Q: Over the past year our household has become increasingly smelly and noisy. My wife has extremely excessive flatulence. Her doctor says this is normal for some people. She has tried all the over-the-counter medications with little relief. Our home life is unpleasant and our social life an embarrassment. Do you have any suggestions?
A: Excessive intestinal gas may be indicative of a digestive order such as irritable bowel syndrome, celiac disease, a lactose intolerance, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and numerous other possibilities. It may be brought on by specific foods that are difficult to digest such as beans, lentils, fructose, and dairy products that contain lactose. Generally speaking, gas causes embarrassment and discomfort, but it isn’t medically harmful. Nonetheless, I can understand your dismay at the severity of your wife’s flatulence.
As a person swallows foods and liquids, he or she also takes in small amounts of air that collect in the digestive system. Gas is released when solid foods are digested, with most of that gas being carbon dioxide, methane and hydrogen. The body responds by burping, belching, or passing gas and fortunately, this generally occurs without any detectable odor or sounds. When gas is caused by trace elements of sulphur gasses that may develop if the food has not been properly digested and begins to break down, an offensive odor results.
Some foods are more easy to digest than others. I urge her to speak with a dietitian who can give her direction on proper foods and steer her away from those that contribute to more flatulence. While waiting to see the specialist, she might consider adding bananas, yogurt, rice, potatoes, lettuce and oranges to her diet. Keep in mind that we all respond differently to specific foods, so she might go so far as to keep a diary of what works and what doesn’t. She may also consider eating five or six smaller meals each day rather than three more common but larger ones. She will not be consuming any more foods or calories but smaller meals are easier to digest and her symptoms may lessen. She should chew her food slowly, refrain from talking and gulping air throughout the meal that will exacerbate things. She should not chew gum, nor should she smoke since both habits cause a person to swallow more air than usual and the smoking habit can actually irritate her already compromised digestive system. I’m sure she has tried Beano, charcoal tablets and the plethora of available products at your local pharmacy, but she might consult with a health care professional for other suggestions.
I’m leaning toward your wife’s diet causing the majority of her problem; however, she could certainly be lactose intolerant. This condition occurs when lactose moves through the large intestine without being properly digested, resulting in gas, bloating and abdominal pain. Again, your health care professional or a dietitian can guide you accordingly. If she suffers from bloating and persistent abdominal pain, unexplained weight loss, episodic diarrhea and/or constipation, incontinence, blood in the stool or other unusual signs, she should speak with her physician or a gastroenterologist in follow-up. In fact, even without symptoms, any persistent change in gastrointestinal function should be evaluated.
Readers who are interested in related information can order Dr. Gott’s Health Report “Digestive Gas” by sending a self-addressed, stamped number 10 envelope and a $2 US check or money order to Peter H. Gott, MD Health Report, PO Box 433, Lakeville, CT 06039. Be sure to mention the title or print an order form from www.AskDrGottMD.com.
