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What Causes Excessive Gas And Abnormal Bowel Movements In Elderly?
Question: I am an 85-year-old woman who has been experiencing excessive gas, causing several bowel movements each morning with loose stools. I have been treating it with Culturelle and omega-3 supplements. During the two-week duration of these bouts I try to limit high fiber food. I have not lost weight. Could this condition signal a serious problem for my aging body? Thank you for your response.
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Brief Answer:
normally weight loss and loss of appetite indicators of serious disease
Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic
Bloating/excess gas is a common problem.
It can , as it is with you, be associated with other symptoms such as loose stools. Irritable bowel syndrome is one of the possible causes .
The symptoms do not likely signify any serious disease of the bowel. The most serious condition of the bowel is colon cancer and this is associated with weight loss, significant abdominal pain, possibly blood in the stool, loss of appetite, constipation may also occur in some because the lesion blocks stool from passing out.
In the absence of these alarm symptoms then it is very unlikely that your change in bowel habits or the excess gas is due to this serious disease.
Treatment: (1) limiting the high fiber food should be helpful particularly if you limit foods associated with increased gas production
Broccoli, cabbage, beans, turnips, brussel sprouts, apples, peaches, prunes, cauliflower
(2)medications normally used for reflux are also helpful for bloating and gas eg nexium, prevacid, prilosec, aciphex
Even if you do not have reflux symptoms, these would help with the gas
They can take 5 to 7 days, to have an effect in some persons so need to use consistently for improvement
(3)try to note if there are any other foods that may be causing this reaction- some persons with particular food intolerance may have these symptoms when they use foods their body cannot tolerate
A food diary may help, noting foods and symptoms
(4)consider if there is an element of lactose intolerance as well
(5)continue the probiotics- culturelle
I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
normally weight loss and loss of appetite indicators of serious disease
Detailed Answer:
HI, thanks for using healthcare magic
Bloating/excess gas is a common problem.
It can , as it is with you, be associated with other symptoms such as loose stools. Irritable bowel syndrome is one of the possible causes .
The symptoms do not likely signify any serious disease of the bowel. The most serious condition of the bowel is colon cancer and this is associated with weight loss, significant abdominal pain, possibly blood in the stool, loss of appetite, constipation may also occur in some because the lesion blocks stool from passing out.
In the absence of these alarm symptoms then it is very unlikely that your change in bowel habits or the excess gas is due to this serious disease.
Treatment: (1) limiting the high fiber food should be helpful particularly if you limit foods associated with increased gas production
Broccoli, cabbage, beans, turnips, brussel sprouts, apples, peaches, prunes, cauliflower
(2)medications normally used for reflux are also helpful for bloating and gas eg nexium, prevacid, prilosec, aciphex
Even if you do not have reflux symptoms, these would help with the gas
They can take 5 to 7 days, to have an effect in some persons so need to use consistently for improvement
(3)try to note if there are any other foods that may be causing this reaction- some persons with particular food intolerance may have these symptoms when they use foods their body cannot tolerate
A food diary may help, noting foods and symptoms
(4)consider if there is an element of lactose intolerance as well
(5)continue the probiotics- culturelle
I hope this helps, feel free to ask any other questions
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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