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Distention abdomen
I have been dealing with a distended abdomen and my left side has a big lump. It’s almost a year in 10 days I’ve been in & out of hospitals, my test come back that every result is good.
I’m 58 an I look like I’m having twins. Had gallbladder removed it was inflamed, I was told from a pic I sent to GI I have SIBO but I took meds and nothing is helping me I’m very upset my clothes i can’t wear an I don’t want anyone to see me and I haven’t eaten solid food since Nov.9th post op gallbladder removed I gained 8 pounds I’m carrying fluid but not 1 GI doc or Professors of GI knows what is wrong with me my life I don’t have one at all I been on all meds so many endoscopy, colonoscopy I’m so sad I can’t live like this anymore. No one knows how to help me and I haven’t been diagnosed in almost a year!
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Well seen a new GI yesterday a woman and I asked about my distended abdomen and she examined me seen how I couldn’t breathe bc my ribs are pushing against my diaphragm and she said I can be like that 4 rest of my life and at times there are no answers and seen how my body is full of fluid she didn’t care So I said maybe I have adhesion or Ascites I would really like to start all over again bc I’m still not diagnosed and 5/17/23 was 1 yr and it hasn’t went down, had my gallbladder out on 12/23/22 and I said my clothes I can’t wear I started crying so she suggested I see a therapist and her assistant told me to go shopping it may make me feel better if I by bigger size. I was caught off guard bc I’m known for my mouth I go right back at anyone, I’m extremely upset I cried at middle of appt drive home and all last night and i truly don’t know what nxt move is. So I truly hope it was going to be a great visit and she was willing to help me but she said no. I said I know you can scope me take fluid from small/ large intestines and see what is going on but she wasn’t willing to take it on. I didn’t know or if it is true a distention can stay forever and at 58 I look 6 months pregnant and my answer was buy bigger size clothing
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1 ReactionSo sorry to hear you got such an unsatisfactory answer. I suggest you see a hepatologist. Have you had your blood tested for liver function? Best of luck to you.
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1 ReactionI am 71 years old and have had the same problem, a distended abdomen. I have also been told to lose weight and exercise. I have been told I have Irritable Bowel symptoms so I take extra fiber supplements. I did have a Nissen Fundoplication procedure done in 2018 and have considered that possibly my distended abdomen began after that procedure, but who knows. My daughter who is 38 has had the same issue for several years. She also has gastro issues and distended abdomen. Her liver and pancreas are mildly inflamed. Currently she is seeing only her Internal Medicine physician for this issue. They have been quick to do lots of testing, MRIs, CT scans, and X-rays, blood work. Still waiting on all of the results. Thankfully, my daughter's doctor is aggressively trying to find the problem and treat it. I am saying all of this because I understand your frustration, embarrassment, and weariness that no one seems to be helping you get answers to your issue. You are not alone.
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1 ReactionHi! I’m so sorry that you’re suffering right now. I’m wondering if you have adhesions that have developed from your previous gallbladder surgery. I have had 10 abdominal and pelvic surgeries and I’m so full of adhesions and in constant pain. My abdomen also becomes super distended pretty much all the time and I look like 6 months pregnant. It’s awful. Adhesions are generally only seen during surgery and surgery is also what causes them so it sucks. I’m really sorry. Adhesions are awful
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3 ReactionsI have had a distended abdomen for years. My CT scans show a fatty liver. Don't know if that's the cause or not. My liver function bloodwork is normal. I don't have any pain, so I just live with a big abdomen. Doctor doesn't know if it's from fatty liver or not. Louise Harper
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1 Reaction@phillybomber I can relate to your problem and feel as frustrated as you at doctors’ insensitivity. I too have had a distended abdomen for many years, and dismissed by every doctor and specialist I have seen, but my distension is in my right side, just above my hip. I have no waist to speak of, so this bulge sits between my rib and hip, on my right side. No doctor can explain what is causing this and each doctor has just waved me away. It looks and feels like a hernia without pain, though sometimes it does feel uncomfortable. This bulge seems to get bigger toward the end of the day.
