I am dealing with APD (at least I think I am), and I am also a daily marijuana user. I smoke from a cart in the evenings and directly before closing my eyes for bed. Has anyone with APD that also smokes noticed any improvements after cutting it out? I’m wondering if that would help. Thank you.
Hi. I’ve been dealing with abnormal bloating for the last 11 months. It began with a hormonal hiccup that turned into 4.5 months of osmotic laxative use. Essentially, I thought I was in a state of incomplete emptying all this time, which I thought was what was causing my relentless bloat. Although I do think that was true for a while (altered motility from laxatives, fiber jumps, etc.), I have now been off all laxatives for 7 months and I have one large bowel movement in the mornings reliably. However, I am still constantly bloated. I am starting to think my symptoms match APD at this point. Here are my symptoms:
- bloat localized to only below my belly button
- bloated upon waking before eating or drinking anything (usually a soft bloat and the least bloated I am all day)
- bloat gets disproportionally worse after eating, even if the meal is light and small
- having urine in my bladder, especially if I have to pee quite badly, creates even worse bloat. Like having to pee physically makes me even more bloated, and that extra bloat deflates after peeing.
- incomplete emptying sensation (I suspect this is sensitive nerves or something)
- bloat fluctuates every single day. Some days it’s a bit better, and I’m left with a soft pouch that’s slightly held outward. It never goes away.
- pretty bad flared left rib
- there is no pain, but it does feel uncomfortable because I am constantly bloated and feel the weight of it.
My history/context:
I am a very lean 23 year old female; I have practically no body fat on my abdomen. I workout 4-5 days a week, drink a little over 100 floz of water a day, eat within a strict 23-28 gram fiber range (my fiber is balanced between soluble and insoluble), and I do pelvic floor foam roller exercises, as I’ve been told I have a “slightly hypertonic” pelvic floor. I take fish oil and 200mg of magnesium glycinate, and recently have incorporated Thorne digestive enzymes (two a day). I have seen gastroenterologists, gotten X-rays, ultrasounds, full panel bloodwork. I have gotten ZERO answers from any doctor.
Before this all started about a year ago, I was practically never bloated. I could eat large meals, eat heavy and greasy food, and it did not reflect as bloat at all. I have no history of digestive issues such as IBS, celiac, SIBO, or anything else of the sort.
Basically, I am always bloated, day in and day out. It doesn’t matter what I do. This is ruining my quality of life and my confidence. I am desperate for answers and to get my old body back, functionally and physically.
***I have just started doing diaphragmatic breathing exercises to address APD, assuming that’s what I have. It really does appear to be a pressure issue I’m dealing with. All this to say, has anyone experienced this before? Has anyone seen any luck with diaphragmatic breathing or treatments? Please let me know. Thank you for reading.***