Does Lactic Acid affect the gastrointestinal system?

[Geonz]

I don't have IBS (tho' I can't eat/drink a whole, long list of thigns that are acidic or strong on an empty stomach - like tea- without it simply bouncing back 20' later)... but Clif bars definitely, always give me stinky gas (tho' not *severe* - like Marge's great-tasting onion/garlic roasted veggies...) . If it's all there is at a rest stop for a long ride, I'll eat 'em but not happily.

I tend to be a free-flowing person, myself and have pondered wehther that's correlated to my free-flowing personality... I don't keep much inside in many different concrete and abstract ways :-)

[bcipam]

Sortof wandered into this thread late and I'm glad to read it. I'm 55 and for most of my life have had no problems. I am lactose intolerate but that's easy to deal with and have some food allergies (garlic and onions) also easy to deal with. But for the last few months I've developed this horrible stomach/intestines/bowel problem (yes I'm been to a doctor and now have a colonscopy sch'd). My stomach or bowels (I can't pinpoint the exact location) literally hurts all the time. Upon waking, I have a terrible urge/cramping need to use the restroom. It also usually happens later in the day (around 5p). I can't connect this problem to anything other than stress. I have a number of events happen in my life this year that have been extremely stressful. But not like that hasn't happened before. This stomach thing has me blaffled. Only good thing is I've lost some weight cause when I eat I get crampy so I don't eat (OK, OK I do eat - trust me not anorexic!, just not as much).

The doctor did mention that stress can cause my problems but I wonder if this has happened to anyone else. The doctor didn't seem particularly worried. If so, was there a way to eliminate/change the problem? I have been taking fiber as recommended by the doctor. I want this to stop. It at times keeps me from riding!!!!

[KnottedYet]

Do you eat wheat, oats, barley, or rye?

Is the horrid cramping gotta-go-NOW the "free-flowing" kind?

How's your B12 level?

[Dogmama]

Seems like "modern" medicine can't help with this. My gastroenterologist just doubled my Zelnorm, said fiber really doesn't help and nobody has an answer.

Has anybody seen a naturopath? I am thinking about going that route.

[Bikingmomof3]

Seems like "modern" medicine can't help with this. My gastroenterologist just doubled my Zelnorm, said fiber really doesn't help and nobody has an answer.

Has anybody seen a naturopath? I am thinking about going that route.

I have not tried a naturopath. If you do, please tell us about it. My gasteroenterologist is at a loss. There really is nothing he can do. I know IBS is different for each person. For me, the biggest trigger is stress.

[bcipam]

Do you eat wheat, oats, barley, or rye?

Is the horrid cramping gotta-go-NOW the "free-flowing" kind?

How's your B12 level?

Actually no it's not "free flowing"... the "substance" appears normal but it's just accompanied with lots of severe cramping (as if I'm having a bad period).

I do eat some grains in bread and cereal (Cheerios and wheat bread) but not alot.

Not certain how my B12 level is. I'm scheduled for a blood test next week. Will that determine if my B12 is low?

[cherinyc]

bcipam - if the colonoscopy doesn't find anything, then you will probably be stuck with the same diagnosis as the rest of us - IBS (Intestinal Bull Sh--)
It's gotten me really depressed before, b/c my clothes don't feel right, or I feel way too "gassy" to go out in public, and I certainly can rule out any intimacy with my SO. Of course the catch-22 of that, is that the more it's on my mind, the worse I feel. Isn't there some theory that your body goes through allergy/tollerance cycles every so many years? Maybe the foods you used to eat, just won't work anymore.
My IBS started when I was 14, though I didn't know it had a name. I just felt terrible after lunch when I was at school. Like my colon was being pumped with air. My clothes would hurt, and I was always terrified of having an "oops, that one just slipped out" moment, and having "Fart girl" written in the high school yearbook
'sigh'....memories. Wasn't high school great?
Regardless - I have wondered about Zelnorm, b/c laxatives and such don't work for me. It's like everything just gets stirred up more, but still won't leave.

[bcipam]

Cheri:

Sure sounds like my problem but boy hope not... doesn't sound good. Actually I tease some of my friends that although I'm crampy and gassy I can't fart. I've lost my ability to fart (or maybe its fear that keeps me from farting - fear that something will slip out! ). My stomach just hurts all the time and I've lost my true love for food (maybe not a bad thing) as after I eat, I get sick and have to use the restroom so better just not to eat.

