my future mother in law went out last night to buy an outfit for our wedding. My fiance came home and said how surprised he was at how bloated her stomach is, Uncomfortably so. Apparently she went to see the GP as she has yet another urinary infection and mentioned it at the same time. All the doctor did was agree that it was bloated.
Has anyone else had this problem and been given a way to help it? Could this also have something to do with the infections she seems to be getting more often?
I will encourage her to go back to the gp and see him specifically for this, there is one gp who is very good with parkinsons.
Any help in the meantime would be greatly appreciated.
Re: bloating probiotics such as yoghurt and lactobacillus drinks are a big help together with
for urinary tract infection: palmitoyl ascorbate (ascorbyl palmitate in USA and Canada) powder taken about 1 gm daily is very helpful in UTI [post edited].
for urinary tract infection: palmitoyl ascorbate (ascorbyl palmitate in USA and Canada) powder taken about 1 gm daily is very helpful in UTI [post edited].
thank you Chewexpert. Can this bloating be caused by the parkinsons medication?
Parkinson's disease can cause bloating and acid reflux. This is because the nerves that guide the muscles of the GI tract may be slowed, and this slows the muscle action as well. The stomach takes longer to grind and mix the food. When food and stomach acid sit in the stomach for too long, the acid acts on the food to form gas, which can distend the stomach, causing burping, and sometimes severe bloating and painful cramping.
Also, the esophageal sphincter may be weakened, so that it's harder for it to stay closed properly. This means that stomach acids, gas, and food may be pushed upward against the sphincter, causing a feeling of "fullness." If the sphincter becomes too weak, it can be pushed open, allowing acids to come up into the throat, and producing a burning feeling. This is acid reflux.
A weak Lower Esophageal Sphincter does not close off the top of the stomach, allowing foods and floods to wash back up, or reflux, into the esophagus.
The throat and esophageal sphincter have a delicate lining. The powerful stomach acids can eventually lead to permanent scarring. The sphincter may become deformed and unable to close.
To avoid these problems, it's best to control bloating and acid reflux before they can cause damage. Certain foods are more likely to trigger reflux avoiding these foods can help. Foods that can trigger reflux include alcohol, tomatoes, citrus fruits, caffeine, chocolate, and peppermint. Other foods may be trigger foods for you, though -- different people are affected by different foods. Keeping a record of foods eaten can help you detect which ones are a problem for you.
Large meals can also lead to bloating and reflux, because the stomach needs more time to process a lot of food. The large meal will stay in the stomach longer, and increase the likelihood that gas will form, and produce upward pressure against the esophageal sphincter.
A meal high in fat will also stay in the stomach longer, because fat takes more time to empty from the stomach than carbohydrate or protein. It's usually fine to eat fatty foods; however, portions should be small so that they can clear the stomach quickly.
If you're troubled with reflux, pay close attention to your personal "trigger foods" those that trigger an attack. Avoid those foods whenever possible. For both bloating and reflux, try to eat smaller meals and eat more frequently. Instead of three large meals daily, aim for five or more smaller meals and nutritious snacks. Or, you can eat half your meal, wait an hour or so, then eat the other half.
Example: If your usual breakfast is juice, cereal with milk, and toast, eat the cereal, wait at least an hour, then have the toast and juice.
If the problem persists you could ask for a referral to dietitian who specializes in diet for Parkinson's disease and of course we have to also remember that not everything is a symptom of Parkinson's and may need further investigation. A dietitian who specializes in Parkinson's would probably ask your gp for further investigation if need be. Some of the medication i've taken in the past has caused problems with acid reflux and bloating so it is best to keep a diary so problems like this can be linked to medication.
Also Parkinson's can cause problems with constipation and urine infections which can upset the stomach. This booklet provided by the PDS is quite good at explaining problems associated with this, please see the following link
http://www.parkinsons.org.uk/pdf/bladder_and_bowels_oct08.pdf
Best wishes
Cutiepie
Also, the esophageal sphincter may be weakened, so that it's harder for it to stay closed properly. This means that stomach acids, gas, and food may be pushed upward against the sphincter, causing a feeling of "fullness." If the sphincter becomes too weak, it can be pushed open, allowing acids to come up into the throat, and producing a burning feeling. This is acid reflux.
A weak Lower Esophageal Sphincter does not close off the top of the stomach, allowing foods and floods to wash back up, or reflux, into the esophagus.
The throat and esophageal sphincter have a delicate lining. The powerful stomach acids can eventually lead to permanent scarring. The sphincter may become deformed and unable to close.
To avoid these problems, it's best to control bloating and acid reflux before they can cause damage. Certain foods are more likely to trigger reflux avoiding these foods can help. Foods that can trigger reflux include alcohol, tomatoes, citrus fruits, caffeine, chocolate, and peppermint. Other foods may be trigger foods for you, though -- different people are affected by different foods. Keeping a record of foods eaten can help you detect which ones are a problem for you.
Large meals can also lead to bloating and reflux, because the stomach needs more time to process a lot of food. The large meal will stay in the stomach longer, and increase the likelihood that gas will form, and produce upward pressure against the esophageal sphincter.
A meal high in fat will also stay in the stomach longer, because fat takes more time to empty from the stomach than carbohydrate or protein. It's usually fine to eat fatty foods; however, portions should be small so that they can clear the stomach quickly.
If you're troubled with reflux, pay close attention to your personal "trigger foods" those that trigger an attack. Avoid those foods whenever possible. For both bloating and reflux, try to eat smaller meals and eat more frequently. Instead of three large meals daily, aim for five or more smaller meals and nutritious snacks. Or, you can eat half your meal, wait an hour or so, then eat the other half.
Example: If your usual breakfast is juice, cereal with milk, and toast, eat the cereal, wait at least an hour, then have the toast and juice.
If the problem persists you could ask for a referral to dietitian who specializes in diet for Parkinson's disease and of course we have to also remember that not everything is a symptom of Parkinson's and may need further investigation. A dietitian who specializes in Parkinson's would probably ask your gp for further investigation if need be. Some of the medication i've taken in the past has caused problems with acid reflux and bloating so it is best to keep a diary so problems like this can be linked to medication.
Also Parkinson's can cause problems with constipation and urine infections which can upset the stomach. This booklet provided by the PDS is quite good at explaining problems associated with this, please see the following link
http://www.parkinsons.org.uk/pdf/bladder_and_bowels_oct08.pdf
Best wishes
Cutiepie