Excessive flatulence. Not sure if IBS? Looking for suggestions/advice

[John2607]

Hi,

Google searches for help have brought me here but I'm not sure if what I'm suffering from is actually IBS. I haven't been for medical advice yet or a diagnosis but it will be my next step.

I've always , in my adult life had anxiety regarding being caught short or urgently needing the loo but in the last few years I thought it was steadily improving but what I'm experiencing now is equally as stressful & is now making me feel like something isn't quite right.

I can't seem to go through a day without what I would call excessive farting. It seems to be worse when I'm moving around & some times the odour gets progressively worse as the day goes on. This in turn leads me to thinking I need to poo but in lots of instances all that happens when I get to the loo is lots more farting. I am not in any pain at any time & I wouldn't say that I felt bloated either . I poo usually once or twice a day & it's not diarrhea. When I do go to the toilet , first thing in the morning , I can't seem to pass anything without LOTS of gas escaping & on many occasions lately it's like the pressure build up almost fires the stool out. I can only compare it to something that's inflated & all the air has to be released before I can go. Also, on some occasions I release that much wind doing this that it feels a little wet. Not diarrhea but like a small amount of liquid from my back passage.

I thought it may be dietary so I've tried cutting things out but I haven't found the right combination yet . I'm not sure at this point if I'm intolerant to something or whether it's something else. There are 2 or 3 things that I know seem to make my condition worsen. Ripe bananas, breakfast cereal with milk, and if I have coffee I can hear something happening in my stomach, lots of gargling & strange noises. I wouldn't say I have a bad diet. I eat fruit & veg, meat & fish etc I don't really drink much alcohol or carbonated drinks, only very occasionally. I did used to have 2 or 3 cups of coffee a day but it doesn't seem to agree with me. The only 'medication' I've tried is peppermint oil capsules. Not every single day but after eating out in public . I haven't really found these very effective.

I'm new to this forum & after reading some posts yesterday I feel I'm in the right place to get some advice or suggestions before I try to tell all this to my GP. There are many on here with far more severe symptoms than me but mine is now starting to become an embarrassing problem that I want to try and get under control.

Thanks for reading if you got this far 🙂. Any replies or advice from anyone with similar symptoms would be greatly appreciated.

[Linley]

My hubby says I have got enough gas in me to start my own energy company😁. Joking apart my gas can be painful until passed its good to hear you are not pain. Directly we put food in our mouths the digestive process starts so think you should avoid foods that ferment in the gut ie mushrooms sure there is a list somewhere. As you have not been diagnosed with IBS it may be a good idea to see your GP for initial advice. Good Luck

[BlackIsleGirl]

Hello, delighted you've found us and really sorry you're having a rough time. Excessive wind is never nice!

You're right to talk to your gp but also right to go armed with the facts and with the right questions. Unfortunately, gps are notorious for dismiss IBS and gastric issues as until you have them it's hard to understand how debilitating it can be! Knowing what to ask and how to ask it really helps.

Are you keeping a food symptoms diary? It's a bit of a pain but worth doing as you can often spot the culprits yourself. There's loads of online ones but a spreadsheet with columns for date, time, food/drink, stress level and symptoms does the job. I always include stress level as that can affect your gut quite a bit. A food symptoms diary can help the GP see the extent of the issue.

I have never found peppermint oil helpful but I've found ginger really effective. There's some research that backs this up and some specialists are now recommendating it but there's nothing imperical as yet. I find ginger gentler and more effective for wind and all the other symptoms. I take it with breakfast every day and when I feel bloated or windy. Also ginger tea seems to help.

Try cutting down on leafy greens and things like cauliflower and brussel sprouts. They tend to be gas producers so it might help. I also believe you can get pants with a charcoal lining which is meant to help nutrealise odours but I've never tried them. I'd be interested to hear if you do and if they work.

Not sure if my ramblings are of any help but I hope you find some relief soon.

[John2607 in reply to BlackIsleGirl]

Thanks for your reply & the recommendation of ginger. I haven't tried it yet so will investigate this further & give it a go. I hadn't kept an actual diary , just mental notes in my head but once I had submitted my post I did consider doing one so I'll get that started today too. I find the stress side of it quite difficult to monitor as it's a bit of a vicious circle . My stomach stresses me out and then that triggers the symptoms again. Hopefully if I start to cut out certain foods & drinks this will all help over time. Once I have enough info I will attempt to talk to my doctor. ( Easier said than done in recent times 🙄)

Thanks again for taking time to reply. I appreciate it

[BlackIsleGirl in reply to John2607]

I hear ya on the joyous merry-go-round of stress-trigger-stress!I use the calm app to help with stress control and find it surprisingly effective, as long as I keep practicing the techniques. There's no simple answer to any of it to be honest but it might be worth a try for you 🤷‍♀️

Good luck with the diary and the GP.

