my stomach swells like im 9 months pregnant..anyone else?

[LaurieL]

I went through all the treatments mentioned here, candida, parasites, intestinal cleansing, heavy metal chelation, detox, H. pylori, varied diets including raw, gluten free, physillium, and many others,...etc. etc. Although I experienced slight improvements, only after testing, did it become apparent to me or my docs, that it was none of the above.

The only reason I am replying to this, is because my stomach also expanded in quite the similar manner as described here. I was diagnosed with klebsiella and e coli. Please, don't discount the bacterial infections. They just don't test regularly like they should for these, and many times, they outright miss it. It took 7 long years for this diagnosis.

My cultures were also tested by antibiograms, and it would seem there was only one it was sensitive to. After starting targeted treatment, I dropped 19 pounds in 13 days and my bowels normalized. Finally.

Lauriel

 

[Athene]

Laurie,
THanks for your information.
Which antibiotic did you take to treat the klebsiella and E coli? How long did you take it for? And did it permanently fix the problem or have you needed to repeat treatment?
Thanks!
Athene

 

[LaurieL]

Hi Athene,

My infection was tested against multiple antibiotics and was resistant to all but one. (A dangerous situation) This may or may not be the case with someone else, which is why I won't mention the specific antibiotic I am on, as taking the wrong one can cause additional and possibly worse problems. If this happens to be your problem as well, your version may well or not be resistant to what I am taking and responsive to what I cannot take, even though we may have the same diagnosis in common. But I did want to post to raise awareness of other possibilities besides the main candida/parasite ideology, a good ideology, but I don't think we should limit ourselves to it.

My situation is even more dangerous because it would seem the infection has either spread to or has come from my sinuses and my right ear. (Whether it was a primary site of infection or secondary to the nausea and vomiting I went through for so long) So I am currently still on my targeted treatment, and will be for some time. I have been on the treatment for five weeks, and the weight loss stopped after that 19 I mentioned. And my stomach no longer swells like I am pregnant. And, even though I am currently still on it, my bowels have thankfully normalized. My reaction to this particular antibiotic has been much different than to others in which caused me great bowel distress. I thank Gawd I didn't ever develop HUS and count myself darn blessed I didn't. Even my reactions to foods have changed considerably, especially to that of gluten.

But I am also fanatical about probiotics(kefir/yogurt) during this treatment. Of which, I am also noticing much different reactions to. Instead of inciting an immune reaction and getting sicker, the probiotics are not having the same negative reactions I was getting before this treatment. Where as with other antibiotics I have been on, I don't have the debilitating and very scary diarrhea/candida reactions.

Anywho, please, to all that happen to find this, yes, the other treatments mentioned should be investigated, and I understand about not having the money to test for so many things. I know I sure didn't, and I tried all those treatments in hopes of addressing "the" problem. It was infinitely easier to take small chunks of money to actively treat then come up with a huge payment for testing, interpretation, and then treatment. So if you have tried as many things as I have, and failed in the big picture, please consider the scenario I am currently experiencing and that perhaps bacterial infection just may be "your" issue.

As far as its effects on methylation, it has been huge in that my requirement of supplementation has gone waaaaayyyyy down.

My very best to you....Laurie

 

[LaurieL]

Just another quick addition. I don't know if you all remember when I started the methylation treatment, but I broke out in a nasty rash and lesions. Those were also positive for klebsiella and e coli. I know some of you out there also experienced the rash too. Just though you might like to know about what mine turned out to be.

Laurie

 

[anniekim]

Hi lauriel, am so glad tests revealed the bacteria that was causing you problems. May I ask which tests do this? Is it stool or blood tests? Many thanks

 

[WillowJ]

regarding the barium, it is chock-full of MSG and preservatives. however I think if it's very necessary, you can get them to special order it plain, or to use a different imaging agent (my sister had iodine in apple juice)

(be prepared to argue with them and talk them into phoning the manufacturer, because their first response will almost certainly be "there's nothing in it but barium, and this is a hospital--we would never dream of using MSG here". Right, because barium naturally comes in a choice of raspberry or lemonaide. And is shelf-stable together with the flavorings, just by it's nature. :innocent1: )

 

[Ocean]

I went through all the treatments mentioned here, candida, parasites, intestinal cleansing, heavy metal chelation, detox, H. pylori, varied diets including raw, gluten free, physillium, and many others,...etc. etc. Although I experienced slight improvements, only after testing, did it become apparent to me or my docs, that it was none of the above.

