What can I do about my distended/bulging stomach?

doIIparts

Hey everyone. Wanted to ask your advice on something that has been bugging me for a long time.

For as long as I can remember, my lower stomach has been very distended and large. It almost looks as if I'm pregnant. It's had a HUGE impact on my confidence and I currently don't leave the house much because I'm so self-conscious and I've developed an anxiety problem.

Picture: http://i42.tinypic.com/2hhg00o.jpg

I eat healthily and am in the normal weight range for my height/age (18, 5'4, 119lbs) Admittedly I don't get much exercise due to the aforementioned confidence issues, but I try as hard as I can to make up for it with a careful, low calorie diet. I'm also pretty slim everywhere other than my stomach. It's weird because I know people who are way bigger than me, yet they have much flatter stomachs!

So what could be causing this problem? Could it be due to something I'm eating? A medical issue? Is it simply a case of me needing to lose weight?

I have wondered if it could be partly down to my posture, because I slouch A LOT when I sit down and have done for a long time. I really hope somebody can help me out with this. I'm open to any advice and suggestions.

CeleryStalker

not sure what a shrink can do to help with this. the anxiety she's experiencing i'd think would be pretty natural, given the circumstances. that is a pretty interesting looking tummy you have there. have you been to the dr to find out what's causing it? doesn't look like a posture issue, or even a fat issue. it looks like your digestive organs are not in the right places.

lemurlibs1291

Hey,
I'm only a bit older than you and I've experienced a similar thing with my stomach. Continuing to go through seven years of various eating disorders hasn't helped, but it's been a longstanding thing and similarly upsets me.
Obviously I'm no medic, but I would see a doctor as I know mine has been partly down to fluid retention (eating too much salt and not moving about enough) and to constipation, even if it seems there are no problems. Also, restricting my food intake too much meant my body held onto everything it could (namely around my stomach) so it didn't change with me losing weight (not saying you are one, but if you think about the kids in Africa...they have distended stomachs...? but they're not overweight). And if everything is all okay health wise, it might be about checking the balance of what you eat rather than how much?
But yeah, you're not alone, and I really really do get how self conscious and confused it can make you. But you don't deserve to be hidden away x

SLLRunner

Because you ask if it could be a medical issue, I presume you have not talked to your doctor about it. Please do. The first thing you want to do is make sure there is nothing wrong.

doIIparts

Thanks everyone.

I've never seen a doctor about it because I've always been far too embarrassed. Never even spoken to my parents or friends about it I'm at the point of desperation now though, so I guess it's time to suck it up and speak to my GP.

Lucindee

Please see a Dr. and take a look at this. http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/09/05/think-like-a-doctor-the-gymnasts-big-belly/?_r=0

donjessop

a) see a doctor
b) has your diet been consistent?

The reason I ask about your diet is that I personally cannot eat or drink products containing sucralose, aspertame, AceK or other artificial sweeteners without serious side effects. A lady at work has celiac disease and gluten darn near kills her. Someone else at work isn't a celiac, but is gluten sensitive so that small amounts are fine, but large amounts make him very uncomfortable. Armed with some information about your diet a doctor will be able to make a better diagnosis as to what it could be or what it is not.

arcticflower

I agree you should see a doctor. Considering the rest of your body seems very slim, the placement and size of your belly doesn't seem quite right. Take care of yourself, I wish you the best.

cafeaulait7

If it's been for as long as you can remember, that's really good news Hasn't your GP ever had to squish his hands around there for anything? Maybe that's just me with my medical issues, lol.

I think you definitely need to see a doctor, but it's probably something fine (as in not really dangerous) if you have no symptoms and have had it so long. Or it could be a particularly bad tummy pooch, or a combination of something medical and a bit of tummy pooch.

I have endometriosis and PCOS (cysts), and also a disproportionate fat pad on my lower tummy, and mine has looked like that during my hell weeks. It changes, though, and there are definite symptoms when I bloat (thus 'hell week'). But that area can get significantly big when things are going on down there! I think you probably have something going on, maybe gynecological. But see a good GP first, because he'd be able to tell which doc you'd see from there if necessary.

Best of luck! It's probably just one of those annoying medical things that needs a little attention.

DaniellaB1995

I can understand being too shy/embarrassed to see your GP about this, so it may help to remember that they have probably seen EVERYTHING weird and wonderful that can happen to a person's body, so they won't think anything bad about your issue

rb16fitness

Definitely see a doctor!

milkyskinn

Like everyone else said: SEE A DOCTOR.
And think of everything that might help him find what the cause is. Pay attention if certain foods make it worse, if certain foods/meals cause cramps or pain, or if the distention becomes worse during a certain time of the day. Try and drink plenty of plain water.

I had a friend who had a stomach very similar to yours, and it turned out she had chronic constipation for years without knowing; over the years her intestine had stretched out so much at one point that the waste just built up and sat there causing the bulge and it had infected a part of her intestine as well, which had to be removed. I hope for you this is not the case

rosemary98

I was experiencing bloating...in the lower region of my "gut." I went to two doctors about it: a GP and my gyno. both said dairy and gluten could be the culprit. Their bet was on dairy. So, I stopped my daily consumption of yogurt and cheese, etc...and I replaced it with almond milk and other calcium rich foods. My bloat went away. could be coincidence.

Also: I had a baby a year previously.

At 19, I assume you have seen a gyno or two. Did he/she mention anything about it?

SLLRunner

People brought up food sensitivities, which is a great point.. I recall before finding out I was soy intolerant I was always bloated. Once I eliminated all soy from my diet the bloating went down.

SoDamnHungry

Go to the doctor. It could be a simple as where you store your fat, but it could also be a good allergy. I actually just read a post about a man thinking he was just overweight, only to find out he had a tear in his intestines and it had been there for years until he suddenly needed emergency surgery.

gmthisfeller

1. See the doc.

2. If there is no organic reason for the distension, slowly start adding abdominal muscle workouts to your exercise routine.

jonnythan

Thanks everyone.

I've never seen a doctor about it because I've always been far too embarrassed. Never even spoken to my parents or friends about it I'm at the point of desperation now though, so I guess it's time to suck it up and speak to my GP.

Doctors see much more embarrassing things than this on a daily basis. This won't even register on the scale. Believe me.

See what the doc says. It could just end up being "my body really likes to store some fat there" or it could be "bizarre herniation." Have a pro look at it.

If it is just a slightly unusual fat deposit, losing a little fat might help, or you may be a candidate for a little liposuction. This could be one of those instances where it's a good idea.

Can you pinch the whole thing? Does it feel like it's all fat, and you can feel the abdominal wall/muscles underneath, or does it feel more substantial?

doIIparts

Thanks. There is a little fat on there and I'm able to pinch it, and I can also feel my muscles underneath. There doesn't seem to be any weird lumps or bumps or anything.