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My stomach is round and bloated, and it makes me look pregnant
I have been having problems with my stomach for quite a while now.
My stomach is always round and bloated ,as if i am pregnant.
I have pain most days and have severe cramps and vaginal muscle cramps/contractions during my period. I also bleed a lot.
I eat healthy,take multivitamins and drink water and no sodas or fruit drinks just fruits and veggies. I know most people have flatter stomachs even those who don't eat as well as me.
I have done research and have come to some conclusions that could fit. I think i might have a uterine fibroid or cyst,something that is making my stomach big.
I also have ugly stretchmarks even though i have never been pregnant and am not pregnant,but at times it looks like it.
If anyone has anything similar or knows anything,i would really appreciate the feedback.
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Hello @schnoz and welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. You are not alone in what you are experiencing. I found an existing discussion where members have been sharing similar experiences so you will notice I've move your post here.
Members like @keetafox @clutch @njh and @ken82 may be able to come in and share more with you. You can also click on the "View and Reply" button and read through what they've already shared.
Have you thought of keeping a food journal to help identify trends with foods that may flare symptoms? What about also looking into gut health practices?
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2 ReactionsHas anyone suggested IBS?
I look forward to hearing from @keetafox, @clutch, @njh and @ken82 because my situation is somewhat similar to Schnoz' - very thin, can't gain weight, and very bloated and uncomfortable. Unlike Schnoz, I am an elderly female with height loss due to serious scoliosis and kyphosis that impacts my lungs and other organs in addition to the bloat's effects.
Hi Notmoff
So sorry for your situation it sounds like you have had a small intestine bacterial infection those are so hard to get rid of I have one as well when I was at my wits end I turned to integrative medicine as I couldn’t find any help anywhere there are different stool tests that they can run that might help determine if there are other things at play there including parasites and fungi and they may be able to give you some supplements that can ease some of the gastrointestinal symptoms unfortunately none of that is covered by insurance but I do find they spend more time trying to find recalls than traditional medicine I know that’s not a lot but I wish you all the best
Thank you @keetafox - I hope you can give me a little more information. It is good to hear that apparently your infection is gone thanks to guidance and supplements from integrative medicine. Was yours called SIBO? Did you keep a food diary (as suggested by Amanda) to help discover and eliminate the foods that made it worse? Did you find any book or website particularly helpful?
Parasites? Fungus? Yipes!
Kidding aside, I wonder if I am beyond help as it has continued for several years and only gotten worse. With daily gi issues (obstipation and noisy gas), life is much more of challenge.
@notmoff ,
What have you tried so far for constipation and/or nausea? I may can recommend something for those symptoms.
@clutch - Thanks for the offer. Can you tell me a little about yourself and your experience with this issue? I attribute mine to a family history of constipation and a redundant/tortuous colon (maybe related).
Constipation:
Tried but not particularly helpful - Naturade stool softener laxative, Lactulose (which I found nauseating), Docusate Sodium.
Currently use - Increased water consumption ("float the logs"), high fiber diet from whole plant foods, dried figs or prunes daily , prn use of Miralax (about 3/mo) or Smoothe Move (a Traditional Medicinals tea of senna about 1/month), as health and weather permit - walking as fast as I can 30-40 minutes/day (including stairs) to get my intestines "activated", my uneducated abdominal massage, manually "pulsing" south east of my anus and the dreaded manual extraction (1 year). Very important is keeping a stool shape/frequency diary to take proactive action before things become overwhelming.
I don't get much nausea - when it is felt, it is invariably followed within a few hours by a very satisfying enormous (8-10" long) stool that causes brief jabs of pain as it pushes thru the tortuous colon.
Most of the time, my belly feels "quivery". Sometimes the feeling moves elsewhere, adding to feeling like a shaky old lady.
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2 ReactionsI had the same symptoms & GI suggested a gastric emptying test. It takes about 4 hrs to see how long food takes to be emptied. I was diagnosed with gastroparesis & lactose intolerant. A completely different way of eating has helped some….. Wouldn’t wish this diagnosis on anyone…. Prayers For answers & solutions… 🙏❤️
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4 ReactionsI also have an enlarged area where my belly is at. I have had a complete hysterectomy. I no longer suffer from monthly periods. If you find out what is going on, please post.
My experience with fibroid tumors was lots of bleeding but once tumors were removed that issue was resolved.
Non alcoholic fatty liver disease also runs in my family which makes me look as if I am pregnant.