# Raisins? flux please



## SunshineSheridan (Apr 29, 2003)

I started eating raisins because they help me poop (IBS-C). I eat a banana in the AM with oatmeal, I have an apple after lunch, and usually a pear or some other fruit after dinner. In the past, these fruits in conjunction with about 50 oz. water a day has kept me "moving". Well, I started having probs again and started with the raisins. Now, I'm bloated again and have major gas pain. Do raisins do this? Anything I can use (natural)?Sunshine(not today, rain in Chicago)


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## mclark (Feb 11, 2003)

SunshineFrom what I understand, bananas cause constipation. You might want to try eliminating those first and go back to eating raisins. Replace bananas with an apple.Good luckMike


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## Lynda J (Mar 4, 2003)

I can't do bananas at all. I can eat mangos or papya's. Plus grapes. I also juice a mixture of cabbage, carrots, and apple. I have had no major flare up in almost 6 weeks. From my understanding cabbage is a colonic cleaner. Time will tell.


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

I'm not sure how raisins could help (or hurt for that matter) with constipation unless you eating a huge number of them.


> quote:Now, I'm bloated again and have major gas pain. Do raisins do this?


How do you know you have gas? If you don't pass gas eventually, then it cannot be gas. You should a standing x-ray when you are bloating to help evaluate the nature of the bloating.It could just be that the condition is fluctuating and what you are eating is not responsible either way.


> quote:From what I understand, bananas cause constipation.


Bananas are probably kind of like a fiber (resistant starch) depending on how ripe they are, so the effect you get is hard to predict but it would probably be constipating if you have a slow-transit problem.


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## SunshineSheridan (Apr 29, 2003)

FluxI know it's gas because I'm bloated like a balloon and it hurts until I pass the gas. It seems to become trapped for a few hours. Also, when I have BMs after eating raisins, it is part hard stool, then watery and comes out with lots of air.Bananas have never constipated me, and I love them waaaay to much to give them up. The raisins I love too, and I just wondered if they were one of the "gassy" foods.To be honest with you, I'm not actually sure what my stomach ailments are. I've had trouble since the gallbladder came out and after reading all the horror stories about the tests everyone is going thru without answers makes me not want to go to the doc's and hear "it's stress".So, back to my original questions: Do raisins cause gas?Thanks for all the replies.Sunshine(STILL raining in Chicago)


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## SunshineSheridan (Apr 29, 2003)

Just to add:I'm reading all over here, and I don't have constipation. My stools are never hard or dry, and I have bowel movements almost every day (sometimes twice). My problem is straining. They won't come out without straining, and the raisins help this. I don't have to strain if I eat them, but then I get the belly pain, gas, etc.


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Foods and IBS http://ibscrohns.about.com/library/weekly/aa090700a.htm http://www.aapress.com/webapr25/hkaty.htm http://www.ibshealth.com/ibsfoodsinfo.htm http://www.ibshealth.com/ibs_foods_2.htm http://www.eatingforibs.com/ http://www.ibs-research-update.org.uk/IBS/diet1ie4.html


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quoteo raisins cause gas?


I don't think raisins could cause gas unless you were not absorbing some sugar in them and you were consuming a lot of them. You'd probably run into the problem with other foods more so. You'd have to fast for at least two days except water to determine whether the gas is from the atmosphere or the gut. In addition, it's not clear that you have excess gas either. It could just be a normal volume built up over time.


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

Both apples and cabbage can be problematic in most IBSers also just fyi, as well as fruits or veg with high acid content or sugar content ect..Bloating in IBS is not totally understood yet and not all bloating or distension is from gas, but possible other reasons as well that may contribute.The very act of eating can also contribute to the IBS symptoms.


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

Eric- is there any new research which shows bloating is not due to gas?


