IBS symptoms

[violet33]

I've had ibs for about 27 years. I'm now 58. I have NO pain at all but I have been experiencing mild but annoying bloating. It feels like a small water balloon in abdomen. It can't really be seen, just felt. My abdomen isn't flat, but that's just fat. Not a lot of fat but a bit. My question here is about WHERE ibs bloating is. I've read it's lower abdomen. I feel the bloat about 3" below breasts to about 3" below breasts & I'd say about 3" to left & right of navel. It's like a round area. It's intermittent. Is this a common bloat location for ibs? I also have mild gerd with ibs. Does this sound familiar to anyone. My MAIN question is whether WHERE I feel this mild bloat can be ibs related. If someone could get back to me as soon as possible I would really appreciate it. Thank You!

---------- Post added at 15:02 ---------- Previous post was at 11:33 ----------

Still awaiting answer which i really need.

[mel78]

I have also have GERD with IBS. I think its pretty common. I expect you can have bloating pretty much anywhere in the abdomen with IBS. Try not to worry.

[Sam123]

Hi Violet33

I have IBS too, although i seem to have it under control at the moment.

I have a lot of bloating, mainly where you state below the breasts so upper abdominal. I have found mine to be related to my lack of water in take, also some foods seem to trigger it. I kept notes of when it would bloat ect to find a link to what was causing it, bread is a big problem for me.

Also i believe stress can cause this, and possibly trapped wind.

[Davit]

There is an article on the internet that says IBS may be linked to memory much the same way as panic attacks. EG, if anxiety upset your stomach as a child and your bowels retained too much water then your mind thinks that is what it is supposed to do so it instructs your kidneys to not salvage as much and you get Diarrhoea. Or it can tell the muscles you need to void. Studies are being done on this possibility. in which case the food would trigger the mind not an allergic reaction. Think about it, how does your mind know popcorn is dry and soup is not, how does it adjust. Hypothalamus tell the pituitary to instruct the organs to adjust, How do they know how much to adjust? Past experience.

You can add fluid to your body, but your kidneys have to remove the excess. You can't do that on your own, you can only empty your bladder if there is something in it.