My stomach is round and bloated, and it makes me look pregnant

Hi Elaine, the first thing that I can think of is that Boost has lots of other artificial ingredients in it that could be irritating to your system. I recently found an app to put on my phone that is very comprehensive about foods and food additives to avoid. I've been off of dairy and gluten and yet I learned that there were numerous additives to some of the "approved" foods that I was still eating. You might want to have a look at it, it's called "Gluten Free Diet." I hope this helps.

Harmonyin has a good point. Boost would be especially bad if you have fructose malabsorption, because it has sugar(s) in it. So does Ensure. Have you tried plain chicken broth made from scratch? Best, Lelia

Hi Beanglow, manufacturers are putting stuff in our food we know nothing about. They hire large expensive lobby groups for protection and put crap in our food that is killing us.We have no idea that they are doing this. READ THE INGREDIENTS! If it's something you don't know - Skip it and move on to pure and simple ingredients. It's important. We are slowly being killed by our diet. They put all kinds of stuff in our food like the pink crap they fill ground beef at Wal-Mart. A worker at Wal-Mart told me that one. We can't trust most manufacturers. Everybody wants us sick. That way the Pharma Companies make more money . Don't even get me started. Our government is corrupt and we are suffering because of it.

Beanglow, CROSS CONTAMINATION! Happens all the time. Have you been tested? I eat no gluten, milk, or soy. My test came back and that's all I was allergic to and I was pleasantly surprised. My pecans and almonds have to be soaked overnight for a smoothie in the morning. I have to eat mushy veggies because my gut is wounded like a bullet-riddled Marine Warrior. I bleed inside my gut. I have to heal and healing takes place by eating the proper Caveman's Diet. I have a book on Celiac, the mother who started it., It's limited in what I can eat. But I also have Microscopic Colitis. I don't care, I can't live in the bathroom and wear Depends all the time. I am sick of this life I am healing but as an adult it takes time, longer than if you were a tot. If you want the name of the book, give me a note. You have to order it on Amazon. Dorothy

@oakbourne - I had microscopic colitis too. Bad disease- couldn’t be more than 10 feet away from bathroom. However, when first diagnosed I was given immunosuppressive rx and it healed. I was warned it might come back, and it did in a different form, involving entire GI tract on and off for many years until I took immunosuppressive rx again for several months. It’s been 3 years now without recurrence.
My daughter has celiac and multiple food allergies, suddenly. Depressing.

Hello @faithful55
I’m sorry to hear your having these problems. I’ve slso started a chat “exhausted with digestive issues”. I’ve had many surgeries and issues. Lots of SBO due to scar tissue. This last one has myself and my doctors stumped. I have been severely bloated and my stomach is bruising (didn’t know that was a thing) nothing is working. I’ve started Physical Therapy for PFD and massage to get my insides moving to help with the bloating. I’ve had all the laxatives, I barely eat, constantly in pain and uncomfortable. Have you ever thought of acupuncture Or anything like that? I have tests the rest of this month and then I’m looking for “ alternative healing methods” I’m willing to try anything and it can’t hurt. I’ll let you know if the acupuncture helps at all. It’s one thing walking around with a big belly when I was pregnant, now it’s just wrong and painful.
Good luck to you 😊

@faithful55 You may want to look at myofascial release which can loosen restrictions that might be impinging on m your GI tract. I can also have an irritated colon if my pelvis is out of what because the hips bones (illeum) can move and squeeze inward. My physical therapist straightens me out and it is resolved. See this discussion for information on MFR https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myofascial-release-therapy-mfr-for-treating-compression-and-pain/

Hi astaingegerdm. I have decided against all drugs. They wanted to give me steroids for MC.No steroids. It eats your bones and causes cataracts. I took the Pepto Bismol route - 8-10 tabs per day and when I got up during the night, I was falling. I was losing my balance. I got off Pepto Bismol and the balance problem ceased. I know the researcher who stated Pepto was the way to go, but not for me. I think it's not recommended for MC, now. I am Diet all the way and it has helped. I am slowly healing. Microscopic Disease is a nasty monster. It makes your mind go off the rails. You can't think. You are fatigued, irritable and depressed. You live in the bathroom and wear Depends. Sometimes it's so bad with watery Diarrhea, the diaper leaks through. I went to ASPEN DENTAL for a toothache. They told me I had 15 cavities. They tried to sell me their electric tooth brush, mouthwash, floss and toothpaste. It's a Money Game and with Aspen Dental, I knew everything about them was a lie. They are a corporate dental chain run by rich men in NYC, who aren't dentists. I started crying and watery diarrhea was running down my leg. They marched me out of the building like a criminal. They are a money-grubbing chain and I was a mess. My car was filthy from the D. All they care about is your money. They should be shut down. I went to another dentist and he said you have three cavities and a filling coming out. I brush three times per day and floss twice! I hate anything corporate in the medical field. If you need a support group, check out MC and wonderful Wayne Persky runs the site and can help. He knows so much and the people on board tell their stories of what works and doesn't work. I love the site. Good luck with this monster.

@oakbourne
I agree that drugs to heal you can also kill you. My first colitis treatment was methotrexate. Had taken that poison already when I was getting chemo for breast cancer.
Some years later I took Imuran for 7 months. Remission. However, had several bad infections.
Do you ever drink pedialyte or other hydration fluid with diarrhea? Helps electrolyte balance.

No, I usually stick to my all meat, super soft veggies, no soy, no gluten and fruit diet. I am a Type 1 diabetic who runs low on the blood sugar scale, so I indulge in diabetic pumpkin pie for breakfast and snacks. Everythinhg has to be soft. I cheated and had pecans not soaked and potato chips, and I suffered. Watery diarrhea which is the forefront of Microscopic Colitis. I need lots of protein for healing my gut. Right now, my gut feels like an ocean in a rough storm. Gurgle Gurgle Gurgle. I'll do anything not to get sick and heal. I would have to check the ingredients with Pedialyte for hydration. I mostly drink pear juice for hydration because it's not a citric acid that irritates my gut. Orange juice makes my gut hurt. NO CITRUS! I don't trust most food manufacturers. They pay billions for protection. Not to be trusted. "Breaking the Vicious Cycle" gives you the legal and illegal foods to consume. This is written by a world famous PhD who wanted to help her sick daughter back in the 1950s or 1960s. She's the guru of Celiac Disease and other inflammatory diseases. Hope this helps.I drink pear juice, water or tea for hydration. No artificial anything. No dyes! Check and double check the ingredients and if you don't know em, trash the item and get simple ingredients you know. Dorothy