I'm a 29 year old Australian, currently living in Australia and I've had uncontrollable flatulence for about five years. It's socially debilitating. I fart all the time, always very smelly gas. I've been tested for: Helicobacter, (not sure if I have the correct spelling but that is a bacteria which causes stomach ulcers and gas) celiac disease (a problem where gluten from wheat causes your body to not absorb nutrients and produces gas) both these tests were negative.
One doctor told me that I have food intolerance and to be more savvy and watch what I eat, another doctor told me that I eat to much fiber so eat less fiber, another doctor prescribed for me an anti spasmodic which made things worse. I did my own research and realized that I could be lactose intolerant. I had a stool sample tested which was inconclusive and was sent to a stomach and bowel specialist, but I have not gone yet.
It started when I was working long hours in a restaurant standing all day and not eating regularly. I lost about seven kilos at this time. Also, I would eat about two packets a day of sugar free sweets, only drink sugar free beverages, about 1.5L a day, and take artificial sweeteners in my tea and coffee about three cups a day. Also any product that I could find which had a sugar substitute like soup, chocolate, custard ect. I would choose over the regular variety.
I have managed to control my gas quite a lot by eliminating any artificial sweeteners, eliminating dairy, and also I found soy has the same effect on me as dairy ( I have to check packaging carefully because soy is in practically everything from margarine to chicken salt) and also by exercising the pelvic floor muscle.
But I have a great concern, because my symptoms started when I began consuming large quantities of artificial sweeteners, has anyone else here been eating a lot of artificial sweeteners? The packet does warn that the product has a laxative effect but it doesn't say anything about a life of continual flatulence, and social exile.
This discussion is related to
Uncontrollable Flatulence - Part 3.