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Flatulence-aka gas-is an embarrassing problem. It can’t be broached in polite conversation, and many patients are reluctant to bring it up during a doctor visit. Nonetheless, excessive flatulence is troublesome and should be addressed.
Excessive Flatulence At Night:
Q. I hope you can help with an embarrassing problem. In the afternoons I often have very loud gas.
I do eat breakfast but sometimes skip lunch. Different over-the-counter meds have been mostly useless. The flatulence happens throughout the evening. What can you suggest?
A. The first step in overcoming gas is to keep a “fart chart.” People can be sensitive to different foods. For many, legumes are the culprit. For others it is wheat or barley, especially if they are sensitive to gluten. Milk sugar (lactose) is another potential problem. That’s why keeping track of flatulence and food triggers can be helpful.
You didn’t mention whether you are taking any medications. A surprising number of drugs can trigger flatulence.
What About Simethicone?
Many OTC products advertised to treat gas contain simethicone.
One review notes, however, that:
“Simethicone does not appear to reduce the actual production of gas in the GI tract” (StatPearls, July 21, 2021).
Milk Sugar:
People who have difficulty digesting milk sugar (lactose intolerance) may get benefit from probiotics and lactase enzyme replacement in the form of pills (Diagnostics, June, 2020).
If legumes are the problem, the oral enzyme alpha-galactosidase could be beneficial.
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial found this treatment:
“can improve gas-related symptoms in children and adolescents” (BMC Gastroenterology, Sept. 24, 2013).
This enzyme is found in Beano and other OTC digestive aids.
Sugarless Gum and Gas:
This reader was brave enough to mention her gassiness to her gastroenterologist. Here is her question:
Q. I had complained to my gastroenterologist about having lots of gas. He asked if I chew sugarless gum – yes, I responded. I had not known that sugarless gum contains sorbitol which can/will cause gas.
The mystery of excessive flatulence was solved by an alert GI doc. That’s why it is important to mention embarrassing conditions to a health professional. Believe us when we tell you that doctors have heard it all! The good ones will not blink or crack a smile.
Here’s the straight and skinny on excessive flatulence:
A. Sorbitol, maltitol, mannitol, xylitol and other “sugar alcohols” are sweet but not as caloric as sugar. Consequently, they may be used instead of sugar in certain diet desserts, candies or chewing gum.
Because we don’t absorb these compounds ourselves, they provide fodder for our intestinal bacteria to create gas or diarrhea. While most people can tolerate such foods in moderation, some are more sensitive and should avoid them.
How to Manage Excessive Flatulence:
There are lots of things that can cause gas. Of course you know that foods can do it. Remember the old rhyme:
“Beans, beans, they’re good for your heart
The more you eat the more you fart,
The more you fart the better you feel
So eat your beans at every meal.”
Other Unexpected Causes of Excessive Flatulence:
Q. I certainly hope you can help me. My husband is bothered by excessive flatulence unresponsive to everything we have tried. He has taken Charco-Caps, Prevacid, Creon and ALL the OTC stuff.
His current medications are Plavix, diltiazem, Aricept, Uniphyl, Celebrex (3x/week), aspirin, a multi-vitamin, calcium with vitamin D, vitamin C and vitamin E. The Plavix and Aricept were started this past fall but the flatulence was present over a year ago.
He is convinced that if he remains seated that the gas is not so bad. But one cannot sit forever!
He takes Tums by the handfuls thinking that it will help, but to no avail. He also uses inhalers, with a spacer, for his asthma—Aerobid, Atrovent, and Proventil prn and Beconase nasal inhaler.
I know that he does “suck air” with the inhaler use but cannot get him (even after 18-20 years) to use the inhalers correctly.
I am wondering if there is any interaction of his medications that could cause the problem. In addition, he is now taking Metamucil daily and thinking that it will help. I cannot see any improvement of any kind with any of the things he’s tried. I am sure the Metamucil helps with the occasional constipation he gets from sitting around so much. Any thoughts or insight on this problem?
Drugs That Contribute to Flatulence:
A. Some of your husband’s medications might be contributing to his gas production. Aricept and Celebrex can contribute to flatulence in some individuals, but he may not be able to discontinue them. Inhaled air, or as you describe it, sucking air, when he uses his asthma inhalers could also add to the problem.
