F is for FART!

F is for FART! (sorry, another Re-Post, but perhaps some useful info for someone hesitant to ask) ------------------- For those who’ve just recently dropped by ‘The Men’s Board’ And were thinking- "What is up with all this F.A.R.T.-ing!?!?" Explanation- The current acronym equivalent there for "Wow!!" On the Men’s Board is- Fantastic Awesome Remarkable Tremendous (FART) See Post- http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/men/postdetail/11996.html? vc=0 Boys, A joke/idea gets to going and it just won’t stop. The Word? According to Webster: The word fart is from Middle English ferten, farten; Akin to Old High German ferzan to break wind, Old Norse freta, Greek perdesthai, Sanskrit- "pardate," meaning- "he who breaks wind." And dates back to the 13th Century. First seen in Chaucer’s "Miller’s Tale (one of the Canterbury Tales.). -"Speak, sweete bird, I know not where thou art.’ This Nicholas anon let fly a fart, As great as it had been a thunder dent; …" BUT- Why the topic "Fart" to start with, out here? Guys Fart? WLS Patients have trouble with Gas? Sort of. Early On, particularly, Gastric-By-passers have some Killer Farts! It’s one of the Things that Doctors use to tell if your Intestines are awake after anesthesia. Often folks, at the hospital have heard- "And once you pass some gas, we’ll get you out of here." Always a "pooty guy" myself, I've actually looked into this topic, And may have some helpful info. Though you might not think it, Even without the WLS The typical person has an average of 14 occurrences of flatulence per day. For an excessive amount of daily flatulence, there can be many reasons. These include: Smoking. Lactose intolerance. Eating certain foods. Swallowing too much air. An overabundance of bacteria in the colon. Gas and odor issues are quite common among "ByPassers." Here are some facts and some ways of dealing with them. Can be "leftover excess protein," but most often The issue is carbohydrates that are incompletely digested By your bypassed guts, And end up in the colon undigested and therefore Are digested by bacteria in your large intestine, Which turn it into large volumes of often-smelly gas. These are some ways to deal with it: -- Identify which foods are your particular problem. For most, white bread and pasta, and ESPECIALLY Pasta that has been cooked and then chilled (chilling turns the hydrated starch into a particularly indigestible form) Are the worst, and the main thing you can do is avoid these "fart-ogenic" foods. Fresh pasta is much less "gas producing" than dried, Frozen, chilled, etc. -- Certain vegetables can be problematic. Typically, broccoli and other crucifers, Eggplant, onions in significant quantities, especially raw onions and beans. Beans can sometimes be managed by putting Beano on them – Beans contain a carbohydrate called raffinose Which is completely indigestible to humans, But the Beano contains an enzyme that digests it. They claim it helps with other carbohydrates too. Beans are famous for their wind-inducing properties. However, they are less likely to lead to flatulence If they are soaked overnight Along with a couple of tablespoons of vinegar. (Yes, cooking geek!) They should be then be drained and rinsed Before cooking in fresh water. -- Many adults become lactose intolerant As they get older, and the undigested lactose Causes gas and diarrhea. Lactaid milk or lactase as the enzyme Added to dairy products can help. Note that yogurt and many cheeses (particularly hard cheeses) Shouldn't cause a problem because The fermentation process metabolizes the lactose. If you decide to eat "gas producing" food anyway, Here's how you can improve the problem some: -- Take Gas-X Or other simethicone-containing OTC medication To keep the volume down. But to just "attack the smell?" There are "Internal Deodorants" sold under the name- Nullo, -that contains a Chlorophyllin copper complex. It comes in tablet form And it changes metabolism of odor-producing bacteria, As well as permeates the body with Chlorophyllin. I used it for a while during my first 5 months or so And it really will turn you in to one of those people Who's "Sh*t don't stink!" It's used commonly by people with colostomies. (It works even for the "Atkin's Breath" and perspiration odor That comes with being in Ketosis and burning fat at a fast rate.) There’s also - Devrom (parthenoninc.com) That does help some…and is talked about a lot on the Boards. Or -- Innermint (innermint.com) to improve the odor By permeating the system with a "Minty" fragrance. (I think I’d rather just stink than have my passing gas be "Minty!") (Prior to WLS I found Charcoal Capsules to be very effective, But they absorb nutrients as well as gas in the intestines And therefore are not a good fit at all.) If these measures do not bring your problem under control, Particularly if you also have loose stools, You may have an overgrowth of bad bacteria in your intestine. This is fairly common in folks with a malabsorptive procedures. You may need to get a prescription for Flagyl, And take it for an extended course, at least a month. Some people take it in low doses (prophylactically) all the time. You should talk to your surgeon about how much and how often, But it's longer and stronger than what a "normal" person would take. Note that Flagyl is chemically related to Antabuse, The drug that is given to alcoholics to help them quit drinking – (If you drink alcohol while taking Flagyl, you can get very sick.) And while you're taking Flagyl, And for at least weeks afterwards, You will need to take a probiotic -- Acidophilus, Lactobaccilus, Reuteri, for example, To repopulate your guts with good bacteria. You can also help the good bacteria in your intestines By taking one or two tablets of probiotics. Acidophilus bacteria really helps with the smells. You can also get these good bugs by eating live culture yogurt. GAS IS CONTROLLABLE by Controlling What is Eaten. This need not be a constant problem. If you can figure out what causes your issues, You will be able to control it. I had problems early on and At around 9^th month, after several rounds of strong anti-biotics, But then after using Flagyl and Lactobaccilus, No problem since. There is a ‘Normal Life after the early on – - "WLS causes of the Killer Gas!!!" Controlling "ordinary" flatulence is basically a matter of Watching how you eat and what you eat, Particularly those high-fiber foods To determine which may be causing a problem. Substituting the problem food for other high-fiber foods Such as bran may lessen the problem. Eating slowly and chewing food for longer Allows the enzymes in saliva to break the food down more Before it enters the digestive tract. The more that food is chewed, The more it is broken down for the digestive system. What’s more, swallowed air is a prime cause of flatulence, And careful chewing avoids the swallowing of air That occurs when food is eaten too quickly. Some processed food items contain ingredients, Such as sweeteners or preservatives that can induce poots, especially: "Dietetic foods" such as Sugar-free Sweets and chewing gum. Fizzy drinks. (whole other topic) So even if you get rid of the odors, And reduce the excess of volume, Still expect around 14 magic moments per day. Maybe it's just a "perception shift." Like breathing, as long as you're farting, You're Livin'! (And do blame the Dog! But only if a baby or toddler isn't available.) For more information than imagined about – "The Fart," There is a Website- "Facts on Farts" At- http://www.heptune.com/farts.html Just "Passing Some Gas" Information That wasn’t about "Getting Hosed at the Pump as the prices climb back up! Or – "Wow those gas prices were so low at the election. What happened?!!" Best Wishes- Dx