Open main menu ☰
HealingWell
Search Close Search
Health Conditions
Allergies Alzheimer's Disease Anxiety & Panic Disorders Arthritis Breast Cancer Chronic Illness Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes
Fibromyalgia GERD & Acid Reflux Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lupus Lyme Disease Migraine Headache Multiple Sclerosis Prostate Cancer Ulcerative Colitis

View Conditions A to Z »
Support Forums
Anxiety & Panic Disorders Bipolar Disorder Breast Cancer Chronic Pain Crohn's Disease Depression Diabetes Fibromyalgia GERD & Acid Reflux
Hepatitis Irritable Bowel Syndrome Lupus Lyme Disease Multiple Sclerosis Ostomies Prostate Cancer Rheumatoid Arthritis Ulcerative Colitis

View Forums A to Z »
Log In
Join Us
Close main menu ×
  • Home
  • Health Conditions
    • All Conditions
    • Allergies
    • Alzheimer's Disease
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Arthritis
    • Breast Cancer
    • Chronic Illness
    • Crohn's Disease
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Fibromyalgia
    • GERD & Acid Reflux
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Lupus
    • Lyme Disease
    • Migraine Headache
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Support Forums
    • All Forums
    • Anxiety & Panic Disorders
    • Bipolar Disorder
    • Breast Cancer
    • Chronic Pain
    • Crohn's Disease
    • Depression
    • Diabetes
    • Fibromyalgia
    • GERD & Acid Reflux
    • Hepatitis
    • Irritable Bowel Syndrome
    • Lupus
    • Lyme Disease
    • Multiple Sclerosis
    • Ostomies
    • Prostate Cancer
    • Rheumatoid Arthritis
    • Ulcerative Colitis
  • Log In
  • Join Us
Join Us
☰
Forum Home| Forum Rules| Moderators| Active Topics| Help| Log In

tired of having to wear loose maternity pants all the time

Support Forums
>
Crohn's Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
12
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
profile picture
Roni
Veteran Member
Joined : May 2003
Posts : 2481
Posted 11/27/2011 12:29 PM (GMT -7)
I have been unable to wear anything tight on my tummy for years. I get almost all my pants tailored to be loose on the tummy, and I still can't wear jeans.
Anything on my tummy makes the cramping bloating feeling intolerable, and even causes more "d". There must be something I can do to stop this. I don't hear a lot of CDers complaining about this, but I find it very challenging.
Any advice?
profile picture
pmedic
Veteran Member
Joined : Nov 2009
Posts : 1698
Posted 11/27/2011 12:45 PM (GMT -7)
I have the same problem. Not only do I get bloating but anything even the slighest restrictive makes my heart skip. When I asked my cardiologist, he said it is probably stimulating the vagus nerve.
I wear alot of long dresses and all my pants and shorts are several sizes bigger than I need just so they will be loose around the waist. I also avoid belts, period.
I hate it but it has become a fact of life, thanks to Crohn's.
I don't dare ask what next...
profile picture
Zanne
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2005
Posts : 3763
Posted 11/27/2011 12:54 PM (GMT -7)
I can usually wear jeans, but there are days when only a loose dress or sweats/leggings will do. I was actually in a store the other day trying on jeans and the sales lady was trying to help me find the right size/style. She kept trying to get me to go down a size so that they would fit better through the leg/butt area. I kept saying no they were just fine, because I wanted them loose at the waist. She couldn't understand and kept asking if I was going to wear a belt and make a bubble butt. Ha, no belt EVER!

Have you ever tried the pants that have the hidden elastic in the waist/pocket area. I think Lands End has them and Norm Thompson. They are slightly dressy, but at least they don't look like elastic waist pants.
profile picture
dunny2
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2007
Posts : 3200
Posted 11/27/2011 2:20 PM (GMT -7)
Sweats are my friend, next to my jammies :)
profile picture
Lasardo
Regular Member
Joined : Jan 2011
Posts : 373
Posted 11/27/2011 2:46 PM (GMT -7)
I have reached the next step which is an ileostomy but I wear tight fitting clothes to avoid it being seen. When my stomach is "going" though I reach for an outfit that is loose fitting thats for sure. I like to wear the jogging pants that have a tie/string with a matching jacket, velour material. I think kohls carries the "so" brand...small,medium and large sizes and they also have plus sizes.
profile picture
Violette Rose
Regular Member
Joined : Aug 2011
Posts : 69
Posted 11/27/2011 3:41 PM (GMT -7)
I have the same problem. Although I will wear jeans every once in a while, they are uncomfortable to me. I have found a couple of pairs of pants that are skinny/straight enough on the legs but loose at the waist. The only thing is that it allows my abdomen to bloat, which makes me look pregnant by the end of the day. At this point, I need looser shirts as well! Oh well, I'm only good in my PJs, to be honest!
profile picture
keepingfaith
Regular Member
Joined : Nov 2011
Posts : 360
Posted 11/27/2011 5:27 PM (GMT -7)
I get that problem from time to time & the bloating/distention is unberably painful. I always have a few pairs of pants in my closet that are for 'curvy wastes' or low rise and I wear them when I am going out and about and know I'll have to eat eventually rolleyes  I'm not overweight but it's just embarassing to go from looking like a 4 to being 6 months pregnant in a matter of minutes. It usually happens when I eat a lot at one time(vegetables especially).

