# Does Gas-X Go to the Colon?



## AD (Jan 23, 2000)

Does anyone know if the simethicone in Gas-X travels through the colon or if it absorbed or filtered out through the kidneys? I have a bunch of popping, bloating bubbles in my abdomen that are difficult to release.


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## gottogo (Aug 14, 2000)

I tried that stuff a few weeks ago for gas (The farting kind) and it did not help at all.


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## AD (Jan 23, 2000)

Obviously, if it did go to the colon, it would take the normal transit time of up to 3 days to get there. How long was it before you were able to expel it? I often lose track, but I feel better when the gas comes out with great force rather than amount.


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## Ugh (Jan 30, 2001)

Simethicone combines little gas bubbles into bigger gas bubbles with the idea that it'll be easier to pass a smaller amount of bigger bubbles, it doesn't actually change the amount of gas. It can reach the intestine, so I would guess it could reach the colon. Normal transit time is not usually 3 days... there's a range of normal, but I have usually seen 24 hours as an average normal transit time. But that's normal transit for food, not gas. Gas from food comes out faster than the food itself. There's a range on that too, but 6 hours I think is common.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Simethicone is not absorbed by the body, so any of it that goes in your mouth comes out the back end without going into any other part of the body.It's one of the reasons this drug has a very low incidence of side effects. It doesn't get into the body where it could cause problems.Normal transit time varies from 16-72 hours.K.------------------I have no financial, academic, or any other stake in any commercial product mentioned by me.My story and what worked for me in greatly easing my IBS: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000015.html [This message has been edited by kmottus (edited 05-01-2001).]


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## Joan Gregg (Jun 6, 2000)

. .. So why do the adverts say take it after a meal, as if it would immediately dispel the gas and bloat?


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## Rose (Mar 25, 1999)

AD, I sometimes get a build up of gas that I can't release. I have tried Phazyme and Gas-x, but I now use another product. I think is a CVS brand, but it works much better than the Name Brands. Within an hour or two, I am able to release that pent-up gas. I am at work now, so I don't have any with me. I will look at the brand when I get home and post it either tonight or tomorrow.------------------"Remember To Stop and Smell the Roses"Rose (C-type)


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Depends on what's bothering you. Right after meals is when all the air you swallowed eating too fast and talking while you ate needs to be burped back up. Bloating immediately after you eat is often an Upper GI thing more than a colon thing anyway, that's why digestive enzymes that would only do upper GI stuff sometimes helps. And simethicone is primarily thought of for upper GI gas problems. However, some people find it helps down below as well.K.------------------I have no financial, academic, or any other stake in any commercial product mentioned by me.My story and what worked for me in greatly easing my IBS: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000015.html [This message has been edited by kmottus (edited 05-01-2001).]


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## AD (Jan 23, 2000)

Thanks for all the input. I do kind of feel that "clumping" the gas bubbles in one area would help me since I can feel several small bubbles. It's like a soda or Coke trapped down there.


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## Guest (May 4, 2001)

I'm confused. Many of the commercials for simethicone product stress that their product DISSOLVES or DISSIPATES the gas, not makes you pass it more easily. Side-by-side product comparison, add product, stir, see which glass doesn't have bubbles...So that's NOT what it does? Do peppermint oil capsules dissolve gas or also make you pass it?


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

It breaks up the bubbles.This could do different things depending on the situation. For some people it may make it easier to pass (if the spasms cause the bubbles to get trapped breaking them may allow the gas to move on). For some people it may mean they absorb the gas into the blood and therefore exhale it rather than have to fart/burp it out. Possibly other things as well.Peppermint relieves spasms.K.[This message has been edited by kmottus (edited 05-04-2001).]


