Gas & Bloating

 Hi everyone,

I haven't been to OH in ages but I need some advice and thought that this would be the best place until my next check-up!

I'll be 5 years out in May and in the last couple of years, the bloating/gas I experience at the end of every day is almost unbarable. I've been trying to eat more prebiotics, I rarely ever eat anything processed and I limit myself to one splenda in my coffee this morning.

I can't quite remember ever feeling this way pre-surgery...but has anyone experienced anything similar?

Could it be the type of protein youre drinking? I had the target brand whey protein & it tore my tummy up!

YES!!! Thank you for this post. I have also been struggling with this issue since surgery. No answers. Looking forward to someone coming forward with a relief.

Thanks again! toot toot.....

 I don't take any protein supplements anymore. I actually stopped those in 2008 when this issue first came up, I figured maybe I was lactose intolerant and I switched ti soy milk and when that didn't help, I stopped the protein supplements all together. 

I'll speak to my doctor about it when I see her next!

I am 5 years out from DS surgery and still have the painful gas problem on occassion.   When I begin to feel this coming on, every few weeks, I start taking a round of low dose flagyl prescribed by my doctor.  That gets all the bacteria back in sinc and I'm good to go.  I usually only have to take 1 a day for a couple of weeks then stay comfortable for a few weeks.  It's a quick easy fix.  Talk to your surgeon about it.

I'm 7.5 years out and this has been an on and off again problem for me.  Some things that work for me:

taking beano prior to eating vegetables or making sure my cooked vegetables are a little softer.
I recently starting taking a probiotic which is helping also.
Make sure to drink plenty of water.
Exercise

Maybe this will help you as it has helped me. I had gas terrible and that came with pain. Hope this helps. Google hypochlohydria for more information. 

Hypochlorhydria is a Condition in Which There are Insufficient Amounts of Stomach Acids

Most people are completely unaware of the fact that acid reflux could be the result of low stomach acid. Although not as common as the typical overly acidic stomach, this condition is more common than you might think.

For whatever reason, this digestive disorder often goes overlooked and is rarely even checked as a possible source of trouble. Many people are correctly diagnosed with GERD, but wrongly prescribed medications that reduce the stomach acidity even more than it already is, making the problem worse. They also go and get OTC antacids to further compound their situation.

When there is a lack of stomach acid, the food remains in the stomach longer than usual. It can then back up past the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) and into the esophagus. While it is still the acid which causes the damage to esophagus, the pushing of the stomach contents into the esophagus is caused by the excess undigested food, not the acid itself. Although people with Hypochlorhydria have a low stomach acidity, it is still sufficient to cause injury to the sensitive membranes of the esophagus.

Hypochlorhydria can occur naturally as we age, or because of unknown genetic reasons peculiar to the individual. It can also be induced by substances such as H2 Blockers, Prescription Protein Pump Inhibitors such as Omeprazole, or an over-use of OTC Antacids and Acid Reducers.

The Long Term Consequences of Hypochlorhydria

When too little stomach acid is the problem, it can cause the food to enter the intestines without being properly broken down, which can cause abdominal cramping, constipation, malnutrition, and hemorrhoids. Several long term health conditions can arise later in life due to the body’s inability to provide the needed nutrients that should have been absorbed during proper digestion.

The most common detrimental long term effect of low stomach acid from which many other complications stem from, is the stimulation of the aging process due to the body's metabolism slowing down. This could lead to certain forms of cancer, heart disease, and osteoporosis. One of the functions of stomach acid is to sterilize the contents in the stomach. If this is not accomplished, several digestive infections and viruses can be contracted. Insufficient stomach acid can also leave bacteria and yeast undigested which can grow and ferment resulting in excess gas, bloating, and toxicity. Levels of vitamin B12 and Iron can become deficient resulting in anemia.