Sensitive Stomach ; The Cure?

[BugJackBaron]

Argh I cannot seem to eat or drink anything these days be it Thai or Western

without gas(belching) and some constipation.

The exception is if it is very bland like some (non milk based) soup or rice

with fish (not fried).

Is this a common problem for guys in their 40s? what is the solution

to drinking and eating like I was 25?

I am more interested in possible diagnosis since most doctors just dismiss it saying

eat less and that there is nothing physically wrong.

Also can acupuncture do anything here?

[pumpuiman]

Eating yogurt can regulate your digestive system, settles my stomach whenever traveling to new locales .....give it a try.

[moldy]

Eating yogurt can regulate your digestive system, settles my stomach whenever traveling to new locales .....give it a try.

yes yoghurt and milk should help.

Antacids greatly help in my experience, and you can get acid blocking drugs too, ask a doctor to see if they are suitable.

Ultimately, is this about eating and drinking poor food, too much beer, coffee and fags, or stress, or fast lifestyle?

It's a small but very painful problem.

[engrin]

i try to remember to drink at least Betagen yogurt from 7-eleven every day. They are 7 baht each and really help, I enjoy eating Thai food.

[eek]

Probiotics may help and also digestive enzimes.

I suggest having an allergy test done, especially regarding diary. Yogurt is only helpful if you do not have a sensitivity to dairy. Acidophilus suppliments are great for introducing healthy bacteria into the gut and if you are sensitive to dairy you can get a non-dairy version. These are available at specialist health food/suppliment shops.

I know that dairy-based probiotics are hel_l for my stomach and cause more harm than good, so imo best to be aware what your body can tolerate. An allergy test should help you ascertain what foods you should limit and possibly eradicate from your diet.

Also, other natural products that may help aid bloating and stomach problems include Charcoal tablets or Peppermint tablets (for gas) and Senokot for constipation (these are natural medicines that even most GP's would recommend).

If the problem becomes severe, then after an allergy test, eliminate food groups and keep a food dairy on how food is affecting your stomach.

If the problem is ongoing, have a chat with your doctor, to make sure its not a sign of anything possibly more serious.

Good luck =]

[ignis]

Best is 'Pariet' E/C tables 20mg 1x per day......... These are VERY expensive 14 tablets = 970 baht [import form Japan]

Thai Version work fine for me, there are 3 different ones I buy 'Omesec Omerpracole' 20mg......... 65 baht for 7

I find I only need 1x every other day........ My Dr in UK said I have to be on Pariet for the rest of my life, had 2 Opps

Edited May 17, 2008 by ignis

[geriatrickid]

Bet you are not as physically active as you were way back when and you are eating at different hours. Have a look at your portion sizes and food components. You may actually be eating alot more than you did before. Highly unlikely it has anything to do with the magical bacteria in your gut or anything that will be solved by yogurts or potions. Consider eating some fruit and vegetables mid day when your metabolism is near peak. Lay off the heavy meals at night. You'll find your digestion works better and the gas problems may not affect you during waking hours. As we age, we just can't eat the meals we could eat when we were kids. If I eat anything with tomatos in it after 8pm I'm up all night with acid reflux, eating tums. Same thing if I pig out on pizza. Can't digest the cheese.

[Macclad]

Try a bit of exercise such as swimming or jogging......great for getting rid of excess gas

[pumpuiman]

Try a bit of exercise such as swimming or jogging......great for getting rid of excess gas

And anyone following you

[BugJackBaron]

yes i agree with the guy who seems to think probiotics are overated(and this means

yogurt). What seems to work somewhat is eating when you are hungry only.

When we are younger breakfast lunch and dinner are at the times we are hungry.

In a hot climate we often just sit on the beach and so are less active.

I think you get my drift.

Also good is apple cider(now at 7-11!) red grape juic(may have reversatrol in it, the good stuff

in red wine) , that black Thai juice(logenberrry?) jelly drink. Ginger and Lemon do wonders for stomach

too. And Lipovitamin-D.

[zorro1]

There could be a zillion reasons so two things you must do

1. see a doctor 1st

2. and then see a Naturopath. These people are not witch doctors and have great experience in detecting allergies and I should know I went through 1 year of hel_l and dropped 20kgs and in just one sitting and 3 questions my naturopath declared I was gluten and lactose intolerance and bam I was brand new in 24hours

Edited May 18, 2008 by zorro1

[SamuiJens]

Raw or cold pressed Aloe vera juice helps wonder dor many other things as well. But expensive.

[Kaojai]

Eating yogurt can regulate your digestive system, settles my stomach whenever traveling to new locales .....give it a try.

yes yoghurt and milk should help.

Yoghurt may help, but milk could be the problem. Lactose intolerance (as I discovered) can develop and escalate into a big problem as you get older even if you never had the problem before. You will suddenly become aware of how many things have milk in them, including some salad dressings, soups, etc.

Lactomin, which contains Lactobacillus acidophilus, as does yoghurt, is available at Boots and other pharmacies. If you try cutting out anything dairy other than yoghurt, reduce carbonated drinks and take the Lactomin. it could make a world of difference ... or if not you should see a doctor. As someone else said, it could be a whole lot of things, some of which are not just minor annoyances.

