Bloating, what do you recommend. | Arthritis Information

 

I have read many complaints on here about bloating, but it has never been mentioned what you do about it.  My stomach bounces up and down like a yoyo!  I am thinking of getting a pair of maternity slacks just for that reason.  I have been checked out for a serious cause, i.e. the C word, so it must be caused by RA and it's medications which we cannot do without.  So what do you take for it if anything. Thanks in advance my fellow encyclopedians.....
I am on the usual mtx, pred. etc.

Unfortunately Pred. causes bloating (water retention) in the fatty areas of your body.  Our stomach area is one of those fatty areas, along with the area between your shoulder blades (hump on your back) and the area under your chin.   My abdomen became distended and was hard.  I was quite concerned about it, had it checked out and it was just due to longterm Pred. use.  Now that I've tapered to 7.5 mg. my stomach is slowly returning to somewhat normal and other pockets of fatty tissue is also reducing.  My face has slimmed down and I don't have several chins any longer. 

I also cut out most carbs and that has helped.  Wish there was a magic med but there isn't.  Limiting your salt and carb intake helps.  Lindy

HI, I had a prescription for 20 mgs of a diuretic (lasix) after my heart surgery, so I just kept taking it when I went on the prednisone. It has helped,but I still got the fat-face! It is going down now at 3-1/2 preds. Maybe a diuretic would help??? Good luck , sarah Lyndacheck to see if you have developed celiac disease as a result of RA.
I did immediately after, and could no longer tolerate wheat.
symptoms are stomach bloat (it would go from 33 to 39 inches around on some days!), gas, diarreah, and severe flare ups
I can 2nd the celiac idea too...just work to eliminate gluten or there is a lab test now but it costs over 0 as a rule.

Also consider either an elimination of lactose. Surprisingly it is in EVERYTHING and often hidden.

I would google:

gluten allergy
celiac disease
lactose intolerance
lactose allergy

All of those conditions/diseases are often found in us RA folks. From what I know it's has something to do with the inflammation killing off some of the smaller blood vessels during flares...and some of the most sensitive blood vessels are those that service the villi in that are part of the intestines. Villi are the wavy finger like projections that line our intestines and are how we actually absorb food & such...they are very sensitive to anything that affect circulation.

Anyway, it's worth looking into and educating yourself if you have RA.

Also, if you are on any narcotic analgesic (vicodin, codeine, something stronger) you might add colace/senokot stool softener every day to help keep ya cleared out...just get the stool softener kind and not the laxative kind. Laxatives can have long term use issues to be aware of. But a backed up bottom-part can cause bloating too...sophista:

I have the same issue with bloating too...I can gain 12" in zero time...it sucks!!

My prob is with lactose but I am eliminating gluten too...
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