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Foul Gas x 1week before mentrual period every month
I am 32 y/o female 5'7", 150lbs, 2 children and happily married. I do not take any medication or BC pills. I have minimal stress. (many blessings!)My problem: Every month approx one week prior to onset of my period...I experience horrible foul smelling flatulence. It is embarrasing and needless to say hard to ignore. 3-4x times a year it is accompanied by severe and sudden onset diarrhea, migraine, and other common PMS symptoms. In researching this topic, I find much on PMS symptoms and treatment...but little mention of this particular problem other than "IBS" or "bowel changes". I do not have mood swings (even husband agrees) but, I am often more tired, clumsy-(I drop things), stutter, and have uncomfortable back pain DURING my period. What is causing this smell? I am not kidding when I say it is THE foulest odor you can imagine and for 3-4 days of the 1 week it is frequent. Obviously, I try to "hold it in" if in room with others and it is not explosive but, it is so foul I even wake up in the middle of the night because the smell has woken me. I have what I would consider "normal" gas normally. Please help...I want to know the specific physiologic reason it occurs and what I can do about it. Thank you.
Dolo39
I had the same issue.I had an outgrown number of bacteria on my intestine (h.pylori) I take pills of enzymes,probiotics and activated charcoal( absorbs the odor)
This issue took me years to somebody to figure it out.This issue can develop IBS as well.Stay away from conservatives,sorbitol,grease,fast food and processed food. some places call this S.E.B.O.
The test used to detect this is an O2 test..usually doctors do all kind of crappy test that dont help out a bit.
Good luck
This issue took me years to somebody to figure it out.This issue can develop IBS as well.Stay away from conservatives,sorbitol,grease,fast food and processed food. some places call this S.E.B.O.
The test used to detect this is an O2 test..usually doctors do all kind of crappy test that dont help out a bit.
Good luck
I am so glad I am not the only one who suffers from this. Usually I try to keep away for everyone when this is happening but that can not always be possible. I think I will try the Evening Primrose as suggested in a previous post. I did tell my boyfriend about it, well basically warned him, and now it sort of makes us giggle but I would obviously prefer if it did not happen. The other day I was in a queue in the Post Office and I could feel one coming on, panic. There was a guy in front of me who looked like he had been working on a building site, he had mud all over his shoes, fresh mud. So I moved a little closer to him, stinky arrives and I promptly moved back. Everyone thought it was him. I know it was awful but it worked. Luckily this time I had a few moments warning but that is not always the case. I was giggling to myself all the way home.
Saw this reply on another forum and I thought it might be helpful. Many women go through this every month so its not the foods that you eat:
While the foods you eat are important, you are saying that the approach of your period is what makes the difference to your farting. As I understand it, this is because of the increased production of a hormone-like chemical called prostaglandin series 2. The purpose of this is to stimulate the muscles of the uterus to shuck off the lining that has been built up over the preceding few weeks, causing a period.
Series 1 and series 2 prostaglandins act differently and can get very out of balance as the menstrual cycle progresses. If there's excess series 2 then this necessary muscle stimulation can get out of hand and cause the pain of muscle cramps and also affect the bowel and bladder. Like all chemicals in the body, they do lots of things and it's all stupidly complex. But the effect on the digestive tract can be to change the production of digestive juices and stimulate the peristaltic muscles - both of which can cause excess gas.
The traditional way of counteracting the series 2 prostaglandin is to increase the production of series 1. And that's where the essential fatty acids come in, specifically the omega-6 GLA (gamma-linoleic acid) found in borage oil (starflower oil) and evening primrose oil. You may find it helps to take borage oil for a week before you expect the symptoms to begin. Some take it all month.
A less natural option is to inhibit the production of prostaglandin series 2 in the first place. This can apparently be done by taking NSAIDS (aspirin, ibupofen etc.) during the week approaching the onset of symptoms. If the production of the prostaglandin is reduced, it may make your period last a little longer because the muscles of the uterus aren't working so hard.
Source(s):
http://www.endo-resolved.com/prostaglandins.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostaglandin
While the foods you eat are important, you are saying that the approach of your period is what makes the difference to your farting. As I understand it, this is because of the increased production of a hormone-like chemical called prostaglandin series 2. The purpose of this is to stimulate the muscles of the uterus to shuck off the lining that has been built up over the preceding few weeks, causing a period.