There may not be an easy solution when medications contribute to gas formation. Many people do not appreciate how many drugs can actually do this. Here is just a partial list:
- Aciphex (rabeprazole)
- Ambien (zolpidem)
- Augmentin (amoxicillin – clavulanate)
- Avapro (irbesartan)
- Chantix (varenicline)
- Cipro (ciprofloxacin)
- Depakote (divalproex)
- Diovan (valsartan)
- Eligard (leuprolide)
- Effexor (venlafaxine)
- Evista (raloxifene)
- Fosamax (alendronate)
- Hyzaar (losartan – hydrochlorothiazide)
- Klonopin (clonazepam)
- Lamictal (lamotrigine)
- Lexapro (escitalopram)
- Lipitor (atorvastatin)
- Lyrica (pregabalin)
- Mevacor (lovastatin)
- Naprosyn (naproxen)
- Paxil (paroxetine)
- Premarin (conjugated estrogens)
- Prinivil (lisinopril)
- Vytorin (ezetimibe & simvastatin)
You will note that drugs contributing to the problem include some acid-suppressing drugs as well as statin-type cholesterol-lowering medications. Many people try to change their diet to solve their gas problem. But if a medication is contributing, then modifying food intake won’t make a huge difference.
Why He Should Talk with his Doctor:
This is one of those side effects that is considered by many health professionals to be “minor.” But if it affects your lifestyle, limits your socializing or causes embarrassment, then we do not consider it minor. Although it is not always possible to eliminate an offending medicine, it is definitely worth a conversation with the prescriber. It may be possible to switch to a different medication that is less likely to cause gas.
While you are at it, ask the doctor to demonstrate the correct method for using an inhaler. Sometimes using a “spacer” can be helpful.
Finally, you may find our eGuide to Overcoming Digestive Disorders of some value. It lists other “fart-producing drugs,” foods that are especially likely to cause flatulence and some other strategies for dealing with this challenge. When all else fails, a Flatulence Filter that you sit on can be helpful. You will also find information on heartburn, celiac disease, constipation and diarrhea in this newly revised electronic health resource. It is available in our Health eGuides section at this link.
We welcome suggestions from visitors to this website. What causes your excessive flatulence? Has anything worked for you to control the problem? Share your secrets in the comment section.
Magdalene
My husband has another poem:
Beans, Beans, the musical fruit
The more you eat the more you toot
The more you toot the better you feel
So, let’s have beans for every meal
Keeping a sense of humor helps too.
Alexandra
A simple home remedy of baking soda mixed in water safe and effective and relief is immediate. Check for proper dilution strength. Skipping meals is not recommended as it can cause flatulence upon eating after a prolonged “fast.”
Jim
What’s wrong with flatulence? Other than the social embarrassment, is there any medical reason to be concerned? I pass a lot of gas every day but it’s odorless (as far as I can tell) and doesn’t affect anyone else in my mostly single outdoor life. If I’m honest, I would say I enjoy a good fart! But should I be worried? Am I releasing methane and contributing to global warming?
Kathleen
Your body is giving you important information that you should not ignore. You are probably not digesting certain foods properly. You should eliminate them from your diet.
CC
Water without food can cause flatulence for me. And, as to sugarless gum: it’s a choice between flatulence with or heartburn without.
Gloria
I suffered from gas & bloating, stomach pain & GERD for years. My GI doctor suggested I follow the low FODMAP diet. Miraculous!! Within a matter of days I felt much better. I rarely experience any of those symptoms any longer.
Frank
Meds may be a factor, but I have a sneaking suspicion that diet is a bigger one. Specifically, pungent foods certainly seem to result in more (and more pungent!) gas. Since nutritious vegetables are usually pungent (e.g. broccoli, cauliflower, onions, …), this looks like an instance of “No good deed goes unpunished.”
Monica
A condition called SIBO can be the reason for excessive smelly gas. If you have that look it up and get treated by your Gastro dr
Barbara
fennel seeds helps lessen gas for me. Valsartan is bad about causing gas so take it with fennel seeds.
