HealthCareMagic is now Ask A Doctor - 24x7 | https://www.askadoctor24x7.com

Get your health question answered instantly from our pool of 18000+ doctors from over 80 specialties
159 Doctors Online

By proceeding, I accept the Terms and Conditions

Dr. Andrew Rynne
MD
Dr. Andrew Rynne

Family Physician

Exp 50 years

HCM Blog Instant Access to Doctors
HCM BlogQuestions Answered
HCM Blog Satisfaction

How Can Flatulence After Treatment For Colon Cancer Be Treated?

This is an odd problem, so I will give a bit of my husbands history. 2006- colon cancer, surgery- no chemo-fine 2008- level 4 melanoma, surgery- interferon and told he had 1 to 2 years, possibly 5. Removed at least 16 to 20 more melanoma s, but caught in time. This year, lip cancer twice. He is diabetic, high blood pressure. Here s the unusual- he has a horrible gas problem and at times can t make it to the bathroom in time and soils his underwear. Did a colonoscopy and results fine. There is a terrible odor when passing gas, not the normal smell I am used to after 50 years. This goes on constantly. Watching tv in the evening, I am spraying Lysol and when we go to bed, I am up spraying Lysol. Sometimes he is sound asleep and the problem goes on. The doctor says it s not his medicine. He stopped one, Jardience, for over 2 weeks to see if it helped. It did not. He s on Farziga now, but has tried stopping that to no avail. We have changed his diet to bland for long periods, still has problem. He is on Humalog, Toujeo, Lyrica, Glipizide and Losartan. This problem started after he had been on those awhile and was fine. Last night I slept 2 hours and have had quite a few of those nights. He has a hard time at work and there have been a couple of embarrassing times in public. He has talked to his doctor 3 times and I called once to try and explain how bad it was as I thought he was embarrassed and didn t make it clear. I don t believe she takes it seriously, but it is seriously harming our lives. The odor worries me, as it almost smells rotten instead of just foul. HELP! He is 74.
Thu, 21 Nov 2019
Report Abuse
General Surgeon 's  Response
Hi,

In most cases our dietary choices could lead to excessive flatulence.

Some foods that increase gas include: Beans, cabbage, broccoli, raisins, lentils, prunes, apples, foods high in fructose or sorbitol, such as fruit juices.

These foods can take a long time to digest, leading to the unpleasant smell associated with flatulence.

If your diet doesn’t contain a large number of carbohydrates or sugars, and you don’t swallow excessive air, your excessive flatulence may be due to a medical condition.

Potential conditions underlying flatulence range from temporary conditions to digestive problems such as inflammatory bowel diseases, gastroenteritis, diabetes or peptic ulcer.

As remedies you should: Look at your diet. If it contains a large amount of carbohydrates that are difficult to digest, try to replace them. Carbohydrates that are easier to digest, such as potatoes, rice, and bananas, are good substitutes.

Also, try to eat around five to six small meals a day instead of three larger ones to help your digestive process.

Chew properly to avoid doing anything that may increase the amount of air that you swallow.

This includes making sure that you are chewing your food properly, and avoiding chewing gum or smoking. Also, drink some peppermint tea, chamomile tea and ginger.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Take care

Regards,
Dr Iven Romic Rommstein, General Surgeon
I find this answer helpful

Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Disclaimer: These answers are for your information only and not intended to replace your relationship with your treating physician.
This is a short, free answer. For a more detailed, immediate answer, try our premium service [Sample answer]
Share on
 

Related questions you may be interested in


Loading Online Doctors....
How Can Flatulence After Treatment For Colon Cancer Be Treated?

Hi, In most cases our dietary choices could lead to excessive flatulence. Some foods that increase gas include: Beans, cabbage, broccoli, raisins, lentils, prunes, apples, foods high in fructose or sorbitol, such as fruit juices. These foods can take a long time to digest, leading to the unpleasant smell associated with flatulence. If your diet doesn’t contain a large number of carbohydrates or sugars, and you don’t swallow excessive air, your excessive flatulence may be due to a medical condition. Potential conditions underlying flatulence range from temporary conditions to digestive problems such as inflammatory bowel diseases, gastroenteritis, diabetes or peptic ulcer. As remedies you should: Look at your diet. If it contains a large amount of carbohydrates that are difficult to digest, try to replace them. Carbohydrates that are easier to digest, such as potatoes, rice, and bananas, are good substitutes. Also, try to eat around five to six small meals a day instead of three larger ones to help your digestive process. Chew properly to avoid doing anything that may increase the amount of air that you swallow. This includes making sure that you are chewing your food properly, and avoiding chewing gum or smoking. Also, drink some peppermint tea, chamomile tea and ginger. Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further. Take care Regards, Dr Iven Romic Rommstein, General Surgeon