The only reason I am replying to this, is because my stomach also expanded in quite the similar manner as described here. I was diagnosed with klebsiella and e coli. Please, don't discount the bacterial infections. They just don't test regularly like they should for these, and many times, they outright miss it. It took 7 long years for this diagnosis.

My cultures were also tested by antibiograms, and it would seem there was only one it was sensitive to. After starting targeted treatment, I dropped 19 pounds in 13 days and my bowels normalized. Finally.

Lauriel

Wow, Lauriel, that's crazy. Do you have any recommendations on what should be tested for? Is it a stool sample? Can a gasroenterologist order it or any doctor? I've suddenly developed this massive stomach too. I have fat there but this seems like something else on top of that, comes on after eating and feels very tight, like a balloon ready to burst.

 

[Athene]

Wow, Lauriel, that's crazy. Do you have any recommendations on what should be tested for? Is it a stool sample? Can a gasroenterologist order it or any doctor? I've suddenly developed this massive stomach too. I have fat there but this seems like something else on top of that, comes on after eating and feels very tight, like a balloon ready to burst.

If it comes on pretty much right after eating, and feels like you are bursting, I would definitely get a fructose malabsorption test.
Although my tummy turned out to have multiple causes of the blowing up, fructose is the one which makes it come on very rapidly after eating any food with fructose (which is nearly everything).
It also ties in with other things, because the type of bacterial infection Lauriel had can lead to fructose malabsorption because of the damage it does to your intestine. So I think it is a gateway that leads you to find out other situations.
If you want to do a home trial before spending the money, try eating a breakfast of pure protein with no carbs at all - scrambled eggs or something. If your tummy doesn't bloat after that, it would definitely be worth getting a fructose test.

 

[Lala]

Did your stomach shrink when you treated fructose malabsorption, Athene?

 

[rlc]

Hi all, abdominal bloating can be caused by Celiac diseases see http://www.healthfitonline.com/resources/articles/celiac.html

If anyone who has this symptom hasnt had it properly ruled out it would be worth getting celiac checked just in case.

The diagnosispro site lists 109 possible causes for abdominal bloating some of which are quite serious so it is important that it is investigated properly see http://en.diagnosispro.com/differen...c-agent-abdominal-bloating/40319-154-170.html

If I add chronic fatigue to abdominal bloating it gives 11 possibilities see http://en.diagnosispro.com/differen...ting-chronic-fatigue/40319_25271-154_154.html

Celiac (sprue gluten enteropathy) is the commonest cause on this list of these symptoms and is frequently misdiagnosed as CFS and or irritable bowel syndrome.

All the best

 

[Ocean]

Hi all, abdominal bloating can be caused by Celiac diseases see http://www.healthfitonline.com/resources/articles/celiac.html

If anyone who has this symptom hasnt had it properly ruled out it would be worth getting celiac checked just in case.

The diagnosispro site lists 109 possible causes for abdominal bloating some of which are quite serious so it is important that it is investigated properly see http://en.diagnosispro.com/differen...c-agent-abdominal-bloating/40319-154-170.html

If I add chronic fatigue to abdominal bloating it gives 11 possibilities see http://en.diagnosispro.com/differen...ting-chronic-fatigue/40319_25271-154_154.html

Celiac (sprue gluten enteropathy) is the commonest cause on this list of these symptoms and is frequently misdiagnosed as CFS and or irritable bowel syndrome.

All the best

I'm starting to wonder if mine is bloating or just fat. I do feel that my belly has been tight and uncomfortable after eating lately, but I measured it last night and then again this morning when it did not feel bloated an the measurement was the same. So maybe in my case it's just fat? But it has gotten a lot bigger in a short time, like a week or so it feels like. I wonder about cortisol issues or thyroid with so much fat around my belly but not so much anywhere else. Need to talk to my doctor about this. I'll check out the links you posted too though, Ric. I can't tell maybe I have both bloating and fat. What a wonderful combination.

