Embarrassing issue - Flatulence & Borborygmus

[Todd the Fairy]

Hey everyone, I'm not sure if this is the right forum however I couldn't find a suitable sub-forum to post it in so if an admin wishes to move the thread please do so.

Well...I am 18 years old and have just recently met a wonderful gf, so I want this problem to end ASAP! As the title says, I have a really embarrasing problem which is, quite simply, starting to ruin my life. No matter what I eat, or in some cases what I drink, five to ten minutes later my stomach starts rumbling terribly. I will try to give as much information as possible and I appreciate any feedback at all.

The problem, surprisingly enough, only started to be an issue when I began college 2 years ago. Up until that time, I had never experienced such a problem and my eating habits and life style haven't changed at all.

Some of the things which could be causing it which I have found myself include:
Varied eating times, sometimes I go a long while without a meal. (max 8 hours)
Varied sleeping times, I do not really have a regular sleeping pattern.
I don't eat much fruit, and quite a lot of junk food.

Now some of you may be thinking I have alread diagnosed the problem..however recently I have improved all three areas above and nothing has changed. At all. . I even tried to reduce how much I eat, but that caused the same problem as my stomach growled out of hunger.

So far, the only way to stop the flatulence is to break wind and burp until all the gas is out, which is also an embarrasing situation and sometimes socially awkward to do. However if I don't, the rumbling continues!

The grumbling reaches its worst peak early in the morning when I am in bed, at about 4 am. It really goes insane, every morning without fail. Rumble rumble rumble, stops me from sleeping and I have to walk around trying to get all the gas out..how pleasant obviously this would be a tough situation with my GF.

Im sure I've missed a bit of information, and I have looked on google and tried to cure the problem through use of indigestion tablets, but nothing seems to work.

Sorry for the wall of text, and if anyone has a question which would help them to answer my question, then feel free to ask me...thanks in advance :wave:

 

[mom]

I know how you feel, I have the same problem. I had a colonoscopy and was diagnosed with IBS. You may have a food intolerance like lactose or wheat. Very hard to know you just have to do an elimination diet to find the culprit. I would suggest you put this post on the digestive or IBS Board. Hopefully someone there may be able to offer more help.

 

[CrazyCoder]

It does sound like it could be a food intolerance.... maybe to dairy or gluten?
My guess would be the added stress of college and stress to the body of sleep deprivation triggered an intolerance or IBS.
I'd try getting a regular sleep pattern every night and see if things get better. Try eating slowly and chewing all of your food well, avoid foods like candy and gum which contain sugar alcohols, avoid carbonated beverages, eat smaller spaced-out meals instead of large ones, and maybe avoid dairy products as a lactose intolerance can develop suddenly.
If none of these suggestions work, go to the student health center and tell them you're having "digestive problems" if you're embarrassed; then you can tell the doctor exactly what's happening.
Good luck with your new girlfriend!

 

[Aaron J]

Thanks to both of you guys. I'll try what you suggested and if no luck i'll take furher action.Much appreciated!