[bonjourjude]

I have had IBS-C for two years and have been taking 20 mg Celexa at bedtime every day for the past two years. This has helped me greatly in having little to no symptoms. However, within the past few months my symptoms have flared like crazy. My constipation has been more severe. Yet, after finally becoming somewhat regular, I am left with severe chronic bloating. I am slim/slender yet I look like I'm five months pregnant because of how bloated I am. I spoke to a gastroenterologist, a family friend of ours, and he said that my GI's nervous system is out of whack and that the bloating will go away eventually. Has this happened to anyone else? How long did it take for your abdomen to go back to normal? Are there any treatments out there that help?

 

[RKM06]

I have a lot of bloating as well and I take fennel seed pills and it seems to help for the most part. I also seem to get a lot of gas and pressure in my back. Mine can get very painful at times and I use a heating pad that also helps. I have managed everything but the bloating and I am slim as well and get the prego look that I wish would just go away.

 

[cmoore55]

bonjourjude, did you find when you got very bloated that it was almost hard to get you lungs full of air? For me it can get pretty uncomfortable then die down for a while etc.This is all new to me.C

 

[amkshumate]

I just joined the board and this is the kind of post I was looking for. I've had IBS for years, but in the past year I have developed horrible stomach bloating. My husband and I joke and rub my belly and we've even given "her" a name since the bloating happens every day. However, it is not really funny because I do not know what to do about it. I'm getting ready to start using Align to see if that will help. My doctor just recently put me on Rubinol Forte, which has been wonderful for other issues, but it does not help with the bloating. I am really sick of looking pregnant when I am not. It's very frustrating not knowing what to do. I've had test after test and know that nothing else is causing this...so now I am back to the IBS. Plus, it is uncomfortable. I feel like someone could pop me like a balloon.

 

[tiff125]

Have you been tested for bacteria overgrowth in your intestines? I have IBS but I don't usually have problems with bloatin unless I have a flair up of bacteria overgrowth.

 

[faze action]

Particularly if any of you guys suffer from diarrhea as well I'd urge you to get tested for SIBO (bacterial overgrowth). I had this for about 2-3 years before I was finally diagnosed and bloating was, by far, my worst symptom. I took a course of antibiotics and I actually went down a size in pants just from getting rid of the SIBO. Probiotics also might help, if the issue is bacteria related, but it might take quite a bit longer than a course of antibiotics. You also might want to experiment with diet. For me, any sort of carbohydrates (from simple sugars to complex carbs) seem to exacerbate the bloating problem. Oh, an drink a lot of water... it should help flush things out a bit more.

 

[tigalily]

i'm new to this and its good info! i also suffer from the 'pregnant bloating' and can't seem to get rid of it. Carbohydrates defiantly make it worse particularly white bread. I've tried glutton free bread but it doesn't make much of a difference for me, but i've heard it has for other people. A health store i went to said thrush and other bacterial imbalances in the gut area may contribute to bloating. Fennel tea works for some people. It seems to me we all have to find the foods that trigger bloating because it might be different for everyone. Is there any effective medication that anyone has come across?

 

[missy5180]

I have a lot of bloating as well and I take fennel seed pills and it seems to help for the most part. I also seem to get a lot of gas and pressure in my back. Mine can get very painful at times and I use a heating pad that also helps. I have managed everything but the bloating and I am slim as well and get the prego look that I wish would just go away.

I have the same exact problem and I'm so frustrated. I feel like people must think I'm prego with my gut. I gut I've never had. Kennel pills bin? I heard theres fennel tea. Worth.a shot.