DL
Would you please discuss SIBO, small intestine bacteria overgrowth? Also, foods such as onions, garlic and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cabbage often don’t breakdown and digest well, which creates a medium for gas producing bacteria.
Roxanna
That medication list was an eye-opener! Can you suggest alternatives for Naproxen that might be less gas-producing? Thanks.
Kirk
Dairy was causing all sorts of reflux, belching, heartburn, etc. For years. I discovered using lactase enzyne tablets religiously any time I ate dairy nearly eliminated the heartburn, reflux, and gas, and now I’m not having to use antacids, and drugs to stop acid, and I sleep much better.
Nobody has mentioned ALCOHOL. It of course is ethanol, and it kills normal gut bacteria. Not only does one drink cause me reflux and heartburn, it causes constipation from dehydration, then subsequent diarrhea from it eliminating beneficial bacteria in the intestines that help remove water from the bowel. Naturally, those effects also cause discomfort and flatulence, the remedy being avoid alcohol.
Marilyn
Fennel tea is a good solution. Check out Heather’s Tummy Care Organic Fennel Tea.
Cheryl
Try eliminating dairy from your diet. My problem was caused by lactose intolerance which often gets worse as we age. Also, I can drink lactose substitute milk without any problem!
Pat
Also remember that lactose intolerance and gluten problems (celiac disease and gluten sensitivity) can cause bad gas.
Diane
Many years ago I was plagued by almost constant, excessive, very stinky gas. Nothing I tried, helped. It was very stressful for me to be around people, because it was uncontrollable. For different health reasons, I cut my sugar consumption to very little, and my gas problem disappeared. What a relief.
Merle
Try probiotics for flatulence. I have done that several times, after I had excessive flatulence after a round of antibiotics which can kill many friendly bacteria that constitute a healthy gut biome or a colonoscopy cleanse, which also once had a similar effect. A double dose of probiotics usually knocked it out. I try to have on hand a supply that included at least twenty or thirty strains of probiotic bacteria. Two or three times a year some disturbance seems to destroy a significant amount of the friendly gut biome, leaving behind the gas-forming unhealthy bacteria.
Allen
Pa
I’ve had some success with ginger candies made with real ginger. It greatly reduces the amount of gas for me.
Fran
NC
Many years ago, I was affected by extreme flatulence. I was tested by a doctor for food sensitives and, when I quit eating the food I was sensitive to, the problem was solved. If that happens now, even in a minor way, I alternate between eating and not eating the possible food that may have caused it. It doesn’t take long to test it this way. Weeks later, I test it again.
Bunny
TN
MANY years ago my gastroenterologist recommended that I take a Gas Ban pill (simethicone) and if it hasn’t helped in 10-15 minutes it’s OK to take a 2nd pill, it’s harmless and it works well for me. ( Of course it would be wise to check with ones doctor if taking various prescription drugs.)
There are many cheaper non-brand names for this in drug stores as well as Walmart. ALSO, that doctor encouraged moving about actively, bending, stretching, walking…NOT SITTING, even though that’s what you feel like doing because the tummy hurts so much. I’ve recommended this to other sufferers who have said it really works well for them, too. Be brave! Get up, take the pill and get moving. Several big swallows of an effervescent beverage (Cola, ginger ale, etc.) to take the pill works even better.
Robbie
Washington State
Buy empty gelatin caps, and ground fennel. Fill the capsules, take one or two with water. I’ve also used slippery elm, but fennel works best.
Karen PharmD
St Paul, MN
He should switch to a nebulizer machine instead of the handheld inhaler, to rule out poor inhaler technique as the cause. He will need a prescription for this. He should also quit the Tums. Tums is calcium carbonate, and in the acidic stomach fluid, CaCO3(s) + 2H+(aq) → Ca2+(aq) + CO2(g) + H2O (Wikipedia). CO2 is a gas! Plus the risk of calcium overdose. I’m assuming dietary causes have been explored since this is a chronic problem.
Carolyn
Hous Tx
I find fennel caps or tea very helpful…
Linda
Tampa FL
We do lose natural enzymes as we age. Therefore, trying a supplement is a good option to consider. Otherwise, everyone is different, what works for one may not help another….Trial and Error.
cynthia
Canadian border
Metamucil can also cause gas. Try one of the non-thickening soluble fibers–they work well, and do not cause gas. I think another commenter’s suggestion to use Align probiotic works well–Align is expensive, but worth it. Probiotics all work differently. You won’t find Align’s probiotic in any other, cheaper, product.
