Bloating after every single meal.

There's a lot of us out here and very little help. I've had it a while but it got worse and I too was recommended to the low FODMAP diet. I found that you cannot go exactly by what's generally recommended and there are almost certainly personal variations, but here's some of what's worked, and not, for me:

1. Garlic is a non-no, but I can use garlic-infused oil with no problems. Other Alliums (onions, leeks) are also iffy, but I can get away with small amounts, and chives plus the green tops of spring onions rather more. Celery is also in this category.

2. Pulses are generally bad, and that includes things like chickpeas (hummus), broad beans, and lentils.

3. Sprouts/Savoy Cabbage and the like are supposed to be bad - as you can have spring greens or other cabbages I've not put them to the test very much.

4. Broccoli and mushrooms are OK in small amounts only.

5. Bread - generally don't have very much anyway, but I can usually get away some, I've even eaten a Pizza if I've had nothing else bad. Same goes for cakes and pastries - keep to a minimum. I have tried making these with Spelt Flour. Better, but still not 100% safe. I've been eating Oat Biscuits (like Nairn) and they are fine. Healhy too.

6. Pasta, for some reason, doesn't seem to be much of an issue. Made me wonder whether other things on bread were exacerbating the effect of the flour.

7. Like someone else wrote - Rice Crispies are fine; Oats are OK too, but most Oat cereals have other stuff in, much of which is a no-no (more later).

8. When trying replacements for wheat I found that cornflour is the absolute worst of everything I've tried.

9. I only have small amounts of skimmed milk normally and they are fine. Occasionally I have more and full fat and that's not too bad. Cream though just seems to be too much. Proper Greek Yohurt has much of the lactose removed, and I've found I can eat a bowl of it. Sometimes you can substitute it for cream in cooking (e.g. Chicken Tikka Massala).

10. The hardest thing - fruit. Almost all my favourite fruits are bad and I have to keep them to an absolute minimum - Cherries, Apricots, Peaches, Plums, Grapes (supposed to be OK but definitely not for me), Apples, Pears, Mangoes - all bad. Strawberries, Raspberries, Melons, Pineapple are OK, but even then I don't have too much. Bananas are borderline. Have nothing else bad and I can eat one. Dried fruits can be bad too and they appear in a lot of "healthy" oat cereals along with unnecessary sugars.

11. One that caught me - herbal teas. Anything with Chicory is said to be bad, but I found that Liquorice Root is just as bad, and even the few teas that don't say they have one of these still seem a problem, even if not as much. I've stopped drinking them and it definitely helped - I used to drink them every evening and most afternoons.

12. Honey. Very bad unfortunately.

13. Alcohol - don't drink too much in a sitting, particularly sweet drinks (e.g. port, dessert wines).

14. Eggs; not supposed to be a problem, but I've noticed a few times after I've had some that I don't feel great later.

I've found that I can get away with almost all of these, providing I don't have anything else.

One of my brothers also has IBS - he says that tomatoes and chillies are big no-noes for him, but I'm fine with them.

There are medicines, but I've not found that any of them have any noticeable effect.

We all have some simularities but differences also in what we tolerate in food, l cant cope with alcahol now, used to like and g and t, cant cope with most fruit, maybe banana,s occassionally, broccoli ok for me, as with potatoes, rice, noodles, chicken, fish,  plain food really, Sorry l didnt reply worrychick, it wasnt my menu, so dont know about making frittato,s, l check on frodmap site after reading on here about diet, and copied for an e.g. Pt l think it interesting your comments about stress, which l think does aggrevate many health probs, but guess its a different type of stress now up to in the past, and there,s no doubt people are getting more allergic to things  with mass increases in allergic immune conditions, many people with one often go on to get others, l started with allergic rhinitus when moving from hillside village, to suburb on main road, later when moving away back to hilltops rhinitus went, but later still came back, then penicillian allergy, mass increase in asthma, then intersticial cystitus and experts not decided if its auto immune or allergic response causing inflammation of bladder wall, ibs now common, also prone to touch of eczma, skin probs, tums,  others get worse,   it could just be envoirament and allergens affecting those with  poorer immune systems, but it seems to be increasing,  Some doctors are honest and  will agree knowing the stats, whilst officially many will deny or ignore it, as with many people, but for me formalin is a trigger, my main allergen. So having an healthy a diet and immune boosters is essential, and we were given lots of home made broth in 50s, and cabbage juice, home grown veg, whilst fruit a luxury, as were fizzy drinks, very basic diet, pots, 2 veg, meat fish, but we did have puds, with  tea or water for most.   lve just started probiotics for stomach probs, and felt better since l came off omprazole, some do well on it, were all different, trial and error of what suits.   

