abdominal bloating after ulcer: will it go away on its own? 46 yr male. I have a distended abdomen below the belly button. I (apparently) had a gastric ulcer about 3.5 weeks ago, and that s when the bloating (and pain and nausea ) began. My stomach muscles were tight, and movement hurt. Three weeks ago, I started nexium, and 2 weeks ago I had an endoscopy which is when I found out I d probably had an ulder, the gi Dr indicating I had had an ulcer which appeared to already be almost healed. The nausea and pain I experienced with the ulcer are gone now, but not the lower abdominal distension . My question is will the distended abdomen go down on it s own?