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OTC medication for bloating

4332 Views 5 Replies 5 Participants Last post by  gisele27
This is my first time at this board, and I searched through past topics and didn't quite find what I was looking for, so I'll post this new one.I suffer from what I am almost positive is IBS, although I have never been to the doctor for it (the thought of some of the unpleasant tests to rule out other problems scare me). I have the problems with constipation at some times, diarrhea at others, along with gas. What concerns me most, however, is the bloating. The only time I am not bloated is when I wake up in the morning.I am a college student, 20 years old, so this is not the best time for me to look like a pregnant woman. Wearing tight-fitting shirts is out of the question. My other proble with it is that I am an athlete and work hard to get my body looking and feeling like it is in shape, and my stomach, though I have some good abdominal muscles, looks huge.Has anyone tried any OTC medications for bloating that work? I think I may have tried Phazyme a few years ago, but I didn't take it regularly. Any suggestions at all would be great. Looking pregnant is really starting to wear down my self-esteem.
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i can relate. if you find something that works let us know as this bloat thing sucks. i too workout but when the bloat hits, it's like i have a bowling ball in my gut. somedays are going along really well and then out of nowhere it comes back. i have had little success with any overthecounter meds for bloat. diet changes have helped the most but not all the time. good luck.
I can relate to you. I too suffer from bloating. Almost every day it is the same thing. I start out the morning okay. But by the middle of the day my stomach starts to swell from gas. I no longer tuck my shirts in because by the end of the day my stomach looks like I am five months pregnant. I have tried many over the counted gas pills but found no great relief. Please let me know if you find anything to work for you. I also have a hard time passing the gas it just sits there and I do not even have the irge to pas any gas. I even have to stain to get some of the gas out.Good luck!!
I can relate, too! I am 27, and this bloating this just started in April. I also workout religiously, and watch my diet - but nothing helps! The only things I have found to help the pregnant look is restricting starches & grains, and taking activated charcoal caps about 1/2 hr after meals. The bloat never fully goes away, but at least I can button my jeans now! Also, giving yourself a good tummy massage seems to help move things along. Good luck! And let me know if you find any helpful remedies!!!
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Your stories sound like me ... about 2yrs ago. And I had lived like that for many years. I, too, only used to feel unbloated only when I first awoke each morning. Then as the day began, I began to swell and like you -- look pregnant. I remember having to go to the bathroom at work and sit bent over or if I were at home lay down because my stomach hurt so bad. I took plenty of Phazyme, Maalox, etc with no relief.This may not work for/help any of you but here is some things I've done that have helped me.- I used to drink orange juice every morning for breakfast. Quitting that helped me more than I ever thought possible. I think that citric acid was wrecking havoc w/ my stomach acids. I drink water with my breakfast now.- I eat smaller meals having simpler/non-spicy ingredients. I began paying attention to what I had eaten on days when I felt bloated. I realized that foods with broccoli, beans, onions, pepperoni pizza, etc were causing problems for me. So maybe some foods are causing your problem. If so, maybe eat only a small amount with a meal or cut it out of your diet.- I've cut a lot of fat out of my diet -- as the saying goes, learn to drive past the fast food places, not through them.- I make sure I have a regular BM - for me, at least every other day. Out of those, the major ones are stopping the orange juice (or I'd say any juice including apple, grape, etc) and regular BM.I hope you can find some relief as I remember what that was like.
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So has your bloating completely gone away now?
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