Carbonation?

[wozzy]

I've been having some GI issues lately, so I've been extremely careful about everything I eat. No dairy or gluten but I still wasn't feeling right. I'd still get really bloated, experience throbbing pains in my intestines and frequent stomach aches (which is rare for me) and bad, almost constant gas.

At first I thought it was soy or caffiene of some form. Then I started to realize that I only get that way after I drink Diet Coke or Barqs Root Beer. I cut out those products for about a week and I felt so much better. I know it's not soy or caffiene because I've been drinking soy chai lattes like crazy. I added some dairy back and I haven't been reacting to that either.

Is it abnormal to have such a reaction to carbonation, or perhaps something else that's in Coke products? I don't think I used to have this problem.

[Ursa Major]

I believe that carbonation could be a problem, especially if your intestines are still in the healing process. I wasn't able to tolerate anything carbonated for months, and can once in a while have some now without too much discomfort.

[CarlaB]

I've never really done well with carbonation if it was straight soda. If I order it with a lot of ice, then I don't seem to have as much trouble. I only have it about once a week though, if at all.

[queenofhearts]

I've definitely heard that carbonation can be a problem. I don't think it is dangerous in the way gluten is, more just temporarily irritating/bloating. But that's certainly no fun & it's great that you've discovered the problem!

Oh, & many flavored sodas can be highly acidic, so that might be an issue, or the corn syrup, or the sweetener in diet drinks. But even unflavored seltzer can bother some folks.

Leah

[marciab]

I can't drink carbonated sodas or mineral water either. It feels like the bubbles multiply when they get into my stomach.

I hope someone can explain this.

[CarlaB]

I can't drink carbonated sodas or mineral water either. It feels like the bubbles multiply when they get into my stomach.

I hope someone can explain this.

Yea, that's what it feels like! Ice seems to water it down and eliminate that effect for me. It's been over 20 years since I took chemistry in college, but I remember that to keep a gas dissolved in a liquid you kept it cold, which is why soda goes flat outside the refrigerator. So, my guess is that as it gets warmed up in your stomach, the gas is released. Seems like that makes sense, but who knows, tonight I have brain fog.

Chelsea's hubby might be able to tell us why!

[Kaycee]

Have you thought that it might be the artificial sweetener in the diet coke?

From what I gather it can be pretty nasty and causes diahrhea.

For that reason I will never ever drink another diet drink.

Cathy

[gfp]

I can't drink carbonated sodas or mineral water either. It feels like the bubbles multiply when they get into my stomach.

I hope someone can explain this.

Naturally carbonated water contains anti-acids but when you force carbonation using CO2 under pressure you make an acid.

Hence natually sparkling water is a natural antacid whereas cabonated water is the inverse.

Also the bubbles are different .... if its forced the bubbles are kept in under pressure and when they come out they boil out in very small bubbles whereas a naturally carbonated water has bigger bubbles ....

You can see this for yourself really easily with a forced carbonated water and naturally in the same type of glass. The bubbles are smaller and more vigerous in the forced carbonation.

[wozzy]

Have you thought that it might be the artificial sweetener in the diet coke?

From what I gather it can be pretty nasty and causes diahrhea.

For that reason I will never ever drink another diet drink.

Cathy

I thought that, but I got it from the regular root beer too...and from a different brand of root beer I had.

[zip2play]

I don't think I could live without my Diet Pepsi!

[marciab]

Naturally carbonated water contains anti-acids but when you force carbonation using CO2 under pressure you make an acid.

Hence natually sparkling water is a natural antacid whereas cabonated water is the inverse.

Also the bubbles are different .... if its forced the bubbles are kept in under pressure and when they come out they boil out in very small bubbles whereas a naturally carbonated water has bigger bubbles ....

You can see this for yourself really easily with a forced carbonated water and naturally in the same type of glass. The bubbles are smaller and more vigerous in the forced carbonation.

So does this mean that my stomach has too much acid in it ? And is there anything I can add to a carbonated drink to get rid of the bubbles so I could drink it ? I used to be able to stir the bubbles out and be ok, but not anymore.

