I eat and they help with stomach pain, but apparently not bloating. Where do I find these supplements?

[WendySmiling]

I have the same problem and the gas is bad. Some days a toot every 60 seconds and at work. OMG it's awful. I don't digest my food well. I have a gut motility disorder. I thought just the bloating was bad until the gas got so bad with it. I hate this, but when it gets bad I have to go on a liquid diet. I guess it's smoothies and pureed soups for me for a while. Good luck to you.

[Clarita Osita]

Yeah, I was diagnosed with irritable bowel a whille ago. I personally think that it is too broad of a diagnosis for many symptoms of different things. It doesn't exactly diagnose the cause, in my opinion.

Yeah, unfortunately it's a very broad diagnosis meaning, 'something's wrong with you but we're not really sure what.' For me, that was better than no diagnosis after 10 months of eating nothing but a cup of white rice a day most days and being in constant pain while being told 'since the meds I gave you didn't work nothing else could be wrong so it's all in your head.' Get that for a while and you're happy for ANY diagnosis, broad or not.



I have the same problem and the gas is bad. Some days a toot every 60 seconds and at work. OMG it's awful. I don't digest my food well. I have a gut motility disorder. I thought just the bloating was bad until the gas got so bad with it. I hate this, but when it gets bad I have to go on a liquid diet. I guess it's smoothies and pureed soups for me for a while. Good luck to you.

Does the liquid diet work for that? God, I have terrible gas sometimes. It's so embarrassing but I haven't pinpointed it to any particular food. Maybe next time it gets bad I'll try sticking to liquids and see if it helps...

[SomebodyElse]

Hydrochloric acid supplements? What exactly do they do? I already take enzymes each time I eat and they help with stomach pain, but apparently not bloating. Where do I find these supplements?
They are usually labeled as "Betaine HCl", and you can find them in a health food store. Different conditions can affect your ability to secrete enough stomach acid when you eat, and sometimes HCl supplements can help. They are the same acid as that which is secreted by your stomach, and I have taken them myself, in the way I described above, or I wouldn't suggest it. I did find it helpful, and I also was able to quit after a few weeks. They are not something you should need to take indefinitely, unless you talk to your doctor.

You might also check the selection of digestive enzymes at the health food store, if you haven't already. There are many different kinds, suited to helping you digest different types of foods, and you might find something that will work better. The HCl should be in the same section as the digestive enzymes, if your health food store stocks their shelves according to what conditions the supplements are supposed to help.

[WendySmiling]

For me... solid food tends to sit in the gut and ferment because my digestion is slowed, so liquid or blended stuff passes through by gravity and doesn't need to be digested as much as solid food. I have ups and down with solid food, so when there is a flare up, liquid works for me. :sunny:


Yeah, unfortunately it's a very broad diagnosis meaning, 'something's wrong with you but we're not really sure what.' For me, that was better than no diagnosis after 10 months of eating nothing but a cup of white rice a day most days and being in constant pain while being told 'since the meds I gave you didn't work nothing else could be wrong so it's all in your head.' Get that for a while and you're happy for ANY diagnosis, broad or not.




Does the liquid diet work for that? God, I have terrible gas sometimes. It's so embarrassing but I haven't pinpointed it to any particular food. Maybe next time it gets bad I'll try sticking to liquids and see if it helps...

[cinders7]

i have a question for those that work and suffer from gas and embarassment.How do you deal with it? as this is what puts me of being vegetarian,I also suffer with IBS so double wammie.I so much want to conquer this,but gas and bowel problems is not helping

[SomebodyElse]

Try activated charcoal tablets. The charcoal adsorbs intestinal gases and helps reduce flatulence. Most of the brands available in health food stores are made from burnt coconut husks, but double check if you are in doubt, because it can also be made from animal bones.

It will make your poop black, so don't panic, and it will also interfere with some vitamin absorption, so don't overdo it.

You can also try liquid bentonite clay, that is intended for consumption. The clay also adsorbs the stuff that causes gas, and other toxins as well. It is helpful to people with compromised digestive systems, as it will adsorb the products of incomplete digestion and help eliminate them from the system. This will assist healing, since the intestinal tract is easily irritated by foods that have not been fully digested.

[Smurfbabe]

You might have a slight intolerance to gluten - bloating and gas can be symptoms of that. Try cutting gluten out of your diet for a week and see how you feel!

[crazycutie]

You might have a slight intolerance to gluten - bloating and gas can be symptoms of that. Try cutting gluten out of your diet for a week and see how you feel!

I know, I have all the symptoms of celiac disease yet the blood work came back negative. I know it may be a false negative, but I don't want to do a lower endoscopy.
How long would I have to refrain from gluten to see improvements? I've heard it could take years. I limit myself to 2 servings of gluten a day right now.

[theatregirl]

I'm glad you said that cos I'm nearly always bloated too!

theatre girl x

[cloudcovering]

You can be intolerant to wheat without having celiac disease. That's what's the deal with me! I get bloated too. I used to eat 60 or so grams of fiber a day, now I get 25-35 and it's a lot less bloat. Also I get less bloat when my calories go towards nutrient-dense items because I'm taking in less quantitatively if that makes sense.

[Smurfbabe]

From what i've been told the doctors results often don't show that there is anything wrong even if there is - the only way to know is to completely cut out gluten from your diet and see how you feel and if the symptoms stop. It shouldn't take years to see improvement - you should know if it's making a difference within about 2 weeks. I think you have to stop eating gluten all together - one or two servings a day will still cause the bloating.

In the last couple of years i've been feeling really tired and lacking energy for no good reason. I've just recently decided it might have to do with a mild gluten intolerance so I'm also considering going off gluten. Talk about annoying though - not eating meat and dairy is one thing, but no BREAD, no PASTA, no PIZZA, NOOOO!! Even so I think it might be worth it - and I made a GREAT pasta dish today with gluten free soybean spaghetti.

Good luck with it all! I'll let you know how my gluten free journey goes if I manage to stick with it longer than 24 hours.

[crazycutie]

You can be intolerant to wheat without having celiac disease. That's what's the deal with me! I get bloated too. I used to eat 60 or so grams of fiber a day, now I get 25-35 and it's a lot less bloat. Also I get less bloat when my calories go towards nutrient-dense items because I'm taking in less quantitatively if that makes sense.

Wow that's really interesting! Did you always look like you were pregnant from it? It'a annoying.
But how did you find out that you were gluten intolerant? Is there a test for it or did you just avoid it and feel better? Is so, how long did it take to see improvement?
I do understand the nutritent-dense food theory. It just seems hard to get little fiber on a vegan diet. Can you post what you typically consume in a day or two so I can see?

[SmilinGreen]

Probiotics really seem to help me whenever I feel bloaty or gassy. Probiotics are good bacteria for your intestines. You can find them at any health food store. I like the brand ReNew Life

[WendySmiling]

www.helpforibs.com is a great site that explains how to eat your fiber to reduce symptoms. Lots of recipes. Dairy and eggs are really bad for IBS.