I would also like to suggest using fennel powder on an as-needed basis. Very effective for soothing the gut, and helps with flatulence. I put about 1/3-1/2 tsp in hot water, and love it. Tastes a bit like licorice, not at all unpleasant. But if you don’t want to use it as a “tea”, it also comes in capsules, which are cheap. To me, the capsules work well, but not as well as the fennel powder dispersed in hot water. And, of course, another reader’s suggestion of enzyme tablets could be very helpful as well.
John
Croydon, PA
After being on Doxycycline for 28 days (for Lyme Disease), I developed bowel problems including gas, gas pain, and mushier stools. I have managed it by taking Culturelle (lactobacillus GG probiotic), and rotating Beano, Charcaps, and fennel, and stopped eating lettuce (idea from Irritable Bowel Syndrome website). I also have a very expensive prescription for Xifaxan, but have gotten by without it. I exercise regularly, and was deliberately dystending and contracting my abdomen to promote expulsion of gas, when the pain was more frequent. Things have settled down, and stools are normal. I am cautiously reintroducing lettuce.
Barbara
Albany, NY
Add Fennel, a probiotic and a charcoal cap when your gas is really bad. Make sure you have good BMs to clear out your intestines. Digestive enzymes can help also.
Jim
CA
I am a methane gas factory.
A few years ago, I read that a teaspoon of fennel seeds (fund in grocery store spice racks) would help. I tried it and it really worked, reducing my gas production by about 95%
I also learned that common pepper helps. I used to hate pepper and never used it, but after trying this (along with my morning fennel) on my eggs and potatoes, my methane production dropped to near zero.
Jeannie
South Dakota
Gas was a big issue for me. It actually disappeared when I cut out carbs to loose weight.
Janet
North Carolina
Metformin is also a known gas producer. Fennel tea and seeds are also helpful.
Lavon
AZ
Being a vegetarian I love my beans… white beans are high in protien… when cooking them I add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda with water 4 inches over beans let boil for 15 minutes then drain , then return to boil with water to cover beans plus 2 inches over, cook on low until soft. Gas free beans! Enjoy!
Margaret
Sedona AZ
Try taking 2 tsp. Angostura Bitters in a small glass of water after a meal that is potentially gassy.
Karen
NC
I recently discovered The FODMAP diet, which is a temporary elimination of certain complex carbohydrates, falling into four categories. It is extremely well researched by the Monash University in Australia. After being on it for four to six weeks, you reintroduce from one category at a time to determine which one is causing the problem. My bloating and gas disappeared almost immediately when starting this. I will be doing the challenge phase soon. There is a FODMAP app (proceeds go to research) , several helpful blogs, and recipes and cookbooks on the scene right now.
Gerry
Florida
I QUIT TAKING VITAMIN E; it produced excessive flatulence in me.
Lynn
Florida
Please add Splenda and other artificial sweeteners to the list of things that cause gas. They cause a horrible problem.
Marjorie
Jefferson NC
Acid reflux can cause a lot of gas. The way I helped that problem
was giving up coffee and taking fish oil and a probiotic and
Phillips Colon Health Probiotic.
Kathy
Connecticut
I take 5 prescription medications and they all contain lactose as a FILLER. I am lactose intolerant and never knew this fact until about a year ago. Consequently I take a Lactaid tablet with each of these pills. And also if I am going to eat something that has any lactose in it.
I buy my Lactaid at B J’s. They are reasonable and they are individually wrapped. I am pleased with how they have helped.
You can Google ‘meds that contain lactose’ to see if what you take is using lactose as a filler!!
Lori
South Carolina
Certain types of calcium tablets will cause excessive gas! Talk to you pharmacist for guidance.