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## eric (Jul 8, 1999)

FYI"9. Gas and Bloating / W.G. Thompson 9.1 Synonyms and Related Terms page 15Burbulence, flatulence, burp, belch, borborygmi, gaseous distention, wind, flatus, fart. Gas and bloating embrace three unrelated phenomena. Farting is a physiologic phenomenon due to the production of gas by colon bacteria. Excessive belching or burping is associated with aerophagia (air swallowing). This is also partly physiological, but it may become exaggerated through habit. The mechanism of bloating is obscure. These phenomena are unrelated, yet they often occur together. 9.2 Gas, Wind, Flatus page 169.2.1 MECHANISM Farting is a physiologic excretory process. Normally, the gut contains 100 to 200 mL of gas. An average person on a normal diet emits about 1 L per day. We pass 50 to 500 mL a mean of 13.6 times per day, although there is great variation from person to person and from time to time. Those prone to produce greater amounts of gas or who are unduly sensitive may suffer socially. Most emitted gas originates in the colon. Some carbohydrates such as cellulose, glycoproteins and other ingested materials, not assimilated in the small intestine, arrive intact in the colon where resident bacteria digest them to produce hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methane and trace gases. Intestinal floras differ from person to person. Some bacteria produce hydrogen, while others consume it. In one person out of three, an organism called Methanobrevibacter smithii converts hydrogen to methane. The presence of this organism and the methane-producing trait are a result of early environment. Spouses do not share the trait with one another. Another product of fermentation, carbon dioxide, is also released when hydrochloric acid reacts with bicarbonate in the intestines. However, this gas is quickly absorbed. Hydrogen, carbon dioxide, methane and swallowed nitrogen comprise 99% of colon gas. The remaining 1% consists of trace gases that compensate for their small quantities by their strong odors. Smelly gases include hydrogen sulfide ammonia, skatole, indole and volatile fatty acids. Borborygmi is the name given to the noises generated as air and fluid gurgle through the gut. Farting and borborygmi do not account for bloating. 9.3 Aerophagia page 169.3.1 MECHANISM During inspiration, the normally negative intraesophageal pressure draws in ambient air. Forced inspiration against a closed glottis (intentionally closed windpipe) draws in even more air. The air may be forced out again as intra-esophageal pressure increases with expiration. Adolescents love to shock their elders with voluntary belching. As a practical application, those who have lost their larynx because of cancer put this learnable skill to use in generating esophageal speech. More commonly, aerophagia is an unwanted habit in those who repeatedly belch in response to other gut symptoms. Some air is ingested with each swallow, perhaps more with food. Nervous patients undergoing abdominal x-rays accumulate more intestinal gas than those who are relaxed. Other mechanisms of aerophagia include thumb sucking, gum chewing, drinking carbonated drinks, rapid eating and wearing poor dentures. Stomach gas has the same composition as the atmosphere. In achalasia, where the lower esophageal sphincter cannot relax, the stomach is gasless. In bowel obstruction or a gastrocolic fistula colon gases reach the stomach. Sometimes gastric stasis permits bacteria to grow and produce hydrogen in the stomach. Normally, gastric gas is swallowed air. 9.3.2 CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF AEROPHAGIABelching is to bring forth wind noisily from the stomach. The word burp means to "cause to belch," as one would burp a baby, but colloquially, the terms are used interchangeably. A belch after a large meal is a physiologic venting of air from the stomach. A meal stretching the muscle of the stomach, which can stretch to accommodate food, causes distress with little increase in intragastric pressure. A satisfying belch eases the discomfort. Some individuals seem unduly sensitive to intragastric pressure. People with gastroenteritis, heartburn or ulcers swallow more frequently. If release of gas transiently relieves the distended feeling, a cycle of air swallowing and belching may be established. The swallow-belch cycle may continue long after the original discomfort is forgotten. Of course, venting gas is important, as those unable to do so will attest. When the lower esophageal sphincter is reinforced by antireflux surgery, belching may be impossible. Bedridden patients such as those recovering from surgery may trap air in the stomach. In the supine position gastric contents seal the gastroesophageal junction so that air cannot escape until the subject assumes the prone position. While a patient may insist that his or her stomach is producing prodigious amounts of gas, in reality air is drawn into the esophagus and released. A little may even reach the stomach. Some can belch on command, and the inspiration against a closed glottis is demonstrable. Most sufferers are relieved to have their habit pointed out, but some are incredulous. Quitting the habit is often difficult. Repeated and intractable belching is termed eructio nervosa. 9.4 Functional Abdominal Bloating page 179.4.1 MECHANISM Those complaining of bloating and distention are often convinced that it is due to exess intestinal gas. Although the sensation may induce aerophagia, it seldom results from it. Farting may temporarily relieve bloating, but intestinal gas production does not cause it. Research has demonstrated that gas volume in bloaters is not abnormal. Despite visible distention, x-rays and computerized tomography (CT) show no large collections of intestinal gas. The distention disappears with sleep and general anesthesia. Gut hypersensitivity may explain the sensation of abdominal bloating. The hypersensitive gut feels full at lower than normal filling, and abdominal muscles relax to accommodate the perceived distention. The stomach is and feels distended with normal amounts of air. Abdominal girth of female irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) patients complaining of distention may increase 3 to 4 cm over an eight-hour day. CT has demonstrated the change in profile despite unchanged gas content or distribution. There were no corresponding changes in control subjects. Lumbar lordosis (arching of the spine) is sometimes increased. When women deliberately protrude their abdomens, the configuration is different from when they are bloated, so a conscious mechanism poorly explains increased abdominal girth. Perhaps abdominal muscles are weakened. The reality of the phenomenon is indisputable; the mechanism remains a mystery. 