I took Pariet briefly because of acid reflux, but taking it every day, long term can cause a whole new set of problems.

yes i agree with the guy who seems to think probiotics are overated

I don't think they are overrated. If you've taken antibiotics or have an overly acid stomach (which may create an imbalance in the intestinal flora) or developed lactose intolerance, they will help. If that's not your problem, then they won't.

Edited May 18, 2008 by Kaojai

[AmeriThai]

Argh I cannot seem to eat or drink anything these days be it Thai or Western

without gas(belching) and some constipation.

The exception is if it is very bland like some (non milk based) soup or rice

with fish (not fried).

Is this a common problem for guys in their 40s? what is the solution

to drinking and eating like I was 25?

I am more interested in possible diagnosis since most doctors just dismiss it saying

eat less and that there is nothing physically wrong.

Also can acupuncture do anything here?

Since you mention "some constipation", maybe it's what you're eating or not eating. What's your daily fibre intake? You might try something like Gas-Ex, or Beano, to see if that helps reduce the belching. Are you also "cutting the cheese" (flatuence) more often?

[NowImEasy]

Ginger tea is the best thing for all stomach ailments. I found a 100g jar in an acupuncturist's office in Chiang Mai for 100 bt. I drink a cup most every night now and have a good dump most mornings. Then I'm ready to eat anything my wife will put in front of me. (Isaan food)

[Andiamo]

There could be a zillion reasons so two things you must do

1. see a doctor 1st

2. and then see a Naturopath. These people are not witch doctors and have great experience in detecting allergies and I should know I went through 1 year of hel_l and dropped 20kgs and in just one sitting and 3 questions my naturopath declared I was gluten and lactose intolerance and bam I was brand new in 24hours

Hi zorro1,

Are these available in Thailand? Specifically Bangkok? Great if you can give any recommendations....

Cheers ears!

[Sheryl]

Argh I cannot seem to eat or drink anything these days be it Thai or Western

without gas(belching) and some constipation.

The exception is if it is very bland like some (non milk based) soup or rice

with fish (not fried).

Is this a common problem for guys in their 40s? what is the solution

to drinking and eating like I was 25?

I am more interested in possible diagnosis since most doctors just dismiss it saying

eat less and that there is nothing physically wrong.

Also can acupuncture do anything here?

Well first of all, in your 40's (and even less so in your 50's, 60's etc) you cannot eat and drink or anything else as you did in your 20's.

As you get older your body is less able to take abuse. Many people also experience some degree of sluggishness in digestion. That's some, not severe.

Without knowing enough about your eating habits and severity of the constipation and gas, I would say:

1. Be sure you are eating a healthy diet with enough fiber.

2. Go easy on beer and other carbonated drinks and any other specific food that seems to cause gas.

3. If despite following #1 and #2, you still have chronoic constipation and/or bloating you need top see a GI specialist and have a proper GI work-up. Do not accept any doctor telling you there is "nothing wrong" if they haven't first done a colonoscopy or at least barium series. Ultrasound o lower abdomen would also be wise (in case problem is in pancreas or liver).

But to save a lot of time and money, don''t go for #3 if in fact you haven't done #1 and #2 yet.

[jeepholt]

Hi Kaojai. Can you tell me specifically where you found the info about "Pariet" causing a new set of problems if taken daily long term please? I've been taking Omeprazole (Nexium) daily for over 3 years now. I looked every place I could think of to find out if there were reported side effects of long term use, and could find nothing specifically related. I even emailed the question to the makers of "Nexium" and asked them, but no reply. I've posted on various med related web boards and so far no one has come up with anything concrete. I hope you can clarify? Thanks in advance.

I took Pariet briefly because of acid reflux, but taking it every day, long term can cause a whole new set of problems.

[moldy]

Argh I cannot seem to eat or drink anything these days be it Thai or Western

without gas(belching) and some constipation.

The exception is if it is very bland like some (non milk based) soup or rice

with fish (not fried).

Is this a common problem for guys in their 40s? what is the solution

to drinking and eating like I was 25?

I am more interested in possible diagnosis since most doctors just dismiss it saying

eat less and that there is nothing physically wrong.

Also can acupuncture do anything here?

Well first of all, in your 40's (and even less so in your 50's, 60's etc) you cannot eat and drink or anything else as you did in your 20's.

As you get older your body is less able to take abuse. Many people also experience some degree of sluggishness in digestion. That's some, not severe.

Without knowing enough about your eating habits and severity of the constipation and gas, I would say:

1. Be sure you are eating a healthy diet with enough fiber.

2. Go easy on beer and other carbonated drinks and any other specific food that seems to cause gas.

3. If despite following #1 and #2, you still have chronoic constipation and/or bloating you need top see a GI specialist and have a proper GI work-up. Do not accept any doctor telling you there is "nothing wrong" if they haven't first done a colonoscopy or at least barium series. Ultrasound o lower abdomen would also be wise (in case problem is in pancreas or liver).

