Gas Issues with J-Pouch

Burping has nothing whatsoever to do with your pouch. You may be swallowing air or have other GI issues. Gas at the other end can be dealt with (or prevented) a variety of ways, but others may have more useful suggestions than I.

sounds like bacterial overgrowth. Antibiotics and serious focused diet modifications will help.

Another thing to look at is the Metamucil. For some, it is a gas producer. It was for me, and I had to stop taking it completely.

Even if Metamucil is a contributor, it still can be bacterial overgrowth. You can try experimenting with probiotics, giving at least 4-6 weeks before moving to another brand. My husband has IBS in addition to UC and finds that Align helps him quite a bit with gas and digestive upset.

Some people get good results with regular use of Pepto Bismol.

Jan

Hi, thanks for these suggestions. I did try Pepto Bismol today and it seems to have worked to a degree. I will give that a try for awhile. I have stopped Metamucil in the past and didn't notice an improvement. I will look further at probiotics as well. I do eat probiotic yogurt almost everyday but likely need more intense dose and variety. I will let you guys know if I find some success. Thanks again.

if you have bacterial overgrowth, probiotics can make things significantly worse. IBS and small bowel bacterial overgrowth are two different tings.

while you are trying to figure out what the problem is - you can try change some dietary changes by dramatically reducing sugars and eliminating wheat (think gluten free) and lactose, and see what happens.

also speak to your GI - they can test for bacterial overgrowth, or easiest thing.. they can give you a trial period of xifaxan (antibiotic) and see if it helps. If it does.. then bacterial overgrowth is probably what you have.

Very true. Probiotics can be a double-edged sword. By the way, the newer theories are that IBS actually is bacterial overgrowth too. Probiotics can help by keeping the wrong bacteria from overgrowing. But, yeah, you need to knock down the bad boys first. Probiotics are more for maintenance. Plus, one man's meat is another man's poison, so you need to experiment. There seldom is enough probiotic in yogurt to make a sigificant different in the gut flora. Plus, if you are sensitive to dairy, it REALLY won't help, but make it worse.

Lastly, make one change at a time. If you do multiple things at once, you will not know which is actually helping and which is doing nothing or making it worse.

Jan

jan well said. I think a lot of us don't run good experiments. We need to just change one thing at a time, let it run its course, see the results, and then try the next thing. I think because we feel so crappy.. we try too many things at once, and then we never really know what the problem was or what it was that really fixed it.

I to have problems with gas at times, sometimes i feel like there is a fine line...there is a point where there is so much it will be easy to pass whether i am on the toilet or laying on my side, then there are the times where it seems like there is just enough gas to cause me to go to the bathroom but when i sit down or lay down that bit will move to a spot where it doesnt want to come out.

how can gas be prevented Scott F??

can I truly eat gassy foods and not have problems? If so, please do tell.....I am ALL ears!!

How can I enjoy healthy foods like Broccoli, Cauliflower, beans, legumes, peas, cabbage, without the gas problems?

Everyone, with or without a colon, produces intestinal gas. Everyone has the experience that the quantity of gas is affected by diet, quantity of food, treatments like Gas-X (simethicone) or Beano, eating speed (and the resulting swallowed air), carbonated beverages, and intestinal flora (which probiotics can tinker with, and antibiotics can drastically alter).

Gas is a bigger challenge for J-pouchers, since most of us can't fart safely off the toilet. Plenty of folks with colons behave this way anyway, as a matter of custom or personal choice.

I know that my choices affect the amount of gas I have. When I choose carefully and moderately I have less gas, and sometimes I just eat a whole bunch of gassy stuff. I stay closer to a toilet in the latter case, and I'm clear who chose the gas.

If this really seems worse that having your colon, you either had a healthier colon than I did, or perhaps you have untreated pouchitis. My life is dramatically improved, though I'm sometimes wistful for a good fart without terror.

I do not understand that probiotics could cause gas if one has SIBO? Could someone explain that. Thank you.

Some people get gassy from some probiotics. I don't think that reaction has anything to do with SIBO, but others may know better.

Well, if you think about it, the more out of balance your gut flora is, the more likely you are to have adjustment issues, like excessive gas when you begin taking probiotics. Remember, probiotics are in competition to pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria, so it can be like a mini war in there. Antibiotics work fairly quickly, but probiotics take more time. It can be like trying to increase your fiber, and you need to gradually build up according to your tolerance levels.

But, yeah the gas thing with probiotics is not specific to SIBO.

Jan

I can't take probitocs with SIBO. It makes it 100 times worse and smells like a sewer is coming out of me

I am having a real hard time with massive gas lately, pain and hard to hold any food in my pouch. Ugh. This is my new normal I guess. These things are no walk in the park.

WILL SOMONE PLEASE HELP OR GIVE ME ADVICE
I am having the worst gas pains ever, I have tried walking up and down the sreet, napping ( i am in to much pain), Yoga, Drinking plenty of liquids, but nothing is working. My pain is a mixture of stabbing sensation to intense cramping. My tummy is making all kinds of noise so I am thinking that it cant be an obstruction, am I right?? Yesterday before bed I did take an Immodium and this morning I was feeling pressure like I had to go. Well later in the day I finally did and it wasnt in the shape my Dr. said it would be( she said my stool will be more like pudding after you have the j-pouch surgery) my stool was thick and formed. after that I felt a little relief so this is the point where I did Yoga,afterwards I felt good really good. So then I ate some cheezit crackers and what happens here they are again along with pressure in my bottom I FEEL AWFUL! Any advice would be great, Thank You

LJK

I also feel like I have to go to the bathroom and nothing as much as need it too nothing comes out I am really nervous and afraid too
LJK

I never could take fiber or antidiarrheals, because they make things too thick for me, and harder to push out.

When I had my outlet narrowing, I was trapping gas like crazy, and felt somewhat as you're describing. It was the worst. Only way I could get it out was to lie on my back with my knees up to my ears. Awful. I'd have horrific pressure, constant needs to *try* to get stuff out, and not much would work. Maybe TMI, but sitting in a hot sitz bath sometimes would relax me enough to push some stool out into it when things were very narrow.

It could be an obstruction; things could be trying to get past an area that's narrow... stomach noises will still happen, even more sometimes, as they're trying to get something out. What have you eaten in the past two days? Did you overdo on, say, nuts, or popcorn, or something like that?

Hi, Well still having the gas issues. Lately evry time I use the bathroom its a whole lot of gas followed by loose stools. No,I am not eating anything crazy although I really want to but I know its not worth it. Although, I hope that someday I dont have to worry what I put in my mouth! What is going on? I am so frustrated with the whole thing. I am so tired of not feeling good all of the time. I maybe get one day out of the week when wow, I feel normal! I know this is TMI but lately when I go also its like little rabbit pellets. Is this normal? I sometimes feel like I am having to strain to get things out as well,which I know could not be good! Is it me, am I doing something wrong? How do you feel about using probiotics? My surgeon nevr mentioned to use them but my medical MD did. Well I tried it and guess what I was in the bathroom all day Im not sure if there is some kind of laxitive in it or what but I had the runs all day! So then I decided to separate the capsule and just use half and I put it in my drink and it was much better. But with this butt burn I have not taken any since just in case. I know before you mentioned you are a nurse and I know you have alot of knowledge of how this all works so any advice is appreciated! thanks ljk