Constant hunger, bloating...help!

[AH11201]

Hi everyone,
This is probably going to be a hard question to answer, but I figured I'd throw it out there for anyone who might be able to help. For me the most annoying thing by far about CF isn't the daily treatments or taking enzymes (or the consequences of not taking them) but the constant bloating that seems to happen no matter what I do or eat. Every day feels like a battle against myself, and whether or not I bloat is the major determinant of my self-confidence and desire to be social on any given day. However, I have learned to accept it to a certain extent and in the last few years I've definitely gotten better at controlling it.
The problem is that over the summer I had to start taking birth control pills due to abnormally low hormone levels, and at that time I noticed a huge increase in my appetite (by the way, I've never had trouble putting on / maintaining weight, so I don't need a ton of extra calories). It's come in cycles ever since, but hasn't completely gone away. This past week, though, has been really bad--constant hunger no matter how much I eat, and, as a result, horribly uncomfortable bloating.
I know it's a long shot, but has anyone else experienced something like this? I eat very well, take a probiotic, drink fennel tea regularly, and take Gas X and sometimes Bean-O when bloating's a problem, but nothing has been working in the last week. Any other advice or tips? And for women on the BCP, did you experience weird appetite / hormonal changes? I've stopped taking it now so I'm going to wait and see what happens, but in the mean time this is miserable!

 

[AH11201]

Hi everyone,
This is probably going to be a hard question to answer, but I figured I'd throw it out there for anyone who might be able to help. For me the most annoying thing by far about CF isn't the daily treatments or taking enzymes (or the consequences of not taking them) but the constant bloating that seems to happen no matter what I do or eat. Every day feels like a battle against myself, and whether or not I bloat is the major determinant of my self-confidence and desire to be social on any given day. However, I have learned to accept it to a certain extent and in the last few years I've definitely gotten better at controlling it.
The problem is that over the summer I had to start taking birth control pills due to abnormally low hormone levels, and at that time I noticed a huge increase in my appetite (by the way, I've never had trouble putting on / maintaining weight, so I don't need a ton of extra calories). It's come in cycles ever since, but hasn't completely gone away. This past week, though, has been really bad--constant hunger no matter how much I eat, and, as a result, horribly uncomfortable bloating.
I know it's a long shot, but has anyone else experienced something like this? I eat very well, take a probiotic, drink fennel tea regularly, and take Gas X and sometimes Bean-O when bloating's a problem, but nothing has been working in the last week. Any other advice or tips? And for women on the BCP, did you experience weird appetite / hormonal changes? I've stopped taking it now so I'm going to wait and see what happens, but in the mean time this is miserable!

 

[Keepercjr]

HI there. Have you considered giving up grains (especially wheat) to see if that helps your bloating? I never noticed a problem with bloating till after I had my daughter but I just chalked it up to CF. I had DAILY bloating, getting worse as the day wore on to where I had to unbutton my pants. I gave up wheat and like magic the bloating is gone. I now notice the almost immediate bloating when I consume wheat. It will also help your hunger since you won't be getting the blood sugar crashes which lead to major hunger. I know it sounds really tough but it isn't that hard. Give yourself a week and see if you notice any changes.

I haven't taken BC since 2004 so I can't comment on that aspect.

 

[Keepercjr]

HI there. Have you considered giving up grains (especially wheat) to see if that helps your bloating? I never noticed a problem with bloating till after I had my daughter but I just chalked it up to CF. I had DAILY bloating, getting worse as the day wore on to where I had to unbutton my pants. I gave up wheat and like magic the bloating is gone. I now notice the almost immediate bloating when I consume wheat. It will also help your hunger since you won't be getting the blood sugar crashes which lead to major hunger. I know it sounds really tough but it isn't that hard. Give yourself a week and see if you notice any changes.

I haven't taken BC since 2004 so I can't comment on that aspect.

 

[AH11201]

Thanks so much for your advice, but I actually have given up wheat--and, for that matter, all grains and most legumes. I never ate grains much so it wasn't that hard, but I started doing it seriously (trying to follow Mark Sisson's The Primal Blueprint) a couple of months ago and I haven't noticed a difference in the bloating. I also cut out dairy for a few weeks over the summer, to no avail. I don't drink soda or eat any junk food at all really--the only real dessert I have is the organic dark chocolate I keep on hand in case I get any cravings (really good with almond butter, by the way!)

 

[AH11201]

Thanks so much for your advice, but I actually have given up wheat--and, for that matter, all grains and most legumes. I never ate grains much so it wasn't that hard, but I started doing it seriously (trying to follow Mark Sisson's The Primal Blueprint) a couple of months ago and I haven't noticed a difference in the bloating. I also cut out dairy for a few weeks over the summer, to no avail. I don't drink soda or eat any junk food at all really--the only real dessert I have is the organic dark chocolate I keep on hand in case I get any cravings (really good with almond butter, by the way!)

 

[Keepercjr]

Ah well you are def on the right track then! I love Mark Sisson <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> I'll have to try the dark chocolate w/ almond butter. I want to try it w/ coconut oil (right now I just eat the coconut oil out of the jar). We have been trying lots of different brands lately and some are much better than others.

I'm sorry that you are so bloated.... I know how that feels. I hope you can find the answer soon.

 

[Keepercjr]

Ah well you are def on the right track then! I love Mark Sisson <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> I'll have to try the dark chocolate w/ almond butter. I want to try it w/ coconut oil (right now I just eat the coconut oil out of the jar). We have been trying lots of different brands lately and some are much better than others.

