Borborygmus: Not Just For Scrabble Anymore

[Lirren]

Hi all,

 

I am so sorry to be posting so much in this forum, but I feel like I'm close to losing my mind for lack of information, and it is SO reassuring to be able to hear from other celiacs. (Please don't cut me off, mods.

 

I've hit the three-week gluten free mark, and seen some reduction in my abdominal pain, but one thing that hasn't gotten better yet is the intestinal rumbling. It isn't painful, but it's aggravating - and sometimes in extreme cases, accompanied by an uncomfortable twisting pressure just short of being painful.

 

It kept me awake for an hour last night. As soon as I wake up in the morning, it starts up. It will quiet down a little between meals, but as soon as a few bites are in my stomach (before anything could have hit my intestines!) it starts up again, and continues for several hours after my meal. And I'm having multiple BMs every day. Even when I don't have D, it's common to go 2-3 times.

 

And, oh yes, there is gas. So much gas. Thankfully it doesn't have an odor, but it's very uncomfortable. Moreover, it's frightening - isn't borborygmus supposed to be a result of malabsorption?  I would really like to be seeing some improvement. (I know, I know, have patience...!  But I'll be much less frightened if someone can tell me if this is normal!) I rarely drink carbonated beverages but lately have had one ginger ale or caffeine-free diet coke with lunch - I wouldn't think that would cause gas that would last all day long, but perhaps I'm wrong?  For now, I'm going to try cutting them back out.  

 

I've started taking a probiotic, Florastor, but perhaps it's not the best one. In any case, if anyone has a better recommendation - and one that is chewable or smaller, please! - I'm all ears.  I am a wimp about pills, and the Florastor capsules are so big I have to open them and dump them into a cup of water, and then drink the yeasty, gritty result. Blech.  It hasn't yet seemed to produce much in the way of relief, anyway.

 

The first three months of my abdominal pain, when my doctors thought I had diverticulitis or IBS, I didn't have this gut-churning habit.  For a long time a doctor had me on methscopolamine, which is an abdominal anti-spasmodic, and I'm wondering if it would be to my advantage to start that up again. I didn't think it was helping, but perhaps it was slowing down these spasms. (Then again, I didn't notice a lot of gas in those days, and shouldn't it have to go somewhere...? I'm not sure if this is a new symptom or one that the methscopolamine was suppressing previously. But certainly it is new compared to, say, last August.)

 

My first appointment with a dietitian is Monday, and I think she will have some good answers (and probably a list of multivitamins) for me, but Monday seems a really long way away. Am I normal? Am I recovering? Is my gut going to spontaneously tie itself into knots, and if so, will it come out like one of those artful balloons circus clowns create?  Help!

[bartfull]

 Balloon animals! (I used to be a real clown. I mean a registered clown at fairs and such. Now I'm just an average clown on the street.)

 

Anyway, don't EVER apologize for posting here and asking questions. That's what we're here for!

 

I think your gas and rumbling are probably the result of the change in your diet. You're eating different foods now and you ARE in the process of healing. When I was at three weeks my body was still in an uproar, and yes, I had gas. I also had a lot more D than I had before going gluten-free, and I would get it from the weirdest foods, like lettuce and sweet potatoes.  

 

BUT, it could also very well be dairy. A lot of celiacs can't tolerate dairy at first. Try giving it up for a few months and see what happens.

 

I don't know of any probiotics that are in smaller form, but I bet if you mix yours with something other than water it'll be easier to choke down. Try juice or even mix it in with a little bit of mashed potato or something.

 

And pretty soon, your balloon animals go away.

[cyclinglady]

If you are having dairy issues (very common), the probiotic you are using contains lactose. Lactose is hard to digest when villi are damaged. I took no supplements for 30 days when I was first diagnosed. I just focused on going gluten free. I am allergic to milk, so I avoided that and the other foods that I had known about for years. Then I added in supplements.

My doc has always recommended Bio-K probiotics. I use the soy-based version. It is expensive so I use it after a course of antibiotics, etc. Daily, I use Trunature which is dairy, soy and gluten-free. I can get it at Costco.

[NoGlutenCooties]

In addition to the probiotic, digestive enzymes can be very helpful.  Also, if you're eating gas-producing foods (beans, raw veggies, etc.) you can try Bean Zyme which is the gluten-free version of "Beano" - it's also cheaper than Beano, surprisingly enough.  Works very well.  I take 2, sometimes 3, right before I take the first bite of gas-producing food - depending on how gassy the food is and how much I'm about to eat.

