Major Gas Problem! Help!

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RoamingDuck
RoamingDuck Posts: 74
in Food and Nutrition
Sooo this is a little bit embarrassing, but I am becoming desperate for advice on the situation. Basically, on a daily basis, I have terrible gas that causes me physical pain and makes for a day full of me trying to hold my farts.

The situation is made worse because I am a teacher (actually still an intern), and I have to stand in front of high school kids and talk about history. As you might imagine, trying to make a really dramatic point about the sinking of the USS Maine can be difficult when you are trying to suppress a fart…

So basically what I’m asking is for some advice. How can I minimize this terrible gas diet? I eat a pretty healthy diet. Usually cereal with milk, yogurt, and some lentil chips for breakfast. A sandwich made with flax pita bread and an apple for lunch. Brown rice with chicken or fish for dinner and a salad.

I know a lot of these foods are very high in fiber. I don’t want to give up eating healthy just to avoid gas, but it’s gotten to be such an issue that it’s hurting my effectiveness as a teacher…

I got my gallbladder removed a couple of years ago, so I wonder if there is a connection there. My doctor says that removing the gallbladder has left me with a case of IBS. Is there anything over the counter I can take for this terrible, life-depleting gas, or do I have to start eating differently? I would appreciate tips. Thanks guys.
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Replies

  • EmilyOfTheSun
    EmilyOfTheSun Posts: 1,548 Member
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    I know this isn't supposed to be funny, but I love your writing style. Made me laugh!!

    Maybe Beano ?
  • _DaniD_
    _DaniD_ Posts: 2,186 Member
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    You can either take some medication for it or cut some fiber.
  • Cinflo58
    Cinflo58 Posts: 326 Member
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    flax=farts

    also - could you be lactose intolerant?

    here is a great website on FODMAPS diet for IBS:

    http://blog.katescarlata.com/fodmaps-basics/

    feel free to message me with any questions
  • bpn80
    bpn80 Posts: 43
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    If you've been diagnosed with IBS, your body is probably having a difficult time digesting some of the foods you're eating. I have a similar issue, and found that my tummy doesn't agree with dairy, wheat, or super high fiber things, like flax. Try eliminating one of the things you're eating at a time and see if you feel better. Or maybe eat smaller amounts multiple days a day (I know-hard if you're a teacher!) Maybe your body can't digest a whole bunch of stuff at one time.
  • mellonicoley
    mellonicoley Posts: 1 Member
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    I have a similar problem if I "binge" on wheat- and dairy-containing products. Try reducing the amount of fiber in your diet. Try gluten-free pitta bread instead perhaps, and maybe switch to a different type of fruit as well (apples are very high in fiber!)
  • RoamingDuck
    RoamingDuck Posts: 74
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    I am going to totally avoid dairy tomorrow and see if that helps.
  • caribougal
    caribougal Posts: 865 Member
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    You had your gallbladder removed.

    There is a link between gallbladder disease and celiac. Were you ever tested for celiac disease? The pain could be caused by this if you're eating gluten and can't tolerate it.

    Here's a nice blog post about one woman's experience with gallbladder disease and gluten:
    http://paleoparents.com/featured/the-link-between-gallbladder-disease-and-gluten-sensitivity/

    And if you like a highly technical musings: http://high-fat-nutrition.blogspot.com/2008/06/gluten-and-gall-bladders.html

    ETA: it also adds up if you have IBS
    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23246645
    Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome-type Symptoms in Patients With Celiac Disease: A Meta-analysis.

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23083983

    Even if you don't have celiac disease, you may have "non-celiac gluten sensitivity" which is associated with IBS.

    Ask doc about getting tested for celiac. If it's yes... eliminate gluten. If it's no... I would still try eliminating gluten for 30 days and see if it reduces pain and IBS.
  • ltgarrow
    ltgarrow Posts: 342 Member
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    Or you could just stop caring. Those brats will remember you forever. Hey...remember the teacher that farted all the time, she was awesome.

    That's how I'd handle it.
  • karrielynn80
    karrielynn80 Posts: 395 Member
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    I'd say some thing like beano as suggested above.

