Q:
I recently had the stomach flu, and my stomach has been bloated since then. I also just started my period directly after the flu (lucky me), but it has been very light with a lot of bloating and cramping. I've noticed that my stomach sticks out as well. I'm anxious that I could be pregnant, although I am on the pill and have not missed any but have taken a few late (usually one to two hours). Could the cramping, and bloating be pregnancy or just because of my period and the flu?
A:
You can have more gas in your intestine after a gastroenteritis (vomiting/diarrhea) as your gut has not yet recovered full function and passing air through normally. This can result in some bloating and distension of your abdomen, especially if you resume a normal diet with dairy products too quickly. However, if this lasts more than a day or two, it needs to be checked out, especially since your period seemed different than usual. Your risk of pregnancy is very low if you have taken your pill daily but we can never say the risk is zero.
~The Doc
