Bloated stomach

[Evana]

Hi all,

I have a friend who keeps complaining about her bloated stomach for 4 years now. She is 28 yrs, 163 cm tall and 56 kg, no stomach pain, period is normal, not married and no pervious major problems apart from anemia which she had 2 years ago, she is fine now. Her stomach looks like she’s 5 or 6 months pregnant now. She went for an ultrasound 3 years ago but the result was normal. Lately, she started complaining about a pain in her lower part of her abdomen.

P.S: her grandma (father’s side) died of stomach cancer. Now she’s worried that what she is having symptoms of stomach cancer too.

Help, I am really very concerned about her :(

[marianna]

She may have irritable bowl syndrome which is part of that:

What is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?
Irritable bowel syndrome is a disorder characterized most commonly by cramping, abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, and diarrhea. IBS causes a great deal of discomfort and distress, but it does not permanently harm the intestines and does not lead to a serious disease, such as cancer. Most people can control their symptoms with diet, stress management, and prescribed medications. For some people, however, IBS can be disabling. They may be unable to work, attend social events, or even travel short distances.

As many as 20 percent of the adult population, or one in five Americans, have symptoms of IBS, making it one of the most common disorders diagnosed by doctors. It occurs more often in women than in men, and it begins before the age of 35 in about 50 percent of people.


This is the American populace but is common worldwide:

http://www.digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/ibs/

She may want to be checked for pancreatitis, which I had and my stomach bloated up JUST like hers did and had pain. A simple blood test will determine whether she has it or not. If she does she WILL need treatment.

Let us know what happens and God bless her, hope everything turns out alright.

[minerva]

she can look for allergies.
wheat bloats people up...maybe if she cut wheat for a week and checked the size of her bloating....

[marianna]

Yeah, some people who are allergic to wheat have issues and stomach will bloat up. I got tested for that also (blood test) and mine came back negative.

[Evana]

Ok She also told me something I thought it was funny at first but I got all concerned when I saw her serious talking about it. She says she spent all her life trying to hold her gas, if you know what I mean. And every time she does, she gets a pain in her abdomen. Especially on her period days, she said she gets really gassy and it hurts when she holds it in. Now she can’t release it!

[marianna]

That is weird.....I am sure her body does release it some way or another. Still she should see a doc. Also, some women, especially Latina women so Arab women may have the same...is that when they ovulate they will get a pain in their uterus when the egg releases. It hurts like hell. I KNOW.....and all it is, is the egg being released to be fertilized and when it isn't of course it becomes part of the period. She may be experiencing that kind of pain. But again a doc knows best. :)

[Evana]

Maybe she has so much gas because of wheat??

probably it what caused her stomach bloated.

What about Milk? She drinks it every day, daily!

Thanks Marianna and Mini.

[marianna]

Some people are lactose intolerant. Typically Hispanics and Native Americans have this. She can be tested I think for it. Bloating is one of the symptoms and too much gas.

[Evana]

I think she needs to do a blood tests for allergies.

[marianna]

Def. I would have them run all tests possible for whatever condition she has. After that more than likely she will need to do a diet change and maybe take a pill. I went down this route so how I know. My mom and brother are lactose intolerant. We are Hispanic and Native American so that probably accounts for what they go through.

[Evana]

I also want to add that she takes vitamin pill everyday to prevent from anemia.

[Markov]

Seems like your friend has some complications. I wud take it serious if i were you. Tell her to go to Badr Sama, and do all the necessary tests, they are quite good with diagnosis

[HITMAN]

Evana,

Take the advice of the members

My advice:
Let her test for H Pylori infection, it can cause various GI symptoms among which is bloating

And long term infection with it may also lead to anaemia which your friend has

[FaHaD]

Evana,
U got almost most of the causes of bloating from Marianna.

maybe she has no problem, some people, even skinny one, have proportionally bigger tommy. it is just anatomical variation among the population.


Marianna has mentioned most common causes of bloating. She has to consider the diet, specially the one which delays stomach emptying such as diets full of fat.
chewing gum can also causes some minor swelling due to the accompanied swallowing air.

[amo_l_oman]

Tell her to take a couple of tablets of Dysflatil after main meals and cut cereals/wheat/legumes
If she finds some relief, is just ibs

[Evana]

Thanks Doctors and amo, REALLY appreciate your help :)

I think my friend better off going for abdominal ultrasound to look at her abdominal organs (kidneys, pelvis, liver, uterus, ovaries and gallstones).

As for the allergy tests, I have been told that they are very tricky tests and usually in conclusive! and the only place where you can do allergy test is squ and its not an accurate test.

[marianna]

^^^Good luck with that and I had those tests done and they were able to narrow down my issues. You are right though some allergy tests can come off as inconclusive.

[Frozen Echo]

Maybe she has a fetus in fetu.