I'm sorry that you are so bloated.... I know how that feels. I hope you can find the answer soon.

 

[Havoc]

Perhaps it's simply an enzyme issue. How pancreatic insufficient are you? Did you notice an change in stools around the same time?

 

[Havoc]

Perhaps it's simply an enzyme issue. How pancreatic insufficient are you? Did you notice an change in stools around the same time?

 

[Printer]

There is something called "Bacterical Overgrowth". This will cause bloating and gas but not an increase in appetite, (that I'm aware of). This requires a 7 day antibiodic treatment(.

Bill

 

[Printer]

There is something called "Bacterical Overgrowth". This will cause bloating and gas but not an increase in appetite, (that I'm aware of). This requires a 7 day antibiodic treatment(.

Bill

 

[Cesco]

I felt so unpleased with that as well. So I tryed to rearrange drastically my diet. When I talked to my nutrition doctor about me taking away dairies and wheat from my diet he said I should also consider taking away corn and fibers. He said that fibers, more than anything, go slowly down our intestines and can block up. And about that, personally I had a couple of blockages, one with corn (which seems to be even worse than wheat), and the other with spinachs (fibers).

Now I only eat whole rice, chicken and soy yogurts, and I take some probiotics, and the bloating is almost gone. I still feel uncomfortable sometimes but I guess it is just random... and anyway there isn't anything else I can take off from my diet. I eat three things, literally.
So if you eat a lot of fibers, try reducing them considerably. And try probiotics, they help a lot.

 

[Cesco]

I felt so unpleased with that as well. So I tryed to rearrange drastically my diet. When I talked to my nutrition doctor about me taking away dairies and wheat from my diet he said I should also consider taking away corn and fibers. He said that fibers, more than anything, go slowly down our intestines and can block up. And about that, personally I had a couple of blockages, one with corn (which seems to be even worse than wheat), and the other with spinachs (fibers).

Now I only eat whole rice, chicken and soy yogurts, and I take some probiotics, and the bloating is almost gone. I still feel uncomfortable sometimes but I guess it is just random... and anyway there isn't anything else I can take off from my diet. I eat three things, literally.
So if you eat a lot of fibers, try reducing them considerably. And try probiotics, they help a lot.

 

[Havoc]

May I ask how you maintain a healthy weight with such a diet?

 

[Havoc]

May I ask how you maintain a healthy weight with such a diet?

 

[imported_Momto2]

Hmm, I find rice, in any type, very constipating and makes me bloat up. Wheat too, corn not as much. I have noticed that with the onset of daily exercise, the bloating has gotten much better and very little constipation. They found that in the old days on sailing ships too....passengers who did no work got horribly bloated and constipated, while the sailors who worked liked dogs, did just fine. Dont know if there are any present-day references!

 

[imported_Momto2]

Hmm, I find rice, in any type, very constipating and makes me bloat up. Wheat too, corn not as much. I have noticed that with the onset of daily exercise, the bloating has gotten much better and very little constipation. They found that in the old days on sailing ships too....passengers who did no work got horribly bloated and constipated, while the sailors who worked liked dogs, did just fine. Dont know if there are any present-day references!

 

[Cesco]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>Havoc</b></i> May I ask how you maintain a healthy weight with such a diet?</end quote>


Honestly, I'm not sure. I weight around 68-71 kgs. I don't do aerobic excercise (sadly), and instead I work out, usually three times a week, albeit at home, but I think this has some influence on it. So no fat burning, and some muscle building up (well, not noticeable but it's there).
I eat two abundant rice portions a day and as much chicken as I can. As for the yogurts I take three of them in the morning and then that's all untill I'm back home from school, that is about 7 hrs. I put in yogurts for calcium, not much else. But when I'm off school and I don't take them I feel even better. I also have some "whole rice cakes" as snack in the noon.

I also started this diet because some CFers did this in order to reduce mucus production - according to the idea that it is influenced by what we eat - and I noticed an improvement on this aspect as well. With this diet and under antibiotics I almost have no mucus at all.

Anyway, lately, I've been eating milk chocolate before going to bed... this started as an exception but now it's been going on for a while. I tell you, the diet is good for my health, but it is extremely prohibitive and stressing. I'm Italian, and I loved pasta, sweets, bread... sigh. But the weight was stable also before I started to cheat on myself, for a couple of months that was.

 

[Cesco]

<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>Havoc</b></i> May I ask how you maintain a healthy weight with such a diet?</end quote>


Honestly, I'm not sure. I weight around 68-71 kgs. I don't do aerobic excercise (sadly), and instead I work out, usually three times a week, albeit at home, but I think this has some influence on it. So no fat burning, and some muscle building up (well, not noticeable but it's there).
I eat two abundant rice portions a day and as much chicken as I can. As for the yogurts I take three of them in the morning and then that's all untill I'm back home from school, that is about 7 hrs. I put in yogurts for calcium, not much else. But when I'm off school and I don't take them I feel even better. I also have some "whole rice cakes" as snack in the noon.

I also started this diet because some CFers did this in order to reduce mucus production - according to the idea that it is influenced by what we eat - and I noticed an improvement on this aspect as well. With this diet and under antibiotics I almost have no mucus at all.

Anyway, lately, I've been eating milk chocolate before going to bed... this started as an exception but now it's been going on for a while. I tell you, the diet is good for my health, but it is extremely prohibitive and stressing. I'm Italian, and I loved pasta, sweets, bread... sigh. But the weight was stable also before I started to cheat on myself, for a couple of months that was.