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Uncontrollable Flatulence - Part 3

Hi, this is Tony. I'm starting part 3 of this quest to tame the alien I have in my gut that produces foul smelling gas ...

Flatu qeen:
You seem to be in the same situation that I do.
Currently, I was positive for SIBO (Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth). Tomorrow I'll be tested for lactose malabsortion and next week for fructose malabsorption.
All these 3 produce foul smellin gas, so I'm hoping to get the right treatment.
I started this a year ago -- I'm in mid-30s -- and before I was healthy and overindulged in food and booze... not anymore. I lost 40 Lbs because dieting, as you did. I also eat veggies, rice, chicken. No sugar, diary, wheat and despite this I have bad gas... what a miserable pain.

I also ordered a Stool Analysis (CDSA/P) which is far better that individual tests, so I expect to have results on Friday or early next week.
This is my last hope. I tried alternative medicine, but in my case I think it was a ripoff.

I'll post my Lactose test results Tomorrow.
Take care and don't give up, keep looking for options and be careful what you read in the web...
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Avatar universal
Hi there, I have the exact same problem.  I'm pretty sure I had an entire table of teenage girls getting discusted with me and making jokes at a restaurant tonight, though I did not feel or smell any gas being passed perhaps it was more detectable behind me.  It does seem to be worse when I don't even feel it come out.  I'm not sure why this happens.
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Avatar universal
I have been sick for about 11 years. i don't know if this happens to any of you, and it may sound crazy, but  it happens to me all the time. When I physically and consciously pass gas, the smell ( a lot of the time ) is so much more lighter than when it comes out by itself. When it comes out by itself, it can be almost undetectable. Its so weird, it like having two ducts...

In the 11 years being sick and after visiting over 25 gastroenterologists, 3 chines doctors and other types of natural doctors...nothing has worked... Ive tried the candida tests AND diets...garden of life probiotics...chinese medicine (herbs and roots)... antibiotics like Cipro..none of it has ever helped. I have mild to severe  pain, throbbing type inflammation up my rectum...spasms on my anus and up my colon...being this sick, it also causes inflammation throughout my body...I have joint and muscle pain, skin hurts etc... I have gone through what a lot of u are going through...people at work making jokes...you isolating yourself so that you won't get embarrassed... I even became somewhat of an *** so that people wont like me too much and want to talk to me. i didn't want anyone near me because I had gotten humiliated way too many times.  I havent gone to see a doctor in years because they don't know what I have...most of them are idiots and some have even called me crazy because "there is no such thing as uncontrolled intestinal gas" ...and and if ANY of you ever go see a doctor that says u have IBS, he's an idiot and has not clue what u have.. IBS is not a diagnosis, its a broad blanket ''diagnosis" given to people with intestinal issues (when they have no idea what making u sick). Just because we have similar symptoms DOESNT MEAN its caused by the same thing. its like going to a doctor with a head ache and getting diagnosed with MY HEAD HURTS SYNDROME....there are many reasons why someone might have a head ache.... bad vision...a fall...tmj...even a tumor....but they freely tell people, IBS and send them home...

So before I keep ranting...I was just wondering if any of you have noticed the same thing I have? Gas being way stronger when it just comes out than when u consciously pass the gas

I know that this may be very hard on you at work ,,,,and its something i never did when I had a job, but if you have the strength and courage to talk to ur co-workers about your health issue... most of them should back off and not judge. Its a blow to our ego, but it might make a big difference in our daily stress and humiliation levels
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A related discussion, Uncontrollable-Flatulence was started.
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A related discussion, To All was started.
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Hi I know how everyone feels in this room... Do not allow it to control your life... I refuse to. I have come to the conclusion
That it has been triggered by one thing and that is the overuse of anti biotics and I urge you not to take them unless absolutely necassary!
What about a solution? I have wrestled with this issue and what has worked for me is watching my diet, cut back on pork, red meat and fast foods like mcdonalds, or anything you believe that triggers bloating. I have still been able to live my life you do the same.


May God bless you All!
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how can we manage our life until our problem solved
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MOST EMBARRASING AFFLICTION EVER!!!!!!!!
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I've been "dealing" with this for 15 years. What do we do???? I'm sure we all go through good, and BAAAAAAD times. What's the culprit? In these 15 years I've tried what the docs say (lactose intolerance, I haven't eaten milk products for 12 years)(and I'm an expert on all foods with dairy), and more so, came up with my own experiments to find the source. No headway. To this day I have mad gas every day after lunch and my co-workers tell me I "smell like ****". I feel I can't eat anything.  
     I've find myself SO jealous of people that have never felt this and never will.
(one last line to let you know I know what you're going through)
This problem makes me feel almost non-human at times. I feel like I'm not part of civilized society.
Alcohol makes me forget about it when I'm out (and for some reason the people I'm with)
(if it's really bad, I tell them I have to work early and cannot come out)
I'm really attractive, and I feel this is a curse.
Anywho,
you can see how this has F'd up my mentality.
Wheat? Lactose? Fructose?(just recently),
I'm F'ing sick of it!!!!!
SO..........
Really nice to meet this community.
I have no answers,  but  maybe my rantings will coerse someone that has the answer to sign up and enlighten us.
HELP!!!
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Avatar universal
What an embarrasing club we are in, huh?  About 12 years ago my dermatologist prescribed antibiotics for my skin.  After about 30 days on the antibiotics I started having constipation issues and could no longer control my flatulence.  My constipation issues over the years have turned to alternating constipation and extreme, urgent diarrhea.

