Digestive issues

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Something is wrong with my digestive tract, and I am so eager to find out what it is so I can feel normal again! I get full extremely quickly and feel horribly bloated and uncomfortable no matter what it is I eat. Even at 120 lbs I got asked if I was pregnant (btw, never ask a woman that) because my stomach was so distended.

I have stopped eating dairy for the past 2 weeks, and I think that has helped, but the problem is not solved. I am going to have an ultrasound of my gallbladder tomorrow morning, but based on my Google searching, I'm suspecting I may have gastroparesis.

I've succumb to a very basic diet that consists of very simple and easily digestible foods. Does anyone have similar symptoms? Advice or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. I'm at the point where food sounds unappealing because it makes me feel so sick. This makes it very difficult to eat socially with my friends or family. It is no fun to see everyone eating delicious food while I slurp down a protein shake. :(
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Replies

  • simon_pickard
    simon_pickard Posts: 50 Member
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    You are not a doctor.
    I am not a doctor.
    No one here is a doctor.

    Go and see a doctor. :)
  • michelleion
    michelleion Posts: 122 Member
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    Gluten intolerance maybe? I'm obviously not a doctor, my old housemate had symptoms similar to yours and that's what she was suffering with. Definitely get this checked out with your doc :)
  • phinners
    phinners Posts: 524 Member
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    I'm not a doctor but I am a biomedical scientist in histology/cellular pathology - go and see your doc and talk about ?gastritis. But yes you are spot on to have your gall bladder scanned, make sure they also scan your pancreas, kidneys and ovaries. Although I'm sure they will.

    You might like to ask for a blood test for Helicobacter Pylori too while you're there. (although the c.Urea breath test is far better because it looks like active H Pyrlori, same with the stool test, whereas the blood test looks for H Pylori antibodies which could mean it's present but not active).

    Also talk about the benefits of proton pump inhibitor tablets and an antispasmodic. You would probably find great relief in taking those. (Something like Ranatidine 300mg one pill at bedtime and Buscopan 10mg 3 times a day are very good).

    The symptons for gastroparesis are very similar to gastritis btw
    xx
  • Vegas55
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    I have gastoparesis, it took years and another doctor to realize what was going on. I was lucky enough to find a doctor step
    over the line and send me for a test where I ate a radioactive egg sandwich and they hooked me up to a machine that was able
    to follow how long it took to digest. You should first ask your doctor if he/she could send you for the testing.
    With the proper medication I was able to diet properly and lose weight. (I have been told that I probably have had this all my life)...
    The weight stayed off for 7 years but I always had to watch.....it was like sometimes my stomach worked and sometimes not.
    Last year while at my specialist he seemed surprised the meds were still working and I almost felt that I should try to go without...
    since last May I have put on 25 lbs and I am struggling to get it off. I called in my prescription and the liquid antibiotic which helps
    start up the stomach is back ordered and they aren't sure that they can get it anymore......so back to the doctor I go next week. I
    am convinced that going without the meds is working against me. Not sure if you have ever seen the commercial for interact
    where the girl walks home and all the shoes follow her home.....somedays I feel like I walk around and all the pounds
    jump aboard from the food I walk by.......the bottom line....talk to your doctor!


    Cutting out the dairy does help ( except low fat yogurt ) I eat a lot of salads, I eat mainly chicken, no red meat. Veggie's.....and flat bread only. All kinds of fruit and small amounts.
    Breads or anything with yeast swelled me out. No pop diet or otherwise. A small amount of whole wheat pasta for a treat now and then....pasta was really hard on me. Everybody is different so you have to try and see what you can digest easily and what you can't.

    I can totally understand how you feel. I would have to put on the pj's after dinner for years...I got so swollen and uncomfortable.
    I would avoid going out to resturants with friends. There were times where I had to unbutton my jeans on the way home from being out for dinner. Before I found out the issue I would beat myself up over it constantly and get quite depressed.....don't let it
    get that far if you honestly think it's that......Talk to your doctor.

    Good luck!
  • EnjoyTheSpin
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    Thank you all so much!!! It is not gluten intolerance, I have already been checked for that.

    I had the ultrasound this morning (only of the gallbladder though), and I should get the results from that in a few weeks.

    I will talk to my doctor about the other tests mentioned, and it is a bit relieving to know there are other people out there who know how I am feeling :)
  • BAMFMeredith
    BAMFMeredith Posts: 2,829 Member
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    I had those exact same symptoms and my nutritionist suggested I cut out gluten to see how it goes...lo and behold it was the gluten. Now that I'm gluten free (well, sometimes I cheat) but basically gluten free, I pretty much never have those symptoms anymore. Test going without different food items, like gluten, or dairy, or whatever. Also, get a food allergy blood test done, that can be really helpful too. Good luck!
  • MrsLVF
    MrsLVF Posts: 787 Member
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    Something is wrong with my digestive tract, and I am so eager to find out what it is so I can feel normal again! I get full extremely quickly and feel horribly bloated and uncomfortable no matter what it is I eat. Even at 120 lbs I got asked if I was pregnant (btw, never ask a woman that) because my stomach was so distended.

