To go to the GP for smelly wind?

[Jellyjoy]

NC as this is embarrassing.

For over a year I’ve suffered with frequent and very smelly wind. It affects my social life as I don’t want to go out because it’s so uncomfortable to hold in the wind, but it’s so smelly I couldn’t let it out. My poor DH is at his wits end with it too.

I eat a healthy diet with daily healthy bowel movements. I’ve tried keeping a food diary but the wind is constant so there’s nothing obvious there (excite I know sugar makes it worse).

i don’t eat dairy so it’s not a lactose intolerance.

WIBU to go to the GP for smelly wind? I feel like they’ll laugh me out and just say it’s normal, but believe me this isn’t normal.

Charcoal pants

Here you go

No YANBU, you may have to push a bit though. This was the first sign of ibd for me.

It's a year. I would say if it's noxious (sour smelling?) and has any other accompanying symptoms such as bloating, pain, or anything else, I'd make a routine appointment (these days, it will be at least 2 weeks to get a 5 min telephone call, so you're not exactly a burden on the NHS). I'd make the appointment.

I have an uncle who grows his own veg and man but that man can fart! Not smelly though, but he has no shame lol.

Have you any nausea, vomiting, or heartburn at all?

There is no shame in flatulence, it’s a normal occurrence which happens 40-60 times per day

Charcoal tablets from Elf shop?

Probiotics drink kefir / ayran or live yogurt

Peppermint tea

Smelly farts can be a sign of something not quite right.

'Cos my shit don't stink 😁

I went for this and a bowel change after years of ibs. Diagnosed by a specialist with liver bile acid malabsorption- have little sachets to drink during a flair up and the change has been immense! Used to be awful.

Yeah, I think bloods would be a start to have taken. Just to see how liver is functioning etc.

Thanks for replies. There’s no other symptoms than extremely frequent and terrible smelling gas. And of course it’s painful if I don’t let it out.

I’ve tried regular kombucha drinking, peppermint tea, expensive gut supplement from Holland and Barrett, and eat a very wide variety of fruit, veg and legumes (which is supposed to help gut health).

I haven’t tried charcoal tablets but currently breastfeeding so will need to check they’re safe.

Are you taking any medication? This can be a side effect of some.

Try taking turmeric tablets morning and night - this was life-changing for me.

Try cutting out things from your diet to see if it improves. Garlic/alliums/dairy/pulses are often triggers. Or preparing food in a different way. Sometimes fresh garlic in food upsets me (shame as I love it) but garlic powder is fine. Refined carbs will do it sometimes as I get bunged up.

GP will probably suggest trying low FODMAP and gradually reintroducing triggering foods. They may investigate further if you have other symptoms. I had IBS symptoms - stress didn't help but I actually had endometriosis tissue all over my bowel. That would do it!

Sometimes you can eat healithy but still be missing out on nutrients - try something like the Nutracheck app and keep a food diary on there - you can check your calorie intake, carbs, fat, protein, fibre. I find it hard to have enough fibre as I don't like cereal or eating a lot of starchy carbs while trying to keep calories/portiobs down- I eat lots of veg and pulses but it isn't enough.

Try eating fermented foods (in small doses) and yogurt.

Make sure you are drinking enough water and avoid fizzy diet drinks. Try having mint tea after a meal to help digestion.

Exercise also helps - nothing extreme but brisk walks and yoga.

Try fennel seeds or charcoal tablets

@Passanotherjaffacake could you possibly share any details of symptoms, please? I'm thinking this is what I've got.. GP appt the middle of next month, so info would be appreciated.
Sorry @Jellyjoy for hijacking..

Those gut bacteria things made me nasty! I kept H&B in business for a while until I discovered that they were making things worse!

The thing I've found that helps most, is a couple of teaspoons of natural yoghurt once a day. Doesn't have to be probiotic/prebiotic. In fact, my gut doesn't seem to respond well to alien bacteria. Natural yoghurt works.

Research a low fodmap diet. Lots of fruit veg and legumes might not be helping you.

How old is the baby? How soon did this start happening after you had the baby? It could be hormonal (I stink around TOTM!). Did you need to take any iron tablets during or after pregnancy? Because they mess with your gut. if you had a csection, that can also mess with your guts.

I identified onions as my problem. It's hard to avoid them in everything, especially when you eat out, but I was prescribed mebeverine tablets which I can take before a meal. I still fart a lot, mind, so think I have other triggers but I take iron and eat lots of 'farty food' because it's good for me (veg/beans) and don't want to stop that.

Activated charcoal is extremely safe, there is no mechanism for it to end up in your breastmilk.

It was a total game-changer for me when I had the same issue.

@KvotheTheBloodless what brand do you use?

Same here.

I think my bowel condition and heartburn etc seem to be linked to anxiety. I have a grumpy DH and suspect that his behaviour sets of my anxiety (below the radar to me, probaby due to habit) and then I get things like bad acid reflux and flatulence. Though other things can cause anxiety too.

An ex was like that - he had giardiasis, solved by five days of metronidazole.

There is also the smell of death that comes from celiacs being glutened. Going gluten free at diagnosis made me realise just how much of the 'it's all perfectly normal' actually wasn't, even before the very obvious response to a cross contaminated food.