Question:
long term issues with foul smelling gas
My husband spoke with a doctor who is an aquaintance of his friend, and he was telling him about me having WLS. The doctor scared him by telling him that if I had surgery I would stink...forever.That I wouldn't be able to go out in public without stinking the place up. Obviously, this is a concern. Any feedback? — Kate M. (posted on July 31, 2002)
July 31, 2002
If I eat too many carbs I get a bit gassy, but its not a problem. Dr is a
alarmist! Dont worry some report less gas.
— bob-haller
July 31, 2002
Oh, please! I actually have less gas now than when I was MO. I do get gassy
from sugar free stuff that has sugar alcohols in it (but so does my husband
who hasn't had the surgery) and from too many carbs (stuff I really don't
need to be eating anyway, I might add), but the myth about all WLSers
stinking is bunk. DSers and distal RNYers may have some issues with gas and
loose stools depending on what they eat, but for the most of us it hits
occassionally and temporarily--just like with the normies!
— ctyst
July 31, 2002
You know, when my Aunt was accompanying me to my visits to the Surgeon
before the procedure, she asked him about this very thing. Apparently
she'd had a friend who had stomach stapling surgery years ago and had a
gas/odor problem, so bad was her odor problem that her marriage fell apart
as a result. My surgeon did say that with the older procedures, this WAS a
common problem, but with the new techniques, there was nothing to worry
about. Perhaps the doctor is living in the past and needs to be updated
:-) I wouldn't worry, gas isn't as much a problem for me now as a post-op
then it was pre-op!!
— Rosario T.
July 31, 2002
Thank you guys so much! You have relieved my fears! my husband said the
doctor made it sound like I would be a freak after. Thank you very much.
— Kate M.
July 31, 2002
I have no problem with controlling gas. However, I have a friend that also
had an RNY and can't stop it. Turns out she was cooking once a week and
eating left-overs. They ferment in the ice box and give her gas. Now she
cooks more often and has no problem.
— Thomas M.
July 31, 2002
I think this is a widely exagerrated tale of WLS side effects. I'll tell
you this...I have far less gas then I did when I was eating crap all the
time. Honestly, every morning, like clockwork when I wake up, I pass some
(weird, I know) and then that's pretty much it. Me, stink? Never. :)
— PaulaM
July 31, 2002
I had the Distal Long Limb RNY. 15 mos post-op. I dont really have gas
unless I eat things I shouldnt, but then I also had that Pre-Op. Sure my
Bowel Movements stink, but I very much doubt that even the Docs smelled
like Roses. Dont worry!
— lynbaby B.
August 1, 2002
Well. your husband's doctor friend isn't totally wrong...it pains me
to say! (lol) Others might not have this "problem", but I
certainly do.
I've come to think of it as a "good thing"..something that keeps
me "honest".
Trying to be delicate....when I eat significant amount of simple carbs, I
get
very gassy and my bm's stink to high heaven! (lol) It's pretty
embarrassing...I've
been know to "hide" in the stall because I didn't want anyone to
suspect that I
am the culprit. My family treats it like a joke..."What did you have
for lunch today??"
It's 100% controllable. If I stick with my
protein/fruits/veggies/grains....I have
no problems. But, at 4 years postop, I do have an occassional piece of
cake or a piece of
pizza. I'm just make sure that I only have these treats at home.......
— margaret N.
August 1, 2002
Let me be the person to tell you the truth as it is in my case. I had
irritible Bowel Syndrome before the surgery, and had to have a BM often.
Often it was very loose. After the surgery for 7 months I was fine, but in
the last month it seems my irritible bowel has returned with a vengence. I
have the crudest, nastiest smelling gas, and BM's I have ever smelled. It
borders on an industrial smell it is so bad. I have hardly changed my diet.
I know I eat more grains in wheat bread. ( I have discovered I really like
tuna salad sandwiches!). I figure I am getting good protein that way with
the tuna, but also in the last month with the bad odor, and frequent pit
stops to virtually urinate from my backside I have not lost any weight! I
have been gaining, and losing the same 5 pounds for a whole month, and I am
starting to get freaked that this surgery is starting to be inneffective. I
am sure I will feel that way until the plateau breaks like it did when I
plateued for a month, and a half at 72 pounds lost. by the way I am 115-120
pounds down depending on which side is winning the 5 pound battle. I hope
this ends soon. I may even go to the doctor to prescribe something to firm
up my BM's so I do not have to go 8 times a day(not an exageration). well.
hope this didn't scare you all too much.
— sbinkerd1
August 1, 2002
I am nearing my 9 months anniversary and I am down by 140 lbs but the gas
is horrific for me too. My family makes jokes about this like it is not bad
enough and mortifies me bad enough as it is. I take lomotil 4-6 times a day
to control the diarrhea, and recently had my suregon give me a stronger RX
to try to tame it. I am having hemmarhoid surgery next Thursday I blame on
this problem. My surgeon has no ideas how to make it stop either so I guess
it is something I will learn to live with:(
— Lynda T.
