Is it normal to get this bloated?!

Options
13

Replies

  • noobletmcnugget
    noobletmcnugget Posts: 518 Member
    Options
    EWJLang wrote: »
    I'm exactly the same, I've usually gained 5-6 inches round my stomach by bed time. Even if I don't eat all day I gain a couple of inches by the evening. My body looks really similar to your before & after pictures too. I'm not sure I'd ever have the patience or discipline to find out if there's any particular trigger food for me, though. I'm happy to deal with it how I do currently, just not eat until dinner if I want to look particularly good one day lol (then stuff my face at dinner haha).

    yeah, me, too. Your bloat photo looks like me after a HUGE meal, your regular one like me if I'm sucking it in a bit....

    Do you tend to pass a lot of gas after the big bloats, or does it seem to dissipate overnight without a lot of pain or wind?

    Hmm, it tends to just go down overnight without much discomfort (apart from feeling like I'm going to burst haha). Glad to know I'm not the only person in a similar situation though!
  • noobletmcnugget
    noobletmcnugget Posts: 518 Member
    Options
    terar21 wrote: »
    A regular bloated but that's a pretty bad bloat. Are you feeling any issues outside of just bloating in appearance? Gassy, bowel issues, cramps, etc? I have some intolerances that make me bloat but they just so happen to be my favorite foods so I just deal with it. Probiotics do seem to help and staying away from fizzy drinks.

    Hmm, it's not usually accompanied by much else. It varies I guess. How did you go about pinpointing your intolerances? I'll avoid fizzy drinks and might give probiotics a go, I always thought of them as a bit of a fad though.
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    Options
    Wow, that is absolutely NOT normal. That is WAY beyond normal.

    Certainly see you doctor. You may need to visit a gastroenterologist.

    Just out of curiosity, do you exercise? Does exercise have any effect on the bloating?
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,286 Member
    Options
    My stomach does not do that... even if I eat a huge burger! I'd check in with a Dr.. veggies can also cause gas and bloating so sticking to those isn't a fix either.... does it hurt? like painful bloating or you just feel fuller? Either way I don't think it's considered normal, no matter how many people you find it happens to...there's probably tons of people with slight GI issues that don't even know it.
  • MaggieLoo79
    MaggieLoo79 Posts: 288 Member
    Options
    I used to bloat too. I discovered I have a food sensitivity to corn. Start a food journal and indicate not just what you ate, but when you had symptoms. Look for patterns and then try an elimination diet.
  • noobletmcnugget
    noobletmcnugget Posts: 518 Member
    Options
    Wow, that is absolutely NOT normal. That is WAY beyond normal.

    Certainly see you doctor. You may need to visit a gastroenterologist.

    Just out of curiosity, do you exercise? Does exercise have any effect on the bloating?

    I'll probably pay my GP a visit then. Not going to lie, I don't really exercise. The most exercise I do is walking (usually 30-60 mins a day). However back in October I did couch to 5k and doing exercise made no significant difference.
  • noobletmcnugget
    noobletmcnugget Posts: 518 Member
    Options
    Jennloella wrote: »
    My stomach does not do that... even if I eat a huge burger! I'd check in with a Dr.. veggies can also cause gas and bloating so sticking to those isn't a fix either.... does it hurt? like painful bloating or you just feel fuller? Either way I don't think it's considered normal, no matter how many people you find it happens to...there's probably tons of people with slight GI issues that don't even know it.

    It's not painful at least. It seems to happen whether I eat no, moderate amounts, or large amounts of vegetables. I think I'll pay my GP a visit. I never used to really be like this.
  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
    Options
    EWJLang wrote: »
    I'm exactly the same, I've usually gained 5-6 inches round my stomach by bed time. Even if I don't eat all day I gain a couple of inches by the evening. My body looks really similar to your before & after pictures too. I'm not sure I'd ever have the patience or discipline to find out if there's any particular trigger food for me, though. I'm happy to deal with it how I do currently, just not eat until dinner if I want to look particularly good one day lol (then stuff my face at dinner haha).

    yeah, me, too. Your bloat photo looks like me after a HUGE meal, your regular one like me if I'm sucking it in a bit....

    Do you tend to pass a lot of gas after the big bloats, or does it seem to dissipate overnight without a lot of pain or wind?

    Hmm, it tends to just go down overnight without much discomfort (apart from feeling like I'm going to burst haha). Glad to know I'm not the only person in a similar situation though!

    Hm, yeah, me, too. I've always chalked it up to food volume in the digestive tract. I'm small framed and belleh OUT is really the only way thing have to expand.

    I also went through a phase when I had trouble with dairy...I puffed up like that then, too, but it was clearly a gaseous type of bloat. (So sorry to those in my vicinity at the time....)

    Well, do check back after you see your GP. I never thought it was a big deal...but maybe I'm wrong. (In which case,I should, you know...look into that.)
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
    Options
    I used to bloat too. I discovered I have a food sensitivity to corn. Start a food journal and indicate not just what you ate, but when you had symptoms. Look for patterns and then try an elimination diet.

    This is great advice. You could just use your MFP food diary and put your comments in the notes section.

