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Renee- those enzymes you mentioned, do you think they work better than Beano? did you ever use Beano? Also, are the enzymes you mentioned safe to be taken in several doses per day, every day? ( like before each main meal?) I am too afraid to put lots of added things in my oatmeal- afraid most foods will not agree with me. I have to be soooo cautious. If I could live in a cave, I would be the healthiest person on the planet!!! Thanks for all your help!
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Every naturopath I've ever seen (a lot of them) have recommended taking a digestive enzyme with every meal. I'm not sure what Heather's view is but think it's pretty standard, non-controversial advice for IBS. So yes, I take one 3 times a day (or at least 2, with lunch and dinner which are the more gas-causing meals for me). Most good-quality brands are gluten,soy,dairy free etc. They contain enzymes that your body may not be producing enough of itself, to help break down all the parts of your food - like fats and protein - whereas Beano only helps break down a certain type of carbohydrate found in beans etc. I take a Beano as well as my digestive enzyme with my dinner, just because nighttime gas is a big issue for me and dinner is when I eat the most veggies.
I am not "stable", so I am not going to say that these are a solution, but I just feel mentally better when I take them - like I'm giving my body some extra help to break down food.
I understand your caution about adding things to your oatmeal. Do you eat instant or steel-cut oats. Steel cut take longer to cook (it helps if you soak them the night before), but they'll keep you fuller for longer than the instant.
Best of luck!
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IBS-C, lots of spasm and trapped gas.
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Lots of us have that issue and hate it! Here's what I do. I drink lots of fennel tea - I didn't like the taste at first, but mix 50/50 with peppermint tea and it tastes a lot better (make it strong - I use a couple of tablespoons of each for about 12 oz of water). After you've had it a few times you really start to like it! It will not cause bad side effects - and it really, really helps. But start drinking it first thing when you get up to help prevent the gas from forming in the first place! This is key! Then take a thermal coffee mug of it with you to class. Drink it all through the day if you can. Also, have you tried the peppermint caps? It has a little fennel in it also. My doctor says that a lot of the gas is caused by stress - your intestines are spasming, you're swallowing too much air, etc. So try and do deep breathing and relaxing things throughout the day too. If none of that helps at all, you can talk with your doctor about Levsin - it's one of the anti-spasmotic drugs that Heather talks about on her website. I have it around for times that I just don't want to be embarrassed - like dinner at a friends! If you take the Levsin a couple of hours before you eat (or at least 1 hour) it really cuts down on the smelly gas a lot! When my doctor gave it to me for the intestinal cramps I get with IBS, he said it will also help with the gas because it relaxes the intestines.
Hope that helps, and take good care! Oh, and don't waste your money on those charcoal filters for your underwear - they totally don't work! The smell just goes around it! 
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No problem! As I say, I do totally sympathise with that needing-to-pass-gas scenario  soo uncomfortable! Further to Loriann's post above about relaxation techniques, you may even want to think about the IBS audio 100 progamme as it can be really good for relaxation. I'm not sure if it would help with gas, it doesn't deal with the issue specifically, you could ask Marilyn's advice on the Hypnotherapy Board. Hang in there, you are going to find something that works for you! 
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Something else here..my girlfriend is a major gas producer 
and she tried activia yogurt everyday for two weeks and she really noticed that she was less bloated and less gassy.It took two full weeks for her.and she had to keep eating it.
She also is prone to c and she was helped along with that too.
Now when I say gassy and bloated I mean BLOATED! She looks 4 months pregnant some days and she will peal the wallpaper from the wall!
She laughs about it but the yogurt did help.
Something else you really should do is explain to your friends that you have this problem.If they are really your friends they will listen and understand.All my friends know about my IBS and they are careful to ask me if such and such a thing is OK for me to eat or not.They also understand if I suddenly disappear for half an hour.
It would certainly relieve a lot of stress if you explained to your friends or at least one, what was going on.You may be surprised to find some of them have the same issues.
Good luck.
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IBS-D since 1999...mostly stable..i do cheat too.Bad me.
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