Extreme bloating/flatulence/cramping I have been battling for 10 years- Any advice appreciated.

[Jaxper]

Good morning folks…

I have a question that I am hoping someone may have some guidance on.

I am a 32 y/o M…I am admittedly significantly overweight (My doctors have told me I need to lose about 30 lbs)…However…these symptoms began when I was much thinner, so I don’t think my weight is the direct cause…

For about 10 years, I have been suffering from what seems like some sort of general gastrointestinal malaise. Basically, approximately twice a month, I will suffer from a bout that last between 1 and 3 days that generally consists of EXTREME bloating, EXTREME flatulence, cramping, and, sometimes, irregular bowel movements. Sometimes it comes in conjunction with constipation…sometimes it comes with significant diarrhea.

The symptoms usually seem at their worst at bedtime…although I don’t know if they are really worse then or just the most obvious…at least once a month, the bloating, flatulence, and cramping is so severe it prevents me from falling asleep…

For a while, a few years ago, this was happening even more often….more days were bad than good…then it sort of faded away almost entirely…now it seems to be back once or twice a month.

However, it seems to go beyond that…I feel like I constantly have gas and cramping…my baseline is mildly cramping…I can count on one hand the number of days a month that I don’t have some measure of gas, bloating, and cramping…its just that I have gotten so used to it, it does not interfere with my ability to sleep and/or function. However, it tends to get worse that 1-2 times a month.

I am fairly certain I am not lactose intolerant as it doesn’t seem to tie specifically to dairy…(one month I took lactaid before every milk-based meal and it didn’t seem to help)….

Another consideration that is probably a separate condition, but worth mentioning…I also have acid reflux…I tend to suffer  from some measure or another of acid in my stomach all of the time…it gets worse when I am constipated from the incidents above…often, backing up into my esophagus and causing EXTREME pain that is usually only relieved with immediate antacid treatment and LOTS of water.

I tend to think, based on my research, that I am suffering from IBS. However, I have spoken to 2 different GIs and both indicated they were “reluctant” to put me on any sort of IBS medication given my age. While I agree that the idea of having to take medication every day isn’t my cup of tea, at this point, I feel like this is significantly impairing my quality of life (and my poor wife’s) and I don’t want to have to live this way any more.

I’d appreciate any insight any of you may be able to provide…I understand that I probably need to go to another GI, and I will…but I wanted to get some feedback here first so I know the right questions to ask once I arrive…

Thank you all so much.

- Jax

[Jaxper]

Thank you for your advice. I'll give it a try.

I was under the impression, however, that Nexium worked primary on the upper GI system? While I have some upper GI problems, the lower GI problems are really the ones that are the most disturbing...do they affect that as well?

[siberianwinter]

I had similar symptoms and tried managing them with dietary changes.  It did not help.  Out of despiration, I started a course of Nexium OTC.  I am on day 4 of treatment and it is helping a lot.  Good  luck!

[Jaxper]

Followup question- I saw some things about Celiac...does this fit my symptoms? I dont think so as it does not seem to be tied to specific foods...

[Jaxper]

To provide some additional context...when i saw "extreme flatulence"...I am talking about lying in bed....literally FEELING my stomach bloating...it almost feels like I am being manually "inflated"...I will release it...and then literally, within seconds I feel it coming again...I will be passing flatulence as much as once a minute when it is at its worst....