[IchbinkeinTeufel]

I've had bowel issues for years now, and it's really starting to become a problem. ATM, I'm struggling with that bloated gassy feeling, and I've had that for ages now; it's driving me crazy! I have enough problems getting out the front door to go to the shops 10 minutes away, let alone seeing a doctor about this crap.

I really can't help but to wonder if I have IBS, because this has gone on so long. I used to be fit and healthy - I worked out regularly, and had a pretty bulked up physique for the 6ft tall relatively skinny man that I was. I stopped working out and really let myself slide, when depression got overwhelming, and I just couldn't do it, anymore; I've been stuck in the same rut for about 2-3 years now. I worked out yesterday, and a few hours ago, as best I can, but it's pretty uncomfortable with my abdomen being the way it is.

I'm on Amazon, currently looking at these:

Lamberts, Acidophilus Extra 10, 60 Capsules.: Amazon.co.uk: Health & Beauty

I'm very tempted to get them, because I'm getting kinda desperate, and the comments on there seem very promising. I was kind of hoping any doctors or nurses (in training or otherwise) could help me out and let me know if that's something I should take or not.

I also, more to the point, have a lot of problems with constipation, which currently is pretty bad. I've not gone in 2 or 3 days, regardless of how bloated and gassy I feel. I hate feeling like this; it's very depressing, and unpleasant. Could this be just because I haven't eaten much? So far today all I've eaten is 2 slices of bread, and 3 lil licorce sweets, as I heard they're good for helping things move along. I've started to keep a food diary, as of today, although it looks like EVERYTHING causes problems.

Depression being what it is, I struggle so much with simple things, like health stuff, and this is just another thing I need to focus on and get sorted. -.- Bit sick of it, really. I wish the human body was a bit more self-sufficient!

I do sit a lot, and have bad body posture, as in I hunch over, or sit at an angle, and I am trying to remedy this, but this is a habit of many years, and so it's not an easy habit to kick, but, despite the discomfort, I am trying to sip upright. I get pains in my middle to upper back, albeit mostly mild, when I sit upright, and that makes it uncomfortable. I have the same problem sometimes if I lie down on my back, on my bed. IDK what it is with my back, but I guess I'm just used to being a certain way?

I don't eat a great deal either, and my sleeping pattern is and usually always is absolutely shot-to-f**k, and this is rarely by choice. I often stay up for 24 hours or more at a time, sometimes over 30 hours.

I've had a terrible habit of drinking excessive amounts of Pepsi/Coke (sugar free, mostly) over the many years, and I cut that out a few days ago, because... well, it's just not good, and will only put yet more gas in me, so I have little choice but to stop, or so it feels.

I have severe anxiety issues and so stress is just a regular thing for me. I wake up stressed, and go to bed stressed. I've heard that stress can cause these problems, and in my case, it's more than plausible. I don't see anyone about my stress, and this is kinda something else altogether, besides, as I said I can barely get out of the house to go to the shops, most of the time. I'm just trying to cope.

Oh, and yes I am overweight, definitely so. I started putting on weight a couple of years ago - I think I put on 2-3 stone. >.>

It's worth noting that when I woke up today, I felt quite good, and I don't recall feeling all that bloated, but as soon as I had 2 slices of bread and a drink of water with dilutable fruit juice, and an Actimel, I started right back at the beginning again.

Not sure what else to say. Some help would really be appreciated.

[layla11]

Hi Akuma, here recently I have increased my fiber in my diet. I got so sick of feeling bloated. My doc said need to have 21 to 24 grams of fiber a day. I started off with salad containing brocoli and cucumbers, low fat salad dressing and of course vegetables and you know what? I like them, I feel better. I also, have a powered fiber powder. If you are able to do this, you will feel better. I also switched to turkey burgers and just all around better food and lower calorie intake, trying to do away with high calorie foods and switch to higer fiber foods. Hope this helps.

[yellowted]

get tested for polips in your colon/bowel... i had very similar experience for years, my GP just laughed at me until i insisted on being tested from my mouth to my bum! turns out i had a combination of haitus hernia and a 4cm pre cancerous polip in my colon! have had the polip removed, the symptoms are not as bad, but i am intollerant to many food stuffs from wheat, dairy, soy through to eggs and tomatoes that IBS has not been completely ruled out. because of the polip i now on the list to have a colonoscopy every year to make sure no more develop as they could turn cancerous. I was very lucky to dodge cancer with the last one as polips usually are cought and removed at a few millimetres and mine was 4 centimitres! I now take movicol daily to soften my bowel motions and ranitidine to stop the indigestion/reflux. movicol also aids the release of unwanted gasses from loewr down so i do not feel so bloated.

you may be reacting to gluten, try staying off wheat based foods for a week... nothing made with wheat flour.. that is bread, pastry, cakes, biscuits etc and see if it makes a difference, if it does you could be intollerant to gluten. there are loads of great alternatives around so it is not as bad as it sounds, you just have to look at the ingredients a lot to start with. I use rice flour in place of wheat flour in fatless sponge cakes, batter mix (pancakes, yorki puds, corn cakes etc) a very quick bread is easily made by mixing rice flour with water and a pinch of salt to make a dough which is not as stiff as pastry, but not as runny as thick batter. you can then place a little oil in a preheated frying pan/skillet and press out the dough into it, cook till golden on one side, flip over and cook the other side, finish off in a moderate oven for a few minutes. i add rosemary and garlic to mine sometimes or seeds like sunflour and pumpkin for a change.

[IchbinkeinTeufel]

Thanks, guys!

