Can anything be done for (gasp!) gas?!

[JRay]

I had a partial colectomy last year - I want to thank all associated with Colon Club because though I thankfully didn't have colon cancer I found this site to be very useful in what to expect with colon related issues (BTW - I had surgery due to terrible bouts of diverticulitis and I have heard some anecdotes that this condition can be a precursor to colon cancer).

Back to this issue. It has been one year since my surgery and I am very thankful to say all is well except for this - in the past 4 months I have intermittent bouts of terrible, terrible intestinal gas! The thing is there is no pattern to it - sometimes I have it and sometimes I don't regardless of what I eat (or don't eat). I have tried to avoid certain foods, eat small meals, beano, lactase, gas-x, but nothing seems to help! As I mentioned earlier, there doesn't seem to be any cause - it just happens sometimes.

Does this happen to anyone else? Thanks.

[Pollyanna]

Hey,there:

I had a huge bout of gas that accompanied my first session of chemotherapy. Out of all the side effects I encountered, it was perhaps the most humiliating. It was as if something had crawled up there and died. And was fairly out of my control. The only thing I did was to carry "fart spray", i.e. a cheap and highly scented perfume, and liberally spray afterwards when I was in the company of others. It lasted about a week, and I'm not sure if it was yet another s.e., or if just some imbalance in the flora and fauna of my bowels. Chances are the latter, and it's just a matter of trying different foods. I think I remember reading that milk products are notorious for noxious gas, so maybe lay off that for a day or two.

Remember - fart spray, open windows, and stay on the periphery of the
room!! Good luck, my friend.

[Christine]

I wish that I had some advice. I was having gas problems while I was getting chemo, but once I finished treatments, it went away so I don't think that it was from the surgery. I was just inspired by this post to tell a story on my blog about my first post-surgery gas - I feel like I have the maturity of an 8 year old boy because it's been oaver a year and I still find the story funny!

[Pollyanna]

Christine:

Surely you must have realized by this point that colon cancer is the low-brow comedy of the cancers. Once you've been probed, poked, scoped, and pooped yourself inside out , you'd be crazy not to have the comedic maturity of an 8 year old.

If I don't laugh, I'll cry, so I choose to find something pretty damn funny about something every day. So far, so good!!

[Christine]

Pollyanna,

If I couldn't find the humor in all of this, I would have gone crazy by now!

I actually enjoy the ridiculous moments like the CT scan that I went to dressed up. After changing into the gown, I walked out into the hall and suddenly realized that I was wearing a hospital gown with black stockings and black high heels. Hmmm...

[Guest]

There is a medication that is supposed to help with gas it is called SImethicone and is available OTC at any pharmacy IT is sold under the names of GAS-X, MYLANTA GAS or as a generic labeled something like GAS RELIEF. Check by the antacids in most stores.

[Harleyman]

they also have charcoal tablets if your want to cover the scent. they tast like crap but work to conceal that really wonderful gas mask wearing oder. talk about green clouds ooooo boy. they make it in flavors now. just try some things and i do avoid the milk as that will trigger the best smelling gas you will ever smell. need to clear a room just call me and order me a gallon of pure 100% milk. not the fat free stuff the good stuff. ill be there. ( transportation to be provided by you.) < fine print. LOL.

[pjpeace]

yeah...you know it's bad when you make yourself gag!!! Sometimes the equate (off brand stuff at walmart gas stuff) 'gas relief' works but I think I've about given up on taking them! I use the fart spray "Oust" cause it seems to be the only thing to cover the stink! I just ended up buying one of those fans for my room...Chemo sucks for messing up your guts!!! I know they also said after surgery it takes like 6 months for your guts to recover from that too. Fun!

Anyone with colon cancer or any colon promblems has to take a good fart joke man... My Oncologist is full of 'em man...Laughter is truly the best medicine!

[rthornton]

I once asked a colorectal surgeon what he tells the kids on career day, and he said something about how one man's stool is another man's bread and butter. He's been my favorite doctor ever since then.