Take THE BLOATED BELLY WHISPERER Diagnostic Quiz* Now
Designed to help patients identify their most likely cause of bloating among the ten most common possibilities.
While this nine-question quiz certainly doesn’t cover every medical possibility, it should To help generate the most promising leads as to the medical cause of your patient’s bloating,
certainly help focus your attention on a few of the most likely ones. Two types of bloating that have them fill in ALL of the bubbles alongside the answer that best
result from disease-related malabsorption—celiac disease and pancreatic insufficiency— are corresponds to his/her bloating experience. Leave answers blank
not included in the quiz. That is because a bloated belly from either of these conditions often if none apply well. Tally up the number of filled bubbles for each
takes backseat to several more troubling symptoms—and they’re covered in great detail in THE column once they complete the quiz.
BLOATED BELLY WHISPERER. *From THE BLOATED BELLY WHISPERER by Tamara Duker Freuman, St. Martin’s Press (December 2018). Developed by Tamara in collaboration with Dr. Eric Goldstein, this
diagnostic quiz is a simplified version of the detective process they undertake when a patient arrives complaining of bloating
A B C D E F G H A B C D E F G H
SAMPLE QUESTION (Do not count): 5. Choose one: Do you ever wake up looking or feeling bloated?
1. My bloating feels worse after chewing sugarless gum
Yes, depending on what I ate the previous night
True
No
False
6. Choose one: Is your bloating associated with gas?
Yes, belching
Yes, farting
A B C D E F G H
1. Choose one: My bloated belly is. . . Yes, both belching and farting
No
soft
7. In addition to bloating, I also have the following upper-digestive system issues (check all that apply):
inflated like a balloon
Nausea
solid/hard as a rock
Vomiting
2. Choose one: The location of my bloating is concentrated. . .
broadly across the upper abdomen (above the belly button)
Reflux/heartburn
SCORING THE BLOATED BELLY
Loss of appetite
WHISPERER QUIZ:
center right underneath the breastbone
Early satiety (feeling full after eating only a small amount)
in the lower-abdominal area (underneath the belly button)
No upper-digestive issues other than the bloating
all over / varying locations
8. In addition to bloating, I also have the following lower digestive system issues (check all that apply): IF THEY . . .YOUR PATIENT’S . . .SO START WITH
3. Choose one: Bloating onset (check up to three of the most relevant) . . .
Infrequent bowel movements (fewer than 3 per week) SCORED SYMPTOMS THIS CHAPTER OF
is worse / more likely with large-volume meals
THE MOST RESEMBLE THIS THE BLOATED BELLY
Feeling unable to completely evacuate my bowels when I go
builds as day progresses; always bad / worst at night MATCHES WITH DIAGNOSIS MOST WHISPERER
Sticky/tar-like stools that are hard to wipe clean
immediately after eating if I was extremely hungry at mealtime COLUMN . . . CLOSELY . . .
Hard stools, like little balls or “rabbit pellets” Gastroparesis (GP) Chapter 3
after eating anything at all A
Diarrhea Abdomino-phrenic Chapter 3
does not seem particularly related to eating/meals B
4. The foods that would trigger significant bloating for me would be . . . (check all that apply)
Light-colored/orangey and loose stools dyssynergia (APD)
My bowel habits are not a problem C Classic indigestion Chapter 4
water
large salad with olive oil and vinegar
9. Choose one: My bloating is associated with the following type of pain: D Functional dyspepsia Chapter 5
No overt pain (though being bloated is generally uncomfortable) (FD)
small plate of pasta with generous portion of red sauce
Burning pain toward the top of my abdomen E Aerophagia Chapter 6
McDonald’s-size burger and small fries
Sharp pain anywhere throughout my abdomen F Constipation Chapter 7
small soft-serve frozen yogurt
Crampy pain in my lower abdomen (beneath the belly button) G Small Intestinal Chapter 8
small bowl puréed broccoli soup (no milk or cream)
Dull pain anywhere throughout my abdomen
Bacterial Overgrowth
(SIBO)
H Carbohydrate Chapter 9
TOTALS: (Number of circles filled in for each column) intolerance
