OK, this is kind of embarrassing, but lately I have had a problem with flatulence. (Not smelly, just noisy.) I have been on a high-fiber diet for a long time but lately it is just getting out of control (perhaps due to a new NSAID medicine I'm taking). Does anyone have suggestions? I don't want to cut out the fiber since I know I need to eat lots of fruits and veggies, plus I was told by a (colorectal) doctor to take fiber supplements. I'm guessing since people around here seem to eat a lot of fiber maybe someone can help. What can I do to fix this embarrassing problem?

I was concerned about the NSAID's but I see you visit with a colorectal Dr so I'll stop worrying

Have you changed anything in your diet? I have to watch (or listen for or smell for) egg whites and dairy.

Hey Paperclippy, it's cherry season - you been indulging? Those delicious little red morsels give me terrible gas. There, I said it!

Ever tried BEAN-O? Supposedly it works quite well.

I get gas when I eat in certain restaurants, even though I eat "proper" foods. Who knows what that's about... additives, maybe. I don't think NSAIDS would have anything to do with gas--but I don't know for sure.

Jay

What about an increase in artificial sugar? I know on days I chew more gum, it's bad for me!

Susan, I have been to a lot of doctors -- I was prescribed the NSAIDs by a rheumatologist, who knew that I was taking fiber supplements. He switched me to a different one when I complained of gas (I'm currently taking Mobic), and it helped but is still a problem. On the old medicine, I had terrible gas cramps all day long, now I don't have the cramps, but I still have the embarrassing flatulence. I haven't seen a colorectal doc for a while though (I had/have another embarrassing problem, an anal fissure), but if I don't take my fiber the fissure comes back/gets worse.

Glory - I have been eating cherries! Actually I've been eating a lot more fruit than usual since it is all ripe right now.

Jay - do you know how Bean-O works? I'm afraid of taking more things because they might interfere with the fiber or the NSAIDs . . .

Shelby - I don't usually eat things with artificial sweeteners, but thanks for the tip! I'll keep that in mind.

Paperclippy~I often have the same problem. I can't seem to track it to any particular food or drug. Hopefully your doctor will be able to help. I agree with the artificial sweetener--if I chew too much sugarless gum I can have problems (usually just gas cramps).

Oh, cherries! I have been eating at least a cup of them daily for the past 2-3 weeks. I just love them. But they don't seem to give me gas, but they do help keep me regular!

My concern with NSAIDs is that they are extremely hard on the GI mucosa. While everyone has flatus ... someone with an irritation or a bit of a gastric bleed would really have a foul smell! Since you go to an internist anyway, it might be worth your while to do regular stools for occult blood slides.

But it could quite simply be cherries

Cherries and garlic (particularly roasted garlic) are 2 definite culprits for me.

Bean-O has an enzyme that helps break down gas-producing foods in such a way that less gas is produced. I very much doubt it would interfere with anything. At worst, it probably just wouldn't work.

Jay

Oh, and they're soooo good. I have to limit myself to no more than 20/day or I'm, um, a little more than regular.

Digestive enzymes might help. Or maybe a probiotic (or active culture yogurt or cottage cheese). We take both with a pretty high fiber diet and don't have much trouble. Could be we're just used to it.

Not all alternative sweeteners will give you that kind of digestive upset. Sugar alcohols such as xylitol, malititol, sorbitol, etc, are notorious for their laxative effects. Splenda (sucralose), I've never had a problem with. So many products today have a mixture of sweeteners including sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners like aspartame and acesulfame-K, that it's hard to know what might be causing you a problem. Many products containing alcohol sugars now have a warning: "Excess consumption may cause a laxative effect". I think that manufacturers combine sweeteners to save money as some are very costly (sucralose).

Once I ate half a box of malititol-loaded meringues. Wow, did that ever have an effect!

We like to use stevia, a natural, no-cal sweetener. I know many people say the artificial sweeteners are well-studied and perfectly safe, but as far as I'm concerned the jury is still out. Let's see what people will be saying about them in 30 years.

could you perhaps switch the type of fruit & veggies you're eating? as many have already suggested, perhaps certain kinds of fruits etc. cause more gas than others, and you could eat less gassy ones? e.g. eggplant and onions, eating multiple servings of dairy (like a lot of pizza or ice cream, especially sugar free/with sweetener combinations like John said - when i'm ahem not being on plan), do not do happy things for the air quality around me.

About the chewing gum , I haven't chewd gum for 20, years or so. And malitol I never touch anything with malitol, too laxative, even explosive.You usually find malitol in power/protein bars.

I guess I should update, my problem has gotten much better lately. I think it is a combination of my body getting used to the new medicine, and finishing off that bag of cherries in the fridge!