9.4.2 CLINICAL FEATURESBloating occurs in 30% of adults and is frequent in 10%. Amongst those with the irritable bowel syndrome and dyspepsia the figures are much higher. It is often the most troublesome feature of these conditions. Typically, the abdomen is flat upon awakening, but distends progressively during the day, only for the distention to disappear with sleep. Women complain of the need to let out their clothing and sometimes volunteer "Itï¿½s as if Iï¿½m six months pregnant." Many report that bloating occurs quickly, in some cases within a minute. It is often aggravated by eating and relieved by lying down. Menstrual periods and stress affect a few cases. Usually, it is most obvious in the lower abdomen, but many report it near the umbilicus or all over the belly. 9.4.3 DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSISObservable bloating has been called hysterical nongaseous bloating, pseudotumor or pseudocyesis (false pregnancy). If distention is present at the time of the examination (more likely late in the day), the phenomenon is likely functional. There is no abdominal tympany to suggest gaseous intestines, and sometimes the distended abdomen can be mistaken for ascites or a tumor. Bloating is often associated with dyspepsia or IBS. On its own, it is not a symptom of organic disease and should prompt no investigation. In intestinal obstruction or postoperative ileus paralyzed intestines, gas accumulates and distends the gut to cause discomfort and pain. In such a case, there are other symptoms and signs with which to make a diagnosis." http://gastroresource.com/GITextbook/En/chapter1/1-9.htm Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2002 Nov;16 11:1867-76 Review article: bloating in functional bowel disorders. Zar S, Benson MJ, Kumar D. OGEM Department, St George's Hospital Medical School, London, UK. Bloating is a frequently reported symptom in functional bowel disorders. It usually occurs in combination with other symptoms, but may also occur in isolation. The severity of bloating tends to worsen during the course of the day and improves overnight. Although frequently considered to be a subjective phenomenon, recent studies have shown that bloating is associated with a measurable increase in abdominal girth. The pathophysiology of bloating remains elusive, but the evidence supports a sensorimotor dysfunction of the bowel. The possible mechanisms include abnormal gas trapping, fluid retention, food intolerance and altered gut microbial flora. Further studies are needed to define the sensorimotor abnormalities associated with bloating, which might be segmental and transient rather than generalized and persistent. The lack of understanding of this symptom is paralleled by a limited availability of therapeutic options. Conventional medications used in functional bowel disorders are not helpful and may indeed worsen the symptoms. In future, new drugs with activity against serotonin and kappa receptors, or novel approaches such as the use of exclusion diets, probiotics and hypnotherapy, may prove to be useful. Publication Types: * Review * Review, TutorialPMID: 12390095 Am J Gastroenterol 2001 Dec;96(12):3341-7 Related Articles, Links Sensation of bloating and visible abdominal distension in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Chang L, Lee OY, Naliboff B, Schmulson M, Mayer EA. CURE/Digestive Disease Research Center, University of California Los Angeles, Westwood 90024, USA. OBJECTIVES: Abdominal bloating and distension are common symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome IBS. The postulated pathophysiological mechanisms underlying these symptoms include increased production, retention, or perception of gas or luminal contents. The aims of this study were to prospectively compare the prevalence of, and clinical factors related to, bloating and distension in an IBS patient population. METHODS: A total of 714 consecutive patients who met Rome I criteria for IBS were prospectively surveyed, and were classified as having bloating alone B or bloating and distension B+D based on a comprehensive bowel symptom questionnaire. GI, extraintestinal, and psychological symptoms, as well as health-related quality of life measures were also assessed using validated survey instruments. RESULTS: A total of 542 IBS patients 76% who reported abdominal bloating were studied. Of these, 132 patients fulfilled criteria for the B group, whereas 410 patients fulfilled criteria for the B+D group. There was a significantly different gender distribution in the B and B+D groups female:male ratios, 1.4:1 and 2.8:1, respectively p < 0.02. There was also a significantly different bowel habit subgroup distribution, with a greater predominance of constipation in B+D group and of diarrhea in the B group p < 0.03. Both groups were similar in other clinical parameters, including progressive worsening of symptoms during the day, and relief by passing stool or gas. Both bloating and distension worsened when other abdominal symptoms worsened. Abdominal distension was associated with greater symptom severity and less diurnal variation in symptoms, and was less often perceived as associated with food intake. CONCLUSIONS: Bloating and visible abdominal distension may arise from two distinct but interrelated physiological processes. Although the sensation of bloating may be related to enhanced sensitivity to visceral afferent stimulation, abdominal distension in more severely affected patients may be related to triggering of a visceromotor reflex affecting the tone of abdominal wall muscles.PMID: 11774947