I have been to numerous doctors and specialists, had numerous tests, and still feel terrible!  I have tried every herb, doctor prescribed medicines, and just anything I read about to no avail.  I even tried acupuncture!

I do agree though, that a lot of this is psycological.  When I am feeling good mentally, focused on something else and not caring what anyone around me may be thinking, than my stomach symptoms are not as much of an issue.  However I don't feel it is totally psycological.  I try to drink a lot of water to keep my system flushed out.  I had about 3 weeks where I was feeling really good, (not great, but much better than usual), and then I crashed.  As I right this I am staying home from work because my stomach is in spasm, which causes constant, uncontrollable gas.

Am also glad to know I am not alone though.
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Avatar universal
I was surprised to find so many others that suffer from this devasting condition. The bloating and gas pains have plagued me for over 35 years.

I have been diagnosed with IBS and lactose intolerance. I have been reading a lot and I think it could possibly be related to wheat and gluten. Two weeks ago I ate pizza, beer, spaghetti, and flour enchiladas over the course of about 5 days. I was so bloated, gassy and miserable. I was passing gas constantly. I mean literally constantly. One fart could last over 30 seconds!!  In fact I feel miserable probably 95% of my life from the bloating, gas, diarrea, etc. I have to give myself several hours every morning in order to go back and forth to the bathroom. I hate eating because instantly I get horrible bloating, gas, and tummy aches. I don't like eating out because the minute I am through eating I have gas and have to find a bathroom.

Well, I have been doing a lot of research and reading. I think it could be related to wheat.  I cut out wheat 6 days ago and I seem to have less gas and bloating. The jury is still out but I do notice a slight improvement. Has anyone else discovered that wheat could be causing this?

Please let me know what you think...................
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Avatar universal


I have had this problem on and off for many years now . My story is not so much different.I have been to doctors , then take anti dipression pills. Changed diets etc..

Rice works for me better than other diets, non-ripe banana's are very good for me I eat 5-6 banana's a day two for breakfast and  1-2 after each meal.They have enzymes in them that I think are a bit useful and they have many good minerals and good fibre.  I swim for exercise so banana's are not making me fat .

For the smell of flatulance I think it would be best for all of us to search for a cosmetic cure than a biological cure. From my experience with this problem and consultations with doctors, I feel nothing is physically wrong with my digestion or bowels so there is not much scope for a medical cure to this problem.

I am trying to make a small device a person can wear under his rectum very concealed and small  and  channel air to make air pass through a bottle of nice smelling scent or may be a sponge which is soaked in a nice citrus fruit scent, so the gas coming out is loaded with the nice scent of lime or some other fruit that the person next to you likes . This way the problem is solved.

You eat what you want and when you want, just make sure your gas smells how the nose likes it. This is my idea, I would want to know what you guys think.


Bad news is
( human nose can smell  Hydrogen sulphide too well 0.5molecule in a billion molecules of air , the best man made sensors can only detect 10 molecules  in a billion molecules of air)

So , cheating the nose takes some work and a good scent.
I would like to hear your opinions guys, may be we can all work on this idea and get a fix that works for all of us.

By the way I forgot to mention. I have tried Flat-d pads, and other active charcoal flatulance de-odorizers that they sell on the internet. I didnt notice any improvement in the way people around me acted. They acted as animated as they always did. Finally after using them for a month I had to stop using these pads that were causing a bit of allergy as well.

Take care
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Avatar universal
This is the time in 15 years that I am aware that others share the same problem as myself. I am 30 years old and have suffered from anxiety from this situation. I to have had to decrease my social life and quit jobs because I couldn't focus, I was always thinking about how to block by gas....it can be really hard not to focus on the task at hand on a daily basis. I truely believe it is a issue because I don't have continuous gas when I am alone or with people I have known for a long time. When I go anywhere (grocery store, work, friend's house, etc.) it begins. I am acutally going to go to a hypnotherapist and see what happens because I know it isn't diet.I see that no one has responded to this issue in awhile...has anyone tried hypnosis??

In distress all day all night,

ampm911
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Avatar universal
I was reading the testi's from 06...i was so desperate to find out what was going onwith me.  So I did a google search & found this site with all the comments form everyone & I realize that i'm not alone. I have experienced the same things most ppl said. the embarrassing flatuence w/ coworkers & smell..I zone out cause I can't go insane (or am I) lol  It is very depressing though.