For some reason I could handle the soda flavored glucose drink when I had my glucose tolerance test.

I don't know what the difference is, but I didn't have any trouble at all with it. In fact, the nurse said that she had never seen anyone enjoy it as much as me. I'd buy it, if I could find it.

I was thinking this meant I could handle a regular soda, not diet, if I could just get the bubbles out.

Marcia

[CarlaB]

I knew a kid years ago who put salt in his soda to eliminate the bubbles.

[gfp]

So does this mean that my stomach has too much acid in it ? And is there anything I can add to a carbonated drink to get rid of the bubbles so I could drink it ? I used to be able to stir the bubbles out and be ok, but not anymore.

For some reason I could handle the soda flavored glucose drink when I had my glucose tolerance test.

I don't know what the difference is, but I didn't have any trouble at all with it. In fact, the nurse said that she had never seen anyone enjoy it as much as me. I'd buy it, if I could find it.

I was thinking this meant I could handle a regular soda, not diet, if I could just get the bubbles out.

Marcia

Yes and No ....

You could add a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda which would nullify the acid but in the short term create more bubbles and if added to a can would certainly overflow it and it would taste a bit weird and if you drank a lot elevate your sodium and blood pressure. Same adding regular salt.

better would be one of the rehydration things like the glucose drink.

I recently found them in Italy when I got dehydrated walking 30 miles a day in 100+ and I think they taste good... then our bodies often idenitify what's good for it, they are potasium and Magnesium salts and effervese in water. you could easily add to an orange drink or better still make your own fizzy orange/lemon with fresh juice

This is the same stuff added to soluble asprin to buffer the acid.

You could try a two stager with 2 packets (the ones I had said 2 packs a day as a suppliment) add half of one and it will take out the bubbles because they will nucleate round the natural ones then add the rest after to add back some natural fizz! I think you might need to experiment with taste!

[marciab]

You're kidding. I can actually buy that glucose drink they gave me for my GTT . And it would be good for me

Tell me more .... please

[gfp]

You're kidding. I can actually buy that glucose drink they gave me for my GTT . And it would be good for me

Tell me more .... please

I'm guessing its just a salt and glucose mix, commonly used for rehydrating after D!

I've a few left over.... if you have an Italian deli they actually sell some stuff in a jar flavored lemon ..(brain fog atm so words escpaing me, typing in English is a challenge cos my girlfried is watching TV in French and I find it hard to think in one lang and listen to another when glutened) I really like it (as I say I think our body often knows best) .. its sold as a heartburn remedy for over eating but very common in trattori.

The stuff I got was just from a pharmacy, its was 100+ and We had walked all round most of Rome and I noticed my sweat had no salts and accompanying headache. I just asked for salt for dehydration and when I read the packet it said it could be used as a daily suppliment ....obviously different brand for you but you can buy similar dyorlite etc.

Another thing you can try is the soluble vit C ... same principle the bicarbonates are there for a buffer against the acid and you can usually find orange or lemon flavors .. if you replace the soda your getting vit C and a drink!

[wozzy]

Well, I went to the doctor, and she at least seems to be trying to find something.

I said that diet coke and other carbonated drinks make me bloated, etc, and I was also talking about how I can't sleep with my CPAP because my nose plugs up almost immediately. She gave me ambien to help me get used to the CPAP and rhinocort to help with the congestion.

She thought that my congestion might becausing some of the bloating issues because it forces me to breathe from my mouth and swallow more air. So now she wants me to see an ENT to see if there's a way we can fix my nose.

I also told her that I get throbbing pains on my right side, where I would expect my duodenum to be. She thinks it's my gallbladder so I have to get an ultrasound of my gallbladder.

I'm still tired, though. I did a sleep test earlier this summer, which said I have sleep apnea. It said I fell asleep in 7 minutes, which is really fast, so she's going to harass my insurance company until they cover my narcolepsy test.

I swear if I never went to the doctor, I'd be better off. haha.

[mn farm gal]

I thought that root beer of any kind had barley in it. I am not a soda or caffine drinker as I had quit that about a month prior to the gluten free diet and I am not willing to go back on it.