   I guess it's better to be bloaty in the winter with everyone else due to the holiday foods than in the summer when most look like beach Gods :-)

  I'm like Zanne. Dresses & leggings are my friends!

 

profile picture
pb4
Elite Member
Joined : Feb 2004
Posts : 20577
Posted 11/27/2011 6:55 PM (GMT -7)
Sounds like you ladies need to take a shopping trip to Lululemon!!! They have lots of styles of very comfy and stretchy yoga pants and other types of pants too...I don't get bloating so I do wear jeans but love Lululemon (my closet is full of it, and not just with their pants)...and they do have sale stuff as well. They have online shopping too! No age limit either, their clothing looks good regardless of age IMO.
profile picture
Roni
Veteran Member
Joined : May 2003
Posts : 2481
Posted 11/27/2011 6:55 PM (GMT -7)
Has anyone tried lululemon pants? I've heard they're supposed to be comfy.
profile picture
FunGuy
Veteran Member
Joined : Oct 2009
Posts : 1070
Posted 11/27/2011 7:26 PM (GMT -7)
I tend to stick my hand through my waistband kind of like "Al Bundy" to take the pressure off when it hurts. I often have to open my pants when I am driving to take the pressure off. about two weeks ago, after a 2 hour drive, I forgot to close my pants. I got some funny looks from a couple of people before I realized it. When I was younger I would have been terribly embarrassed. As it is I was just annoyed with myself for being absent minded.
profile picture
pb4
Elite Member
Joined : Feb 2004
Posts : 20577
Posted 11/27/2011 9:10 PM (GMT -7)
LOL Roni, we posted our replies at the exact same time, mine came in just above yours but the same time (7:55pm) about Lululemon!
profile picture
Roni
Veteran Member
Joined : May 2003
Posts : 2481
Posted 11/27/2011 9:32 PM (GMT -7)
lol pb4
profile picture
Zanne
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2005
Posts : 3763
Posted 11/27/2011 9:55 PM (GMT -7)
Lululemon, Athleta, and Title Nine, all have some really high quality yoga type pants with stretch to the them. I tend to get low rise or mid rise jeans and then they sit below most of my belly bloat, but still I have trouble some days.
profile picture
Nanners
Elite Member
Joined : Apr 2005
Posts : 14999
Posted 11/28/2011 9:13 AM (GMT -7)
I work in a professional office and use to always wear the elastic waist pants. Now I get the dress pant with a button and a zipper, but....they are always a larger size.

I am 5'5" tall and weigh in the mid to high 130's, and should not be wearing size 12's, but those are whats comfortable for me. If I wear tight clothes you can be sure I will be in pain in no time. I do have one pair of jeans I can wear, but would you believe it is a size 15. Luckily these are stretchy type of jeans, so fit the legs well, but REALLY loose in the waist.

On the weekends I wear like Lasardo does and wear matching sweat suits. If they have elastic and a drawstring in the waist, I take them to a tailor lady and she takes out the elastic, so I just have the drawstring waist. So Roni, you are not alone:) Hugs!
profile picture
SL24
New Member
Joined : Oct 2010
Posts : 15
Posted 11/28/2011 11:36 AM (GMT -7)
i have this problem A LOT! not fun at all...one morning ill be fine and then by mid day im sitting at my desk with a sweatshirt on hiding my stomach and the fact that my pants are unbuttoned because my stomach is too big. sweatpants and sweatshirts are my best friends at home but when im out or at work ive found that the roll-top yoga pants are great. you can roll them down far enough below your belly so that your stomach is over them the rather than getting cut in half by them. plus most of them are black so when you go out you can kind of hide that fact that theyre actually yoga pants. old navy, tjmaxx and marshalls usually have comfy cheap ones..other than that loose fitting shirt and no belts...oh the joys! hope that helps!
profile picture
stripey
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2011
Posts : 1059
Posted 11/28/2011 12:24 PM (GMT -7)
Used to have same problem before my ileostomy but now wear my skin tight jeans happily as long as they have the 5% elastene in them so allows some leeway for the bag to fill. Before the op just used to wear clothes a size bigger around the waist, not much choice 20 years ago for a woman 6'3 with really long legs and 18 years old! Thank god at the time leggings were in fashion. :)
profile picture
Roni
Veteran Member
Joined : May 2003
Posts : 2481
Posted 11/28/2011 12:41 PM (GMT -7)
Oh, what I wouldn't do to put on some skin tight jeans. I could always buy some and get my seamstress to cut out the entire front and put stretchy cotton or something non-restrictive. I'd have skinny legs and a pregnant-looking tummy. What else is new, eh? lol
profile picture
inflamed
Veteran Member
Joined : Nov 2005
Posts : 1340
Posted 11/28/2011 2:40 PM (GMT -7)
Embrace the true maternity pants!! They are awesome. You can slip them on and off just like sweats, but you can get cute tailored styles. You can even get pretty decent deals at Target and Old Navy. I've been pregnant half of the last four years and have decided to just stick with the maternity pants even when I'm back to my normal pants. Saving extra time in the bathroom is handy too.
profile picture
stripey
Veteran Member
Joined : Feb 2011
Posts : 1059
Posted 11/28/2011 3:58 PM (GMT -7)
Roni, I know what you mean. I was dx at 18yo and as a sort of fashion concious teen I wanted to wear stuff my friends wore. Well as much as I could, being a 6'3 female means fashion was a bit restricted 22 years ago and even more so when had to think about bloating. I look ed like one of those famine victims, really stick thin arms and legs and stomach that made me look like I was 6 months pregnant!