I'm trying something different right now. A reverse diet. I'm eating dinner in the morning (this am a chicken breast, some brocolli and alittle rice), lunch is lunch and then just cereal, toast or fruit as my evening meal. It did appear to help me this morning as I didn't wake up having to use the bathroom. Still crampy but not so bad. I just started this week so I'll see how it goes.

Still appreciate what everyone has to say. Makes me feel alittle better.

[Bruno28]

Hmmm seems there's a lot of us out there with these problems. I've already said I've been diagnosed with Crohn's (it took about ten years to get a diagnosis) but I think I have a stress/ anxiety thing on top of that which manifests itself as cramping and loose bowel movements- some of it related to the fact that when my Crohn's is flared up I need to find a restroom fast and it's unpredictable when it flares up so I worry about it a lot .

I use Imodium (loperamide Hydrochloride- not sure if its called the same thing Stateside) as a short term measure - I think it would work for a long ride (but I've not ridden far enough to test it being a total newbie). You can't use it too often or you end up with the opposite problem If you have an established medical condition you should talk to your doctor before self medicating with this.

I have less problems when I relax but I have the kind of personality where I worry about everything all the time unless I'm in my house or tootling about on my bike. The trouble about this stuff is its all very embarassing -Especially if you are British and the embarassment causes more stress which causes...its a vicous circle.

I'm not usually this frank, but I'm just back from the pub, hic.

[Dogmama]

Regardless - I have wondered about Zelnorm, b/c laxatives and such don't work for me. It's like everything just gets stirred up more, but still won't leave.

I take Zelnorm. It worked in the beginning and now works intermittently. My gastro-doc said keep taking it because it takes 2-3 weeks to build up a blood level if you stop. She also said that it isn't unusual for it to stop working at times.

Stress and having my period bring it on big-time. And I'm in an incredibly stressful job AND peri-menopausal, so it's just grand <not!>.

[Bikingmomof3]

Regardless - I have wondered about Zelnorm, b/c laxatives and such don't work for me. It's like everything just gets stirred up more, but still won't leave.

I do not take medication for my IBS. The worst advice I had was to take Metamucil. First off, I get plenty of fiber in a given day. The theory was Metamucil would help make me "regular". And it helps many people, I am not knocking the product. When I took it, my stomach swelled up like I was 9 months pregnant-oh the pain. It felt as though my stomach could be easily popped with a pin. It was absolutely dreadful.

[kelownagirl]

...and metamucil is my saviour. As long as I take it immediately before a large meal, I can eat almsot anything I want. It slows down digestion enough to stop the spasms before they occur. If I didn't have it, I could never go out for dinner...

[RoadRaven]

I do eat some grains in bread and cereal (Cheerios and wheat bread) but not alot.

Excues me while I interject with a slightly sidewyas OT...

but Cheerios???
these are a bread or a cereal???

ROFL...

Over here a cheerio is a mini-party sausage - bright red... like a mini savaloy... I wouldn't class them as bread or cereal

[bcipam]

Excues me while I interject with a slightly sidewyas OT...

but Cheerios???
these are a bread or a cereal???

ROFL...

Over here a cheerio is a mini-party sausage - bright red... like a mini savaloy... I wouldn't class them as bread or cereal

Cherrios here are a breakfast cereal made from oats. Or is that wheat? Anyway it's cereal.

[KnottedYet]

I don't eat wheat, oats, barley or rye. Unless its beer. I can cope with the beer effects. It's worth it.

One cheerio, and I'm on the floor in agony.

Even the wheat in licorice gets me ill. (yes, there is often wheat flour in licorice candy)

I sometimes wonder how much "IBS" is actually gluten enteropathy, cuz so many of the symptoms sound the same.

Gluten intolerance/enteropathy/celiac disease/celiac sprue commonly ties in with a thrilling inability to absorb vitamin B12 properly. Even taking 20x the normal amount of B12 a day, my blood levels are only half the average value. Quite a few of the effects of low B12 are digestive symptoms.

Gluten and B12 issues are so prevalent in my family that my doc didn't even bother to test me. Chow down on that methyl cobalimine and don't eat grains!