Series 1 and series 2 prostaglandins act differently and can get very out of balance as the menstrual cycle progresses. If there's excess series 2 then this necessary muscle stimulation can get out of hand and cause the pain of muscle cramps and also affect the bowel and bladder. Like all chemicals in the body, they do lots of things and it's all stupidly complex. But the effect on the digestive tract can be to change the production of digestive juices and stimulate the peristaltic muscles - both of which can cause excess gas.
The traditional way of counteracting the series 2 prostaglandin is to increase the production of series 1. And that's where the essential fatty acids come in, specifically the omega-6 GLA (gamma-linoleic acid) found in borage oil (starflower oil) and evening primrose oil. You may find it helps to take borage oil for a week before you expect the symptoms to begin. Some take it all month.
A less natural option is to inhibit the production of prostaglandin series 2 in the first place. This can apparently be done by taking NSAIDS (aspirin, ibupofen etc.) during the week approaching the onset of symptoms. If the production of the prostaglandin is reduced, it may make your period last a little longer because the muscles of the uterus aren't working so hard.
Source(s):
http://www.endo-resolved.com/prostaglandins.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prostaglandin
Same here, so glad to come across this comment list. Because of persistent IBS symptoms, I've gone gluten-free the past 6 months and have been lactose/dairy-free for much of my life. I take 400 mg of magnesium a day, plus several other vitamins and minerals in my multi-vitamin/mineral supplements from Melaleuca (for almost a year now). I completely agree with the vegan posts that food and nutrition matter!!! I'm 24, and this particular symptom has plagued me for the past decade of periods. I remember one overnight bus ride during middle school, I had to release a lot of flatulence in order to try to get to sleep, and my best friend said, "It smells like sulfur!!" I blamed the guy passed out behind me (I know....). Anyway, sometimes the excessive gas IS odorless, but often it smells unusually awful - yes, I agree with "sulfurous." And always about a week before my period starts, lasting about 2 days. Just knowing I'm not alone is helpful. Maybe there isn't a cure-all other than listening to our bodies. Here's to the people who matter most to us understanding and bearing with us. Thanks everyone.
Wow! I can't believe how old this thread is and yet women are still adding to it. Just goes to show how many of us suffer from the same thing! I think it's great that we can all talk about this and exchange advice.
I'm 32 yrs old and a mom to a 6 yr old. I never had any PMS growing up(started period at 11) or any.issues during period either..not even cramping. But i did have a heavy flow. It became less and less as i got older. I'm not on BC either and have a good diet.
I recently figured out it was appr a week before my period that I started experiencing this. It is CRAZY how a women's body changes once she hits her 30's. Now at 32 a week before my period, I have extreme bloating, CRAZY gas, dizzy spells, back pains like labor pains, and total nausea. A lot like pregnancy symptoms! I started keeping track of how ofteb this happens and realized it was always right before period was due. I.didn't know these issues were SO COMMON (nausea, gas, dizziness) before period or even during. But once i researched, i saw how there's sooooo many women dealing w the same thing. I really was thinking that i was pregnant every month! Bc all these really are soo similar! But once the tests were coming out negative, I.began to worry that there was something wrong with me. I have not found anything that works except emetrol syrup for the nausea. It alsi helps me release the gas too. But regarding the odor, i have no had any luck. Has anyone tried these suggestions from the other members?? Curious if anything worked.
-Donna
I'm 32 yrs old and a mom to a 6 yr old. I never had any PMS growing up(started period at 11) or any.issues during period either..not even cramping. But i did have a heavy flow. It became less and less as i got older. I'm not on BC either and have a good diet.
I recently figured out it was appr a week before my period that I started experiencing this. It is CRAZY how a women's body changes once she hits her 30's. Now at 32 a week before my period, I have extreme bloating, CRAZY gas, dizzy spells, back pains like labor pains, and total nausea. A lot like pregnancy symptoms! I started keeping track of how ofteb this happens and realized it was always right before period was due. I.didn't know these issues were SO COMMON (nausea, gas, dizziness) before period or even during. But once i researched, i saw how there's sooooo many women dealing w the same thing. I really was thinking that i was pregnant every month! Bc all these really are soo similar! But once the tests were coming out negative, I.began to worry that there was something wrong with me. I have not found anything that works except emetrol syrup for the nausea. It alsi helps me release the gas too. But regarding the odor, i have no had any luck. Has anyone tried these suggestions from the other members?? Curious if anything worked.
-Donna
just fart to your heart's content. at least it feels good when it's out! and farts are supposed to stink! consider it comic relief every month :) lol.
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