    I have stopped eating dairy for the past 2 weeks, and I think that has helped, but the problem is not solved. I am going to have an ultrasound of my gallbladder tomorrow morning, but based on my Google searching, I'm suspecting I may have gastroparesis.

    I've succumb to a very basic diet that consists of very simple and easily digestible foods. Does anyone have similar symptoms? Advice or suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated. I'm at the point where food sounds unappealing because it makes me feel so sick. This makes it very difficult to eat socially with my friends or family. It is no fun to see everyone eating delicious food while I slurp down a protein shake. :(
    In was in horrible pain from the bloating, belly skin stretched out like i was preggers. I really wished for an air valve to deflate my belly. My bloating was from the Whey protein shake mix ( added to water). I tried taking a Lactaid, or gas ex, but no matter what the whey protein shake always bloated me up. A lot of protein shakes are dairy protein. They all get me bloated, I find the one that bloats me the least is casein protein. But even with that I have to take a gas ex.
  • BodyRockerVT
    BodyRockerVT Posts: 323 Member
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    The most common cause of food-baby is gluten. It might be worth trying to take that out of your diet for a bit and see if it helps.
  • EnjoyTheSpin
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    Yes, me too!! I switched from whey to egg protein.
  • EnjoyTheSpin
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    It's not gluten for me, I had a blood test that checked a while back. Thanks for the suggestion though.
  • lizard053
    lizard053 Posts: 2,344 Member
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    I was going to say sounds like a food allergy of some sort, until you mentioned the gall bladder. I had the same symptoms until mine was removed. For now, stay away from fats! No more than 10-15 grams a meal to help minimize the problem. All fats! Even good ones will make you worse, if it is your gall bladder. Hope this helps!
  • Enigmatica
    Enigmatica Posts: 879 Member
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    In was in horrible pain from the bloating, belly skin stretched out like i was preggers. I really wished for an air valve to deflate my belly. My bloating was from the Whey protein shake mix ( added to water). I tried taking a Lactaid, or gas ex, but no matter what the whey protein shake always bloated me up. A lot of protein shakes are dairy protein. They all get me bloated, I find the one that bloats me the least is casein protein. But even with that I have to take a gas ex.

    I switched to a protein powder made from sprouted seeds because of similar problems. I can't handle whey or egg-based protein powders. But the gluten free/dairy free one works great for me.
  • ahinski
    ahinski Posts: 200 Member
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    Something is wrong with my digestive tract, and I am so eager to find out what it is so I can feel normal again!

    See a doctor, silly!!!
  • EnjoyTheSpin
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    I will I will!!! :) My appointment isn't for a month though. Just trying to get some relief in the meantime.
  • PinkEarthMama
    PinkEarthMama Posts: 987 Member
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    My daughter had delayed gastric emptying ( gastroparesis's little sister ).

    She was put on a variety of meds that really helped.

    A few things to talk to your doctor about :

    Constipation / Bloating

    A Food Diary ( Every bite of food you consume, when you consume it, BM, bloating, etc ... log everything )

    Manometry testing / Gastric emptying scan

    Reflux
  • LKissam
    LKissam Posts: 44 Member
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    I was also going to suggest the protein shakes... I can't drink them at all if i am not lifting to build muscle because my body can't use that much protein... and it was making me so sick.. tums, gas-x and pepto and i was still not getting the relief i needed, cut out the protein for a week and was better! I also have to watch how much dairy i take in because it does the same so i stick to fat free yogurt and some cheese or frozen yogurt.. (i hate milk so don't drink it lol) Good luck to you at your appointment. I hope it is something easily fixed! :o)
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    There are a number of GI issues that can cause that. Since you are getting an ultrasound of your gall bladder I suspect you already have a referal to a GI specialist. Listen to them.
  • Karmynzahringer
    Karmynzahringer Posts: 192 Member
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    I had my gallbladder out 8 years ago and I had very similar issues, I got to the point where I could not really eat at ALL without feeling stuffed and feeling like my food never went down past my ribs. The only thing that relieved it was vomiting and for obvious reasons that is not healthy! 1 month for the xray on your gallbladder is ridiculous! I had my xray done and the same day got my results and had it removed the next day... ( I had so many gallstones they would not even fit in my gallbladder and were pushing out and one was blocking entrance to my liver, because I let it go so long!)

    Before the surgery I would hug a pillow and sit in the fetal position to relieve the pain from it and it helped a lot! I would definitely call your doctor and see if they can speed up those results, because there is no reason it should take that long!
  • techigirl78
    techigirl78 Posts: 128 Member
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    Can you switch your diary to show how mucy fiber you eat everyday? I get constipated a lot and eating 40-50g per day is what I need to do to resolve it. Not sure if that is your issue, obviously, you need to talk with doctor. When I get bad, I get pains in lower left abdomen. When I don't get up to 40g with food, I take miralax to get within that range.
  • GirlAnachronismE
    GirlAnachronismE Posts: 97 Member
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    The blood test only checks for the gluten allery (celiacs) not intolerances. I had a negative blood test but still felt so much better when I cut out gluten!