Anonymous
Post 09/16/2025 20:26     Subject: Quickest fix for gas (maybe a little TMI with my symptoms)
Anonymous wrote:I am perimenopausal (OP here) so thank you for those who suggested this could be hormonal - also thanks for those who suggested celiac. My dad actually had celiac but my understanding from my GP was that as long as my albumin is good (it is) that I don’t need to test. Has the thinking on that changed?

I think this is something I’m not digesting well. At first I thought it was fat and my gall bladder but I’m going through an episode of this now and really didn’t have anything particularly fatty yesterday (I haven’t eaten anything today - honestly the only thing that helps is fasting until this passes which is why I am desperate for some other fix).

Thanks to the person above who mentioned moving. It definitely does help but it’s so uncomfortable to do, what’s really awful and embarrassing is the gas - the flatulence is SO loud and I have to pass gas so much that I’m really afraid of even going for a walk or jog outside in case anyone hears me. The belches are also so loud and foul. It’s like I’m a smelly bag of gas and I don’t want to subject that to anyone.

I don’t think it could be giardia from swimming and I don’t have pets but I LOVE dogs and do stop and pet them whenever I can.

I guess I’m still stuck at the original question:
Other than moving my body and taking activated charcoal (which, if I’m being honest, doesn’t seem to help much) is there any quick fix for terrible gas like this? I was able to call in sick today but there are definitely days at work where I absolutely cannot call in sick and I’ve just been lucky to this point that one of those days hasn’t overlapped w an episode like this….


Perimenopause is when I really had to start focusing on eating enough fiber as constipation became a huge problem. I already ate a lot of vegetables and beans, but needed to add an high fiber cereal. Increase gradually and add lots of water. Lots of water.

And when the day hits that you have to go to work, you learn to hold in the gas, make a run for the restroom and flush to cover the horrible sounds (and pray you are not in there with someone important). You might also try taking Antigas medicine. It breaks down the gas - so it still all comes out, but it’s not as forceful and loud.

If you are home, try doing some ab exercises to help release the gas.

Sorry - it totally sucks!
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2025 12:07     Subject: Quickest fix for gas (maybe a little TMI with my symptoms)
That was supposed to say 24 hours
Anonymous
Post 09/16/2025 12:07     Subject: Quickest fix for gas (maybe a little TMI with my symptoms)
Anonymous wrote:Some of you are hysterical literally hysterical. The anxiety you all live with is truly insane. Everything on this board is some sort of dire emergency or cancer. EVERTHING. 24 hours of gas requires trips to the ER, do you all hear yourselves?

This is peri, there are a lot of estrogen receptors in the gut which effects gas and digestion. Usually mid-month and the PMS week you can/will get more stomach distress issues. Gas attacks like these can last 3 days if you're also constipated at the same time.


Thank you - I’m the OP and I am in perimenopause (I’m on daily progesterone and estrogen patch for a few years now bc my hot flashes, night sweats and depression were too much for me to handle). I have zero idea if HRT affects GI issues but wanted to throw this in for context.

I don’t want to go to the ER but it’s hard to overstate exactly how horrible the gas is - it’s explosive and painful and very loud and very odorous. It’s wakes me up and keeps me up and eventually becomes diarrhea. It lasts a full 14 hours and it happens more regularly than is even remotely practical. I can’t keep missing work because of this but I absolutely cannot go to work with gas and diarrhea that is relentless. I have pretty good insurance but needed to see my GP who referred me out to see. hi specialist but the soonest I can be seen is December.

I’ve honestly thought about trying to make myself vomit and taking laxative to get everything out but I’m a woman who has lived into her 50s without an eating disorder and I don’t want to end up with one.

I’m just desperate for help and do appreciate all the PPs advice and would love to know more assuming you are someone educated and who maybe works in this field - can menopause cause such severe gas and diarrhea?