Please help with suggestions for relief of significant gas and bloating
#17888 - 08/20/03 05:23 PM
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lithelady
Reged: 08/15/03
Posts: 339
Loc: Novato, CA
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I'm new here in the past 2 weeks and I want to tell all of you that just knowing that this board exists and reading the posts whenever I get the chance has been so helpful. So thanks to all of you who are making it happen!! I feel like I've finally found people who will really listen to me and moreso, who can truly understand my symptoms!
I have very severe C-IBS with lots of gas almost daily, altho it has decreased somewhat since I started this diet several weeks ago. Heather's book or this website, [I can't recall where I read it] said that it takes longer to stablize C-IBS. So I'm hoping that my gas and other symptoms will continue to improve with time, b/c I'm following this diet and using the fibercon ( 2 tabs 3x/day before meals) faithfully every day.
For now I'm still dealing with alot of gas, throughout the day and also at night.I have to move around alot in my work b/c I'm not at a desk so sipping tea is difficult to do.
Has anyone had any success with chewing fennel seeds to relieve gas symptoms? I was thinking I would chew them and then spit out- discretely of course!- the seeds once well chewed. Or would it be helpful to swallow them once they're well chewed or do they contain too much insoluble fiber??
Also wondering if taking simethecone at bedtime has helped anyone to relieve their trappped gas and bloating during the night? Any other suggestions for at work or in the evening to relieve the gas, [besides sipping fennel tea which I'm already doing during the evening], would be great!! Thanks again!!
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Many years of C-IBS and pain too for past 2 years-
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Hello there windy friend. Many of us have problems with gas. It's embarassing sometimes, but part of life with IBS. You're on the right track with fennel tea. Take the seeds and grind them with a mortar and pestle, or cut them up with a knife and brew them for a strong tea. Cutting them up or crushing them makes the tea more potent.
Some people have found things like bean-o helpful - I haven't tried it before though.
Lastly, take a look at your diet. Look for all the gas producers and leave them out for a while. Introduce one back at a time, and see how you react. Some are more potent than others. Often culprits: cabbage, onions, garlic, broccoli, cauliflour, other veggies,. Also, make sure there are no hidden triggers in your diet - especially dairy and high fat foods. They make brutal gas.
Take care and hope the "winds" of your storm will calm down.
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Formerly HanSolo. IBS, OCD, Bipolar, PTSD times 3.
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Gas is a hard one. Certain food make it worse for me, onions, garlic, soy and of course beans. It seems like almost everything makes me gassey! Recently I have been using Beano and Gas-x. I take 2 Beano before a meal, (I usually don't find it necessary with breakfast) and 2 gas-x after a meal if I feel the rumblings starting! This has helped a LOT. I would estimate I have had a 60-70 percent decrease in my gas. I have tried just Gas-x in the past and didn't find it to help much, I think it's the combination with the Beano. I haven't found a generic for the Beano yet so its a little expensive but I just buy the off brand gas-x.
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Taking it one day at a time.....
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Hi!
Welcome to the board. Glad you found us.
I just wanted to share that I have IBS-C and that the fiber TABLETS actually made my gas much worse. The Fibercon and the Fiberchoice tablets gave me horrible gas; with the Fiberchoice, the gas was trapped and I was in excruiating pain. I switched to the Citrucel powder and I rarely have gas now. I know the powder is not as convenient as popping the tablets, but if it makes you more comfortable, it may be worth a try to switch. I filled one of those tiny Rubbermaid round containers with the Citrucel and I carry it in my purse at all times. (I've even put it in a teeny ziplock bag and just dumped it in my water. You have to be careful doing this at a restaurant if you are using the Clear Mix type. I've laughed and told my friends that I hope no one thinks I'm mixing some type of illegal drug into my drink!) Now if I do have gas it's usually because I have eaten something that caused it such as onions, beans, cabbage.
Have you tried Heather's suggestion of swallowing a couple of Altoids (whole, like you would aspirin) after a meal? I find that that helps my tummy a lot. Also, try drinking warm water with lemon juice. I drink warm water (almost hot) like this out of the tap. My husband thinks this is so gross, but it's not much different from drinking hot tea. It sure helps me and it stimulates my system and often produces a BM within minutes! Try it!!!!
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The product that I've found works best for me is Ultra Strength Phazyme (pink box). I take them as needed, and usually try and take them before meals. They work better than Gax-X and all those other products out there (at least for me).
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~jules
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Hey BL!
I thought you were only supposed to drink cold water from the tap and heat it up if you want warmer/hot, because hot water gets stuff from the pipes.  Is that true?
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Hi Lithelady,
I too have IBS-C, and lots of gas daily. I drink fennel tea too. I've started taking fennel caps by Nature's Way. They seem to be helping. This is a difficult symptom to control. My problem is lower gas, and bloating.
Pazyme worked for the bloating, but not much on the other.
Citric acid is a problem for me at times too.
Good Luck
Cloudygirl 
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Hi Again,
I forgot to mention I also take 10mg of Bentyl 2-4 times a day. It really helps with gas and bloating. Talk to your GI Doc about it. I find it helpful, it's not perfect, and you do have to drink a lot of water because it is an anticholeragenic(sp). I get dry mouth and feel more tired, but these symptoms very with everyone, and they are not hard to deal with.
