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[Ambergirl]

Hi Ladies,

some advice or experience please. I have been having terrible bloating which starts just under my boobs and leaves my stomach feeling really hard. I know I can feel wind but not much is coming out! Probably good for those around me I have always suffered from constipation since I was a child and over the last few years I have taken 2 laxido sachets a day to keep me going but now I seem to be alternating between going just a little and then having rather explosive episodes.
 I had a colonoscopy/endoscopy back in Oct 2016 which were totally normal. I have had all normal blood tests and an ultrasound scan showed all my bits were normal! So, what could it be? I am, like a lot of us ,suffering with health anxiety and it seems that every week another symptom turns up to get me worried, I think that my practice is going to give me a nominated seat! I have a drs appointment on Weds but just wondered if any of you had experienced anything like this and could me give some reassurance.
I honestly feel so sick of myself at the moment and even though my dr gave me some HRT patches I don't want to use them until I know there isn't anything lurking inside.

[Snoooze]

I went through quite a few months of very uncomfortable bloating. My stomach was so uncomfortable it reminded me of when I was heavily pregnant. Bloating is a symptom of peri menopause.

I have been on a health kick for a few weeks now and have experienced no bloating, so not sure if it was related to meno or related to my unhealthy eating habits.

Are you bloated when you wake up in a morning? That's the only thing that should ring alarm bells.

[rebel2]

I am a fellow sufferer.   In the morning my stomach is flat(ish!) and squidgy - by bedtime i'm Six months pregnant and hard as a rock!   I also have funny bladder issues, feeling like something is pressing on my bladder, which again is gone in the morning but severe at bedtime.

Who'd be a middle aged woman?

[Letmein]

hrt has made me bloated like I never knew it was possible, that is under the progesterone. It gets more and more gradual over the day and by the end of the afternoon, I might as well be pregnant, even though by then I will only have consumed about 600 calories. It does get better in the morning. Before hrt, I had a flat stomach I was proud of!

It might be something to consider if you want to try hrt and indeed, maybe try to sort out the issue first?

[Annie0710]

I've had/do still get the severe bloating under the ribs.  I have recently changed my diet and notice when I don't : overload my plate, drink carbonated drinks, eat yogurt I feel so less bloated. 

[Dancinggirl]

Hi and welcome Ambergirl - a change in what and how you eat will make a big difference.  Needless to say, lowering saturated fat, cutting out as much sugar as possible and increasing fibre is important but cutting down on portion size, eating slowly and drinking plenty of water can really help.  I also now take digestive enzymes which I have found helpful as, taken with meals to aid digestion, they do seem to stop a lot of the gas and bloating.   
Drinking enough water is very, very important - cut out fizzy drinks, caffeine and fruit juices.
The menopause does seem to effect the digestive system  - adn not in teh good way!!!!
DG x

[Ambergirl]

Thanks for the replies - it does seem less of a problem in the morning but by the time I have eaten my evening meal my stomach is hard. What digestive enzymes do you take? I know I need to lose weight which might help too. I do drink at least 1 litre and half every day but I think I might try to stay off coffee and foods that tend to bloat. I hope that dr will give me some advice on Wednesday that will actually make me feel better.
I didn't realise how much of a challenge this menopause thing would be and when you add in a stressful job situation, death of MIL last month and the general weirdness of life, it pushes you into anxiety/stress that I wouldn't have believed. I certainly feel a great deal of compassion for all those ladies around me of the same age and it has at least taught me greater tolerance for others.

[Tiddles]

Hi Ambergirl.  Same here and also my extermities - fingers, calves, toes have been ballooning and rock hard by the end of the day from water retention.  My understanding is refined carbs hold water so I've been on a no refined carbs regime for a week and the bloating has gone.  I've also lost 4lbs in weight.  I've been eating:

Breakfast if I'm hungry of a boiled egg, no toast.  If I'm not hungry I skip it.

A small lunch I can take to work eg some brazils and walnuts or some cubes of cheese and olives or a small can of tuna with celery or cream cheese on celery.  I focus on high protein at lunchtime to keep hunger at bay and give me the slow release energy I need at work.

Evening meal of meat or fish or an egg dish with lots of veg or salad, sugar free (ie NOT low fat) dressing. As much as I want of the salad or veg like leeks, cabbage (any colour), peppers, mushrooms, tomatoes, beans, onions, brussells, salad leaves.  I'm limiting really high carb veg so no potatoes, limited root veg.  Also, no rice or pasta.

Blueberries or pomegranate seeds to snack on in the evening.

As much (decaff) tea and coffee with semi skimmed milk as I want throughout the day to keep the calcium up and hunger at bay. I drink a lot of this.

No bread, chocolate, sweets, cakes, buns, crisps etc - ie no beige food which flags refined carbs.  If I get a chocolate craving I plan to have dark chocolate - fewer carbs, some protein.

Hope things improve for you x

[Snoooze]

Hi Amber,
What did your Dr say and how is the bloating?
I commented that mine was a lot better due to a healthy eating regime but it's back again now and I'm still eating healthy, so I'm sure it's probably also down to peri menopause. Frustrating though as I was enjoying my flat stomach!