For many years I have had a problem with getting a swollen lower abdomen but not the whole of my stomach . Right within my hip line and consequently is very noticeable when I cannot fasten my pants. From side on, my stomach is flat until the lower abdomen where it can swell out like a rugby ball. My weight increases by 4 to 5 pounds when this happens. I also can hardly pass solids at all, and become very constipated which can last for 4 to 5 days, and when I do go, it s like passing ball bearings. It happens after I eat certain foods which I now completely avoid such as Wheat cereals, wholemeal bread, certain vegetables spinach , cabbage, onions, peppers, leaks, figs, dates, liquorice , anything vinegary or spicey and anything that is supposed to have the opposite affect of moving the bowels. If I have anything such as syrup of figs, it has completely the opposite effect. The list of foods I eat which don t appear to have an effect is getting smaller. I can eat plenty of white bread, cornflakes, white meat and fish (I hardly eat any red meat). Anything like biscuits, sweets and chocolate, pasta, which I actually don t eat much of or potatoes, carrots and fruit are all fine. I don t smoke , I don t eat junk or fast food and I hardly drink any alcohol. I drink enough water and get my 5 a day. I go the gym regularly and I am very active. In the last three weeks after Christmas where I ate nothing more than a normal week (I missed my Christmas dinner, had no cakes, and practically no sweets or snacks) and had no weight gain at all until 2nd January when I at a bowl of Museli for breakfast and within a couple of days I gained 5 pounds in weight! I ve been working out hard at the gym doing cardiovascular exercises burning about 900 calories a time and sweating buckets. I ve lost a couple of pounds in weight and my pants are slightly less tight. This problem has gone on for years and it s becoming permanent and intollerable.