I've struck lucky, today, as it seems a dilutable barley and fruit drink has been the culprit of my excessive amounts of gas and bloatedness, in the last few days. I've done what I did yesterday in the same way, with the single difference that today I've drank only water after eating a small sandwich, and it has been about an hour or two and I don't feel at all bloated! I think also that exercising (3 days in a row, so far) has seriously helped. Last night, I managed 50 situps, which, while not a lot, it's better than the 3 I managed the first night I worked out, 'cause that's when my stomach was so bloated and achey. I feel like I'm on the right track. The problem I have now, is that I don't have much of an appetite and don't eat much. I'm still using my food diary, and it looks like this, so far:

22 3 2013

20:42
2 slices of white bread with 2 packeted cheese slices.

22:34
1 Catherine Wheel

23/03/2013

00:04
3 Catherine Wheels

07:01
A boiled sweet

07:25
1 Catherine Wheel

--- sleep ---

17:16
2 slices of white bread with 2 packeted cheese slices.

I think I got pretty lucky to have discovered the problem source of my recent bloatedness, so soon! I figured the juice was the main change over the last few days.

I also discovered today that my biological sister has IBS, and my biological mother also has some sort of similar problem, if not IBS, and I'm told IBS can be hereditary; can anyone confirm this?

See how it goes, I s'pose.

Thanks for the posting.

[clash]

Originally Posted by yellowted

get tested for polips in your colon/bowel... i had very similar experience for years, my GP just laughed at me until i insisted on being tested from my mouth to my bum! turns out i had a combination of haitus hernia and a 4cm pre cancerous polip in my colon! have had the polip removed, the symptoms are not as bad, but i am intollerant to many food stuffs from wheat, dairy, soy through to eggs and tomatoes that IBS has not been completely ruled out. because of the polip i now on the list to have a colonoscopy every year to make sure no more develop as they could turn cancerous. I was very lucky to dodge cancer with the last one as polips usually are cought and removed at a few millimetres and mine was 4 centimitres!

For those of you that are worried I want to point out the fact that
polyps of the colon and rectum are usually benign, meaning they are not cancer and they do not spread. They can become more common as people age.

[sajjadali]

Somoene i knew felt like this and they had coealiac disease, get tested for it. There is a blood test although it's only so accurate....you have to be away from gluten for many months before you see a difference.

[Jan1212]

I'm supposed to graduate in May but
IBS is cmmon, it's hereditary, stress exarcerbates it, irritating foods, alcohol, and smoking. other symptoms other than pain after eating, is bloating

it seems there is a problem with motility(peristalsis) of your bowels, since it's causing constipation, it could be spasms and/or neurotransmitter irregularities. What meds are you taking? have you been having diarhhea with it as well? How many times a month, changes in stools, tell this your doctor. he'll likely do stool studies, barium studies

Yes lactobacillus and bifidobacterium's usually taken for bloating and gas, people with IBS use them, high fiber foods help form stools, take with plenty of water, and exercise helps with depression as well as movement of your bowels

it's good you are taking food diaries to find out what is making it worse.

[IchbinkeinTeufel]

Thanks, guys. Sorry this is so late, but what happened was my diet, sleeping problems, lack of exercise, stress, and other factors all worked together to give me dangerous amounts of constipation; had I waited any longer to get help, I would've ended up going to the ER. I'm fine, now; for a bit over 2 months, I've been eating relatively healthily, exercising here and there, going out more, sleeping better, and working on improving my stress levels, via getting help for my OCD.

It got so bad, that I couldn't eat, drink, flatulate, could barely walk or move, was in pain, etc. I had to go to the out-of-hours clinic and see a nurse; I was given Movicol which did the trick after a couple of days, and further use helped even more.

You wouldn't think something like this could happen to you, until it just... does. It's an embarrassingly common problem, I expect - just another product of MH issues.

[growlycat]

Sometimes intestinal problems--pain, gassiness, diarrea can be a sign of gallstones. A dr's visit might find you some relief.

[Perna]

You could be lactose sensitive and need the lactase enzyme; your symptoms sounds similar to mine and Actimel has lactose in it. Maybe get some of these and see:

Super Lactase Enzyme Capsules (125mg) | Digestive Aids | Holland & Barrett

[hamster-bamster]

You should use your laptop on your stomach on the floor as prolonged sitting is very bad for everybody and does cause bad posture among other innumerable ills. Avoid sitting when you can. Eat pacing the kitchen floor unless you have company.

[hamster-bamster]

Also, I would try plain kefir or plain yogurt with every meal. Every meal - you got it right. Then if that does not help try supplements, but try the normal food route first.

Hope this helps.

[yellowted]

Originally Posted by clash

For those of you that are worried I want to point out the fact that
polyps of the colon and rectum are usually benign, meaning they are not cancer and they do not spread. They can become more common as people age.

yeah, there are two types the most common one is benign so will never turn cancerous, the other more rarer one can turn cancerous if left for many years untreated, but usually they are removed long before this stage at around 2-4 mm, i was unlucky that mine had not been taken seriously by my GP so had been untreated for almost 20years luckily it was removed in the pre cancerous stage. i am being checked yearly simply because it was in the initial stages of changing to a cancerous one at 40mm! it is rare for these to occur and even rarer for then to go untreated like mine did.

[yellowted]

Originally Posted by hamster-bamster

prolonged sitting is very bad for everybody

oh no i'm doomed! i spend most of my waking hours sitting ......

(strapped into my wheelchair to stop me slumping over!)

[hamster-bamster]

Originally Posted by yellowted

oh no i'm doomed! i spend most of my waking hours sitting ......

(strapped into my wheelchair to stop me slumping over!)

Yeah, when you cannot change it, you cannot change it. There is unfortunately nothing to be done... for those people who can make adjustments, using the computer on the floor to reduce the number of hours spent sitting is a good move.