Ut Oh - Trouble At the Bistro Earlier Tonight (TMI)

After work I stopped off at my fav local Italian eatery for dinner ..   I had been out of Devrom the past week or so, and atlhough it finally arrived today in the mail, I guess it hasn't had time enough to build up in my system yet to be effective ...    I chose a harmless bowl of minestrone soup and an antipasto salad for dinner ..  Unfortunately,  I could also not keep from helping myself to a few of the establishment's decadent free garlic rolls, basted with egg & butter during baking (and served with marinara dipping sauce) .   Despite the doughy no-no, I managed to keep everything bottled up pretty well until the very end, as I was waiting for my check.  Then it happened ..     Try as hard as I could, a silent but deadly "smoker" nevertheless emerged ..      Fortunately, my hot blonde server was nowhere within smelling distance at the time.  She had lamented earlier to me how three different tables of parties of about 20 customers each had popped in earlier that day unannounced, running her ragged.  I'm sure she didn't appreciate the group of a dozen or so high school baseball players at the table next to mine, who decided to pop in 10 minutes before closing time after winning their game.  I guess my bowels had decided to try to help her out by maybe sending a wicked change-up their way, making them forget about lingering long to eat.   I knew the team must have gotten my pitch, b/c as one of the young, male servers passed my table I overheard him say quickly, under his breath, to a fellow male server in passing, "someone farted" ..      I glanced over at the table next to mine and some of the players had rather quizzical looks on their faces, like they were trying to figure out which of their fellow teammates (or maybe their coach) cut the provolone.      At that point, I knew my job there as Methane Man was done, paid my check and left ...     

So is this a real problem for DSers?   A RNYer, I was a walking stink bomb the first couple of weeks post-op, but since then, the amount of gas and its perfume has pretty much returned to pre-op levels; maybe even a bit less. Now I sometimes kick myself that DS wasn't an option for me (no surgeons in New England perform it, and the major NE health insurers don't cover it), but maybe it ain't so great if it's so easy to end up farting at inconvenient times. /Steve

It's NOT A PROBLEM for the vast majority of Dsr's who make very simple rudimentary adjustments to their diet which Paul seems to consistently and purposely ignore. It's certainly no more an issue than it is with RNY'rs. As a STUNTED man-CHILD, Paul REVELS in his flatulence stories of woes posted on nearly every OH forum here, refusing to address even the simple basics to assist in his own dilemma. But that's the point!  What most of adults would see as a dilemma and need addressing, this poor sod takes delicious pleasuring in by virtue of what he pens here and in countless other similar stories. Perhaps some adjustments of his Rx: SSRI's  might be indicated, or they just haven't had time to take effect yet. But even these miracles of science and pharmaceuticals can be up against it when faced with someone as highly resistant as Paul would appear to be. As for Probiotics everyone, read the latest doubleblind studies. There are untold benefits being found and all malabsorbative WLS post-ops should probably be using them. Rock

Paul, I’m with /Steve (foobear)  on this one…. What’s Up? Are you still having to take Devrom? It seems odd for someone coming up on the 2 year ‘surgiversary.’ I had some minor problems early weeks home from the hospital, And again for a few weeks around my 8^th month, due to several rounds of strong anti-biotics that threw off my Intestinal Bacteria balance. But then after using Flagyl and Lactobaccilus, no problem since. Is your gas a fairly constant problem? Could be an overgrowth of “bad” bacteria in the ‘Chittlins.’ Another sign is loose stools along with the gas. It might not be “What” you are eating at all. If it’s a bacterial problem, You may want to get a prescription for Flagyl, And take it for an extended course, at least a month. Some DS’ers claim to take it in low doses (prophylactically) all the time. You should talk to your surgeon about how much and how often, But it's longer and stronger than what a "normal" person would take. Note that Flagyl is chemically related to Antabuse, The drug that is given to alcoholics to help them quit drinking –  (If you drink alcohol while taking Flagyl, you can get very sick.) And while you're taking Flagyl, and for at least weeks afterwards, You will need to take a probiotic -- Acidophilus, Lactobaccilus, Reuteri, for example, To repopulate your guts with good bacteria. You can also help the good bacteria in your intestines by taking one or two tablets of probiotics. Acidophilus bacteria really helps people who have killer farts. You can also get these good bugs by eating live culture yogurt. GAS IS CONTROLLABLE by Controlling What is Eaten. This need not be a constant problem. (at least not for RNY’ers, and from what I read, not many DS’ers either) If you can figure out what causes your issues, You will be able to fix/control it. Then again you may just be making humor and then it's not a problem, Just a smile. Hope it's for fun, and if not, hope you get to where It's no longer an issue. Best Wishes- Dx

  I have to admit (and shhhhh don't mention this on the DS forum!  )  that some DSers have to take probiotics, Flagyl and Devrom daily (or almost daily), sometimes for life ..   Our systems quite often really do a # on the friendly gut bacteria that keep everyone else from being targeted as a walking EPA biohazard ..          I had really hoped I didn't have to go to that extreme, but it looks like I may ..   My PCP refuses to give me a renewable prescription for Flagyl (he fears a potential "superinfection" later on down the road) .  This means either (1) I need to find a new PCP after 12+ years  (2) I use the online illegal Mexican farmacias to obtain it or (3) use the same stuff that they put in the goldfish tank to fix the fishes up when infected - Fishzole (the veterinarian version of Flagyl - "not approved for human use", btw.     As for probiotics, I have tried regular yogurt, "Buen Salud" (or such such liquid vials of acidophilus) and even those expensive Culturelle "pearls" ..  None of them seem to help me much at all ..   

Hey Paul,

I have had lactose intolerance for years and I have taken Acidolphilus for several years with great success.  I currently get it at Walmart and is about $8.00 for a one month supply.  It is made by Rexall, the "Ultimate Probiotic Formula Acidophilus", which claims to contain 2 billion active cultures.  I take two tablets every morning, with some sort of diary product, i.e. one or two swallows of skim milk.  I think when I started the web page I found said to take two tablets in the AM and 2 in the PM for two weeks, just to get the bacteria count up in your gut.  It has really worked well for me.

I keep the bottle in the refrigerator once I open the bottle, as this was the on the instruction of the first brand I had bought.  In the past I had also ordered some from the Vitamin Shop (or Shoppe) and had good luck with them, it was just easier to pick it up when I was shopping at the local Walmart.  The Vitamin Shop has many different formulations, with different strains of the probiotics.

I have had good luck with this and at least before my surgery only had to be careful that I did not eat too much of certain foods.  I hope that this helps.  The Flagyl on a daily basis would really play a number on your system.  Just remember if you take antibiotics or flagyl etc, it will have a severe negative effect on the probiotic in your gut.

Jim 

Hi Jim,   I think I've taken the stuff you mention before (I get most of my supps at Wal-Mart), but I didn't take it for as long as you had or twice a day.  I may give it a try again and take it that way.    I have tried some expensive stuff called "Culturelle", another pro-biotic, and  although it works for some it didn't seem to do hardly anything for me.  &:-/    You're right about the combo of Flagyl and probiotics, though ..   The idea is supposed to be that the Flagyl kills off the "bad" bacteria which overtakes the system in us.  Unfortunately, I guess it also kills off the good stuff, so the probiotic is supposed to be a follow-up to re-populate the gut with the good kind.    Thanks for the advice!