Distended stomach when hungry

I have a similar problem--major gas/bloating if I don't eat immediately.

Your post and a homeopathy site are about the only mention I can find anywhere about abdominal pain, swelling, gas, when I ignore initial hunger signs or miss/forget a meal (tons of "shaky" when hungry, no pain/etc).

I used to think that the pain was just hunger and everyone experienced it but had more will-power. It seems to be quite uncommon and mostly unheard of.

Our symptoms are not exactly the same. Let me describe mine.

I remember in the past the stomach would also fill with gas with similar effects. Now when it hits it's usually a type of gas and swelling in the abdomen that makes you double over in pain. The flavor of the pain is distinct from normal non-hunger related gas. I cannot ignore this pain because the longer I ignore it (ie, by standing up straight or not eating), not only the stronger it gets, but the longer I have to wait after addressing the issue. for the climax and subsiding. Tensing my abs, doubling over, and otherwise holding my abdomen in helps with the pain somewhat. I'm able to pass some gas and burb, which helps. When I eat food, the pain does not go away immediately, in fact it will usually increase in intensity and subside 30 minutes later.

I can't find the name of the syndrome, which is frustrating. I think it's congenital, because my great uncle has it. He takes medication for it, which I should look into. Without the name, I can't find much on the internet. One site recommends Lycopodium homeopathy. Are you symptoms as they describe:

In my experience:
plain bread an hour before meals helps prevent it
oral rehydration solution (1 L water, 1 t. salt, 8 t. sugar; you can reduce the salt and sugar if you keep the same ratio) prevents it too, but of course does not hold off pain (without eating) indefinitely
disturbances in my sleep cycle exacerbates it
a heating pad reduces pain, though I forget if it worked on my stomach too

Hey guys, my name is Mike. I don't have the same problem, but my aunt had the same. Distended stomach, feeling gassy, etc. You should go and see specialist, do a full body examination in order to establish a diagnosis concerning your problem. Does it hurt much? Also, maybe you are allergic to some kind of food, hence the reason of bloating. You should see if any of the groceries you've eaten in the last period can be the cause of your problem. Also, do a blood and stool sample as soon as you can because a certain type of illness might cause it. 

Hello, I have the exact same problem and have been miserable since I was a teen. I have had every test in the world done, and they have only told me I have IBS, which does not help me at all. Once I get the stomach ache from not eating on time, I eat and it is almost more painful right after until I am able to pass a large amount of gas, which is essentially just air, until I get some sort of relief. Sometimes if it is a bad attack my stomach will bother me with gas pains for a couple of days.

Have you found anything to help with this? I am desperate for something to work, as it is quite random when I get the stomach ache, it does not always happen, which is so frustrating. I have never been able to diet very well and lose weight due to this stomach ache. I don't mind being hungry but the distended gasy stomach ache is excruciating sometimes and I am terrified of getting it. I have to lay down flat to expel it which does not work well with work etc.

Please let me know if you found anything that helps, I would be so grateful.

I have the same experience. I've found that taking anti-gas meds right before eating helps calm my stomach enough that the pain isn't as intense.

I also experience this. It is random and doesn't occur all the time. At the first sign of getting hungry, a piece of bread helps. But I would like to know WHY this is happening.

I have had the bloating/gas problem for about 6 years. I have always had terrible eating habits and in my mid-20s, while I was finishing college, I was especially terrible in taking care of myself, as in skipping breakfast every day and not eating until my classes were finished mid-afternoon. To combat the headaches from reasons that I know of now, i.e. low blood sugar, dehydration, I started taking Alleves everyday while at school. I have gained about 25 pounds of weight (my weight has fluctuated within +-25 pounds) since my problems began. The odd thing is that during the beginning of my problems, I used to work out for what was usual then (3 miles jogging, 45 min of weight training), but would feel enormously hungry--I'd have to stop working out and literally run to go find something to eat. The other weird thing is that I gained weight even though Id burn off 500 calories per workout. I could eat 2 or 3 full meals and still feel insanely hungry and starved!
My doctor (who found no problems with diabetes, thyroid, etc) directed me to a dietician, who believed my bad eating habits were due to anxiety, depression, and eating disorder (not eating all day that I previously talked about). I got a referral to a prominent MD (Psychiatry residency advisor, dean, this dr. knows everyone) in Newport Beach, CA, who is also a psychologist and he put my on Prozac, citing that my brain and stomach lost their connection, and that this antidepressant would help. I improved but still slip up from time to time, and lately it's been almost monthly to the point where if I skip ONE meal, I've screwed myself up for WEEKS in terms of getting any type of normal sleep activity...and this in turn affects my eating schedule, I feel crappy and my stomach hurts to the point of making me vomit. It's just been a very hellish catch 22. I drink very strong herbal tea ("eater's digest") and try to eat regularly but its quite difficult especially when my stomach is in knots and clenching and if I'm worried about any particular thing, like getting a full time job. Ironically, worrying about it makes things worse because this screws my sleep cycle and overall health. I do not think I'd be able t work now due to the pain and sleep disruption, although I've done it before, very painfully. Even if you do not have disordered eating or psychological problems such as excessive anxiety, I highly recommend getting the advice of a dietician to help plan your meals, especially if there are other complication such as diabetes, etc. My dietician was pretty awesome--she could just look at me and tell if I was bloated or if I was actually gaining weight. Another thing was that I could not eat vegetables without puffing up like a balloon--my dietician cited that veggies can be hard to digest--but I would not stop eating them until speaking with an expert.