    I would also wager to guess you've recently upped ur protein - that's generally where i hear about such things happening - ur body should get used to it after a wk or two. (if that's the case)
  • knittnponder
    knittnponder Posts: 1,954 Member
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    If you eat anything with chicory root in it that could be the problem. Fiber One bars are also known as "fart bars" because they use chicory root and cause toxic gas in a lot of people. I was eating them when I was doing taekwondo and couldn't figure out why I had such awful gas until I did a little research and figured that out. My jump kicks were never higher though! :D You didn't say you're eating them but I thought I'd throw it out there just FYI.
  • gioisa75
    gioisa75 Posts: 242 Member
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    Just let it fly and blame it on your students.
  • daniellealys
    daniellealys Posts: 301 Member
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    I had severe gas and gas pains most my life. I totally understand your pain. My gas pains were 100 times worse than the worst cramps I have ever had. So, it is painful, I sympathize. The only thing that helped was that I took a delayed allergy test and found that I am allergic to dairy, wheat (and others). I didnt eat wheat so I knew dairy was the culprit. Cut out dairy and after a month of dairy free..... I hardly ever have gas. Its a miracle. I feel like a new person. I suggest getting a blood IgG and IgE allergy test. Good luck!
  • daniellealys
    daniellealys Posts: 301 Member
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    I am going to totally avoid dairy tomorrow and see if that helps.
    just one day of avoiding dairy wont help. You will need to avoid it for a few weeks before you see results. so, dont be discouraged if you dont feel better tomorrow. dairy sticks in your system for a while, you wont see results until its out of your system completely.I also suggest doing the same with gluten. those are two common irritants.
  • twinketta
    twinketta Posts: 2,130 Member
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    I am going to totally avoid dairy tomorrow and see if that helps.
    just one day of avoiding dairy wont help. You will need to avoid it for a few weeks before you see results. so, dont be discouraged if you dont feel better tomorrow. dairy sticks in your system for a while, you wont see results until its out of your system completely.I also suggest doing the same with gluten. those are two common irritants.

    I agree with this post
  • lfinley2010
    lfinley2010 Posts: 27 Member
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    It could very well be the mIlk...giving you gas..trying not using milk for a while and see if that helps. YOu may be lactose tolerante.
  • Silver_Star
    Silver_Star Posts: 1,351 Member
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    i eat a lot of flaxseed bread and i can tell you , you need to be drinking entire tanks of water....or the gas will make you explode.

    Also...lentils can make you sing...errr from the other end. So again...drink lots of water throughout the day.
  • issyfit
    issyfit Posts: 1,077 Member
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    If you are eating sugar free foods with sugar alcohols (sometimes referred to as crapitols) that could do it. They include SF candy, ice cream, granola type bars and Zevia,
  • lunnay
    lunnay Posts: 66 Member
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    I second the lactose bit. Cut all dairy. You should feel improvements in a day or two (not a few weeks as mentioned before - the gas pain comes from not digesting lactose properly and as soon as everything's out of your intestines you won't have those pains or gas). If it goes away, awesome, have milk for breakfast one day the week after. If the gas and pain come back, congrats! You're lactose intolerant like a bunch of us. Just avoid milk (buy the lactose-free kind), heavy/light cream, and icecream. Yoghurts should be good, but YMMV.
  • XLMuffnTop
    XLMuffnTop Posts: 76 Member
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    If you eat anything with chicory root in it that could be the problem. Fiber One bars are also known as "fart bars" because they use chicory root and cause toxic gas in a lot of people. I was eating them when I was doing taekwondo and couldn't figure out why I had such awful gas until I did a little research and figured that out. My jump kicks were never higher though! :D You didn't say you're eating them but I thought I'd throw it out there just FYI.

    That's what my husband calls them. He doesn't eat them, I do. :laugh:
  • Shonja
    Shonja Posts: 50
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    I have a similar issue, without the IBS and I use lemon juice. Try fresh lemon juice on your food or add it to your water when you eat. Also try hot water and lemon with no sweetner. I do not measure, but use the lemon juice to taste. You want to taste the lemon, but not so much that you make the sour face :smile:

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