# Cannot expel gas



## georgie (Feb 19, 2004)

Hey anyone, is this part of the IBS-C, not being able to get rid of any gas? I mean not being able to ever pass gas anytime. I just figured out that is why I have stomach spasms.What can I take or eat that would eliminate this problem even if it would not cause a bowel movement? I am open for any suggestions. Thanks everyone, always checking to see if anything new has been reported.


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote: I mean not being able to ever pass gas anytime


You don't have gas.


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## chas14 (Aug 5, 2002)

There are many things that can cause gas, including fiber - which is of help to most of us with constipation. However, there are many other causes, including such things as air swallowing. My GI suggested GasX. I get the generic - smethicone - at Walmart, and take 3-4 capsules a day. It helps some, but not as much as I would like. Talk with your GI Doctor.


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## ghitta (Jul 6, 2002)

fennel tea, ginger tea, fennel seeds (like in indian restaurants,) canned artichoke hearts, digest tea, mint tea are all "carmative" herbs that help expell gas. i use them (singly or in combos) daily. g-


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## lk (Aug 28, 1999)

I highly recommend trying enteric coated peppermint oil. Its great for helping to release trapped gas. As long as I take one caplet a day I don't have problems with trapped gas - which used to cause me a lot of ttrouble.Linda


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## georgie (Feb 19, 2004)

Where do you get peppermint oil?


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## Rima (Nov 3, 2003)

i got my entric coated pepperment oil capsules from GNC it was like 4 dollers for a bottle....theyre really tiny though. and for some reason, sometimes it gives me more gas, but its basically like air going thru...no smell or anything. weird.


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:theyre really tiny though. and for some reason, sometimes it gives me more gas,


It actually has no effect on gas volume.


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## nelly2 (Dec 19, 2003)

Hey flux-Do you actually have any kind of IBS problems?


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## Guest (Mar 16, 2004)

georgie,you probably pass some gas at night - b/c you have to pass it some time and this is when your colon is very relaxed. i was like you adn could not pass gas - even after going to the bathroom. sometimes at nite i wouldn't pass much either and even when i did I felt it all backed up in my system. And it WAS gas - despite what Flux says. Having spasms can trap gas and it can accumulate. You may pass some here and there, but may also have kind of a backlog of gas at all time. This increases spasms which inturn traps gas - its kind of a vicious cycle. As the day went along i'd get more and more bloated adn could hear it under high pressure and feel the spasms around the gas. I knew it was gas b/c occassionaly i'd pass huge amounts and would feel the instant relief. So here are the things I think are most helpful. My main point is that you need to stop the spasms and provide something for the colon to work against. So antispamodics and fiber (no, it shouldn't increase your gas) are the best options. the things I've found most helpful are beloweppermint - if you can tolerate itanti-spasmodics - if you can tolerate themeating a diet high in soluble fiber (NOT insoluble fiber). to me it sounds like you may be a person who has C and cannot pass gas b/c of spasms (not the other way around). if you eat soluble fiber, the colon will relax and will start to function more normally. it takes about 3-5 weeks and its a slow process but i think it works well. ps. insoluble fiber will make your situation worse. infact i can bring on trapped gas by eating insoluble fiber. coffee, chocolate and grease and artificial sugars - all these are gut stimulants will cause it. it just makes the colon spasm. so stay away from insolube fiber and other gut stimulants.


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## Guest (Mar 16, 2004)

If you want more info on soluble/insoluble fiber and recipes - Heather Van Vorous' book is pretty good. I can also just give you a list of "safe" foods. Its really worth a shot. I think the benefits of soluble fiber on IBS are not stressed nearly enough. It seems like its almost the best medicine out there.


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## georgie (Feb 19, 2004)

JoanofarcThanks for your advise, I will get the book you mentioned, any bookstore?I know 75% of my problem is trapped gas, and the reason for the bloating. When I take fiber pills it seems they just continue to bloat.I never know what to do. Can you give me a quick list of soluble foods?


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## boomboomroom (Jan 27, 2004)

what is the difference between insoluble/soluble fiber? I know soluble is digestable, but what about the fiber part?


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:what is the difference between insoluble/soluble fiber? I know soluble is digestable, but what about the fiber part?


Neither is digestible by the body. See ../diet/fiber1.asp for more details.


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## boomboomroom (Jan 27, 2004)

Thanks flux. so what's insoluble fiber, and how does it help constipation?


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## sugarbaby (Jun 24, 2002)

Have you ever tried charcoal tablets? You can buy them at a health food store. The charcoal absorbs the gas.


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:so what's insoluble fiber, and how does it help constipation?


Wasn't that answered in the link?


> quote: The charcoal absorbs the gas


No, charcoal gets wet inside the gut and that somehow prevents it from adsorbing gas.


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## boomboomroom (Jan 27, 2004)

o.k. flux, you made your point. I only read the soluble part.I still don't understand the difference though. They are both veggies.I thought they were different because one was natural, and the other was man made(fiber supps).