JF
Probiotics have helped me. I take ALIGN every day, and notice a big difference. I also like keffir.
twp
About 65 to 70 years ago CHLOROPHYLL tablets were taken to remove the odor from the gas, bad breath, etc. I am not sure it worked, but would sure be worth a try.
tp
DebC
It seems like gas has become an issue the older I get. I’ve managed the problem by carrying Gas X (or generic equivalent) with me. I cut up the blister pack into little pairs, round off the edges and tuck one in my pants pocket and/or purse. Then I take one at a time as needed when I’m out and about. At night, if I’ve had cheese or any ice cream, I take a Lactaid Fast Act dairy digestive supplement (or generic) as I go to bed. That works quickly to counter the effects of any lactose intolerance I’m having right then. I’m not yet ready to give up entirely all of the foods which occasionally give me problems.
Patricia Abbott
Have you tried enzyme supplements? Recommended by my primary MD, he says that after 40 normal enzyme production is down; supplemental enzymes also reduce inflammation resulting from inadequate digestion.
LAR
I had the same problem, being severe osteoporosis I ate dairy excessively, (eggs are ok with me) but not the cheese, yogurt, milk, )granola bars have something in them that causes gas), milk, calcium supplements, too much grain if not drinking enough fluid will cause constipation bringing on the gas same as the dairy.
AFTER GIVING UP ALL THE DAIRY AND CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTS, I AM NORMAL NOT EXCESSIVE FLATLULANT 24 HRS/DAY.
I WORRY ABOUT MY BONES BUT I FEEL 100% BETTER, EVERY TIME I try consuming dairy because of my bones, it is not long and the flatulence and constipation is back plus I am wasting all that money throwing the food out.
I ate a lot of grain and not drinking enough fluid causing constipation. I was in misery. I always ate very healthy but it takes a lot of thought to work thru all the foods. I also felt horrible in my colon, I feel this could be very colon detrimental. The latest thing is as long as you take your vitamin D and eat healthy all the calcium and calcium sup is not necessary. The doctors will not come out and tell you this but you have to read between the lines of their conversation.
Hope this is helpful
LAR
Londa
We buy empty gelatin capsules at Community Pharmacy in Madison, WI, and fill them with dry DILL. Take 2, and within 10 minutes, no gas or at least it no longer smells. VERY much cheaper than any other treatment. Oh – and you may want to try avoiding orange juice and oranges. if you like them but are sensitive in this way so on with the Dill Pills!
lindabentler120
After having suffered with gas forever – I finally curbed it by cutting out white foods. Bread, Potatoes, Pasta, Rice etc. I not only lost the excess weight I had been carrying for 30 years – the gas, even in by thin years was no longer a problem. I eat lots of vegetables, protein, nuts, Greek yogurt, fruit, dark chocolate & drink red wine without having to worry about the excess pounds or gas. Give it a try.
LCC
I found that I have an intolerance to gluten. Cutting gluten out really helped with this problem. I hope you find a solution to your problem soon!
M
I swallow air when I use a CPAP machine. Switching to a ViPAP (or BiPAP) may help a little because the air pressure is reduced when exhaling. My CPAP supplier gave me a good hint: Put your tongue on the roof of your mouth. (I’m thinking this may help block the tube that goes to the stomach.) The problem is, it’s hard to keep the tongue in that position when you’re sleeping. He said he trained himself to keep it there. So I’m hoping eventually this will work for me. So far it seems to help some.
Also, I found that taking digestive enzymes (with a proprietary blend of certain herbs) greatly, I mean GREATLY, reduced flatulence that I was getting from food. For most people, our digestive enzymes need a little help as we get older.
gabriele
My father suffered from an ulcer (this is in the 1940s) and the wife of a friend persuaded him to drink cabbage juice. He didn’t like the taste but it worked. Move ahead to the 1950s….someone my mother worked with at a bakery had digestive problems which the doctor could not help. She remembered my father’s situation and suggested cabbage juice (by that time people had juicers and blenders, so the woman could juice her own: It worked.
Add another 20 years, I was at school and a classmate had a stomach problem the VA (it was a trade school, he was a Vet) couldn’t help him with. My husband and I went to a whole foods place for honey in bulk and various grains not widely available at the time. There was a closeout table and a bottle of dried cabbage–for digestion. I bought it and gave it to him to try.