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

This is the first time I read that bloating is due to fluid retention. The one time I felt bloated I felt it was the fluid pushing out. I can understand that distension is due to sensorimotor problems but it blew my mind away that altered gut flora could cause it too and probiotics might help. One more reason to take probiotics. Thanks eric for all the great info!


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## Lori B. (Jan 19, 2003)

When a person has diarrhea, doctors recommend a BRAT diet (bananas, rice, applesauce and toast) as it is easy on the stomach and bulks up the bowels. So bananas are probably not good for IBS C. As for raisins...I think you are on the right track with those. They go right through most people. Hi Flux...love your sig...too bad it's not true. Unlike mine.


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:They go right through most people.


In that case, they couldn't cause any problem.


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## Katy252 (Jul 15, 2001)

Found this link- it mentions raisins at the bottom. It says they are a gas producing food. Hope that helps. -Katy http://www.med.umich.edu/1libr/topics/digest24.htm


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## Guest (May 3, 2003)

Sunshine:this may sound like an odd remedy, but it actually works. my Gastroenterologist recommended it. i also suffer from straining, with not necessarily any "productive" results. you know it's up there, but it's just not gonna move for you. ready? when you are trying to defecate, insert your thumb or finger into your vagina and press against the wall up against your intestines. you'll be amazed at how this extra pressure will move the stools out!! i believe my doctor called the condition a 'rectal cap', but dont quote me on that. i am certainly not a doctor.i think u may get some relief.


