Stinky Solutions

[ciavyn]

Alright gang -- I got glutened. At a sushi restaurant, even using my own soy sauce...but it must have been prepped by someone who had gluten on their hands or on their workspace. Only thing I can figure out.

Anyway, my symptoms involve potty issues and some of the nastiest gas I've ever experienced. It's embarrassing, and unfortunately, I work with people. It takes about three weeks for me to get past it, and in the meantime, EVERYTHING sets off my poor system. Any suggestions? Herbs, OTC, corks?! This is so frustrating, and I just need to find a way to work through it while still being able to do my job.

Any ideas at all are appreciated!

[tmbarke]

Alright gang -- I got glutened. At a sushi restaurant, even using my own soy sauce...but it must have been prepped by someone who had gluten on their hands or on their workspace. Only thing I can figure out.

Anyway, my symptoms involve potty issues and some of the nastiest gas I've ever experienced. It's embarrassing, and unfortunately, I work with people. It takes about three weeks for me to get past it, and in the meantime, EVERYTHING sets off my poor system. Any suggestions? Herbs, OTC, corks?! This is so frustrating, and I just need to find a way to work through it while still being able to do my job.

Any ideas at all are appreciated!

Oh girl I can relate!

My best defense is to eat salads regularly to get the whole system flowing 'quickly'.

Once it's out of there, I return to regulation.

I also drink more water to keep the 'tubes' lubricated and diluted.

I feel for ya.

[AlysounRI]

I also drink more water to keep the 'tubes' lubricated and diluted.

I feel for ya.

Water always makes this kind of thing worse for me.

When this happens to me, I just don't eat or drink anything.

I'm not advocating it because it's not the optimal solution.

I do sometimes take a few charcoal tablets.

I'm sorry you are going through this.

It's awful for you!!

And I hope you get back to normal very soon!!

~Allison

[ciavyn]

Water always makes this kind of thing worse for me.

When this happens to me, I just don't eat or drink anything.

I'm not advocating it because it's not the optimal solution.

I do sometimes take a few charcoal tablets.

I'm sorry you are going through this.

It's awful for you!!

And I hope you get back to normal very soon!!

~Allison

Actually, I totally relate. I was a starvation girl growing up (not healthy at all) and I found myself today...dreading eating. And you are talking to someone who now loves food! But I'm also training for a half marathon, so not eating isn't an option -- not that I'd advocate it, but I do understand.

I did have a salad for lunch, and now I am even stinkier! Thank God I'm alone in the office today. I'm miserable. But thank you for your empathy!

[AlysounRI]

I did have a salad for lunch, and now I am even stinkier! Thank God I'm alone in the office today. I'm miserable. But thank you for your empathy!

Then I recommend charcoal tablets!!

Perhaps some rice crackers too.

Or not.

~Allison

[tictax707]

Oh no!!! I am so sorry to hear about the gluten. I am very much looking forward to seeing the replies to this post because I can get plagued by gas too,and it's totally embarassing and work with people as well. AND my turnaround is about 3 weeks before I can get better, and EVERYTHING sets off my system too. But for my part, although it does not always work 100%, I use Gas-X or other gluten free simethicone gels/pills/tablets. I think Phazyme is gluten free. I also just go back to very, very basic foods (if any) to ease the stress on my system. I use the alpha ENF meal supplement from Canada to just give things time to rest. I am usually pretty wiped out and miserable and not up for much else anyway. I have heard ginger does good things for the tummy, but I have a HUGE aversion to ginger from some pre-colonoscopy drink. I used to use Culturelle probiotics, and I used to think that they would start to help after a week. I haven't used them in a while, mainly because I hate having to wait a week. but waiting a week is better than nothing, so I am not sure how that logic works.

Best best best of luck, and let us know what works!!

[tictax707]

oh, and two more cents - I can never handle fresh fruits and veggies when things get out of balance. TOTALLY makes things worse. Fiber is not always a good thing for me, sounds like maybe for you too! After a bit of rest I ease in with very well-cooked veggies. Or some blended up fruit with my alpha ENF stuff.

[The Glutenator]

Just a note about the sushi. They put rice vinegar in the sticky rice, and a lot of rice vinegars have gluten in them. Whenever I go for sushi, I ask that a fresh batch of rice be made without rice vinegar added to ensure it is safe. Just a suggestion so you can still enjoy sushi in the future!

[ciavyn]

Just a note about the sushi. They put rice vinegar in the sticky rice, and a lot of rice vinegars have gluten in them. Whenever I go for sushi, I ask that a fresh batch of rice be made without rice vinegar added to ensure it is safe. Just a suggestion so you can still enjoy sushi in the future!

Not to sound rude, but how do you do that? Our server could barely understand what we ordered, much less converse with us. I'm not being mean -- he just didn't do well with English. So how are you able to get that across?

[WheatChef]

Sometimes the "wasabi" mixture at a sushi restaurant is rehydrated with a part water/part soy sauce solution.

[The Glutenator]

Not to sound rude, but how do you do that? Our server could barely understand what we ordered, much less converse with us. I'm not being mean -- he just didn't do well with English. So how are you able to get that across?

