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Suggest Treatment For Persistent Abdominal Bloating
Posted on
Fri, 13 May 2016
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Fri, 13 May 2016
Answered on
Thu, 23 Jun 2016
Last reviewed on
Question : Hi I am constantly bloated. I have had allergy tests and am allergic to nothing. I am on hormone replacement and thought it was from that but when I stopped the bloating continued. My stomach will literally look like I'm 9 months pregnant and hurt. It expands in a matter of minutes. I have made a food diary and nothing seems consistent in making me feel this way. Help
Brief Answer:
Please give additional information
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query.
To recapitulate: Male/37 - visited a Doctor - no known allergies as per allergy tests that was advised - Bloating - continued even after starting hormone replacement - stomach looks like 9 months pregnancy - hurts - * expands in a matter of minutes - food diary - nothing seems consistent in making you feel this way - wants help ....
My thoughts as per the history your have provided:
Striking points are:
- Hormone replacement: would like to know the details about which hormones and the indication and dosages.
- *Expands in a matter of minutes:
What are the other symptoms you get when the bloating occurs?
Any noise in abdomen (borborygmi)?
Nausea, vomiting?
Pains - what type of pains do you get? Twisting, unbearable, burning, dull achy or very severe as if you feel that you will pass off?
- Is the whole abdomen swollen or on the left lower part mainly?
- Does a lots of gas pass out and make the pain and bloating reduced or vanished and the pain gone suddenly?
- Level of stress and/or anxiety?
- Any aerated drinks you take?
- Stool: consistency- loose, hard and constipation, blood, mucus, smell?
- Any other medical problems like diabetes, hypothyroidism or so?
Detailed answers to every query will help me to assist you further and better to suggest you the investigations and probable diagnosis and management.
Please give additional information
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
Thanks for your query.
To recapitulate: Male/37 - visited a Doctor - no known allergies as per allergy tests that was advised - Bloating - continued even after starting hormone replacement - stomach looks like 9 months pregnancy - hurts - * expands in a matter of minutes - food diary - nothing seems consistent in making you feel this way - wants help ....
My thoughts as per the history your have provided:
Striking points are:
- Hormone replacement: would like to know the details about which hormones and the indication and dosages.
- *Expands in a matter of minutes:
What are the other symptoms you get when the bloating occurs?
Any noise in abdomen (borborygmi)?
Nausea, vomiting?
Pains - what type of pains do you get? Twisting, unbearable, burning, dull achy or very severe as if you feel that you will pass off?
- Is the whole abdomen swollen or on the left lower part mainly?
- Does a lots of gas pass out and make the pain and bloating reduced or vanished and the pain gone suddenly?
- Level of stress and/or anxiety?
- Any aerated drinks you take?
- Stool: consistency- loose, hard and constipation, blood, mucus, smell?
- Any other medical problems like diabetes, hypothyroidism or so?
Detailed answers to every query will help me to assist you further and better to suggest you the investigations and probable diagnosis and management.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I have been on testosterone propionate with a aromitase inhibitor for estrogen arimadex. That didn't seem to help. When I started to take testosterone is when I noticed this issue but there have been times I have been on it with no issues as well. This does cause me to have anxiety when it happens yes. I am a fitness competitor and it is part of my job to stay lean for photos. I don't have one side more than the other the entire stomach bloats and is squishy and I look pregnant. It's worse later in the day around 2 pm after I nap usually it's at its worst. When it starts like today I was fine and after eggs it blew up and I was short breaths like hard to breath. Other foods like carbs and protein shakes make it worse so usually a paleo type approach for diet works best. Passing gas doesn't make it go away it lasts for a while it seems. I have no other medical conditions no. I don't take any drinks and don't seem to constipated too much I have normal bowel movements at least 1 a day. No noise in abdomen. It mainly just hurts like discomfort and I have gas and my stomach sticks out like a balloon and it doesn't go away for a long time. Very embarrassing and uncomfortable please help
Brief Answer:
As detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Sincere thanks for your detailed feedback.