Yeah the stress thing - it's bizarre. When I went to my doctors to and explained what had been happened he declared 'you're anxious, its anxiety you need to stop being anxious'.I suffered with anxiety a few years ago to the point where I couldn't leave the house sometimes or be in large crowds of people - I know when I'm anxious, I know what the symptoms are, and I know how to deal with it. I certainly am NOT anxious at the moment, and the fact he was trying to fob me off with counselling when I know already that what is happening to me is not normal.

There really needs to be more research done on the matter it cannot be normal to bloat up to twice your normal size when eating very ittle normal food, and there must be a way round it.Thousands of poeple suffer from IBS so why are they saying that they 'don't know why eactly it happens'? It's something that is affectingmy life daily and making me utterly miserable, there needs to be more research done into it..

Anyway all these answers are useful but unfortunetly I have already tried and researched the majority of this myself. Seems there is no one answer, very fustrating...

Hi Laurencs,

DGL and Zinc Carnosine got great reviews being effective on gut issues.

Have you enquired about Acidophilus tablets, to help reestablishment of normal bacterial flora, or taking Vitamin K2. I read sterile conditions introduced in food manufacture stop  microorganisms including beneficial flora from multiplying and being introduced into our body. -If cleared to take them they could be worth a try in the circumstances. My mother had Ulcerative Colitis. I was worried my GERD symptoms would develop into U.C. down the line. When prescriptions failed. I took a Milk Thistle Complex that has helped. I only needed the one packet. I only suffer maybe once or twice a year now.(Four years on.) You could look into these and talk about a new treatment FMT with your doctor if all else fails.

These are just suggestions from a none medical background, but acquired through the Internet from interest of how other people have helped themselves.

I think I would be making bone broth and soups without onion adding more herbs.

Hi Lauren's,

I read some interesting articles about vitamin K2 and food, also Acidophilus probiotic tablets. You could maybe look these up to see if they might help you.

Hi Laurencs,

Maybe you could cope with meat and veg baked in marrow, sweet, or normal potato, or squash as fillers.?

Maybe you could try baking meat and veg in marrow, squash, or baked sweet or normal potatoe to help fill you .

Two things here almonds are known to cause diarrhea if eaten in bilk ie more than 50 grams a day and for some that figure may be less.

Just 25 grams if almonds holds 160 cals at once.

Second thing with almonds is there also know to cause bad digestion if not soaked in saltwater over night.

OK next porridege and oats also known to give bad digestion if not soaked over night in apple cider vinegar also people experience bad digestion of oats if they have cd .

Next linseeds the recommended intake of linseed oil or flaxseed both the same is only one table spoon a day no more than 2 now given that the seeds make oil its best not to have to much seed either.

Next thing is seed oils can quickly go rancid if not looked after properly ie no spilling oil down the sides of the bottle and keep them out of sunlight.

Next stir Fry's not good if your bloating your better of steaming your meat soaking it overnight in salt watet .

I'll address more foods you've mentioned.

I suffer from the exact same thing! Extreme severe bloating. I had a breath test done and it shows that I am a "Methane" producer vs a "Hydrogen" producer. Extensive research on my part tells me that I cannot tolerate sugar. Sugar is in everything. Milk of any kind, all starchy foods, fruits, vegetables, etc. Following the FODMAP-DIET has helped me keep my bloating to a minimal. I have approx 12 different foods right now I can tolerate. I would suggest to cut out all flours, all milk, and stick with totally organic fruit that is "very low" in "sugar" content on the FODMAP-DIET. Low carb high fat diet. Stick with chicken, turkey, & fish for your meats. Stay completely away from any processed foods. Cut out all cereals and grains. Note what is on the "Low Sugar" items on the Fodmap-food-list and stick to that for at least 30 days. Slowly start adding in items on the "Medium" list one at a time to see if you can tolerate them. I have been on this diet for 6 months now. Have only been able to add a couple of foods back into my diet. Stress will also make one bloat up. I have suffered for 7+ years now and no Dr could figure out what my problem was. Good luck!

I found something that actually has worked for me. I made homemade bone broth (Google it).

I have been drinking this for 6 days, twice a day.

I changed my diet as well. Been eating very light.

Drinking tons of lemonade I made sweetened with Stevia.

I've been eating Talapia pan fried in coconut oil. Canned tuna, regular and albacore. 1/2 bagel with regular cream cheese, organic granola w Chia seed, organic dried fruit, salad w vinegar dressing fat, red cabbage, califlower, cup of coffee w half n half.

Also will you have dramatic water weight loss?

If you ingest oregano oil and experience weight loss over night (water weight) then this will work for you. Also Google SIBO and SIBO DIET.