Yeah, that is the hard part. And, without being stereotypical, it is usually tricky to get your message across in a place where the workers are non-english speakers. I ask for the person who speaks the best English, and as plainly as I can say I want "just rice, plain rice" in my rolls. You can try saying not vinegar too, and they may understand. Also try speaking to the chef to say "plain rice" because they are the ones who are mixing the rice vinegar in and may be more likely to know what you are talking about. Just be as simple as possible with your language is all I can suggest!

[GFinDC]

Hi,

You could try some milk of magnesia to get things moving real good and get all the nastyiness out quick. And also take some DPP-IV for whatever help it can give. Definitely avoid any sugar for a while and take a pro-biotic for a few days.

I am experimenting with not drinking much water right around meals. I figure if I have low stomach acid drinking too much water after a meal could dilute it and make it hard for the tummy to digest the food. But only for a few hours after eating as you don't want to get dehydrated. Better digestion could help decrease unfriendly bacteria too. So a digestive enzyme pill might help.

And clothes pins on the nose for all your co-workers might help as well. Just kidding!

[K8ling]

It's ok, i began my college career as an art student, I'll make custom nosepins with little people on them. You can hand them out with a little card that says explains Celiac and being Gluten-free (and what happens if you DO get glutenated).

[digmom1014]

It's ok, i began my college career as an art student, I'll make custom nosepins with little people on them. You can hand them out with a little card that says explains Celiac and being Gluten-free (and what happens if you DO get glutenated).

LOL!!!

Do not have any sugar-it makes more gas for me. I also have found basic rice and noodles best-you may gain weight but, you won't stink!!

[masterjen]

I signed out of work early today because of this very problem - lol! Now that I'm home (I live alone, thank goodness) I can relax. I don't know what got me going with gas today, and I had the same problem the night-before-last. Absolutely no chance I had gluten, but who knows if I am perhaps reacting to something else . . .

I read that drinking a small amount of water that has a few drops of peppermint oil will make gas smell, well, like peppermint. I only tried this once, but it made me so nauseous that I actually decided I'd rather put up with the gas. Google this, and see what you find out about this peppermint oil trick. Perhaps nausea won't be a problem for you!

[tictax707]

I signed out of work early today because of this very problem - lol! Now that I'm home (I live alone, thank goodness) I can relax. I don't know what got me going with gas today, and I had the same problem the night-before-last. Absolutely no chance I had gluten, but who knows if I am perhaps reacting to something else . . .

I read that drinking a small amount of water that has a few drops of peppermint oil will make gas smell, well, like peppermint. I only tried this once, but it made me so nauseous that I actually decided I'd rather put up with the gas. Google this, and see what you find out about this peppermint oil trick. Perhaps nausea won't be a problem for you!

OMG - I love this peppermint post!! Did it work the one time you tried it???

[masterjen]

OMG - I love this peppermint post!! Did it work the one time you tried it???

Kind of worked - I used a 1/2 dose just to see what it would taste like, and the nausea started about 30 min. later.

[gaingus]

I've used gas-x softgels without any problems. Just be sure you actually grab the softgels. Their other products have gluten in them. Also I will say on the other hand, I have friends that had reactions to the softgels. Do not use Beano, it has wheat in it.... (learned the hard way).

[ciavyn]

I definitely feel better on only rice and carbs, so thank you whoever suggested getting away from the raw veggies. Although, I fear what will happen on steady diet of carbs! But if it helps at work, I can deal with the stink at home. What an embarrassing thing, but where else can I ask?

[Indiana Joan]

I just have to add my two cents here. When I'm desperate like this, I resort to doing an enema. Seems like when I get myself cleaned out quicker, I'm much more comfortable.

[Jestgar]

I just have to add my two cents here. When I'm desperate like this, I resort to doing an enema. Seems like when I get myself cleaned out quicker, I'm much more comfortable.

I'm not sure how this would help. I think that most gas is caused by improperly digested food reaching the colon where it is 'digested' by the resident bacteria, whose waste product is gas. An enema would only get rid of what is in there at the moment, it won't help with everything else that gets moved in by the still badly functioning small intestine.

[tictax707]

I only eat sashimi when it comes to sushi. Ciavyn - what did you have at the sushi place?

[ciavyn]

I only eat sashimi when it comes to sushi. Ciavyn - what did you have at the sushi place?

I ordered what I had before at a different restaurant, and I did fine. California roll with mackerel substituted for crab (very yummy), two pieces of tuna nigiri, and a tuna roll -- just tuna, rice and seaweed. I bought my own La Choy soy sauce across the street before going in. And we had mochi red bean ice cream at the end. Same things I've had before, so I'm guessing maybe cross contamination?

[jerseyangel]

Sounds like cross contamination to me.

When I get gas like that (interestingly not so much with gluten--that lasts only about a day and precedes diarrhea; I get unrelenting, horrible, embarrassing gas when I eat legumes--almost ridiculous truthfully...), I stick with bland carbs like potato, bananas, pasta with a little butter, etc. No spices, grease, "roughage", etc.

What a classy condition--eh?

[tictax707]

yeah, that does sound like cross contamination then. I am so sorry!!!