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## EYEBSER2 (Apr 27, 2003)

Here we go again, another gall bladder removal victum. Please read all the posts anywhere you see gall bladder mentioned. I do believe the surgery sets us up for all sorts of digestive problems not to mention the fact that we can no longer process normal amounts of fats. (Off my soap box now.) As to your raisin problem, I was told to stay away from dried fruits unless you PLUMP them by soaking in hot water and then storing in the fridge in the water. Drain before using. Reason? To much concentrated sugar and not enough liquid in them. May be worth a try. I too am a banana lover but go thru stages where I need one daily or just forget it for weeks, so I can sympathize....Good luck Sunshine!!!


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:Found this link- it mentions raisins at the bottom. It says they are a gas producing food.


It should be noted that since excess gas is so rare, that info is based on the effects in just one person.


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## loulou (Jan 18, 2001)

Here's another link on foods for IBS which includes a list of foods that may cause gas. http://ibscrohns.about.com/library/weekly/aa090700a.htm Hope this helps.


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

Why do you say excess gas is rare, flux? Just because they don't produce over 40 farts a day? What if it all comes out in their stools? Very few people do radiographic tests.


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

flux! I saw you on another thread and you didn't reply to this thread. I don't know what sense to make of this. You blow hot and blow cold. On another thread when I wasn't talking to you you had to comment on what I was saying. Now on this thread when I ask you a question directly you don't respond! I am really puzzled. Please don't comment on anything I say again please? I don't like not knowing where I stand with you.


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## lizzyanncia (May 3, 2003)

I read all of these with interest. I am new to board but not to dealing with IBS. I have some questions and some observations. First, bloating is for me almost the worst of all the symptoms I suffer. I too have often volunteered, 'I feel/look as if I am 6 months pregnant'. It gradually increases through the day and I need almost two dress sizes bigger when I am pre- menstrual due to combined effects. It causes much discomfort, unsightliness, and I often wear only caftan type clothing when at home to be more comfortable. As to the medical text discussing distension being related to excess gas and that there is no demostrable difference in such among IBS and non IBS sufferers: it has to be remembered that IBS sufferers probably have heightened sensitivity to the normal levels of gas in their guts. I'm sure most like me can also attest to how explosively this may eventually escape the body! So while excess volume may not be the problem, excess sensitivity may well be. I also believe that a lot of abnormal fluid movement goes on which contributes to the distension and which non IBS people do not get. By the end of a typical day, my belly is hugely distended and their is a definite feeling of pressure inside, but it also feels heavy and draggy.I too have been taking bentyl for about one year now. Whilst it really does not help with the bloating, it sure has helped a lot with the cramps and spasms. I take it every day. Before that I took Levsin which helped at first and then stopped working. I was just recently formally diagnosed after several years with my most wonderful and kind gastroenterologist. I think one thing I have to do is work more with my diet finding dietary triggers and increasing fiber. I was curious about references made to IBS C; is ths a typing? Where can I find more information on different types of IBS? Also, I seem to get a combo type where some times I have frequeny bouts of loose bowel movements alternating with constipation. I think eating a lot of fruit is probably a good way to prevent constipation although some people may be more 'sensitive' to some fruit than others. But I do believe that straining is a part of constipation in general and a normal bowel movement should not be strained. Most gastro's seem to recommend eating enough fiber to produce a well formed easily moved stool. I think that is all for my first post. If anyone has any real useful way to deal with or alleviate the bloating part of this, I would be very gratefulLizzy


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## karoe (Sep 22, 1999)

Having had a longstanding problem with bloating (20+ years of IBS), I'd like to make a comment. Five years ago, I stopped drinking milk and eating milk products. It decreased my bloat by about half. Last year I started working with LEAP (see the diet group on this website) and altho I'm not cured yet, my bloat is ZERO on most days, and when it first came down, it was absolutely incredible. (I'm tall and skinny, so it looked really ridiculous.) Bloat feels to me like this: when you get a bee sting, tissue swells up. When you eat food your body is sensitive to, it marshalls its defenses and your intestine bloats up. I'd say try the LEAP diet. Bloat to me signals your body's reaction to stuff it doesn't like. If you don't feel like spending the money on the tests and diet, try an experiment, go a month with out wheat and dairy, and see how you feel. Those foods are common offenders. ( no, it's NOT easy, you have to cook for yourself.) Good luck!


