trying to get rid of really awful bloating and super stinky gas
#316494 - 10/11/07 07:53 PM
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For a couple weeks now my gas has been horrendous and a strange smell too. And my stool often has the same smell. I started on a probiotic today and am going off sugar in the next few days because I think I have some excess bacteria from sugar, etc. The smell really leads me to believe this. I am hoping to do a stool test if insurance will pay for it and then I can find out if something is obvious there. I am pretty debilitated with all this and can hardly be around myself. Hopefully this elimination and probitotics will work. I will post my results.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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You mention sugar possibly causing the smelly gas. At times I get gas out of nowhere too and I try to track back to what I've eaten but it seems illogical. I'm so embarrassed by the foul smell too. Sometimes I want to cancel social engagments just because of it. 
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Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
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That's interesting - I always notice evil smells when I've had dried fruit and I've never though perhaps it's due to the concentrated sugar hit. Where do you think you get too much sugar from, i.e. what sorts of foods are you cutting? (I mean... apart from.. sugar  ) I'd be interested to know where the hidden culprits might be.
good luck in the meantime,
Jodie
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I also get really bad gas that makes it hugely embarrassing for me to be around anyone. Even my husband can't bare it sometimes. Last Sunday i had to go out of church in the middle of prayer because it was building up in my stomach and getting really painful because i didn't want to let it out as it smellt so horrific! Sorry about the details. I've always thought that with me it's related to having too much sugar- in the form of dried fruit, fruit, jams and marmalades, honey, fruit juice, certain cereal bars. I've never known how to test my theory though. Good luck. Hope you get some answers.
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Sarah
IBS-C
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Every one of my friends know that I have to sit on the end of the aisle at church or the movie theaters...they think its cause I might get bad pains, not that its actually gas (cause its embarrassing to tell anyone but my hubby) BUt I can totally relate. And then I get sooo worried that Im gonna have it at church, or in a meeting that I get anxiety and I feel like I cause myself to have it from stressing about it..... its so miserable....know how you feel
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It sucks doesn't it! So know what you mean. I get stressed as well. If i let one slip out by accident my hubby just ignores it (thank goodness) but my friend makes a really big deal out of it which makes me just want to die!
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Sarah
IBS-C
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Quote:
I've always thought that with me it's related to having too much sugar- in the form of dried fruit, fruit, jams and marmalades, honey, fruit juice, certain cereal bars. I've never known how to test my theory though.
Is is well established that some people with IBS have difficulties with the sugar fructose. Many of the foods you listed are not tolerated well by individuals with this problem. You can read about this sugar, IBS and fructose malabsorption in this article and this web page. There is a list of favourable and unfavourable foods for people that have difficulties with fructose in this posting
Good luck 
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
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That's great. Many thanks Syl, much appreciated
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Sarah
IBS-C
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Oh my word Syl, i've just read the links about fructose and they all make so much sense! It all fits! Plus, interesting that frcutose problems can be linked with wheat problems! Thanks again.
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Sarah
IBS-C
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Syl
#316581 - 10/12/07 05:05 PM
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Zara
Reged: 06/07/06
Posts: 883
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Is it possible to get a reaction to eating too much sugar even if one tested negative for fructose malabsorption? I seem to have the symptoms but my tests didn't show anything...
Also, taken from this link you provided sucrose has 50% of fructose. Isn't sucrose plain old table sugar? Does that mean that plain sugar is high in sucrose and thus may not be safe?
I posted here a while ago how I got really sick from eating too many Smarties (US version). They're pure sucrose plus colorings.
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
Edited by Zara (10/12/07 05:15 PM)
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Re: Syl
#316582 - 10/12/07 06:03 PM
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Syl
Reged: 03/13/05
Posts: 5499
Loc: SK, CANADA
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Generally speaking, unless you are a diabetic your body can handle glucose and sucrose very well. Sucrose is composed of exactly one molecule of glucose and one molecule of fructose.
Glucose is a simple sugar that everybody can asborb into the blood stream very easily. It is frequently used in a saline solution for intravenous feeding.
As strange as this may seem your body transfers sucrose into your blood stream across the stomach and intestinal wall differently that it transfers fructose alone. The current understanding is that when there is exactly 50% fructose and 50% glucose your body uses the sucrose transfer mechanism. When there is more fructose than glucose your body uses another but slower mechanism to transfer the excess fructose into the blood stream. In some people this slow transfer is impeded and undigested fructose ends up in the colon where is rapidly fermented by colonic bacteria. This is what the breath test was looking for.
Everyone has a fructose intolerance limit. Generally what a negative fructose malabsorption test means is that you did not have difficulty digesting a 25 gram fructose load. This does not mean that you won't have difficulty with 30 grams. My personal tolerance is less that 1 gram 
I am not familiar with Smarty candies but if these are them the ingredients list says it contains:
Dextrose , Corn Syrup Solids - May Contain , Maltodextrin - May Contain , Citric Acid , Calcium Stearate , Artificial Flavors , Red 40 Lake , Yellow 5 Lake , Yellow 6 Lake , Blue 2 Lake
Dextrose is another name for glucose. Corn syrup solids are 88% glucose. Maltodextrin is a long chain of glucose molecules. These are quite safe. I would be suspicious of the remaining ingredients.
