Hi all I am 22months post Ivor Lewis op. I am suffering silent burps that smell horrible and noisey bowels. I have had a test for bacterial overgrowth which was negative. Due to have a SeHCAT scan over the next two weeks to see if my body breaking food and making enough enzymes.
I have been put on creon to see if it helps.
Any one else suffer from this please.
Debbie
Yes I have also suffered from smelly burps a few times since my operation 11 years ago .My consultant said this happens occasionally with some patients, some have regularly and some never get it. I discovered that not chewing vegetables was the culprit for me .When I do get this the only Med that stops the smell is Pepto-Bismol which you can buy from the chemist It's nothing to worry about it's just an embarrassing symptom that eventually goes.
Phil
Debbie
I cannot be sure if I had the exact same as you describe. I was told to avoid "probiotics" which I was taking these daily after being advised to take "probiotics".
A "gastroenterologist" will possibly be able to get you sorted and would be worth a visit. Be sure to keep a very accurate and honest (really honest) food diary - no cheating here, everything must be written down, even the smallest of treats.
I eventually gave up yoghurt as that caused lots of issues for me.
Good luck.
Bruce
Thanks Bruce I cant eat yoghurt because of dumping. Yes I am keeping food diary and seeing gastroenterologist end of this month.
I think you'll find that lots of people suffer from this. I am 10 years post-op and still occasionally suffer from smelly burps and gurgling intestines. It comes and goes and, despite keeping close track of what I eat, I have been unable to ascertain what triggers it.
I too take creon with every meal and it does seem to help.
Hi Debbie, You are certainly not alone!
I am twenty seven months post op and I did suffer the same symptoms as you, and also had the SIBO test which in my case proved positive and it took me eighteen months to get rid.
I ended up having the hydrogen breath test four times before I was clear of bacterial overgrowth (Touch wood). You will understand what a bore the preparation for the test is with diet etc.
Someone else mentioned about chewing, I have found that chewing and chewing and chewing my food until it is just about liquid has helped enormously, but I do still suffer from excess flatulence! My wife says I should be plugged into the national gas pipe line.
Like you I have had to come to grips with a lot of dumping issues, and just in case it is of use to you, I will tell you what I have found to be very helpful.
Root ginger tea with lemon juice (about 20 minutes after food) bruise the ginger and put one teaspoonful cut up small into an infuser dangled in your mug add boiling water and a squirt of lemon. Dead easy and quite effective.
On account of my continuing digestion problems I too take Creon five times a day before I eat and as I eat a lot of soup and stew type meals I add one teaspoon of cider vinegar to the meal and this is very effective with dumping for me at least.
As for the burps, I seem to have overcome those with the cider vinegar for the time being.
The most important thing I have found during this whole journey with my new body is that diet is truly the key, if it causes dumping then don't eat it and just concentrate on the foods that don't cause dumping. I have had to exclude, bread and all pastry of any kind, no cake or biscuits, no crisps, no pizza and definitely no chips! Dairy including cheese even lactose free cheese makes me dump. I am a veggie, so as you can see I am on a very limited diet but I am OK still and happy to be here. I almost drool when I walk past the cake shop and smell fresh bread.
Sorry it's so long, and I know we all react differently to these things but I have found it is good to try natural remedies and I hope it helps you too.
Good luck with it all
Best wishes
Richard
Diabetes and oesophagectomy 
Swallowing difficulties 5 months post-op
Diaphragm hernia surgery 
Reactive hypoglycemia
