Stomach is KILLING me- too much protein?

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Leslie85
Leslie85 Posts: 265 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So, for the past week my stomach has been killing me. I won't go into too much detail, but let's just say every evening I blow up like a freakin balloon. This has been happening for about a week- which is exactly the same time I started using Jillian Michael's Whey Protein. I have also upped my protein intake this past week to probably more protein than I've ever eaten in a day before.

I'm not lactose intolerant, so that's not it. I've always been able to drink as much milk as I like- as well as eat anything involving milk just fine. Besides, I've been mixing it w/ almond milk just to cut down on some calories.

Could it be the whey? Just too much protein in general? Even the almond milk? Any help would be much appreciated. It's quite embarrassing- I don't even want to be around people, because then I have to hold it in...and then I'm miserable!
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Replies

  • annie24342
    annie24342 Posts: 49 Member
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    I have heard that whey itself can cause stomach problems, but I'm not sure how much truth is in that.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    You really should open your diary before asking these kinds of questions. Help me help you help me help you.
  • Princess_Sameen
    Princess_Sameen Posts: 290 Member
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    Maybe try a different whey protein....they all have different ingredients so could be additives in it that are affecting your tummy
  • Annette_rose
    Annette_rose Posts: 427 Member
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    Oh do I understand you!!! I have IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) and so many things tear my stomach up and whey is one of them. I am on Bentyl to try and calm my stomach but it doesn't help a whole lot. I totally relate to your misery.
  • jolarocknrolla
    jolarocknrolla Posts: 236 Member
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    Try a different protein powder and see what happens. You can get protein powders made w/ egg-white protein or milk protein instead of whey. If you are getting bloated and gassy its probably a food intolerance (not a food allergy, but related).
  • C_Lopez
    C_Lopez Posts: 79 Member
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    I consume lots of protein! I have no issues with protein itself so try not eatting that protein bar and see if that's the problem?
  • jlbay
    jlbay Posts: 473 Member
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    Same thing happens to me when I use protein powders that are not lactose free, but I didn't think I was lactose intolerant. But, i have IBS, so that may be part of it.

    I've read that it can be teh lactose, so I'm trying lactose free powders and lactaid with the one i've already bought.

    Curious to see other responses.
  • Elizabeth_C34
    Elizabeth_C34 Posts: 6,376 Member
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    Certain whey protein can make me really bloaty. Otherwise, it shouldn't cause stomach pain.
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
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    Too much protein makes me feel like I have rocks in my stomach. I know high-protein is all the rage here on MFP, but honestly, I feel and function my best when my protein level is about 20% of my total calories. :-)
  • Abells
    Abells Posts: 756 Member
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    you can develop allergies and such later on in life that you used to never have. Have you recently had a day where you just had milk and no whey?
  • debloves2ride
    debloves2ride Posts: 386
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    stop using the protein drink for a day or two. if it subsides you know what caused it. then maybe try a different one. If you just jump right in drinking another one your body won't have a chance to recover and react to the new one.
  • jadedone
    jadedone Posts: 2,449 Member
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    Did you dramatically increase your fiber intake too? This also can impact your stomach as well.
  • Leslie85
    Leslie85 Posts: 265 Member
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    you can develop allergies and such later on in life that you used to never have. Have you recently had a day where you just had milk and no whey?

    Yes, probably 2 or 3 weeks ago.
  • Biggipooh
    Biggipooh Posts: 350
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    I always got bloated, when I drank protein shakes. Maybe because of the sweeteners or the whey or to many chemicals? I don't know. I stopped drinking this stuff and get my protein now with clean food like fish, chicken breast, cottage cheese etc. Had no problems since.
  • Leslie85
    Leslie85 Posts: 265 Member
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    you can develop allergies and such later on in life that you used to never have. Have you recently had a day where you just had milk and no whey?

    Yes, probably 2 or 3 weeks ago.

    Wait! That's a lie. Sunday I had milk and no whey and I was fine. That's why I doubt it's a milk allergy.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    If you made a change to your diet and suddenly started experiencing symptoms, then chances are pretty good that the change is the problem. You can stop using the whey protein and see if the symptoms stop, in which case you'll have your answer. Or you may want to tough it out for a week or two to see if your body will adjust.
  • Jezebel9
    Jezebel9 Posts: 396 Member
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    This has been happening for about a week- which is exactly the same time I started using Jillian Michael's Whey Protein. I have also upped my protein intake this past week to probably more protein than I've ever eaten in a day before.

    I'm not lactose intolerant, so that's not it. I've always been able to drink as much milk as I like- as well as eat anything involving milk just fine. Besides, I've been mixing it w/ almond milk just to cut down on some calories.

    Could it be the whey? Just too much protein in general? Even the almond milk? Any help would be much appreciated. It's quite embarrassing- I don't even want to be around people, because then I have to hold it in...and then I'm miserable!

    Gluten in the Whey?
    After I gave birth to my son, I started being lactose intolerant, but only from time to time- not always- I could not figure it out- UNTIL I found out that ppl who are gluten intolerant have lactose intolerance when eating gluten and milk products together.

    Symptoms (for me): gas, diarrhea, foul smelling feces (I call it chemical poop), bloating, torso larger than the rest of my body, aches and arthritic pains in the joints of my body, mood swings, nerve pains in my arms (esp at night), localized pain in upper intestine- just below the stomach area- fatigue ... these are symptoms I notice after I have been 'clean' of gluten for a long time (3 weeks or more) and 'test' it out with, for example, some yummy fresh french bread at an Italian restaurant.

    I pay for it for a long time- like a week to two weeks.

    Good luck
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
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    I'm not lactose intolerant, so that's not it. I've always been able to drink as much milk as I like- as well as eat anything involving milk just fine.
    I didn't develop an intolerance to lactose until I was 30. It's mild, I can still eat cheese/ice cream in moderation, but I've swapped my regular milk for soy and it went away.
  • gamerkiwi
    gamerkiwi Posts: 93 Member
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    I have heard that whey itself can cause stomach problems, but I'm not sure how much truth is in that.

    Yeah, if I drink too much whey, I get a bit gassy, too. Ditch the Jillian Micheal's stuff, grab some cheap milk/casein or egg protein from a reputable company. Or, you could just get your protein from real food sources.
  • sitstaygimmeeakiss
    sitstaygimmeeakiss Posts: 130 Member
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    I agree that you should change your diary so others can see it, in order to help you. But I ask you, if you are increasing your protein, are you also increasing your fruits & veggies - because if you don't (I'll put this delicately), you could be clogging your colon.

    People don't realize just how dangerous this is - years ago, I had a few feet of my colon removed in emergency surgery. One of the common ailments of our modern times (due to the unnatural, refined diet most of us have adopted) is diverticulitis (or -osis... I get them mixed up). It's the pockets inside the colon that form from not having a diet rich in fiber that our bodies need. Eventually, it leads to the dangerous inflammation and infection (that's what happened to me, including a fistula that almost killed me).

    I was one of the lucky ones, in that my surgery was successful. This is not always the case. But if you say your stomach is bloated, and you have pain - if I were you, I'd head to a good internal specialist to check on my colon. And make sure you have plenty of fiber in your diet - however, IF you have any sign of fever along with this - this is serious -do NOT eat anything - get to the doctor right away. This needs to be treated with two antibiotics and NO FOOD at all, otherwise it can lead to serious complications.

    I write this here for anyone else who might need it, too.

    I don't want to scare you, or anyone else that may have something like this, but be careful.

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