Didn’t hear anything back from him but perhaps a month later I was having digestive upsets and he broke out the bottle, told me what a wonder worker it was and told me I should try it… it was funny–he’d forgotten I had given them to him but he said they did work and he was going to get some more–and he was right; my indigestion, heavy gas and belching of foul smelling gas was gone.
Cabbage is much used in Asian cooking so I started using it regularly and came to really like it. I was introduced to kim-chi and started buying it from the refrigerated section so it was fresh. Even if the meal wasn’t Asian if it was at all heavy or greasy (eating out) I’d have a small dish of the kim-chi which seemed to always be a benefit.
I’ve been tempted to make my own and probably will some day, that way I can tailor which cabbage (or daikon, etc) I use. There are packaged seasoning mixes available in asian markets for those who might want to try it.
Second part:
A neighbor complained about gas. Went to doctor, given pills to take. Didn’t like the pills, complained about it to me. We discussed foods she regularly at in the morning (she was a teacher and the bad gas always hit her around lunch–so she wasn’t very welcome in the lunchroom!)…she loves apricots….we read the package…hmmm…sulfured apricots….she’d do better to buy unsulfured apricots in future (she did). Always had a good sized bowl of granola. She also had two young children to get ready for pre-school. How long did she take to eat the granola…as fast as she could.
She wasn’t chewing the nutritious whole grains well enough so they were sitting in her stomach fermenting…So she switched to a more refined breakfast cereal, chewed it a little more and the gas went away.
I don’t know if these two suggestions are covered in the People’s Pharmacy publication but I know from my experience, and that of others that they are practical, inexpensive and productive.
If cooking the cabbage, consider putting some fresh ginger in with it, , it helps as well.
A friend I worked with who knew I liked ginger (even though she disliked it) bought me several bags of ginger candy (Chinese)…and I’d take some with me when I traveled. It was only in Western Europe, but I had had some digestive issues previously, so the ginger candies were a wonderful traveling companion. Ginger tea, mint tea and other herbal teas can provide temporary relief.
While the odor of bad gas is distressing, I would be more concerned about the processes that are causing the gas.
If I start my car and see black or white smoke come out the tailpipe it tells me there’s something going on in the motor I need to be concerned about. Same thing with our bodies…
mac
Acidophilus helps alleviate gas in lower intestines. One a day or less.
Rocket Scientist
Don’t rule out an intestinal parasite. Gas was my primary symptom when I had one.
GS
Have him get the anti-gliaden blood test for celiac (gluten intolerance). You never know.
nb
Too many prescriptions may be the problem. Another Internist might help find a way to get rid of most of them. The side effects of so many drugs could be the problem. There is one thing my mother swore by and that was a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in a glass of warm water each morning. You can soon learn to tolerate the taste especially if you don’t drink it to slowly.
P.H.
I had a similar problem, and it was getting worse. Every morning I would eat cereal with milk. By noon the gas would begin, with a stomachache. One day I didn’t have time to eat my cereal and low and behold no gas or stomachache. I have almost completely given up dairy products over the past 5 years, and I feel a whole lot better!
JP
I have cut out coffee and tea. I hated to do it, but it decreased the problem.
Rm
I also had uncontrolled flatulence and after 30 years of trying to figure it out, was diagnosed with Celiac Sprue and the flatulence stopped after several months of being on a gluten free diet.
RD
I had that problem and found that taking probiotics resolved the problem to a large extent when all others failed.
mk
Just a few thoughts:
? vitamins…. could be over dosing on vitamin if taking a multi vitamin plus separate extra vitamins.
the natural bacteria in his gut be out of balance? maybe due to medications…. Check with MD and possibly try probiotics.
MP
After decades of constipation and flatulence, I have finally found the solution. I take magnesium powder in the evening which gives me normal movements and almost no flatulence. To me it seems miraculous and I do wonder why no one told me this years ago. I actually discovered it accidentally, when taking the magnesium for leg cramps–which I also no longer have. It was on your show that I heard two doctors discussing how most people do not have enough magnesium–so you two are really to thank. And I do thank you! Now whether, with all the other medicines, magnesium would be counter-indicated, I would not know…
CJ
I would investigate food combining guidelines and/or possible gluten intolerance or allergy. I had bad gas for years that stopped when I eliminated gluten, and it always returns when I slip up. Also, consuming heavy carbs along with protein slows down digestion which leads to gas formation.