Your mentioning of eggs, carbs, proteins shakes causing or enhancing the problem indicates that there may be intolerance to certain foods.
I would advise you the following:
- You will have to make the food diary again. Try to remember all the foods, additives containing stuff, beverages and any eatables that instigate or enhance your problems. Once made, you have to strictly stop consuming all such things that cause the bloating.
- Get stool tests done for 3 consecutive days. This helps in many cases to get the correct cause and to rectify it.
- X-ray of the abdomen when you get the bloating; gives an idea about the possible cause and effect.
- Control of anxiety and/or stress as this is one of the important cause of aerophagia and can be caused without you really noticing how has it occurred.
- Blood tests: CBC and particularly thyroid function tests, Glucose and anything that will be required after a clinical evaluation like renal functions, liver functions and so on.
- Try probiotics, activated charcoal, banana, yogurt - may help.
All these will give either a probable diagnosis with possible solution or may guide for further investigations and management.
I hope this answer helps you to get an early diagnosis and probable treatment, please feel free to ask for further relevant queries if you feel that there is a gap of communication.
As detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Sincere thanks for your detailed feedback.
Your mentioning of eggs, carbs, proteins shakes causing or enhancing the problem indicates that there may be intolerance to certain foods.
I would advise you the following:
- You will have to make the food diary again. Try to remember all the foods, additives containing stuff, beverages and any eatables that instigate or enhance your problems. Once made, you have to strictly stop consuming all such things that cause the bloating.
- Get stool tests done for 3 consecutive days. This helps in many cases to get the correct cause and to rectify it.
- X-ray of the abdomen when you get the bloating; gives an idea about the possible cause and effect.
- Control of anxiety and/or stress as this is one of the important cause of aerophagia and can be caused without you really noticing how has it occurred.
- Blood tests: CBC and particularly thyroid function tests, Glucose and anything that will be required after a clinical evaluation like renal functions, liver functions and so on.
- Try probiotics, activated charcoal, banana, yogurt - may help.
All these will give either a probable diagnosis with possible solution or may guide for further investigations and management.
I hope this answer helps you to get an early diagnosis and probable treatment, please feel free to ask for further relevant queries if you feel that there is a gap of communication.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Do you think that bacteria can be the cause or the testosterone. It seems strange that once I started testosterone this issue started. Do you think it could be estrogen . I know steroids bloat you so do you think the severe bloating is still from food or the steroids just make it more pronounced. I have been off for 6 weeks and still am getting the bloat so I'm assuming it's from the food. Should I do the test where you breath to test for the bacteria or do you think this could be ibs or celiac or just a sensitive stomach to certain foods
Brief Answer:
As detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
As per the history you have provided, this does not look to be related to any hormones or steroid.
Stool tests can help to identify bacterial cause and if the infection is found the course of an appropriate antibiotic should be diagnostic as well as therapeutic.
IBS: is said to be present only when all the tests are normal.
Celiac usually gives diarrhea.
Hence looks to be intolerance to certain things in what you eat in addition to other factors which you discussed earlier.
Please get all the relevant tests done so that a proper direction is sought after to get a proper diagnosis and treatment.
As detailed below.
Detailed Answer:
Hi.
As per the history you have provided, this does not look to be related to any hormones or steroid.
Stool tests can help to identify bacterial cause and if the infection is found the course of an appropriate antibiotic should be diagnostic as well as therapeutic.
IBS: is said to be present only when all the tests are normal.
Celiac usually gives diarrhea.
Hence looks to be intolerance to certain things in what you eat in addition to other factors which you discussed earlier.
Please get all the relevant tests done so that a proper direction is sought after to get a proper diagnosis and treatment.
Note: Revert back with your health reports to get further guidance on your gastric problems. Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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