I have IBS with all the symtoms: flautuence, bloating, gas but worst of all fecal odor.  I went to numerous doctors who diagnosed me with numerous issues:  GERD (I did colonoscopy & endo), hiatial hernia, hemmoroids.. I'm now getting fissures.  I lwent to a rectal surgeon for the fissures but didn't help much.  He gave me suppositories & cream which gave me rash.. nothing helped.  He even prescibed valium to help my arial muscle spasm relax...that was another diagnosis!

I  finally bought fiber powder recommed from a health book from Aerobic Life called Aerobic Bulk Cleanse.  It help a litttttle so far.let's see. I'm gonna get that probiotics that the nutritionis recommend.  I just want this odor (fecal) to go away.  I have no life because of it. I get anxious when I have to go to the bathroom because I know I have to shower after. I clean & clean sometimes taking numerous showers & still smell.  I don't want to go out..I hate it. well i'm said enough for now.  
p.s I went to site ibsgroup.org.  It helped.  Thanks for making me feel i'm not alone
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Avatar universal
i think i am not alone  you  guyes are like me i thought  i am  the anly one uncontrolabe flatulence after ihad injured on my sphincter  .  praye for  all of us .
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Avatar universal
Hi Chris, sorry for not posting in a while on this site.
I'm also at ibsgroup[dot]com under the Gas/Bloating, hope to see you there. There's a lot of knowledgable people, and its spaciality is IBS and other digestive disorders.
For SIBO, I'm taking Xifaxan (antibiotic) and I noticed a slight change in the odor, but still there. I'll try another dose of antibiotics and then I'll try to reach the best gastro in Boston -- where I live --.
Antidepresants are doing very good in me, that's how I was like the phoenix, born again from the ashes. You know how miserable is your exisitence with this disease. I hope all you find ways if not get cured,  at least to control and have a better life.
Regards, Tony
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Damn i havent posted in this forum in a long time tony.  Its Chris aka Christopher07 aka Chris06....I keep forgetting my pw so i made new accounts.

Anyways I dont know how to tell you this, but i somehow got cured/better.  About a month ago, i went out to dinner at a chinese restaurant, and i was thinking...by eating this, im going to have bad gas tomorrow morning, and maybe even take a morning ****.  So anyways i took a pill of Gas X.  The next morning i didnt have any type of cramps, nor an urge to go #2.  So i went on with my day; and didnt smell ANYTHING!.

So instead of doing minor enemas (i used to do daily = VERY BAD), i basically just took a **** and went on my way.  And from then on 3 weeks after ive had no bad smells... UP UNTIL 2 days ago :(   I drank some tea.  I read about how tea can calm down my intestines, and i think that might have caused my intestines to not react and keep in my gas.  I think the tea effect wore off (hopefully) because i didnt experience anything drastic lik i once had.  

I have no idea how this happened and i wish everyone who experienced our problem will get better.  from these 3 weeeks i have noticed that my stools are not loose.  

My Theory is that if u have normal size stools that are not loose (soft poop that still has some moisture), there is no odor, or very faint that it is not noticable.  when it is loose, your intestines cannot contract and keep control of your stools and gas resulting in fecal/flatulence incontinence.

ALSO by skipping meals can also contribute to your intestines gettin off track and can contribute to uncontollable flatulence.  For example if u eat 1 meal a day and its kind of small, you probably wont go poop for a day or so.  you will be constipated cuz your food intake was so small that there is really little stool in you intestines.  Therefore it is a small stool that you intestine cannot grip on and you stool moves freely "in a way."

All in all my theory is that you have to have solid poop not taht loose stool stuff.  and also your stool has to be a reasonable size (that means you must eat enough of what ever) so that your intestines can have a grip on your stools.

i hope you all the best, especially tony for all this research and testing and paying for this forum....

we owe u big time bud

-chris-
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Avatar universal
i'm so happy about your progress, tony!

until the other day, my hope for the right solution was dying, but when you posted the results of your SIBO test, my hope was rekindled and i plan on talking with my doctor about taking this same test as well.

this may sound weird, but i noticed that when i increase my sodium intake, my flatulence almost disappears! this is very strange to me because of all the research i've done, salt was never mentioned. for the past 3 years (coincidentallly the same amount of time i've had these symptoms), i've followed a very strict low or no-sodium diet, simply because of the fact that high blood pressure and heart problems related to "bad foods" run in my family. therefore, i cut out the salt alomost completely. but the other day, i had just happened to eat a salty meal, which i don't do, and right after the meal, no gas. and the next day, no gas. i decided to be experimental and continue with this pattern, and still, no gas. I was happy and yet puzzled. i didn't want to jump to conclusions about "a new salt diet" so soon. and so, for the past week or so, i've had little or no gas, and it gets better by the day.

i may sound crazy right now, but it seems to be working for me so i'm pleased. i think that this wonderful sodium effect has to do with the following benefit of salt: Salt is vital for absorption of food particles through the intestinal tract.
And also, salt is proven to help move bowels, and it has helped me. i just though i'd share that.
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