Hi Laurencs--

I have the same problem as you with bad bloating. I also have IBS-C and IC (Interstitial Cystitis). First, despite what everybody says, fiber is NOT the solution to a healthy diet. I cannot tolerate high amounts of certain types of fiber such as oat, wheat, barley, etc.  I used to be a vegetarian, and suffered horrible bloat and gas. I had to stop that until I looked at what I was eating. Soy was doing a number on me, as well as certain vegetables that were high FODMAP.  My doctor would tell me, "Eat more fiber, drink more water!" and all that did was cause me to bloat even worse and get severe constipation. That "Fiber/Water" suggestion does NOT work for people who have IBS-C or a super sensitive gut. This has worked for me:

1) I take a digestive aid before meals. Get one that is dairy-free, wheat/gluten-free. I used Digest-All--it's available at Amazon. I'm not sure if it is available at health food stores in the UK but there may be something similar. This has helped reduce the bloat tremendously.

2) I try to eat fruit & veggies as my source of fiber, but again, start with small quantities. The same goes for oats or seeds. It sounds like you are ingesting way too much fiber, and your system can't tolerate it. I know mine can't tolerate that much fiber.

If you desire oats (oatmeal), try soaking your oats overnight in water. Use 4 parts water to 1 parts oats, and add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or apple cide vinegar. This will help to break down the properties of oats that cause bloat. Drain the oats the next day into a glass measuring cup. For example, If you get 1 cup of oats, add 1 cup of water to the measuring cup. (Sorry, USA here so I don't use metric). Pour contents into a pan and cook as usual.

3) I try to eat several small meals throughout the day instead of 3 large ones. Eat slowly--I tend to always wolf down my food because I don't have time, which is detrimental to my digestive system. Sometimes this isn't possible when you go out to dinner or have special events to attend. I make sure to take along my digestive aid and eat slowly, selecting low FODMAP choices if possible.

4) FODMAPS--that is super important to follow the FODMAP diet until your system is balanced. Then slowly introduce high fodmap foods that you like--BUT, if even a little cause you problems, eliminate it from your diet. For example, I can have a little of wheat products. I make homemade organic banana bread. I can have a thin slice and suffer no problems at all. I make my own challah as well. I have a 1/2" thick slice with melted butter with no problems at all. But I would not be able to eat challah 3-4 times a day without the bloat. I also avoid all commercial baked goods UNLESS they are 100% organic.  But that's hard to find in the States.

5) I eat organic foods as much as possible that are allowed on the FODMAP diet. It is more expensive, but I believe pesticides and food additives/preservatives are a cause of digestive distress--at least organic helps me. If I can find organic, I look for a natural product that doesn't contain preservatives/additives.

6) I do not drink anything caffeinated. I know this is a hard one--if you can drink a noncaffeinated tea, that would help, as long as it doesn't have apple or any high FODMAP ingredient in it. If you must have coffee or tea, try to get organic coffees or teas, and try to gradually reduce the amount you drink. If you cut it off cold-turkey, you will get a bad headache. That happened to me, but because of my IC, I had no choice but to cut it out.

7) I haven't done this, but some people keep a food diary and write down what causes them to bloat. Eventually you can figure out what your system is able to tolerate and what it can't.

8) I am trying to cut down my wheat intake to a very small amount. I find that pasta always bloats me up, even organic wheat pastas, and I also get stopped up. I've been using a gluten-free pasta, but even that bloats and stops me up if I eat more than one cup with sauce. So I have switched to rice as a starch.

9) Watch out for onions of any kind and garlic--those are instant stomach bloaters. They are found in a lot of dishes in some form or another--I've gotten very vigilant in reading the ingredients on the labels.

10) I am lactose intolerant, so I use organic coconut milk or rice milk as my substitutes. However, I can tolerate a litle bit of butter on my bread but that's it. Are you lactose intolerant? Any kind of dairy product (whey, milk, milk solids, etc) can produce bloat and stomach pains if you are.

Hope this helps--

 

This is me too. I can swell 12 inches in 2 hours around my waist. I have tried avoiding allergens and grains.. no dice. They help but.not enough . I am always reducing back to baked meat, salt only, which I tolerate. Glutens, dairy, rice, so many cause swelling. It also causes swelling of my hips, lower back,.Down my thighs. Some also cause facial swelling. Blueberries, blackberry, and.raspberry.are ok, but not strawberry. Lettuce ok, not cruciferous. Onion ok. Very little else

I am dx with celiac and hashimotos hypothyroid n mast cell activation syndrome. I am planning to go on very low carb with the veggies n berries I tolerate after testing honey and various other sugars. This works great for my aunt. Maybe.this is something familial... Good luck to you