A Health Rant

When I said I wanted to discuss health problems on this blog I had a specific issue in mind. I wasn't sure when to get round to discussing this issue but it has really been getting to me for quite some time, so I think that now is probably the best time to rant about it, especially as it will probably end up being pretty relevant in some of my future posts. This one is a little embarrassing, but it's been causing me so much distress for so long I now feel that it would be a really good idea to discuss it.

So, what's the issue? Well, for quite some time I've been feeling really bloated. I didn't bother sorting out in the past as I had a pretty bad diet and assumed that that was what was causing it, or that it was even just stomach fat that had accumulated after over eating for way too long. However, as I got stuck into my new diet and lifestyle, I noticed that this problem persisted. The longer I kept eating healthily and exercising the more the problem stuck out (literally, haha) to me. I put it down to drinking too much diet coke, and stopped drinking it. This didn't work, and left me more confused.

The more time goes on, the more miserable it makes me feel. The one thing I wanted to achieve regarding weight loss (which is a big part of what motivated me to change my diet) was a flat stomach. I wasn't bothered about any other area, I really just wanted to work on reducing and toning my stomach. I did not want to end up with a stomach so huge that I often look pregnant. The bloating has made me feel so terrible about my body, and I feel so uncomfortable and unhealthy. It kills me to think about what might exist underneath all the awful, puffy swelling, and that it means that I am unable to see the results of all my hard work. It's also testing my motivation- it's difficult to push myself to persist and eat healthily and exercise when I feel so disgusting and unhealthy.

I've been told that it is most likely an irritable bowel (as my blood tests have ruled out everything else). The tablets I've taken so far have not helped relieve my symptoms much, but I will be starting some new tablets and I've been referred to a dietician, so hopefully I will be able to find a solution. I'm also keeping a food diary to see if I can spot any patterns between symptoms and any foods I eat. I'm worried I won't be able to fix the problem but I;m determined to try everything in order to find a solution.