[snapper1]

I'm having real trouble with bloating lately, I've always been a bloater after large meals etc as I'm quite skinny naturally however over the past couple of months I find that by the time I go to bed I look as if I should be 5 months pregnant. It tends to 'deflate' overnight, but it's still the worst I've ever had it.

Are there certain foods I should steer clear of? I do need to improve my diet and cut out the sweets etc, but some of my friends eat similarly and don't bloat nowhere near as much as I do!

It makes me really paranoid, particularly the thought of being in a bikini soon. I've been working out more lately in the hope that'll somehow shift it with no luck.

Any advice?

[Natasha1994]

I was having this problem, and it seemed I had IBS, so I went on the Fodmap diet, cut gluten and dairy out of my diet and now I'm fine maybe google that?

[snapper1]

(Original post by Natasha1994)
I was having this problem, and it seemed I had IBS, so I went on the Fodmap diet, cut gluten and dairy out of my diet and now I'm fine maybe google that?

Oh cool, thanks very much will look into it

[Mockery]

Lactose Intolerant?

[other one]

(Original post by snapper1)
I'm having real trouble with bloating lately, I've always been a bloater after large meals etc as I'm quite skinny naturally however over the past couple of months I find that by the time I go to bed I look as if I should be 5 months pregnant. It tends to 'deflate' overnight, but it's still the worst I've ever had it.

Are there certain foods I should steer clear of? I do need to improve my diet and cut out the sweets etc, but some of my friends eat similarly and don't bloat nowhere near as much as I do!

It makes me really paranoid, particularly the thought of being in a bikini soon. I've been working out more lately in the hope that'll somehow shift it with no luck.

Any advice?

I don't think sweets would bloat you, it's usually certain carbs.

As the poster above v wisely advised, go on the FODMAP diet:
http://www.todaysdietitian.com/newar...72710p30.shtml

and see whether your symptoms improve. if they don't, you may have an even more serious case of IBS, in which case there's four more stricter and harder rules to apply. if you do have it, message me,as I have it and live with it and know the ins and outs of IBS. if you have no diarrhoea/constipation problems it is unlikely that you'd have a serious case of IBS though.

[Natasha1994]

Also, if you are trying the Fodmap diet, remember that you may not be able to tolerate all of the foods on it. For example, some people can't tolerate oats, so no porridge, and make sure you check the ingredients on gluten free foods to ensure they don't contain oats/oat flour. To see if you can tolerate oats, eat them on a day when you eat food you're fine with and see how you feel.

Again with cutting out dairy, I now have the very good Lactose Free range, which is available in most big supermarkets, and sells milk, yoghurt, marge and cheese, which tastes better than soya!

[pineapple_thorns]

Are you retaining water? I always seem to look incredibly bloated when I don't drink enough water.

[other one]

(Original post by Natasha1994)
Also, if you are trying the Fodmap diet, remember that you may not be able to tolerate all of the foods on it. For example, some people can't tolerate oats, so no porridge, and make sure you check the ingredients on gluten free foods to ensure they don't contain oats/oat flour. To see if you can tolerate oats, eat them on a day when you eat food you're fine with and see how you feel.

Again with cutting out dairy, I now have the very good Lactose Free range, which is available in most big supermarkets, and sells milk, yoghurt, marge and cheese, which tastes better than soya!

Only v few people can't tolerate oats. (unless oats are contaminated with wheat and you are esp sensitive to fructans, oats really help a lot with IBS. if they cause bloating that is because they are v high in fibre (both soluble and insoluble, but soluble fibre is key to managing more serious cases of IBS). too much fibre may bloat a lot of people anyway, esp if you are not used to it. by slowly increasing fibre intake you can tolerate more and more .)

Lactofree is a great range indeed, but the OP may find that it's not just the lactose that's problematic but also casein and whey for more serious cases of IBS (like mine and perhaps hers). soya milk may also be a no-no. almond milk seems fine (as long as you bear in mind the high fat content - another trigger for serious IBS), but the safest is rice milk.

[Yung Mon£y]

Probably wheat and/or dairy.

[exe]

if you eat a lot of carbs, especially late at night you're gonna get bloated as hell

[colef001]

IBS or a gluten/dairy intolerance etc.

In either case, try and identify which foods are "trigger foods", avoid them and see if there is any improvement.

[HFerguson]

it's either lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance, IBS or large carb-heavy meals that are bloating you

Any other symptoms OP, like diarrhoea? See your GP

[flying plum]

It could also be other thins than the usual suspects of gluten or Lacoste. A friend of mine was convince she had a gluten intolerance, and for years avoided bread etc. mshe finally got referred to a dietician, who put her on a v thorough elimination diet and it transpired to be onions...

[Johnmatthews]

Yes, I agree that could be the problem. It may simple be due to your diet. I would advise that you attempt to sustain a balanced diet for a couple of weeks and see how that goes.

[jazzykinks]

(Original post by snapper1)

Any advice?

Could you write out a typical day's worth of what you would eat? Would help narrow it down.

[xoxAngel_Kxox]

Make a food diary of what you're eating, and exactly when you start to feel bloated. I would also recommend that in general you're drinking plenty of water throughout the day and eating slowly ie not shovelling your food down.