Hi there- I feel the same way; I also have distention, along with early satiety and stomach cramping, with completely normal testing, and I’m fed up with not being provided with strategies. I understand “functional” GI disorders aren’t life-threatening and don’t produce an abnormal test, but it can still have a really negative effect on quality of life.

I don’t know if this would help or make things worse because it would raise more questions, but you may want to look into abdomino-phrenic dyssynergia. After I was told about it, I found a book called, “The Bloated Belly Whisperer.” It’s a cheesy name, but it’s by a GI dietician who specializes in you guessed it—bloating. She created the book because she found bloating/distention were persistent symptoms patients were coming in with but not getting much relief. It might be helpful as a starting point to for a conversation with your doctor, and it introduces some strategies for various conditions.

I just wanted to share that in case it helps, and to say you’re not the only one. It’s beyond frustrating.

In this condition, the diaphragm contracts instead of expanding to accommodate what you consume, leading to distention. But there’s not much research or many providers aware of it. Treatment options are learning different breathing techniques, pelvic floor PT, GI psychology or gut-directed hypnotherapy, or low doses of neuromodulators (i.e. SSRIs or antidepressants). There is a gut-directed hypnotherapy app you could get on your own, called Nerva.

Jump to this post