Atkins & intestinal gas

Question
Hi I have had a gastro-intestinal problem for 2 yrs now where I pass lots of gas throughout the day.  I have seen a docor & am about to get in mith a specialist, but they have a long waiting period.  I wanted to get a job but this embarrassing  problem has stopped me from applying (what if someone complains?) I have tried digestive enzymes, & products with simethecone but they aren't strong enough.  I was thinking back to when the problem started & I realized I had been taking laxatives & was also on the Atkins diet around that time.  I am wondering if maybe I flushed out all the good bacteria in my system & they haven't come back?  Please tell me how the Atkins diet or the laxatives might have contributed to the starting of the problem & if there is anything Ican do.  Thanks,

Answer
Hello Brooke,
Gas is something I know about.  Everyone in my family is pretty gassy.  Gas is most often from one of two reasons.  One is that your stomach makes too much acid.  This is very common and is why zantac and similar products are so popular.  Another reason is from constipation.  Either of these could account for your problem.  Laxatives indicate that you were having trouble with constipation and the Atkins diet, in general, is low fiber, leading to constipation.  But, acid could easily be the cause, especially if you are overweight or  just plain old stressed (who isn't?).  

Really, in the end, what you want is to be free of it, it is not important to know what is causing it assuming that something really bad is not the reason.  Like you have a block in your colon or something.  So, it is good to have a check up.  But, in the meantime, lets try some easy stuff to see if you can get relief.  

First, eat some Stoneyfield yogurt each day for a week.  Just eat as much as you can, even a half cup is better than nothing.  This will address your flora question.  And if that isn't an issue, it's still good for you anyway. Yogurt is always good for you.     

Constipation and fiber:  I strongly suggest you keep away from laxatives unless you are constipated for at least 4 days.  They really are quite nasty on your body.  And if you need to take them, just take it once and give it time to work.  Actually, you may try some prune juice or prunes.  They are filled with sugar, but they are potent laxatives.  On the fiber end, you may actually be eating more kinds of fiber than you know and this my be giving you gas from stimulating your stomach acid as it tries to digest all the fiber.  I mention this since many low carb foods get to be low carb by having a lot of fiber instead of sugars.  That low carb tortilla has a lot more fiber in it than a regular tortilla.  It's counterintuitive, but too little or too much fiber may make you constipated or give you diarrhea. So even with your constipation problem, you may still be getting lots of fiber.  Everything must balance, and when it doesn't - well, you know how crummy it feels.

Acid:  I take a zantac now and then when my GI tract is getting too gassy.  I happen to know that my problem is making way too much acid.  I just think of food and my stomach starts churning away.  If I were you, this is the first thing I would try since you will know after a day whether it is helping.  But you should decide for yourself by thinking about what you eat or what kinds of things you like to try.  

The most important thing is to only do one thing at a time!  You are actually doing an empirical test that will give you important information.  If a zantac works (or whatever H2 antagonist you prefer), then you know that acid is the problem.  If your bowels are moving along and you are still gassy, acidity is probably the cause.  Oops, since you may not live digestion like I do, H2 antagonists, like prilosec and zantac, work by causing stomach cells to make less acid in the first place.  Other antacids, like tums and maalox, act to neutralize the acid by providing a base, like calcium carbonate.  So, if you are making a real lot of acid, the stuff that helps after-the-fact just may not be enough.  H2 refers to histamine receptors that are on your acid-producing cells, so H2 antagonists are  antihistamines targeted to your stomach.  Just like anti-allergy antihistamines (H1) are targeted to cells in your lungs.

I wish you luck feeling better.  Try to relax about it.  
Remember acid or constipation.  You will be able to work it out.  

Arlene

PS  How could I forget this!  Try cutting down on dairy, though it sounds like you are already trying various enzymes.  In case you have become lactose intolerant.
PPS  There are all kind of  more complicated things you may see on the web about various diet problems.  But, really, the best thing is to focus on the horses (common), then look for the zebras (rare).  Otherwise, you may drive yourself silly.

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