But to save a lot of time and money, don''t go for #3 if in fact you haven't done #1 and #2 yet.

I'd go along with this posting. Obtaining a correct diagnosis is essential. I wouldn't be thinking of self medication beyond antacids, and I don't think health foods will cure the problem if your lifestyle isn't right. I'm going through a similar thing in other directions.

[drcracknell]

Argh I cannot seem to eat or drink anything these days be it Thai or Western

without gas(belching) and some constipation.

The exception is if it is very bland like some (non milk based) soup or rice

with fish (not fried).

Is this a common problem for guys in their 40s? what is the solution

to drinking and eating like I was 25?

I am more interested in possible diagnosis since most doctors just dismiss it saying

eat less and that there is nothing physically wrong.

Also can acupuncture do anything here?

Well first of all, in your 40's (and even less so in your 50's, 60's etc) you cannot eat and drink or anything else as you did in your 20's.

As you get older your body is less able to take abuse. Many people also experience some degree of sluggishness in digestion. That's some, not severe.

Without knowing enough about your eating habits and severity of the constipation and gas, I would say:

1. Be sure you are eating a healthy diet with enough fiber.

2. Go easy on beer and other carbonated drinks and any other specific food that seems to cause gas.

3. If despite following #1 and #2, you still have chronoic constipation and/or bloating you need top see a GI specialist and have a proper GI work-up. Do not accept any doctor telling you there is "nothing wrong" if they haven't first done a colonoscopy or at least barium series. Ultrasound o lower abdomen would also be wise (in case problem is in pancreas or liver).

But to save a lot of time and money, don''t go for #3 if in fact you haven't done #1 and #2 yet.

I'd go along with this posting. Obtaining a correct diagnosis is essential. I wouldn't be thinking of self medication beyond antacids, and I don't think health foods will cure the problem if your lifestyle isn't right. I'm going through a similar thing in other directions.

[drcracknell]

Good Day

there are quite a few ways to go with clearing up your GI problem

the least expensive (and perhaps the hardest) is fast for at least five days (water only) and watch all your synptoms disappear

slowly start adding foods daily one by one -- if the symtoms reapear -- youv'e found the culprit

the naturopath is the way to go in Phuket www.naturopath.asia

if you would like to post privately, for more advice --- my email addy is at the above site

yours in health

Dr Richard Patrick Cracknell

[SamuiJens]

Aloe Vera juice will help, I know cause It works on me, BUT we are all different, but I would give it a try. REMEMBER is must not be cooked!

Google it, and you'll understand it's properties.

Edited May 19, 2008 by SamuiJens

[edwardandtubs]

The OP has the classic symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. None of the "cures" posted above will work (except maybe as a placebo) because there is nothing that has been proven to help IBS. For IBS with constipation the only thing proven to work is to eat more fibre (wholemeal bread, brown rice, fruit, vegetables, bran etc) and fewer empty calories (white rice, white bread, sugar etc).

Go to a good gastroenterologist who will be able to test for any underlying causes and if they don't find any will be able to help you manage your IBS.

[BugJackBaron]

The OP has the classic symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome. None of the "cures" posted above will work (except maybe as a placebo) because there is nothing that has been proven to help IBS. For IBS with constipation the only thing proven to work is to eat more fibre (wholemeal bread, brown rice, fruit, vegetables, bran etc) and fewer empty calories (white rice, white bread, sugar etc).

Go to a good gastroenterologist who will be able to test for any underlying causes and if they don't find any will be able to help you manage your IBS.

Yes I was told a few years ago it may be IBS. I don't know about PROOF - because noone

has funded a study yet - but I have just switched to "paleodiet" and improved by 99%

within 1 day;Plaeo means lots of natural food,

like a turkey or tuna salad.Thai fish(10 baht on street) with little spice.

little cooked meats(rare steak maybe ok). water a little coffee

. Some apple cider (the fiber content ?). . Little

or no rice or bread or othe carbs.

I think a major problem maybe for those who just western pub fare, as I was doing, too often.

Or cheap oily Thai dishes ...just as bad.

[AmeriThai]

Yes I was told a few years ago it may be IBS. I don't know about PROOF - because noone

has funded a study yet - but I have just switched to "paleodiet" and improved by 99%

within 1 day;Plaeo means lots of natural food,

like a turkey or tuna salad.Thai fish(10 baht on street) with little spice.

little cooked meats(rare steak maybe ok). water a little coffee

. Some apple cider (the fiber content ?). . Little

or no rice or bread or othe carbs.

I think a major problem maybe for those who just western pub fare, as I was doing, too often.

Or cheap oily Thai dishes ...just as bad.

Food choices could well be the cause of the belching and constipation. Whoever suggested it may be IBS may have meant well, but may be full of BS. Belching and occasional constipation alone doesn't necessarily point to IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome). I think Sheryl summed things up pretty well. Internal changes can indeed occur as we age, even for someone in their 40s. You now mentioned that by changing your diet a bit, you're already seeing an improvement. Glad to hear it.