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## SunshineSheridan (Apr 29, 2003)

WOW, Thanks all you guys for the information.UPDATE: I have damn near starved myself, and my bloating is gone. This is only because I have barely eaten 1 meal a day, so my weight is back down to 114 lbs., and my stomach actually looks like it belongs on my body, LOL.I have stopped dairy, all of it, not easy but I'm doing it. I have cut my sugar intake down about 80%. I haven't had beer (NO, not fun!). I have started Healthy Trinity Probiotics. I am still eating my bananas and oatmeal in the AM. Bowel movements every day (normal ones!). Now I'm keeping a food diary to see what's gonna bloat me up. I'll be back to complain I'm sure, but thanks for all the info!Sunshine(YES, Sunshine & 70s in Chicago today!!!!)


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## ohnometo (Sep 20, 2001)

KaroeI am so happy that you have stuck to LEAPS plan and are feeling better


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:Why do you say excess gas is rare, flux?


On the BB which has over 18,000 members, I've seen maybe a dozen people with a valid claim to this problem. That's almost noone.


> quote:Just because they don't produce over 40 farts a day?


Most people who complain seem to be within this normal limit.


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

DP


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

Oh you mean among IBS patients? I agree. There has been research done to show that too I believe. I thought you meant the general population. Then it would be common among the elderly. Besides all these factors could lead to excessive gas GI stasis(whatever that means!), gut hypomotility , bacterial overgrowth etc. So I would think it is not rare in the general population.


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## Jan LEAP RD (May 19, 2002)

Do raisins cause gas?As an RD and allergy/food sensitivity nutrition counselor, YES, raisins may cause gas. A number of things to consider here. One reason they may bother you one time and not another may be related to sulfites! Sulfite sensitivity can cause bloating, gas, diarrhea, asthma and other symptoms.Or, raisins could create problems due to sorbitol (naturally present. . . does diet candy bother you?) or fructose (do honey, other fruits or soda's bother you?)I ask patients, "Does your flatulence/BM smell of burnt matches or rotten eggs?" If I get an emphatic "YES, how did you know!"







it's often sulfite sensitivity.And, even organic grapes/raisins 'might' be a problem if the field was treated with sulfite to help prevent a nasty fungus that grapes get. (Honestly, I don't know if field treated grapes can be sold as organic or not.)Other possible high sulfite foods? Grapes, dried fruit, wine, mashed potatoes, french fries, instant potato/hotdishes/rice mixes. Marachino cherries. There are a LOT more. (You can read excerpts of a magazine article I wrote on the topic at: Sulfite Story http://www.livingwithout.com/feature_SulphiteArticle.htm This is an excerpt from an article I wrote for Sully's Living Without magazine. Hope this quick explanation helps.Jan, RD


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:YES, raisins may cause gas.


Whether they cause gas is a function of how much sugar is not absorbed and how much one consumes. I donï¿½t suspect this really affects too many people.


> quote:Sulfite sensitivity can cause bloating, gas, diarrhea, asthma and other symptoms


How is going to going to cause gas?


> quote:I ask patients, "Does your flatulence/BM smell of burnt matches or rotten eggs?" If I get an emphatic "YES, how did you know!" it's often sulfite sensitivity.










I think you need to re-evaluate those patients. Sulfite ï¿½sensitivityï¿½ has nothing to do with gas in the gut!


