stopped smoking and severe stomach bloat

same here, i look pregnant. I quit smoking many times always gained belly weight so started smoking again. I developed a tumor in my bladder in 2012 i had just went shopping two months previous, bought size 14 a little snug but ok stretchy material. when i went to er with an extended stomach they found the tumor..The dr. said i must quit smoking now weigh over 200 lbs have back problems with all this extra weight and its awful i never weighed this muchin my life. The drs. don't know.. I am 66 yrs old my mom was heavy and passed away from cancer she never lost weight but never weighed over 175 lbs. When i walk my stomach gets harder and seems to grow bigger don't know hon, its a mess not in your head tho for sure

i have been smoke free for 3 months tomorrow...and i a having the same problem... i have never been thisbig and it hurts my back also...any one out there with solutions to this crappy feeling..i really don't want to go back to smoking

I quit smoking over 2 years ago and the bloat is still just like yours. I wish someone could give us some encouraging info regarding whether or not it will EVER go away. It makes me feel like c**p all the time.

Have you gone to see a gastro doc?

I too am bloated really bad , thighs , stomach, breasts and upper arms !!!! IT WILL BE A YEAR I QUIT THIS MONTH !!!I have had enough of this bloatin I look like I'm having twins !!!!!!!!!!!! I went up 3 sizes in clothes I 'm sick of this !!!!!!!!!! I truly think bout if this don't start goinaway I m back to smoking , I struggle every damn day with this sh*t !!!! Its been bout 7 months of this bloating !!!!!!!!!!!!! I want back in my clohthes I always wear enough is enough !!!! I all my life have kept my weight down and this I cannot control !!! No body but a few have said , how long they have put up with the bloating and etc, pleaes do so we have some hope its gonna go away at least. THANK YOU ALL VERY MUCH FOR ALL YOUR POSTS , THEY ARE A TREMENDOUS HELP !!!

Have you had full blood work done to rule out any thyroid issues? I quite 10 months ago and my weight had remained the same but I developed bad anxiety and shortness of breath which I never had as a smoker. This is driving me nuts and hope it's over soon.

I quit smoking a year and a half ago and I still have the Dang Bloating and like many I about to start smoking again. I was under 100lbs prior to quiting Im short and now at 115lbs but I look like I am pregnant whenever I eat anything.  I went to Gastro Dr they said I am not absorbing sugar right, to cut out all sugar and put me on pearl probiotics, miralax. I quit eating Diary since that seemed to make it worse along with bread. I had tried the enzyme pills and did nothing for me. Wish something worked.

god help me, I'm in my 7th week of no smoking after 30yrs and I'm in agony. I'
m going to try a couple of these ideas and pray they work=(

Well, research that has not really been advertised well shows that there is something in the toxins in a cigarette that cause the natural probiotics and digestive enzymes our bodies produce to stop functioning properly and therefore when you quit smoking your body does not either have enough of these in it's system or is not producing enough of these to help the digestion of what you are eating. As you know, smoking increases the body's metabolism which in turn increases the rate in which your body burns calories...because this is happening by the toxins caused by the cigarette that is being smoked,, the body thinks or feels it no longer needs to naturally produce this for you and therefore pretty much stops producing them...it lets the toxins in the cigarette take over...similar to the effects when someone takes antibiotics...when these are taken, the bodies natural immunity shuts down since something else is taking over to do the job...same effect here...the body stops producing enzymes for digestion, therefore your food is basically fermenting in the stomach slowly causing gases and bloating...yes it eventually digests, but not as fast as it was when you smoked....try adding digestive enzymes and more probiotics to your diet daily and slowly reduce these over times...allowing your body to start to naturally produce these again on it's own...remember, by starting to smoke in the first place, you basically told your body to shut these functions off indirectly by the act of smoking...now it needs help to get these functions back up and going again...it will eventually start producing these naturally again, but it needs time...most ppl don't realize this and have no clue what's going on...even doctor's are unsure what's really happening...but this is just yet another negative ripple affect smoking has on the human body...hope this helps...remember to eat foods high in probiotics and natural enzymes to help your body regain control again...

this must be the agony and hell I'm going through=(

43 year 2 pack per day smoker; quit April 26th, 2014. Quit once for 27 days and once for 2 days.

Bloating and gas have been terrible (Male and look 6 mos preggo).  Starting the probiotics but going to increase them.

Have been juicing daily which helps (make that eliminates) the constipaion problem.....LOL

Drinking lots of green tea, water, fruits, veggies, almost no fats or wheats and still enjoying my daily coffee albeit without a smoke in the other hand.

 

From what I am reading, this is a fairly common by product of quitting although I am a little more than surprised that more doctors are not aware of it or have come up with a better solution to the problem.  It appears that a significant % of people start smoking again over vanity (looks) issues.  That is a terrible shame.

 

I'll keep doing more research but the general concensus is it will go away at some point but not many comments on what was successful.

the gas and bloating will last about 3 to 4 months.....take lots of digestive engzemes and probitotics during this time and eat foods high in acid like pickes and pineapple as well....slowly wean yourself off these....remember digestive enzems will need to be taken with every meal until and you slowly wean off them....i am now 4 months post smoking and totally fine now....good luck to everyone and hope you all get better

So glad I found this post. I am on my 8th day of stopping and have been bloated and full of gas since about day 3. Like many others on here I don't seem too bad in a morning when I get up, it just gets progressively worse as the day goes on. Spoke to a pharmacist today who was no help at all. Looked at me like I was mad when I suggested it was due to stopping smoking  that I was bloated.

I'll be going to the supermarket shortly to stock up on some herbal teas and will also try some of the others from Holland & Barrett. I hope they help and will update if I have any success. Not relishing the thought of it lasting months/years like a few have posted! 

thanks for the posts! it helps to know i am not the only one. before when i quit tobacco, it was my head that went out of whack. this time it's my digestive system. one day my belly shrinks, the next day it balloons out like a watermelon. there is dull pain as if there is some kind of infection. symptoms include gas, diarrhea and stomach distending. my metabolism must be slowing to a crawl, even though i don't overeat, there is belly fat and more belly fat. i crave sweet drinks, wine and cheese. usually eating bread helps me calm down and gets my digestive system working, but now it appears to contribute to the problem. feel way full all the time even when not eating. have increased intake of unsweetened apple sauce and started on plain greek yoghurt (low sugar). trying to stay away from excess sugar because it may be part of the problem. thank you.

Just to say thank you everybody for these. I stopped a few years ago for over a year, and had this problem, and have now stopped again - on week 5 and have severe bloating. I'm going to try out some of the suggestions and will let you know.

But - just to say - well done to everybody. It's doubly hard when stopping doesn't make you feel better (my partner's stopped at the same time, and looks and feels great. I look pregnant, feel exhausted and c**p!). I'm feeling very proud of us all.