 

[ukxmrv]

I don't know if it's any help but to me the bloating in my stomach feels harder than when it is "just" fat. I do a prod test and compare my stomach rather than take a measurement. Also I get a lot of fluid in that area and can feel it slosh about as I move.

Sadly for me, diet doesn't make any difference.

 

[Mya Symons]

My abdominal area swells at times and it becomes hard. I think mine has to do with eating or drinking something irritating which causes inflammation and gas and lack of stomach mucus. I notice my abdomen got very swollen when I drank coffee, ate something really spicey or used NSAID's. I am also sensitive to certain preservatives. The worst swelling happened when I took NSAIDS. I now take Misoprostol to get some extra stomach mucus and avoid most forms of caffeine and really spicey food. It still happens but not as much as before. For anyone taking pain killers or NSAIDS on a daily basis, I really recommend trying Misoprostol. It has helped me avoid many digestion problems. I started having the stomach issues long before the CFS and FMS. I think I have always had the issue of not enough stomach and intestinal mucus and it just became worse with the CFS and FMS and the medication.

Slow digestion and constipation also cause abdominal bloating. The food can ferment and cause a very large amount of gas. For some reason if I sleep in (more than 6 hours a night) my digestion becomes very slow and I will sometimes go 4 or 5 days without going to the bathroom. So I am sure that has a lot to do with the bloating also.

 

[Athene]

Did your stomach shrink when you treated fructose malabsorption, Athene?

Hi Lala,

Yes. It was bloating up extremely after meals but less bloated between whiles, so it is hard to give an exact amount.
It used to be about 4 months pregnant-looking most of the time, and bloat up to about 7 or 8 months pregnant after meals. Now it looks about 4 months pregnant - i.e. only just bluging a bit - all the time.
I get the rapid mad expansion after meals about once a month on average now, and I don't knwo the reason for that but I suspect it the irritation/inflammation that Mya described, from NSAIDs and spices etc.

rlc made a good point about celiac disease. I gave up gluten years ago, so it is not that in my case. Nearly everyone with fructose malabsorption also has gluten allergy though the reason for that connection is not known.

As far as fat goes, I do have some fat too, and I recently learned that hypothyroid, or even just generally low levels of thyroid, makes you not only build up midriff fat, but also accumulate fluid retention (it's jelly like substance) around your internal organs, i.e. inside your abdomen. I think I have both of these situations going on, also contributing to the general bloatedness.

 

[Lala]

Hi Lala,

Yes. It was bloating up extremely after meals but less bloated between whiles, so it is hard to give an exact amount.
It used to be about 4 months pregnant-looking most of the time, and bloat up to about 7 or 8 months pregnant after meals. Now it looks about 4 months pregnant - i.e. only just bluging a bit - all the time.
I get the rapid mad expansion after meals about once a month on average now, and I don't knwo the reason for that but I suspect it the irritation/inflammation that Mya described, from NSAIDs and spices etc.

rlc made a good point about celiac disease. I gave up gluten years ago, so it is not that in my case. Nearly everyone with fructose malabsorption also has gluten allergy though the reason for that connection is not known.

As far as fat goes, I do have some fat too, and I recently learned that hypothyroid, or even just generally low levels of thyroid, makes you not only build up midriff fat, but also accumulate fluid retention (it's jelly like substance) around your internal organs, i.e. inside your abdomen. I think I have both of these situations going on, also contributing to the general bloatedness.

I look like pregnant all the time. Actually my sister is pregnant now and we look the same. Very bothering. Otherwise I am slim. I also have lots of pain, cramping, bloating and pressure in some periods.
How did you treat fructose malabsorption?
I went gluten-free for 6 or 8 weeks but it did not do any difference. So I went back to eating gluten again. The doctors here did every possible test on me and found no cause. Celiac test was gative too. It is mystery.

 

[Athene]

I look like pregnant all the time. Actually my sister is pregnant now and we look the same. Very bothering. Otherwise I am slim. I also have lots of pain, cramping, bloating and pressure in some periods.
How did you treat fructose malabsorption?
I went gluten-free for 6 or 8 weeks but it did not do any difference. So I went back to eating gluten again. The doctors here did every possible test on me and found no cause. Celiac test was gative too. It is mystery.

Hi Lala,

I have the same problem - I am thin so the big tummy looks definitely like a pregnancy rather than being a bit fat. This can get very embarrassing when people don't know me, sometimes I can tell that they are wondering.