[Aquadan005]

Lirren this is what I have been going through for the past 11 years! I went to a gastro specialist regarding the excessive gas and D. He did a Colonoscopy "found nothing", and told me to stop belching and take "beano" and that should do it. Oh, he also gave me a script for Protonix for my acid reflux. Fast forward to 2013 while I'm still suffering from the same symptoms, I go back to the same practice but a different doc (previous doc had passed away). Anyhow I went back to get a precautionary colonoscopy because my mother was diagnosed last year with colorectal cancer. Not only did the scope find a "growth" but I was informed I probably have celiac (later blood test confirmed it). I have been gluten-free for the last 3 and a half weeks and the symptoms, constant gas, stomach noises and D have NOT subsided all that much.

[1desperateladysaved]

I have a powdered pro-biotic that I just add to water.  It contains nothing but the pro-biotic organisms.  I have started to search for supplements which are as simple as possible and Restore Probiotic does the triickfor me.  I get it on-line I pay around 20 dollars and the little can lasts for over 3 months.

 

Perhaps the pro-biotic working makes the noise and gas?  I don't know but that is often how I try to look at my symptoms.  Your body is hard at work healing.

 

I wish you good healing and comfort soon.

 

D

[NoGlutenCooties]

 I go back to the same practice but a different doc (previous doc had passed away).

 

Karma.

 

(sorry... couldn't resist)

[cyclinglady]

Lirren this is what I have been going through for the past 11 years! I went to a gastro specialist regarding the excessive gas and D. He did a Colonoscopy "found nothing", and told me to stop belching and take "beano" and that should do it. Oh, he also gave me a script for Protonix for my acid reflux. Fast forward to 2013 while I'm still suffering from the same symptoms, I go back to the same practice but a different doc (previous doc had passed away). Anyhow I went back to get a precautionary colonoscopy because my mother was diagnosed last year with colorectal cancer. Not only did the scope find a "growth" but I was informed I probably have celiac (later blood test confirmed it). I have been gluten-free for the last 3 and a half weeks and the symptoms, constant gas, stomach noises and D have NOT subsided all that much.

I think you need more time for healing! I found relief after six or seven weeks. Not 100% but noticeable relief. My original symptom was just anemia, but between the blood test and biopsy, I consumed an enormous amount of gluten. Then I got all the gas, pain, etc. normally associated with celiac.

Everyone has a different pace for healing. Hang in there!

[Pegleg84]

Sounds like you're going through the hard work of healing. Dropping dairy might not be a bad idea for a while, and digestive enzymes. They help break things down when your gut can't. It's a huge help, and can reduce the "balloon animals" (Bartful, you is so funny!)

 

Hang in there. You'll get past it.

[moosemalibu]

I just wanted to say that I experience the same symptoms in the morning with a crazy amount of grumbling after my 1st meal. I have been gluten free since late October. I take digestive enzymes, probiotics, etc and quit the dairy. I wanted to let you know that you aren't alone. I didn't really think about this much until I read this post. You described me almost to a T! And I just love the name of the post- very clever! 

[MissHaberdasher]

Stay strong, you're making progress! The stomach grumbles are a sign that something is happening. I've been gluten free for 3 years, got glutened 4 weeks ago, and I'm experiencing the SAME EXACT THING. You aren't alone!! 

 

I am also dairy free, along with my gluten freeness. I take Realfood Organics brand probiotics. It is plant based and vegan, along with being gluten free. It packs a powerful punch though, so try to make sure you have bathroom access. 

 

I also started taking digestive enzymes yesterday, and while it has lessened my pain, I'm also getting nausea and gas. (Gas is normal. By the way, this goes away, I promise!) I don't know about it yet, but it SEEMS to be kind of helping? I really don't know, tonight was a bad night for me. 

 

I also take 5,000 mg of L-Glutamine, and drink licorice tea before/after meals. Supposedly licorice coats your digestive system.

 

Just keep reminding yourself that you feel better than you did yesterday, or, if not, you feel better than you did a week ago. That, and that alone is what got me through my initial stages of going from eating anything I wanted to being strictly gluten/diary free.

 

Last but not least, seeing a nutritionist/dietician is the BEST thing you can do for yourself right now! I chose my nutritionist based on the fact that she was gluten free as well and understood what I was going through. It was her specialty, in fact. She took dairy away from me, but I feel a billion times better for it. 

[Pegleg84]

Digestive enzymes can be hard on your systems the first few days, but hopefully everything will work much better (less bloating/gas/nausea/etc) once your body adjusts (so stick with it!)