If you look at the diet that I posted yesterday that is being used to help IBS suffers that have inflammatory bowel disease you will see that artificial flavouring and perservatives are on the avoid list.
Good luck
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
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I have only been on this diet for a week...things are already started working....I am using Benefiber in chamomile tea at night and I started that 'foul' gas too...I thought it was my body trying to regulate and get rid of the bad stuff...and that the benefiber along with the other soluble fiber from food was pushing it out...what do you think?
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CherE
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The link between fructose malabsorption and wheat through fructans is still under investigation. Some malabsorber can eat wheat others have to moderate thier intake
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
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Here is a link to a article on dietary management of fructose malabssorption
Shepherd SJ, Gibson PR (2006). Fructose malasborption and symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome: guidelines for effective dietary management . Journal of the American Dietetic Association 106 (10): 1631–9.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
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whats the name of the fructose test?
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Pud
Long Island
IBS-D & SIBO - main symptom GAS
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It is a breath test. Unfortunately, it only tells you if you can or cannot handle 25 grams of fructose. If you can't the test won't tell you how much you can handle. You have to determine this for yourself. Also, the breath test is prone to false negatives i.e. your test is negative but you are still a fructose malabsorber. The simplest test is to reduce your consumption of free fructose for 3-4 weeks and see how you feel.
Good Luck
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
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I am reducing sugar to try to see if I have an abundance of bad bacteria. Something is telling me yes. I am also taking a probiotic for this now. One other reason I have noticed extra stinky gas before is from being a little C for a while. I up my acacia and fluids and it usually works out, but this time the smell is different and makes me think bacteria. Also I have been watching "You are What You Eat" on BBC and that dr. recommends no sugar and people always lose their gas.
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IBS-A for 20 years with terrible bloating and gas. On the diet since April 2004. Remember this from Heather's information pages:
"You absolutely must eat insoluble fiber foods, and as much as safely possible, but within the IBS dietary guidelines. Treat insoluble fiber foods with suitable caution, and you'll be able to enjoy a wide variety of them, in very healthy quantities, without problem." Please eat IF foods!
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Thanks for all the replies. I'll look through all these links and see if I can make heads or tails of what I'm eating. I do have sugary things but usually it is table sugar/brown sugar. I need to read the list about fruit though...I notices today that I had a few grapes on an empty stomach (passing by them on the table) and less than 10 minutes later, stinky gas.  Not sure if there was a conncection. I can usually tolerate whole wheat products in moderation, but it could be the bagels that I have. It seems like when I get them from a different place, they are made differently and the ingredients don't agree with me (no d attacks, just foul gas). I can totally relate to all of you...It's awful, isn't it?
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Originally IBS-D for a million years!
Then IBS-A, Now a transformed slightly C
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For Syl
#316652 - 10/15/07 05:57 AM
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rhopko
Reged: 10/09/07
Posts: 7
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I am very interested in the information you posted about fructose intolerance. After all these years and visits to the Mayo Clinic and GI Docs I have NEVER heard of this. I am starting to think this could be part of my problem, as I cannot seem to get rid of my gas unless I eat practically nothing, use Miralax at night and a glycerin suppository at least twice during the day. The only way I can get rid of gas, pain and bloating is to empty everything out of there...and despite my diet changes, I am horribly C and continue to have symptoms.
At this time I eat only plain proteins, rice, cooked non-gas producing vegetables (primarily mashed up spinach and pureed winter squash,) peanut butter (I was adding honey to it but have stopped), bananas and some papaya.
Fat and caffeine does not bother me at all and I know they are both supposed to be triggers for IBS.
I am totally lactose intolerant, I feel I have a problem with gluten (or could it be the fructans?), fiber and now I am wondering about fructose. To add to the complication, I have dry mouth syndrome so I chew a lot of gum. I know that sugarless gum has sorbitol in it so I try and chew more sugared than sugarless, but I am not sure if that is any better.
Syl, I am wondering what your diet looks like? Do you eat fruit? Do you eat gluten-containing products? I know you had D and I am C but I would really like to know how you manage your fructose intolerance in real life.
I had a Hydrogen Breath test for bacterial overgrowth, which my doc interpreted as negative. Is the fructose intolerance test different or can something about fructose be interpreted from the test I already had?
Thanks in advance.
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Re: For Syl
#316655 - 10/15/07 06:50 AM
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Syl
Reged: 03/13/05
Posts: 5499
Loc: SK, CANADA
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It is strange they never tested you at the Mayo Clinic. On this web page on their web site they talk about fructose intolerance. Unfortunately they also have a couple of ambiguities in the notes because sugar (beet or cane) is not a problem fructose malabsorber but is a problem for hereditary fructose intolerance (a rare genetic disorder). It is also listed as one of the tests for chronic constipation on this web page,
My diet is very simple and basic.