I have the same problems except mine doesn't seem to go away. I also have IBS and so my mom thinks that every symptom is related to that and it sucks. And then she asks if I'm pregnant, which I'm not, because it's so hard and distended. I don't know what to do. I'm only 19 I shouldn't have to go thru this. :-( anyone have any suggestions on what could help me?

I have the exact same thing. I wish I knew what i was called so I could so something about it.

I am not a doctor. But I think this has to do with the bacteria living in your gut. Did you know there are more bacteria living in your digestive tract/gut than you have ACTUAL cells of "your body"? 

EXACT SAME issue, I've had an endoscopy and CT Scan done, and they haven't found anything. Misery, every day.

I think this is th most correct way to find the problem for this particular kind of stomach pain and deal with it. I have had it on and off for two years- and it started a few months after I got suspended from uni. I think it does mostly have to do with anxiety and depression. I can only think of staying positive, active, and having a healthy diet as a solution to this problem. A doctor told me the same thing- that it is probably psychological stress since my tests came back all clear.

i have the same problem, and never met anyone with the problem. if i dont eat on time my tummy or upper tummy gets bloated. it can then stay like that for weeks. i think all this is exasberated anyway by the fact that im always hungry, and find it hard at the best of times to keep full. i feel hungrier after exercise also. then just as quick as it comes it goes and i can achieve a bloat free existance for months on end. i find its worse in summer and better in winter. i have pcos and woundered wheter this has anything to do with it. when it happens i feel like a ten tonne whale and do actually put on weight. the bloating is not a full feeling its more bloating with a hungry feeling and if i was to eat as much as my tummy demands id be the size of a small country

I just have to respond to this and I'm sure some of you will get a good kick out of this current predicament I'm in. So I've felt this before several times just as everyone has described however once I let out several extremely large long farts the pain and bloating subside. So I definitely feel for you that have the pain for weeks on end. That must be living hell. I do also agree with the poster who mentioned the intestinal bacteria as the most likely culprit. I 100% agree that is most likely the underlying issue. Do any of you use probiotic supplements like acidophilus or bifidus? If so you may have an abnormally large amount of bacteria in your digestive tract and it would make sense why some of you are in chronic pain. So to my story....I can eat.....And i mean i can eat a lot! I am a competitive bodybuilder and for the longest time I will plan my heaviest and longest workouts on days I plan on attending the buffet after I hit the gym. Naturally in an effort to maximize my food intake at the buffets (which is all lean meats and sushi usually not anything fatty, highly processed or deep fried and no desserts so I have ruled those out as possible culprits) I will consume a very low calorie protein shake shortly before my training session and that's usually it. I will then workout and head directly to the restaurant after I shower and change. Occasionally however and this just now happened to be one of those times I will get the cramps, bloat, nausea and general feelings of death but as to why only certain instances I have no clue. I just left the restaurant after 2 small plates because I was literally doubling over in pain worse than I've ever felt before from this problem. I am actually sitting in the hospital parking lot that I drove to for fear it was a more extensive issue and was ready to seek emergency treatment until I pulled up in the e.r parking lot and all of a sudden the first of several massive gas releases took place. I am typing this on my iPad while laughing at myself and can't help thinking this is some sort of sick punishment for my acts of gluttony lol. I came across this site while searching quickly before I head home because I now must have to know what is the cause of this and why only certain instances and occasions does it rear it's ugly head? I have been without eating while being deployed and on patrol for 16 hours....nothing but water and I had severe hunger pains but once I ate it was normal. No gas, no bloating but yet certain times it feels like I am going into labor (well I can assume what that feels like). This is now my quest to find out what almost just got me charged a $5k hospital bill for emergency treatment.

Hello - I'm in the UK - just stumbled across this thread, and felt I had to write and say that I had this painful bloating problem for, literally, 25 years. If I got hungry, my stomach would swell up and get excruciatingly sore. The only way to cure it was to lie on my stomach for about 30 mins and pass wind. I would go to bed with a stomach ache virtually every night. BUT I have finally more or less cured this problem by giving up wheat and gluten. No more bread or pasta, or anything with flour in it: it seems hard, but it's amazing how quickly you get used to it, and IT REALLY WORKS! Please try it. Go totally gluten-free for, say, a month, and see how you get on.