About 8 months ago I took an antiobiotic and I fear that it completely through off my GI flora. Ever since then I experience SEVERE bloating and distention after meals regardless of what I eat. Now I am constantly bloated and it is very uncomfortable. Obviously it is worse when I have a bigger meal but even if I have just a bowl of cereal or some fruit it distends to the point where I look 6 months pregnant. I have had a camera all the way through my GI tract (endoscopy and colonoscopy). I tested negative for celiac when the GI did the colonoscopy. I have tried probiotics, fiber supplementation and other random things. I tried Rifaxin for SIBO but had no relief. I exercise regularly and am really good about drinking water. I'm wondering if it is IBS-C but I have never had any pain at all. All I have is severe gas retention/constipation to the point where I can push it around. Some people complain about the constant passing of gas but honestly I would prefer this to having it trapped.
Does anyone have any advice/dealing with similar issue. Keep it mind that I am very informed about this topic and have read a lot about it so I can offer input as well.
I am so glad to read that someone else has the exact same situtation that I have been experiencing. I too had taken an antiobiotic last October and since than I have not been the same. I too have severe bloating and distention right after every meal. I have seen four different gastro-doctors and had every test and medcine they could prescribe. I have tried everything you have done but no relief.
One doctor mentioned that I probably have IBS-C and that I would have to change my diet and learn to live with it. I have changed my diet but I still can't really eat following the IBS plan without having this horrible gas pressure and bloating everytime I eat.
I do hope someone else out there will answer your question and give us some advice
About 8 months ago I took an antiobiotic and I fear that it completely through off my GI flora. Ever since then I experience SEVERE bloating and distention after meals regardless of what I eat. Now I am constantly bloated and it is very uncomfortable. Obviously it is worse when I have a bigger meal but even if I have just a bowl of cereal or some fruit it distends to the point where I look 6 months pregnant. I have had a camera all the way through my GI tract (endoscopy and colonoscopy). I tested negative for celiac when the GI did the colonoscopy. I have tried probiotics, fiber supplementation and other random things. I tried Rifaxin for SIBO but had no relief. I exercise regularly and am really good about drinking water. I'm wondering if it is IBS-C but I have never had any pain at all. All I have is severe gas retention/constipation to the point where I can push it around. Some people complain about the constant passing of gas but honestly I would prefer this to having it trapped.
Does anyone have any advice/dealing with similar issue. Keep it mind that I am very informed about this topic and have read a lot about it so I can offer input as well.
THANKS A LOT!!
Try drinking a warmed glass of prune juice at night 8 oz. and another in the morning with your breakfast. If you eat a big breakfast with some fat ,fiber,and caffeine in it,it should help kick peristalsis within 30 minutes after you finished eating. Take a short brisk walk after breakfast then try sitting on the toilet taking slow deep breathing exercises this should help to relax your sphincter muscles making it easier to move your bowels. If you eat yogurt every day and take acidophilus either in milk form or pill form it will help to restore the good flora in your intestinal tract. Next time you take antibiotics start eating yogurt every day and taking acidophilus as well to help maintain the good flora in your colon.
In order to keep myself from getting constipated I have to make time every day to move my bowels,eat a high fiber diet 25-30 grams of fiber every day and and drink at least 64 oz. of water every day. If I do these 3 things every day then I have no problems moving my bowels daily and I don't get bloated or have trouble with trapped gas. I hope this helps you.
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to flipfleury For This Useful Post: Cotton head (09-03-2012), redwingnut (09-26-2012)
Thanks Flip for the reply. I have tried those methods unfortunately with no relief. I was thinking the other day...I was so self conscious about my distended abdomen that I constantly suck in. I have been doing this for a long time so I'm hoping that my intestinal muscles have been to use to contracting that they have gotten out of sync. That is just a random thought but something that I haven't heard much about on these boards and it is something that I'm sure most of us dealing with these symptoms finds ourselves doing so that we don't look pregnant (even though I'm a male). This is certainly a motility issue and I can't seem to find any drugs that seem to work or at least work for chronic problems. I take probiotics and fiber but the underlying issue is not fixed because I am constantly backed up so there will constantly be fermentation and an over-growth of unfriendly bacteria in the wrong places. I noticed the bloating is much more severe at my lower abdomen but it really bad throughout. I noticed that this constipation is probably also making me have adult acne, feeling much more lethargic all the time (chronic fatigue) and has made me more depressed. I know being stressed and this can go hand in hand but it's hard to fix one without the other. Any thoughts on these ideas?
Hi Greensboroboy, Curious to know if you've found any relief of your symptoms or have they gotten worse? I too struggled for months with these same symptoms and after several visits to my GI doctor and all the results coming back negative, I decided to do my own research. I have discovered I have SIBO. I have been on a strict but manageable diet.
Last edited by moderator2; 03-17-2013 at 03:33 PM.
Hi Greensboroboy, Curious to know if you've found any relief of your symptoms or have they gotten worse? I too struggled for months with these same symptoms and after several visits to my GI doctor and all the results coming back negative, I decided to do my own research. I have discovered I have SIBO. I have been on a strict but manageable diet.
What is SIBO? I have had all the same symptoms for over 35 years. Nothing I have tried helps except taking Phillips Milk of Magnesia. Then my bloating is relieved for about 2 days before it begins all over again. I even get gas/bloating from a glass of water. I do drink a lot of it but it doesn't seem to help at all. I cannot tolerate any type of fiber since it bloats me beyond belief with terrible gas pains. I was once told to stop dairy products and didn't take any for many years. Now I do eat yogurt every day for the calcium. I wish I could find some type of relief.
Re: Chronic Constipation and Severe Bloating!! 