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2 ReactionsDoctors who dismiss any of you are heartless. We tend to put doctors on pedestals. They are just humans who may not always come to work as their best selves plus maybe they weren’t the A+ students.
A friend of mine had a distended abdomen. There’s a book called Gluten Belly. She omitted gluten gluten and gradually lost her belly. My doctor spoke in length how bad gluten is for everyone.
There’s a great article about wheat that compares US wheat products to European wheat. There’s red wheat and white wheat. I’m gluten intolerant but when I go to Europe, I eat everything without consequence. Europeans who visit the US complain about stomach issues. Here’s the article:
European Wheat vs. American Wheat: What’s the Gut’s Reading? by Pedram Shojai.
Best to all of you. The answers are not easy to find but don’t give up.
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3 ReactionsI see many people here share your situation and I am one of them. You have my sympathy and share your frustration.
Each Kaiser doctor has their own take on my distended belly - or simply changes the subject when I ask for help.
The gastroenterologist says an x-ray showed feces in my colon which means constipation which means I should take Motegrity. I think this is very unlikely as I understand a high fiber diet (like mine) with constant passage of feces through the colon is often misdiagnosed as "constipation". My internist says I should see a functional doctor - out of plan and out of my financial reach. The pulmonologist says it could be my intestines that are forced up and out due to my severe kyphosis from multiple spinal compression fractures that has me very bent over.
On my own, I have gone to thrift stores for larger size blouses and used decorative scarves in a attempt to disguise my misshapen body so I am less embarrassed when I am outside. Issues you didn't mention were pain - good you don't have it other than the pain of having your body change in an undesired way.
Also a persistent yeast infection caused by the distension creating a warm, moist home under my breast barely reduce by 2/day Nystatin powder.
I plan to try eliminating the gluten in my diet to see what effect it has - challenging for a ww bread, cracker and pasta eater. Also, I may ask for a second GI opinion. Your description of your situation has helped me focus on my own distended belly, unfortunately mostly ignored due to my other health issues.
@ rashida mine is on my left exactly same spot as you say yours is, I have to lay on my left side on heating pad 24/7 an I don’t have major pain but I have like one doctor said it’s called a nulling pain, I said it’s like someone with there thumb is constantly pressing on it, but in all actuality 1 year not 1 doctor cares about this oblong lump at first there was 3 now I’m down to 1 only break I’ve had in one year. Last summer I couldn’t leave my house I was so distended and so sick and I swore after my gallbladder surgery in December I was going to be back to myself, lastnight I felt so sick and I felt so sad I cried myself to sleep just trying to think why did this happen, why doesn’t any doctor truly care Oh that’s another issue doctors always say to me well you went to all specialist so there like try them out again. I’m so so sad I don’t know what my next move is.
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2 ReactionsYes I did see kidney disease, Rhumotologist, Urologist
Cardiologist
3 Gastro docs and my test results come out good but since May 17th 2022 I have been flagged/ Abnormal High/ Low on every blood test stool test MRE OF MY INTESTINES and what I noticed I seen a Professor @ Temple Digestive Disease Center Dr.Parkman from Philadelphia and he has written books and is very knowledgeable an he is part of Mayo Clinic in Florida. Every GI Doc that sees his name they say PARKMAN ??? I say yes it took me 6 months to get appt, my first time was in January and he said I want to see you in May but since Jan he was booked till 2024 but I’m on the PRIORITY CANCELLATION LIST , So they say an I haven’t got a call yet. He said I have SIBO but I haven’t had a test to confirm that or Gastroparisis I been waiting to take that test also so I’m distended, my ribs are pushing against my diaphragm and I can’t breathe but in Philadelphia every GI doc/ specialist doesn’t care at all. The medical system is absolutely awful and disgusting totally not acceptable to me.
All I know I can not get anymore CT scan with contrast bc I have to much radiation in me. I said OH GREAT NOW I HAVE RADIATION IN ME ANOTHER PROBLEM.
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