Stop me farting - PLEASE!

[Flickadoo]

I’ve posted about this before under another user name and some of the advice really helped but I still have a way to go so am posting again (in chat for more traffic).

I have bad IBS and the symptoms were mainly awful diarrhoea, bad bloating and stomach pain and wind (the farty type, not trapped wind).

I have tried various supplements and dietary changes and have stopped the diarrhoea, bloating and pain but still have far too much wind. It doesn’t smell, but it’s loud and frequent. I really really need to reduce it as I feel like I can’t even date at the moment as it’s such a problem.

What has worked:

Identifying foods I am intolerant to and eliminating them

Eating a very bland diet

Certain probiotics

What has not worked:

FODMAP diet
Gluten free diet
Dairy free diet
Charcoal supplements
Aloe Vera juice
Simeticone
Silicolgel

I really don’t think there is anything else that I can possibly remove from my diet as it is very restricted and boring now as it is.

Is there anything else that I can possibly try to rid me of the constant trumps? It’s embarrassing and I can’t believe I’ve managed to make myself feel so much better but still have this problem.

TIA

Oh, and whatever that medication is that GPS prescribe for IBS didn’t work either. Can’t remember what it’s called - the thing that makes tour bowel relax or something. It just made things worse.

Have you tried cutting out refined sugars?

They make me fart like a trooper (other farting groups are available).

Thanks MrsmozartMKII

I have not, but I could give that a try. I mainly haven’t done that because there’s now so little left in my diet that I fear I will starve if I cut anything else out.

Chocolate sets me off. I know if I gave it up, I'd never fart. Instead, I choose to fart.

I have never considered that chocolate could be doing it. I shall experiment. (It will be painful )

Chocolate is the trigger for me too.

You can get charcoal inserts for pants though I believe??!

I follow the IBS Dietician on Instagram and she gives sensible advice.

Poor you. My suggestions would be to remove both sugar and artificial sweeteners (such as in low-cal squash drinks).

Keep to it strictly. After two weeks you'll know if it helps.

Good luck!

I did keto for a month and didn't fart once the whole time.

What have you so far eliminated food-wise OP (That has helped) might help to start from there?
Have you seen a dietician?

The charcoal treated pants are intended to counteract odour. They will not act as a silencer.

Hang on, FODMAP is an elimination diet to identify triggers .

Did you try to do it yourself or did you do it under a proper dietitian? If you haven't seen a proper dietitian, you really really need to see one. Doing all this yourself isn't the right answer.

I saw a dietitian privately and paid all of £150 for 2 or 3 appointments, and it was worth every penny. She was ex NHS and taught at the local university so did a bit of private practice as well.

Try fennel tea and probiotics

Yes, I was surprised to see FODMAP had had no impact.
Do you breathe through your mouth much? (Blocked nasal passages?)
I am wondering if this is a symptom of taking in a lot of air.
Do you talk a lot at meal times? Or bolt your food at all? Or eat on the go a lot?

Sorry, just saw you have already taken probiotics.

I tried FODMAP on my own and it still contained some of the foods that it turns out I can’t tolerate so didn’t work for me, whereas eliminating (for example) broccoli makes no difference whatsoever. I’m completely happy with the pods I’ve eliminated and have tested them carefully by reintroducing them one at a time in small amounts a few months after cutting them out and they have caused bad reactions (violent diarrhoea) so I know that they are a major factor. Everything else I’ve tried cutting out and reintroducing has not made a difference at all, although I have not tried to cut out chocolate or all refined sugars yet so we’ll see how they go.

I’ve taken steps to reduce mouth breathing to no effect, have stopped drinking anything carbonated, am chewing food slowly and resting between mouthfuls. No difference.)

I tried a keto diet about a yet ago to try to lose weight and it didn’t help with my symptoms at all, although I was still eating foods that I didn’t realise I couldn’t tolerate as part of that back ten so I guess it could work now without them in it too.

*foods not pods

Have you tried a cork?

Sorry not helpful I am very farty but not so much on low carb/keto style diets so while I can see you’ve tried them, have you given them a good few weeks? Low carb should naturally cut out refined sugars which is what does it for me.

Peppermint oil capsuals are amazing. After about 2 weeks it drastically reduced the amount of wind I was producing and what did sneak of was minty so caused no offence. Ask your Dr about it, its holistic but now highly recommended for ibs

Peppermint tea or peppermint capsules

Thank you, will get hold of some peppermint oil capsules.

Yeah, the low carb thing might actually make a difference if I try it again - the problem there could have been that I was still eating tomatoes which are one of the foods that makes me very poorly so it won’t have made a difference while I was still eating those.

This is me too, have had ibs for nearly 20 years and I went back to my GP last night in desperation as it is literally ruining my life. She prescribed me Mebeverine to take 3 x day, I'm praying it helps. I feel for you, I can't even contemplate dating and have no social life. Maybe another trip to GP?

Depending on how willing you are to try something others may consider 'woo' , I find the homeopathic remedy Nux Vom very good for stomach issues including over indulgence and wind. I take a couple of tablets every half an hour for two hours dissolving them under my tongue.

Oh and peppermint tea is also good

Whole 30