Constant digestive issues: bloating, burping, gas after every meal

Posted by jack10525 @jack10525, Apr 23 5:12am

I’ve been having worsening digestive issues for about 7 years now. I am a 56 year old male in otherwise good health. My symptoms include bloating, burping, gas after every meal. The bloating also causes pretty bad shortness of breath. I try to eat smaller meals but then get hungry again and eat more. I still have bloating when I go to bed and wake everyday burping. My diet seems pretty healthy but I am not big into vegetables. May diet consists of lean turkey, chicken, eggs, cheese, rice, potato’s, bread, green beans, corn, peas, black beans and salad. I do also have fast food once in a while. Maybe once every 2 weeks. I also have mild to moderate constipation. I take fiber supplements often which does help. I have been to gi and they suggested I try the fod map diet and digested enzymes. I tried the enzymes with no success. I am having trouble understanding the fod map diet. Is there a book that will give me an exact list of food daily?

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gloria811 | @gloria811 | Apr 27 9:52am

It does sound like you have SIBO. I also have had all of the above symptoms that you had, for many, many years. Last year I had a UTI, which occurred the day before my scheduled colonoscopy. My PCP put me on a course of Ciprofloxacin (Cipro) and I had the colonoscopy the following day.
While my symptoms are definitely much better, I still have to follow a low FODMAP diet and have to be careful of my key triggers, like onions & garlic, in addition to other culprits, which include numerous delicious, normally healthy foods. I downloaded the Monash FODMAP App, but you can go onto their site for additional information. I receive their emails with diet tips and recipes that are helpful. Everyone is different which includes different symptoms and foods that they have to avoid. I take Align which has a probiotic in it that it says is helpful for IBS. It is not a miracle that will cure you and it may or may not be helping me. Also, I do now eat a VERY varied diet which includes almost all vegetables but in small quantities with some good success.
I listen to and follow a cardiologist, Dr Pradip Jamnadas on You Tube (located in Orlando, Florida) who mentions inflammation from metabolic dysfunction as the cause of disease. As a cardiologist he often does stool tests on his patients who have similar symptoms in addition to addressing their cardiac issues. He puts his patients on herbal protocols for those who test positive for SIBO. The digestive symptoms abate and he treats whatever cardiac issues they are there for. When necessary, he puts his patients on intermittent fasting.
I also follow Dr. William Li on You Tube, who wrote a two (?) books and a 3rd one is in the works, called Eat to Beat Disease and Eat to Beat Diet. He is a medical doctor, a researcher on various diseases and an excellent teacher. The reason I mention him is b/c he often has very helpful tips on different foods for different conditions.
Good luck, I hope you find success in living a more manageable and satisfying life!

blessedwildapplegirl | @blessedwildapplegirl | Apr 27 3:40pm

In reply to @kb2014 "Can anyone tell me if aloe vera juice or supplements can be helpful with IBS?" + (show)

I would love to know the answer to that also. My doctor recommended it, but I’m allergic to many things and am always worried about trying something new. You be the guinea pig, ha. Good luck.

Lisa Lucier, Moderator | @lisalucier | Apr 28 11:22pm

In reply to @kb2014 "Can anyone tell me if aloe vera juice or supplements can be helpful with IBS?" + (show)

@kb2014 - just wanted to encourage you to start a new discussion in the Digestive Health support group https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/digestive-gastrointestinal-problems/ asking this question on aloe vera juice or supplements for IBS.