Good Luck
Cloudygirl
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An ounce of prevention...
I have been able to significantly reduce my gas/bloating including the pain, by reducing soy consumption or using Beano tablets with beans and soy products. As well I avoid eating dried fruit as it produces wicked results! I recently found that the combination of banana and oatmeal porridge/muffins etc was causing me terrible anti-social gas, so i have started to eat my oatmeal alone. (complex carbs combined with fruit can cause gas). Lately I have switched to peaches as a fruit source, and have found that they too cause wicked gas, even when eaten alone. So I am on the lookout for a non-gas-producing fruit...as I adore fruit and would like it in my diet but will have to avoid it for now due to toxic air problems.
Good luck!
Kris
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Be the change you want to see in the world.
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Never heard that! Maybe I'm naive, but I have too much else to worry about than what's in my pipes. I have always drank water straight from the tap. Now, my sister, who lives in New Orleans, wouldn't dare do this, but hey, her water comes from the nasty Mississippi River ... I don't want to know where mine comes from. We're all going to die from something anyway. I can't see spending money on bottled water!
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Oh, I drink cold water from the tap...I just meant hot water from the tap. Actually, I got something with my water bill once that said to not use hot tap water for drinking/preparing food because it gets something (I want to say lead, but can't remember) from the pipes. It also said to run the cold for 30 seconds before drinking & to fill up pitchers when you do to use later so you're not wasting water every time you need a drink.
Maybe it's just NJ water! LOL
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I have severe C, gas, bloating too. Fennel seeds are completely safe to have. I have so much gas I don't know what to do. I'm so bloated I look like I'm 9 months pregnant!
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--------------------
Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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I drink lukewarm water immediately before and immediately after a meal. I don't know why this helps- maybe leaves no room for gas pockets to form?? I say lukewarm because really hot and really cold water upsets my stomach more. It is also the only way I get enough glasses of water in a day- I hate water! 
Hope this helps!
Sarah
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Thanks to all who replied, I now have alot of new ideas!
However, I'm still wondering if chewing fennel seeds would be helpful???
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Many years of C-IBS and pain too for past 2 years-
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How does the bentyl affect your ability to move your bowels every day?
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Many years of C-IBS and pain too for past 2 years-
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I really want to get rid of this gas and this suggestion is the easiest of the numerous ones shared here. Sooooo, I'd like to start doing this correctly immediately! Are you drinking 8oz before and after, more? less? Thanks!!
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Many years of C-IBS and pain too for past 2 years-
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Well I don't have a GI doc right now because I'm too sick to leave the house unfortunately. It's hard to find one here too. I'm not sure if that med would give me any horrible side effects too. I already have really severe IBS.
Thanks.
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I usually drink at least one 8 0z. glass of warm water after each meal, and I drink a glass of it throughout the day whenever I think of it. Hot and cold water hurts my tummy, so I only drink warm water.
I read in some article on constipation that warm water stimulates your bowels to move. That's why many people will tell their doctor that the only time they have a BM is after they drink a cup of coffee. It's the warm water, not the coffee, that does this!
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Usually lead is a problem in older homes. From what I understand new construction doesn't use lead pipes. Do not drink hot water from you faucet if you own an older home.
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Hi - Chewing fennel seeds is helpful. Brewing them as tea and drinking it is a lot easier (and they won't get stuck in your teeth that way!)
- H
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Heather is the Administrator of the IBS Message Boards. She is the author of Eating for IBS and The First Year: IBS, and the CEO of Heather's Tummy Care. Join her IBS Newsletter. Meet Heather on Facebook!
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Pure lemon juice in hot water helps. Yoga helps too. Peppermint and ginger, oregano, dill tea helps gas and bloating too.
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I forgot to mention Equate ultra strength gas pills might help. It's sold at Walmart.
Take care
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Hello
I forgot to mention I have IBS C not D so I can't take Bentyl since it's for D.
Thanks anyway
Take Care
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It works better for me too. Gas-x gave me severe c. I got a box of Equate. Exactly like Phazyme but cheaper. Under $4! Phazyme is so pricey here. I got Equate at Walmart. I don't know if it's sold any place else.
Take Care
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I always drink Brita water. Once in a while I drink bottled spring water.
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I have horrible gas too ! It won't go away! It's worse when I have a severe attack and when I have my period! Maybe applesauce might not give you wicked gas.
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8 oz. before and after
That way with 3-5 meals a day, you are sure to get the correct number of glasses in a day. And you eat less! 
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Hi Lithelady,
I did not find chewing fennel seeds to be helpful. It just caused me problems. Try making strong tea or try Nature's Way fennel supplements.
Cloudygirl
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Hi Lithelady,
I try to drink a lot of water, and herbal tea throughout the day. I take a table spoon of citrucel daily as well. I have experienced some added c problems, but because of the other things I do It doesn't effect it too much.
My worst symptom has always been gas(flatulence, and bloating).
Cloudygirl.
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Hi everyone,
Gas seems to be the hardest symptom to control, and narrow down all the causes. I hate it! I'm frustrated that there is so little out there that really works.
I'm hoping when I visit the GI Doc, that she'll know something that can work better than the Bentyl I take.
Cloudygirl
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