[Hidden]

Hi John, I do sympathise, the excess wind is one of the most distressing parts of IBS or intestinal problems, like others have said on here, keep a food diary, drink fresh root ginger tea throughout the day, also, have you tried Charcoal tablets? They do help a bit, but don't take too many as they tend to ' bung you up'. May be worth a trip to your GP just to see if there's an underlying cause. Try to eat in a calm manner too, never rush your food and take time to chew thoroughly.

[John2607 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you. I had considered charcoal tablets but I'd also read about a couple of negative side effects. They were going to be the next thing to try but I'm getting some good suggestions through this forum ☺️. Ginger is 1st on my list. Also I can relate to my method of eating. I had kept reading about that & I know that it must contribute to my problem. I'm a postie so unfortunately if I eat I'm either not able to let it settle or I'm 'grazing' from my van during a busy day. It's only my evening meal that I'm actually able to sit & eat properly & not be on the move immediately afterwards. I have tried to go a full work day without eating until I'm home but found that difficult . I appreciate you taking the time to reply ☺️

[NorahH]

Hi there, try and leave onion garlic and leeks out of your diet theses are notorious in connection with wind.If you buy of the shelf foods look at the ingredients carefully, everything has onion in it, soups, sauces ready meals etc. Works for me, good luck

[John2607 in reply to NorahH]

That's a good tip. I'll check the food labels from now on & try to leave them out. Thank you 😊

[casares8]

You mention milk being a problem so maybe check out if you are lactose intolerant or try lactose free milk, yoghurts etc. I also take peppermint capsules, i find they help a little, or sometimes a tsp of milk magnesia. Also anything with simethicone is for gas, mostly available over the counter, but check with the dr first

[John2607 in reply to casares8]

Thank you. I did wonder if I may be lactose intolerant. I will keep a food/drink/stress diary for a while & try cutting certain things out so when I go to see my GP I'll have as much info as possible

[Hidden]

H pylori?? Just a thought as was the same for me. Easy fix with antibiotics

[Sparrow58]

Keeping a food diary is a good idea also add symptoms to your diary. This will help when you go and see your GP. Also you could try eating mindfully. Sit at a table and slowly eat your meal etc. All the best x

[John2607 in reply to Sparrow58]

Thank you. I have already started a diary & writing as much as I can in there & am keeping an eye on certain things that people here have suggested. As I mentioned to someone earlier, my job is a difficult one to work proper settled meals around. I'm a postie so I eat breakfast but then I'm standing & walking pretty much straight away & having snacks during my day if I'm hungry. I know this isn't helping my condition. I can almost feel it happening immediately after eating as I have to be on the move & the wind starts! I will have to try something different for breakfast I think & then try to make it through my work day without eating & then have a proper sit down meal when I'm home

[Sparrow58]

We all have to fit in work around this condition and sometimes it is difficult.

[Zantecat]

Ha, sorry to sound unsympathetic, but I would swop your problems to have no pain.That said each individual has their own anxieties, but it sounds to me as if you have found triggers so I would say ( again you are lucky you know them), work on them to reduce symptoms.

It is unfortunate that the things in our diet that are said to be beneficial to us produce ‘antisocial’ results, but it’s time we all got over this taboo, and started embracing a little wind as a normal bodily process.

I would say that you are are a completely normal and healthy individual!

[John2607 in reply to Zantecat]

Hi Zantecat, thanks for taking time to read & reply. All my replies are very much appreciated. I totally understand from reading other posts on this forum that symptoms can vary so much from one person to the next & compared with some I've read I agree that mine may seem minor but I sense that there's something not quite right with my body & I would like to learn about making my life just that bit better & more comfortable. I've already had some very good information that I didn't know before so I will keep on working at it

[Justbreathe55]

When I had severe issues with my guts and even sometimes even now I take charcoal before a heavy meal. Like others have mentioned a food diary should help you identify the foods your body isn't tolerating well....Good luck!