What you describe definitely sounds as if it could be fructose malabsorption.
When I was diagnosed, I stopped eating fructose completely for about 18 months, advised by KDM. Then I found out about these supplements, and they cure it:

Jarrow N Acetyl Glucosamine 750mg (blurb says N-A-G combines with mucin secreted from goblet cells to form the glycocalyx, a protective layer of glycoproteins and polysaccharides that lines the digestive tract.)

Jarrow Glucosamine HCI Mega 1000mg (Glucosamine is an aminosaccharide synthesized from glucose and the amino acid L-glutamine. HCl (hydrochloric acid) stabilizes the glucosamine in this product. Glucosamine is a component of joint and intestinal tissue. Glucosamine is converted to N-acetyl-glucosamine in the intestines by the goblet cells.)

(one a day of each)

I believe they work by healing the cells lining the intestine that produce GLUT-5, the transport factor for fructose that takes it from the gut into the blood.
When I said "cure", they don't permanently cure it, because the problem comes back quite quickly if I stop taking them. I think all the bad bacteria inside us are doing ongoing damage.
I took these tablets for three weeks and then tested fructose, and it was fine, so that is how long they should take to work.

As far as gluten goes, it could be that cutting out gluten was not enough to make a difference without cutting out other things too. For me, dairy and gluten do the same thing, so if I cut out one but not the other, it doesn't improve anything. Fructose also has a similar effect to gluten (but worse, in my case). So cutting out gluten before cutting out fructose may not give you a clear idea, either.

 

[rlc]

Hi Ocean good idea to get thyroid and cortisol tested, thyroid especially can lead to weight gain, also get your doc to checks Calcium, PTH and vit D and see if they can find a reason why your reacting badly to vit D, it could be something like parathyroid problems, if youre putting on weight get your glucose checked in case something is going wrong there. If you get celiac checked its important to have been eating gluten containing food for a few weeks before hand, or the test will be negative, it is negative in a lot of people who have it anyway and is a very unreliable test. Celiac is one of those annoying diseases where different people get completely different symptoms, some people gain weight and some people lose it.

And get your doc to test for anything else you or they can think of, may as well make them work for their money, if youre lucky something treatable will show up.

All the best

 

[globalpilot]

That's pretty much the result I got too Athene from taking glucosamine. I can't be 100% sure that is the reason as I also take oxymatrine but the improvement did start right after the glucosamine. It's a great result but obviuously still something going on. I've just ordered the metametrix GI complete effects test which uses DNA to look for bacteria, parasites and yeasts. Hopefully the test resutls are applicable to what is going on in the small intestine and not just the colon.
GP

about 4 months pregnant - i.e. only just bluging a bit - all the time.
I get the rapid mad expansion after meals about once a month on average now, and I don't knwo the reason for that but I suspect it the irritation/inflammation that Mya described, from NSAIDs and spices etc.

rlc made a good point about celiac disease. I gave up gluten years ago, so it is not that in my case. Nearly everyone with fructose malabsorption also has gluten allergy though the reason for that connection is not known.

As far as fat goes, I do have some fat too, and I recently learned that hypothyroid, or even just generally low levels of thyroid, makes you not only build up midriff fat, but also accumulate fluid retention (it's jelly like substance) around your internal organs, i.e. inside your abdomen. I think I have both of these situations going on, also contributing to the general bloatedness.[/QUOTE]

 

[Lala]

Thank you Athene and Globalpilot. I will try to order some glucosamin. I have read people had success with l-glutamin, it should heal the gut lining too, in case of leaky gut. On the other hand it is not good if one has neurological issues along with gut issues as I have.
Regarding gluten, if I stop gluten, diary and fructose, I do not know, what I would eat? Very hard diet.
I am going to test at Metametrix, too. We can compare our results then.

 

[Athene]

How much does the metametrix test cost? If I can afford it, I think that would be useful for me too.

Lala you are right, living without dairy, gluten and fructose is very hard, though I did it for a year and a half!
I would first try the glocosamine supplements and see how much they can help you, but without giving up fructose as I don't think that would be necessary. Then you could do a gluten and milk free trial for about 2 weeks after that, just to see what happens.