Linda
My husband was famous for flatulence until he had hemorrhoid surgery. I’m guessing it was due to having his colon cleaned out before the surgery. Who knows what nasty bacteria had been harbored for years. I’m also guessing that the new colonization of his colon since the surgery is a better batch of bacteria, hence less gas. It would be interesting to know if there any evidence that colon cleansing with over the counter products helps reduce gas.
Donnie
I had excessive gas for many years. Turns out, that I had undiagnosed Celiac disease. When I went on a totally gluten free diet, the gas problem went away. Along with many other health problems caused by the Celiac.
rkws
Abdominal exercise and stretching and any kind of moving helps.
MTA
For 40 years I had a problem with flatulence. 28 years ago my tweenie daughter was diagnosed with food intolerance to milk, corn, citrus, and peanut products. To support her I agreed to not eat those products.
Within 3 weeks my excessive flatulence were gone and I continue to feel great. In recent years I have cut out the white stuff too with no problems. Meat, seafood, eggs, beans, green, yellow & orange veggies and fruit & nuts gives plenty of choices. No bread, pasta, rice or potatoes except in small amounts.
As a Southerner I do miss grits but the memory of how I felt makes it easy to resist temptation. An occasional yogurt or ice cream, not with a meal, have no adverse consequences.
M
My suggestion would be to use Fennel Seeds (crushed) with water + grated fresh ginger with water+ cucumber grated with water. This may eliminate some gas. This will be non stop usage. There are other preventative cure, which need to be viewed as well.
Barbara
I have read and heard that chewing fennel seeds can reduce gas quite a bit. Nothing eliminate gas totally because it is a normal body function. Drinking milk causes excessive gas for a lot of people. Perhaps he should cut out dairy completely and see if that reduces his gas to normal levels.
cpmt
HE probably needs PROBIOTICS, ginger, and to watch what he is eating – his gut is screwup – organic keffir or yogurt may help. He has a ‘melting pot’ of drugs and medications, his gut is going to explode one of these days (is a joke) but he should try probiotics to see if they works or help. if he changes his diet maybe he will not need so many medications??
Greg
May not be the medications. Looik at his diet. Lots of veggies cause gas. I do not eat broccoli for this reason. Chili, oatmeal, foods with high sugar content as well.
JC
Such a distressing problem, I know what he is going through because I went through the same situation for years and I wasn’t on any medications- I found out completely by chance that all Nightshade foods (tomatoes, potatoes, chillis, ect) were the problem for me- there are substances in these Vegetables that can cause this in some people, as well as IBS.
Perhaps it might be worth avoiding these foods altogether for a couple of Weeks to see if it helps.He will soon know if they are causing his problem.
Best of luck,
Cb
The calcium carbonate in Tums gives me terrible gas.
J b
Try Phazyme. Purple-like box. It acts differently than the charcoal and other ones. Worked wonders for me for years.
nancy
I used to have terribly malodorous gas. I saw an integrative MD who ran a series of tests to determine that I have “leaky gut” syndrome. I had become sensitive to many of the foods I had always eaten— wheat, eggs, dairy, etc. When I took those foods out of my diet, the gas and odor went away.
Sue
I have had a significant flatulence problem for years. Lately I’ve noticed improvement since taking a daily acidophilus capsule and reducing my dairy intake to occasional milk and cheese. I also use BEANO with any bean dishes. I keep the acidophilus in the fridge.
Don James
Ask him to give up what products for a month. I did that after reading “Wheat Belly”, and 90% of my gas problems went away.
DGF
I have a problem at times with especially stinky gas. I keep beano tablets that help but sometimes I forget to take them. I ordered a bag of charcoal on Ebay to make some fart cushions but they weren’t comfortable to sit on and I walk around and change locations at work so I can’t be carrying a cushion around. Also the gas doesn’t always go into the cushion. When I’m sitting it comes up in the front of my crotch, so I put about half cup of charcoal in a mesh bag and wear it in front of my panties, that works. But it stains my panties and its hard to wash out. I hope others have a better solution.
Karen S.
I’ve suffered like this and found cutting out dairy and gluten has helped and cut down my flatulence by99%.