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

Insoluble is on the other page, ../diet/fiber2.asp


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## Tiss (Aug 22, 2000)

All this info is good however it sounds like what is good for IBS-C is exactly the opposite for IBS-D. Personally I do MUCH better on a diet high in insoluble fiber. But I do get a mix of both fibers.


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## boomboomroom (Jan 27, 2004)

I bought some peppermint tea from GNC, is this the equivelent to the oil? I have alot of gas, which causes belly aches.


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## Rima (Nov 3, 2003)

i dont know if this happens to anyone else, but i tend to have gas early in the morning, and if i dont expell all of it right when it comes, like if i hold it in because im in public, then its near impossible to try to get it out agian, and it just builds up all day and gets worse and worse. i have tried the entric coated peppermint capusles, and they work, but sometimes they give me lots of "wind" it doesnt smell or anything, its just like big pockets of air i guess passing thru....but u feel so much better afterwards. also i boil fennel, anise seed, peppermint, and sage all together to make a tea, and it helps controll things. several cups in the evening give me a better day the next day.


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## lk (Aug 28, 1999)

Sorry to take so long to get back to your Georgie, but I was out of town...Enteric coated peppermint tablets can be bought at most natural pharmacies. Here is the brand I use http://www.iherb.com/peppermint1.html They are a bit expensive, but I only need to take one a day for releif. Enteric coated tablets are better than teas or non-enteric coated tablets, because they do not dissolve until they reach your intestines, which is the area they are meant to target. Also, if digested in the stomache, peppermint causes really bad heartburn. They work by relaxing the instensinal muscles, which is what causes people with IBS to have spasms and discomfort (and trapped gas). As for the soluble fiber discussion, I agree with Tiss, that the info provided in the Eating for IBS books (Flux's link) is more for D types than C types. Personally I avoid soluble fiber completely as it causes me more pain and gas than anything else I eat. For me, if I don't drink enough water that "smooth gel" becomes a dry sticky glue that doesn't move at all inside me unless I drink gallons and gallons of water. It also makes me have worse trapped gas because A) soluble fibers give me gas, and







the sticky gel traps it inside me (and yes flux, I do pass this gas eventually, and therefore know that its real). Insoluble fiber is good for me, but I disagree with the list that that link provides as to which foods contain soluble and insoluble fibers. Here some links that I agree with: http://www.healthcastle.com/fiber-solubleinsoluble.shtml http://allonhealth.com/dietary-fiber/dietary-fiber-types.htm As a general rule:veggies are typically high in insoluble fiber.fruits, legumes and seaweeds are typically high in soluble fiber.I hope this helps.Linda


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## georgie (Feb 19, 2004)

Thanks Ik Your info is very helpful. I will get the peppermint pills right away. I hate the taste of fennel tea, etc.I miss my coffee!.


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## Laduv (Apr 7, 2004)

Hi everyone,I'm new to this board, and although I've suffered from IBS-C for many years, I have only just been diagnosed with it, probably because of complications with endometriosis. Anyway, my question is about water. Everyone says, "drink lots of water"....and I do, I love it and easily drink 120 oz/day. My problem is: since my symptoms have gotten much worse, I get almost immediate terrible cramping pain and gas just from sipping water. If feels like a knife slicing through my body. Does anyone else out there have similar problems?


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## Guest (Apr 8, 2004)

georgie,sometimes you have to experiment with fibers. if you want to see if soluble fiber helps you then eat a LOT of oatmeal for week - like 4 servings a day and see what happens. or buy the acacia powder off Heather Van Vorous' website. i say this b/c most other things with fiber in them contain insoluble fiber as well and that can cause cramping which can cause you to retain gas more. but it just depends. perhaps you would respond better to insoluble fiber which is easy to eat b/c its in veggies, wheat, etc. as far as peppermint goes, its does help release gas b/c it calms the intestinal spasms so things get out easier. but it may cause GERD like symptoms, so just be careful. another less powerful option would be to use fennel extract which shouldn't cause any uppergastric symptoms - but not sure how it works either - it must work differently from peppermint and may or may not be as effective in getting the gas out/reducing spasms


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## MissJenni (Apr 9, 2004)

I have gas pains constantly. It used to be where I could pass the gas, and feel better.....now I can't seem to pass gas, its feels like the bubbles are going to expele, I try to push and fart, but nothing...the pain travels in my chest, back, side, and all over...its so horrible zi can't sleep anymore. Usually lying on my stomach or side, helped so much...now nothing. zzzzzAs far as foods its seems like i just have to go without eating to feel better. All I drink is water, nothing else. I gave up dairy long ago, thats like putting a lethal killer in my body!!!!! If i drink tea my guts hurt. Cant drink pop, or carbonated drinks. Even water seems to be hurting me. What can I drink? I feel so alone sometimes.


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## flux (Dec 13, 1998)

> quote:I can't seem to pass gas, its feels like the bubbles are going to expele, I try to push and fart, but nothing...the pain travels in my chest, back, side, and all over...its so horrible zi can't sleep anymore. Usually lying on my stomach or side, helped so much...now nothing


If you don't pass the gas eventually, then you don't have any.


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## Cigarello (Jun 17, 2000)

i find that a brisk 30 minute walk halps get gas out


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