    I would suggest showing your doctor a month's worth of food diaries.
  • HeySwoleSister
    HeySwoleSister Posts: 1,938 Member
    Options
    Jennloella wrote: »
    My stomach does not do that... even if I eat a huge burger! I'd check in with a Dr.. veggies can also cause gas and bloating so sticking to those isn't a fix either.... does it hurt? like painful bloating or you just feel fuller? Either way I don't think it's considered normal, no matter how many people you find it happens to...there's probably tons of people with slight GI issues that don't even know it.

    It's not painful at least. It seems to happen whether I eat no, moderate amounts, or large amounts of vegetables. I think I'll pay my GP a visit. I never used to really be like this.

    No discomfort, though? My sister does this after veggies, but she has Crohn's and doesn't digest fiber well. But, a bloated belly was the least of her symptoms.
  • terar21
    terar21 Posts: 523 Member
    Options
    terar21 wrote: »
    A regular bloated but that's a pretty bad bloat. Are you feeling any issues outside of just bloating in appearance? Gassy, bowel issues, cramps, etc? I have some intolerances that make me bloat but they just so happen to be my favorite foods so I just deal with it. Probiotics do seem to help and staying away from fizzy drinks.

    Hmm, it's not usually accompanied by much else. It varies I guess. How did you go about pinpointing your intolerances? I'll avoid fizzy drinks and might give probiotics a go, I always thought of them as a bit of a fad though.

    It's strange that's it's only a bloat and no other symptoms. It was pretty easy to see mine once I started paying attention to when I feel like I'm about to explode. But I have symptoms other than just bloating. I'd look over your food diary and see if there's a common base in the things you eat. My biggest issue is lactose. Anything remotely cream based will bloat me. Perhaps yours is just mind so you don't see anything other than bloating.
  • noobletmcnugget
    noobletmcnugget Posts: 518 Member
    Options
    EWJLang wrote: »
    Jennloella wrote: »
    My stomach does not do that... even if I eat a huge burger! I'd check in with a Dr.. veggies can also cause gas and bloating so sticking to those isn't a fix either.... does it hurt? like painful bloating or you just feel fuller? Either way I don't think it's considered normal, no matter how many people you find it happens to...there's probably tons of people with slight GI issues that don't even know it.

    It's not painful at least. It seems to happen whether I eat no, moderate amounts, or large amounts of vegetables. I think I'll pay my GP a visit. I never used to really be like this.

    No discomfort, though? My sister does this after veggies, but she has Crohn's and doesn't digest fiber well. But, a bloated belly was the least of her symptoms.

    Not particularly, no. I just looked up the various symptoms of Crohn's disease and it definitely doesn't sound like that. I feel sorry for your sister - it sounds really difficult to live with!
  • noobletmcnugget
    noobletmcnugget Posts: 518 Member
    Options
    I used to bloat too. I discovered I have a food sensitivity to corn. Start a food journal and indicate not just what you ate, but when you had symptoms. Look for patterns and then try an elimination diet.

    This is great advice. You could just use your MFP food diary and put your comments in the notes section.

    I would suggest showing your doctor a month's worth of food diaries.

    Thanks for the suggestion - I will do. :)
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
    Options
    cappuccino's do that to me. LOL
  • carakirkey
    carakirkey Posts: 199 Member
    edited April 2015
    Options
    terar21 wrote: »
    might give probiotics a go, I always thought of them as a bit of a fad though.

    Have you taken antibiotics recently? If so that likely decimated your healthy gut bacteria and probiotics can help restore that and reduce bloating. Not a fad- just more research and understanding of the role of gut bacteria in our health.
  • noobletmcnugget
    noobletmcnugget Posts: 518 Member
    edited April 2015
    Options
    carakirkey wrote: »
    terar21 wrote: »
    and might give probiotics a go, I always thought of them as a bit of a fad though.

    Have you taken antibiotics recently? If so that likely decimated your healthy gut bacteria and probiotics can help restore that and reduce bloating. Not a fad- just more research and understanding of the role of gut bacteria in our health.

    I took a course of antibiotics about three weeks ago, but this bloating has been going on since about September. I've done a module on gut physiology as part of my degree, and I got the impression that the general consensus was that there isn't any conclusive scientific evidence for their health benefits.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    Options
    See your doctor and set up with a gastro specialist.
  • crjmg
    crjmg Posts: 18 Member
    Options
    I can confirm I had the exact same abdominal distention, and it occurred eating only clean food.
    I then eliminated: dairy, nuts, gluten, wheat, eggs, and poultry. I researched the low FODMAP diet.
    Although very restrictive, most of the bloat is gone. I strongly suggest to get tested for food allergies. I am undergoing testing and I believe it is eggs. It takes 2 months to "detox" from a trigger food. If you eat one trigger food, your body will immediately become stressed causing this reaction to most food. Please get tested.
  • hhnkhl
    hhnkhl Posts: 231 Member
    Options
    Drink a lot of water and foods high in potassium.
  • mariagabriella
    mariagabriella Posts: 267 Member
    Options
    I bloat pretty badly too.
    I've just accepted it..

    I found when I tried paleo for a month, I completely lost the bloat. It was awesome. Eating paleo for me was not awesome though.

    I find that I get bloated if I eat big meals, smaller meals help reduce the huge bloat.

    Maybe it's worth testing for sensitivities to certain food and seeing the GP.