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"Question For the last four months, I have been feeling bloated for approximately half an hour after eating.  At first I thought it was from eating bread, so I gave it up and for a while it seemed to work, but then it started again and now it seems to happen when I eat anything (even salad).  Sometimes I get so bloated that I could actually pass as being pregnant and I get really uncomfortable because my clothes become really tight and it makes me feel tired, etc.  I have also noticed that I have more wind than normal especially at night-time when I am asleep, which is very embarrassing!  I am a vegetarian and have been for the last 12 years, so I eat lots of fruit, vegetables, pasta and I now eat rice cakes rather than bread.  I don&amp;#039;t drink tea or coffee, I only drink water. I have recently asked for advice from my doctor about this, but she wasn&amp;#039;t helpful at all and didn&amp;#039;t think it was serious.  All I know is that I have never been like this before and I have tried to think whether or not I have changed anything to make this happen, but I can&amp;#039;t pinpoint anything.  In the past I have tried peppermint capsules, but there were no changes.  I have started to take Yakult on a daily basis to see if this works, but only started this week so I haven&amp;#039;t seen any changes as yet. Answer There could be a number of causes of this, but the most likely are coeliac disease, which is caused by a sensitivity to gluten, which is found in many bread and cereal based foods, or to irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).  Coeliac disease can be diagnosed by a blood test (for something called endomysial antibodies) and examining the bowel lining, and is treated by avoiding all gluten.  You cannot really make this diagnosis or treat it on your own. IBS is a diagnosis of exclusion, that is after all other possible causes have been considered for abdominal pain with negative results, then if the pattern of symptoms is typical, irritable bowel syndrome (or IBS) is the likely diagnosis.  This is because there is no specific reliable test for IBS. It is the history of the complaint that points to the diagnosis. My personal impression is that this a condition of busy people from their mid-twenties to fifties.  The exact cause of the condition is debated, but the discomfort and bloating is probably from spasm in the bowel, which holds things up and allows gas to accumulate.  Several other factors play a part. Treatment is also variable, but it does need sympathy and understanding. Some people find that stress makes their symptoms worse, and so trying to reduce stress can be helpful.  Some women find it is worse at certain times of their menstrual cycle. Sometimes certain foods (like dairy products) seem to make matters worse, and avoiding them can help.  Constipation and diarrhoea can both occur with IBS. Treating the constipation with bulking agents and high fibre foods can help this, but some patients find they just makes them feel more bloated and uncomfortable.  Drugs used are usually antispasmodics, and common ones prescribed are mebeverine (Colofac is one brand), dicyclomine, peppermint oil, (which you have already tried) and alverine (Spasmonal). These can all help to varying degrees.  It is difficult for a doctor on an initial consultation to necessarily understand the degree of problems a patient has, and GPs see many patients with minor and temporary bowel disturbances that go away on their own, so a &amp;#039;wait and see&amp;#039; approach is often adopted initially.  But this has been going on for four months now, so I think you would be entirely justified in going back again and explaining that things are not getting any better, and make sure the doctor understands the degree of stress it is causing you.  I would hope then that some basic investigations would be done, and if the symptoms persist, perhaps referral to a gastroenterologist would be necessary. Yours sincerely The NetDoctor Medical Team  Other Qs &amp;amp;amp; As Feeling bloated with cramping pains in my stomach I feel very bloated every time I eat My stomach blows up every time I eat My stomach is so bloated I look pregnant My stomach swells up My young son is burping a lot Stomach distension Swollen tummy What foods contribute to my stomach bloating?  Last updated 18.01.2015 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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