Breakfast: oatmeal with 1/4 banana or 1/2 kiwi (deseeded) and brown sugar
Lunch: mildly curried 1/4 chicken breast & 6 shrimp OR 1/2 small grilled chicken breast with carrots & zucchini and 1/2 cup reheat white rice.
Supper: chicken, bison, fish, seafood or pork tenderloin with carrots, zucchini or beets and rice, potatoes or pasta.
I eat gluten containing products. I moderate the amount of wheat products I eat to about the equivalent of 3 slices of bread per day. I don't each onions or Jerusalem artichokes because of their high fructan content. Also, I don't use any supplements or dietary aids especially those containing inulin or FOS (these are fructans that I cannot tolerate even in small amounts).
For the hydrogen breath test for SIBI you likely drank a liquid contain lactulose. For the fructose test you would drink a liquid containing about 25 grams of fructose -- this is equivalent to one soft drink which contains 25-40 grams of fructose from HFCS. The problem with this test is that it only tells you if your fructose malabsorption occurs at the level of a 25 gram fructose load. If you are positive it does not tell you how much fructose you can actually tolerate. This you have to determine by experimenting. Also, the test has a high rate of false negatives. The best test is to remove foods with high excess free fructose for 3-4 weeks and see how it effects you.
I use the article referred to on this web page and the USDA and Fenili databases as my excess fructose food guides.
Good luck
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
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Hi, I'm not Syl but I wanted to answer your Q about fructose breath test. I had both fructose and bacterial overgrowth tests done. The test is pretty much the same (drink the solution, take breath samples) but the solution you drink is different. So fructose malabsorption would not show during the bacterial overgrowth test. Ask your doctor if s/he can also do the fructose test.
Also, you mentioned that you're constipated yet caffeine has now effect on you. Caffeine usually causes major C so I was wondering if you tried taking caffeine out of your diet for a long period of time (to see it's true effect, a few days don't really make a difference). Do you drink coffee?
Another problem might be the glycerin suppositories. You really take it twice a day? I don't think that's a good idea since they are still a habit forming laxative.
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
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Syl was faster so now you have two answers
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
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Thanks very much for your reply. I do drink coffee in the morning and it is the one thing that helps me go to the bathroom. If I do not drink it, I cannot go at all. As far as the suppositories go, I was advised by both the Mayo and my GI doc that glycerin is ok and to use them as much as I need. I'm sorry for getting so graphic here but I am unable to empty out completely and this gives me horrible and foul smelling gas. My inability to eat an even somewhat normal diet and the gas has completely disrupted my life. I cannot eat out anymore because of my diet restrictions. I used to travel all over the world and now I am afraid to be away from home for any length of time. If I have bad gas I cannot be around people and often have to stay locked in my room until I can get it under control.
Using the suppositories gets me emptied out and then I do not have gas (as bad or as foul smelling) and can at least have some semblance of a normal life. At this point, I guess I feel like even if they are habit forming I don't care because I don't have a life without them. It is the only approach that has worked at all and I have been struggling with this since 2003. Needless to say, I am very depressed about all this.
Fiber does not help me at all and in fact makes my gas, pain and bloating about 100 times worse so I have to eat a low fiber diet which, I know, adds to my constipation. Hence, the Miralax and suppositories.
I have eliminated about everything I can at this point and will now concentrate on fructose as well. I am hoping that eventually I will become somewhat stable and be able to start adding some things back in...but right now I am not stable. I know I sound desperate and I am!!
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Another clue?
#316673 - 10/15/07 10:03 AM
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Syl
Reged: 03/13/05
Posts: 5499
Loc: SK, CANADA
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Here is another clue that may help you. Methane gas produced by colonic bacteria can reduce the motility of the gut. The higher the level of methane gas produced the more constipated one can become. You can read a bit about it in this article. It might be helpful to try and determine which foods are giving you the foul smelling gas which is likely methane. For example, some fibers and short chained carbohydrate such as fructose, fructans and lactose could be involved in the production of this gas in the colon. It probably depends on the individual and the composition of thier colonic flora.
Also, here is another article that I just found on the management of fructose malabsborption. It might have some more information of use to you.
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
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The Role of Food & Dietary Intervention in IBS
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Syl, thanks much for this additional information. All of it is new to me and very good. I appreciate your help.
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Just want to say thank you so much Syl!
Since i've been following the low fructose/fructose malabsorption guidelines that you posted i have had no wind and my bloating is almost gone! Can't believe it!
Thank you so much.
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Sarah
IBS-C
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That's great! Has the diet made an impact on your C as well?
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IBS-C, bloating, cramps
pregnant
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I am pleased to hear that things are better for you. I too could not believe the improvement it made when I came across these ideas about 3 years ago.
Continued success
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STABLE: ♂, IBS-D 50+ years - Science of IBS
The FODMAP Approach to Managing IBS Symptoms
Evidence-based Dietary Management of Functional GI Symptoms: The FODMAP Approach
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LM, have you ever tried a low fructose diet? I "think" it helped to reduce my gas/bloat a bit....too early to tell, though.
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IBS-C with pain and bloat
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