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## lizzyanncia (May 3, 2003)

thanks for the information related to bloating, in particular the LEAP diet. This is something I want to try. I've suspected lactose intolerance in the past and cut it out without much difference in symptoms. No one in my very large family has this, but I will try it again as I'm running out of possible culprits. I do a lot of dairy so who knows??I typically stick to a low carb diet as since being diagnosed hypothyroid some years ago, it has been the only dietary regime that gives me any control over my weight, even though I exercise four times a week. But because of that, I often feel I don't get enough fiber and that this may some how contribute to the bloating. The LEAP thing has got my interest though, I'm willing to try anything to get rid of the eternal pregnancy!


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## WhoaNellie1487 (May 5, 2003)

There's this book by Dr.Colbert I think is his name. It's about IBS,and it has a list of what not to eat,and what to eat. I'll see if I can get the title later.


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## kel1059 (Feb 28, 2003)

Flux you are an idiot. i have a bad sulfite allergy and it causes severe gastro problems of all sorts. Somehow, someway -- it causes my entire system to quit functioning correctly and that is when either yeast or bacteria start increasing rapidly.Keep your mouth shut unless you have something intelligent to say. Jan RD is extremely knowledgeable.


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:i have a bad sulfite allergy and it causes severe gastro problems of all sorts


How did you have it diagnosed? What is described above is an example a gross misdiagnosis.


> quote:Jan RD is extremely knowledgeable.


Not about sulfite allergy or gas, though


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## Charlie357 (Apr 3, 2002)

Hi Flux, I'm an old Fart and pass gas fifty times a day and I don't think many IBSers count or brag about the amount of gas they expel. Half of my stools are floaters, hydrogen of helium? Are floaters uncommon or do many other IBS victims share this concern? Thanks for your thoughts.


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:are floaters, hydrogen of helium? Are floaters uncommon or do many other IBS victims share this concern?


I don't think anyone has tried to correlate floating stools with IBS. Gas is the only thing that makes stools float, but there is no way to know their exact composition in the case that they float; it?s more related to volume. The major gases in general are hydrogen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen and sometimes methane.


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

Have you been tested for malabsorption Charlie?


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## Charlie357 (Apr 3, 2002)

Hi Bonniei, No to your question! Is that a problem of incomplete digestion? I do take Zelnormwhich has helped my IBS-C and Synthroid for hypothyroidism.And thanks to you and flux for answering my post.


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## bonniei (Jan 25, 2001)

Yes in malabsorption you will see partially digested food in your stools. You get diarrhea with it so if you are C then that rules it out.


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## kel1059 (Feb 28, 2003)

> quote: quote:--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sulfite sensitivity can cause bloating, gas, diarrhea, asthma and other symptoms--------------------------------------------------------------------------------How is going to going to cause gas


I don't know the exact mechanism of how it causes gas but it probably does so through an indirect method. It may not cause gas in everyone but by screwing with digestion it can certainly lead to that event.How do I know I have a sulfite allergy. Because anytime I consume anything with sulfites I get real bad. Perfect example, I bought 2 different types of canned coconut milk/fat. One can had potasium metabisulfite and the other brand (thai kitchen) did not. The thai kitchen product caused no problem but the other one had me gasping for 24 hours.


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:I don't know the exact mechanism of how it causes gas but it probably does so through an indirect method. It may not cause gas in everyone but by screwing with digestion it can certainly lead to that event.


It makes no sense that it would do that. There is no evidence it does so. What the dietician said sounded just *made up*.


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## Guest (Jun 11, 2003)

I'm getting in on this thread rather late, but bananas seem to help keep me regular and I'm IBS-c. I've eaten a banana a day for years with no problems and no gas or bloating. However: the bad foods for me are DRIED FRUITS, DAIRY except for yogurt and cheese, corn and peas. I take Culturelle (a probiotic) every day and drink a lot of plain water. Really works. Just thought I'd add my two-cent's-worth.,


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## kel1059 (Feb 28, 2003)

Yes, raisins can be a big sourse of gas, and sulfites can cause big problems. i trust the expert over the layman the majority of the time.


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## kel1059 (Feb 28, 2003)

I think the dietician is dead on correct. sulfites can cause BIG problems.


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