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## Ugh (Jan 30, 2001)

Kmottus, are you sure it breaks up the bubbles? I know that that seems to make more sense, but I seem to remember reading a few things saying it actually causes the bubbles to combine... something to do with changing the surface tension. Nothing too important one way or the other, just curious.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

I can't recall what precisely it does, but I think it combines the small ones and big ones break releasing the gas. Eventually a bubble gets unstable and can't maintain itself.In the TV ad they mentioned the very bubbly solution becomes a non-bubbly solution, and that could be either break the little ones and big ones or just make them big enough they collapse.In either case the bubbles go bye bye.K.------------------I have no financial, academic, or any other stake in any commercial product mentioned by me.My story and what worked for me in greatly easing my IBS: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000015.html


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## Guest (May 5, 2001)

I have noticed that some of the brands just say they are for "gas" while others say both "gas and flatulence". I asked the pharmacist and she said that they definitely work on "air" in both the upper and lower gut. And I can't believe that they would take more than 30 minutes to an hour to work. Most meds get into the system pretty fast. Just think--if you have a headache or body aches you don't expect to have to wait for 24 hours or more for relief!


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## Ugh (Jan 30, 2001)

odeal, I'm sure it works fairly quickly, how long it takes to get to the colon, and how effective it is when it gets there, I don't know. Obviously it reaches the stomach much quicker. I believe it differs from aspirin and other drugs in that it isn't transported through the bloodstream, but just kinda travels down the digestive system doing its thing. 24 hours would be a transit time for food, but different things can move much quicker, anyone who has had a pitcher of barium can attest to that.


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## AD (Jan 23, 2000)

I'm sure transit time will vary considerably from person to person and time to time. I use milk of magnesia every night, so I often see remnants of things I ate at 5 PM one night (like basil leaves, brown rice, beans and nuts) in the commode within 12 hours. Sometimes though, it has taken up to 4 days! As far as gas, I never can tell exactly what it's from.


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## Debbie A. (Jun 13, 1999)

So then the question is what *does* work? I sometimes get very painful gas in my colon for days that I cannot pass. Is there any product that will help that type of gas?Debbie


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## Guest (May 7, 2001)

I was reading that simethecone (Gas X, Phayzyme, etc.) only working in the upper intestinal area and prevents gas by working on it BEFORE it gets into your intestines. Peppermint oil by itself gets absorbed by your body before it gets to your colon, but if you take...like, caplets or something, then it DOES work in the colon.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Are you sure the pain is gas. You can have spasms in the colon unrelated to gas production and if nothing extra is coming out...maybe the pain isn't gas. Now if it's relieved by a massive fart fest....Gas in the intestines can be absorbed by the body and exhaled (why the hydrogen breath test works) Exercise can help this process. Walking or doing things that twist the torso (yoga, tai chi) can help.Massaging the intestines can help move things along as well. Work up the right across the top and down the left. Probiotics may limit the amount of gas you produce, but do not relieve spasms. Antispasmodics and antidepressants can relieve the spasms and the pain respectively.K.------------------I have no financial, academic, or any other stake in any commercial product mentioned by me.My story and what worked for me in greatly easing my IBS: http://www.ibsgroup.org/ubb/Forum17/HTML/000015.html


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## Rose (Mar 25, 1999)

Sorry I am just getting around to posting the brand I use...I totally forgot







. Anyway, when I feel that trapped gas that won't move, I take two softgels of Equate (Walmart brand) Extra Strength Gas Relief. I think it contains much the same ingredients as Gas-X, but it seems to work better (at least for me). Each gelcap contains 125 mg of simethicon, glycerin, peppermint oil and titanium dioxide. When I have gas that won't move, I take two of these and do some "side-to-side" exercises and before you know it I am "tooting" up a storm and feel soooooo much better.------------------"Remember To Stop and Smell the Roses"Rose (C-type)


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## NancyCat (Jul 16, 1999)

Rose I am SO GLAD that you posted the name of the anti gas product. Perhaps its the peppermint combined with the simethicone that helps you, I get some (minimal) relief from phazyme but am going to give Equate a try. You got it at Wallmart? I will copy the ingredients you posted and see if I can find it. Thanks again.







------------------Nancy


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## Rose (Mar 25, 1999)

Hi nancy,Yes I got the Equate at Walmart. Equate is their name for all their in-store products. It is called Equate Extra Strength Gas Relief. Hope it works for you.







------------------"Remember To Stop and Smell the Roses"Rose (C-type)


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