August 7, 2002
I have irritable bowel syndrome, after surgery I started having Diarrhea 4
days post-op, you would have thought that IV morphine and percocet would
have tamed it for a week or so, but the RNP had me stop all milk products
and take soy based supplements, stopped the foul smelling gas but not the
diarrhea. that took several weeks and lot of Lomotil but 6 weeks out and I
am better than I was preop. good luck!
— Ellen H.
December 12, 2002
I can say this is true. I have horrible gas and I can not relate it to
anything that I eat. Sometimes I have so much my family leaves me upstairs
alone. It is the worst smelling stuff!! It is so embarassing because I can
not hold it or control it and it comes out in every situation. When it
comes out there is no way to hide it. I am taking GAS X recommended by my
doctor but it does not seem to help much.
— Constance G.
July 22, 2003
There is hope for us with the really stinky gas problem! There is a product
called Devrom. It was originally made as an internal "deoderant"
for people with colostomys. It has seen been found that it also works for
people who have had weight loss surgery. It doesn't stop the gas....it just
helps to remove most of the odor. I have been using it and it makes a huge
difference. I'm not afraid to go out in public anymore! Go to
www.parthenoninc.com to order this product. It works!
— Jayne N.
July 30, 2003
I am one year out and down to 128 lbs. I have lost 132 lbs. I have the
worst gas ever. I cannot pin it down to anything I eat. I am going to try
the first lady's suggestion about parthenoninc.com
— Susan H.
September 12, 2003
I agree with all of you that some foods do produce the wonderful gas that
is so embarrassing. Howevever, I will take that gas anyday over the 88lbs I
have lost thus far... Guys do it, all the time!! haha
— wendy K.
January 18, 2004
I too am having the same horrific gas problem and it is accompanied with
terrible gas pains. As of yet, I have found nothing to deter or stop it. I
am open to anyone suggestions. I have tried everything. The over the
counter gasx, beano-save your money. None of them help!!
— Sherri R.
February 4, 2004
Thank you so much for your honesty. I now have something to work with.
The first thing I'm going to do is police my carb intake. I've always
enjoyed potatoes because of how easy they are to digest (I'm 3.5 months
post op). That may not be the case anymore. Thanks again!
— Nancy K.
February 4, 2004
Gas is a part of life for most of us, the Devrom that the parthenon inc
sells is GREAT!!! Just make sure to order the oral tablets, not the ones
used for bags.....:)
— Saxbyd
June 24, 2004
I am 10 years post-op and I had gastric bypass. I have never read anything
like this before and I almost started to cry reading the answers. I have
suffered from severe foul smelling gas for 8 years after my surgery. I had
constant diarrhea for over a year following my surgery. I still am plagued
by them both from time to time. I could clear not only rooms, but entire
buildings. I am a high school teacher so... you can imagine my torture.
I would not go back. The 165 lbs I lost are well worth what I have been
through with gas and diahrrea. My advise is to come up with a code word
like mine... "don't notice" and make it very clear that that is
what you mean and... carry air freshener at all times in your purse. Good
luck!
— monica W.
February 14, 2005
— marypaige
March 17, 2005
I've been going thru the samething. I am 13 month post-opt and this is the
worse smell ever.... I've had the colonoscopy, endoscopy, cat-scan, ect....
done and everything is fine. It doesn't matter what I eat, I have bad
gas.. No pain, just gas... foul, foul gas!!! It's to the point where I
can't sleep with my husband, my kids are carry a spray around with them.
This to me is not a funny matter, it's very embarrasing. We are leaving
for Punta Cana next month and I'm really scared to eat out there... How
would it look to carry a spray around with you at all times??? Not very
fasionable... I've tryed GasX, Beeno, Pepto, you name it, I've tryed it.
The dr. is saying it's IBS. So now, I have an appt. to see a Nutritionist.
I'm not sure if she will help, but I will try anything at this point. As
I read some ariticles, I will stay away from Carbs to see if that
eliminates some of the "Odor"...
— LisaA0613
September 8, 2006
I only began to have really stinky gas and BMs when I got my protein intake
where it was suposed to be in my fifth month post-op. I did some web
research, and sure enough, protein digestion releases evil-smelling
sulfides. Sulfides from a high protein diet are responsible for the smell
of dog and cat poop and gas. It hit me- that's exactly what mine smell
like, and the fact that it seems "inhuman" has been adding to my
distress. I did more research to see what could be done about the smell (I
CAN'T decrease my protein consumption), and the only thing that was
reported to really help was taking some form of chlorophyll to neutralize
the smell. Brain Flash! I have Nu-Greens in my fridge, and what are greens
but chlorophyll? Guess what? I had some new greens and a Gas-X about two
hours before a first date, and I didn't let one stinker (thank GOD!).
— Anna W.
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