But now I wear what I want within reason. Around the house I wear jogging bottoms and leggings but always change to my skinny jeans when I go out of the house.

The maternity jeans idea is a good one. Over in UK all the stores have a maternity range and so you can be as fashionable as you want and the skinny jeans with a stretchy panel at the front would be great if need to allow for bloating and they are no more expensive than normal ones either. Not sure what sort of maternity ranges are available in US but hopefully they have some reasonable ones.
profile picture
Lasardo
Regular Member
Joined : Jan 2011
Posts : 373
Posted 11/28/2011 8:20 PM (GMT -7)
I wear my skinny jeans out but sweat suits in. I also have a ileostomy so I wear these great underwear that come up high and cover your belly and have a stretchy material to them. The great thing is they are g-strings too, so you can kind of look sexy and cover your belly too. They manage to push in the bag enough to wear skinny jeans and whatever else you want and be comfortable all at the same time. I love them!!
profile picture
Blue Velvyt
Regular Member
Joined : Sep 2006
Posts : 194
Posted 11/29/2011 8:12 AM (GMT -7)
Heya,

Hoping this aint an all girls thread, cause this has been a problem for me for the last several years. Wihtout boring you with the details I will present you with the only two links of cloting I can now wear (sadly for many of you, you can not dress this way for work, I am disabled, so I can dress his way at home all day, still using a heat pad on my belly)

http://www.fatiguesarmynavy.com/store/item/US0901/Old_Fashion_Union_Suit_Long_Johns__Unionsuits

http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_3ZZVA45596701P?sid=IDx20070921x00003h&srccode=cii_5784816&cpncode=22-185616133-2

No I am not promoting the links or telling anyone to go shop there, there are lots of other websites that sell stuff like this, but the point behind these clothes is, they hang, NO waistbands at all.

It is heaven compared to wearing healthy persons clothes, yeah thats right, I turned "healthy person" into their own demographic!

I was just telling my gf of 18 years last night, no one who doesnt have this disease truly understands it and all its oddities, explaining it to anyone. is like talking to a brick wall.

Thanks

Jon

profile picture
HabsHockeyFan
Veteran Member
Joined : Jan 2006
Posts : 3240
Posted 11/29/2011 9:58 AM (GMT -7)

Roni--I don't know if this will help when you are bloated 100% of the time, but I stole this idea from a friend who needed to save money on maternity wear.

Regular jeans with a long shirt or sweater over.  Run a rubber band (a good new one preferably) through the button hole and loop both ends over the button.  Lets the jeans or any other pants expand just a little.

profile picture
Zanne
Veteran Member
Joined : Apr 2005
Posts : 3763
Posted 11/29/2011 4:31 PM (GMT -7)
Habs, I do that all the time, I started doing it when I was first pregnant and just started showing but didn't have maternity clothes yet (daughter is 24 now!), but I always have a pony tail holder in my purse or pocket for just that purpose! Works to give you an extra inch or so.
profile picture
inflamed
Veteran Member
Joined : Nov 2005
Posts : 1340
Posted 11/29/2011 8:01 PM (GMT -7)
In the maternity section you can buy "belly bands" that work like the rubber band but give you more coverage.
profile picture
Roni
Veteran Member
Joined : May 2003
Posts : 2481
Posted 11/29/2011 10:01 PM (GMT -7)
Oh, I am going to try that. Thanks!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
12


More On Crohns Disease

Care And Feeding On A Crohn's Diet

Care And Feeding On A Crohn's Diet

Traveling With Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Traveling With Inflammatory Bowel Disease


HealingWell

About Us  |   Advertise  |   Subscribe  |   Privacy & Disclaimer
Connect With Us
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest LinkedIn
© 1997-2022 HealingWell.com LLC All Rights Reserved. Our website is for informational purposes only. HealingWell.com LLC does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.