[LML]

FluxIn spite of all your annoying insensitive comments when people complain of gas, you do seem to have some information that could be helpful if only you could present it in a way that showed a little sensitivity. For example, you said <For example, it would make sense to try Creon for just a pure bloating sensation but not for flatulence.>Could you please elaborate on that? What is Creonand how would it help relieve a bloating sensation? And also, what do you mean by "sensation?" Is this different in your vocabulary than actual bloating that is very uncomfortable and causes distention?

 

[flux]

Bloating can both be a sensation (a sensation of fullness) and a physical entity: increase in abdominal girth. It is possible (and probably the usual case) for them to occur independently. Creon is an enzyme that breaks down in the small bowel and may be able to ameliorate the sensation of fullness.The effect against bloating was discovered here: http://www4.infotrieve.com/newmedline/deta...levitt&count=29 It might work by digesting fats and reducing the rise in CCK hormone from fat ingestion. Only Creon has been tested, so we don�t know if other enzymes would have this same effect.

 

[LML]

Thank you very much! This sounds most interesting and promising. Do you have knowledge of any further research/trials being done on this or other enzymes? Does seem like the application to IBS related bloating should be investigated.

 

[bonniei]

quote: all your annoying insensitive comments

Agree with that fully. Perhaps I don't need to warn you LML, going by your comments but beware of flux, LML! He has a tendency to suddenly stop answering questions just when you think it is really smooth sailing

 

[Mike NoLomotil]

LML:Happy Boom Boom Day.Flux's suggestion to try pancreatic enzyme supplementation is reasonable and 'economical', esp. if you eat typical fatty American diet. There are also other OTC supplements available which can enhance the emulsification of fats (thus digestion) and might also help.The only caveat is that I do not think this method has ever been studied specifically for effectiveness on bloating (sensate, physicial or both) in patients diagnosed properly with so called IBS.So do not be disappointed if you have been diagnosed with IBS and it is of no value. What works in otherwise "normal" subjects often does not apply to patients with GI dysfunction. The dysfunction which causes your symptoms may be such that it is not helped by enzyme supplementation as it may be a wholly different mechanism or set of emchanisms involved in provoking your symptoms.BUT it Don't cost much to find out....

Eat well. Think weel. be well.MNL

 

[LML]

Thanks for your explaination, Mike. Do you know if the particular enzyme Flux mentioned (Creon) is available over the counter, or by perscription?I guess I'm not excactly sure what "pancreatic enzyme supplementation" I might find, or where. But you are right ... seems like it'd be worth a try. I'm surprised there's been so little mention of this.

 

[flux]

Creon is prescription. It is generally safer to go with something prescription than something that is not a drug because prescription are guaranteed to contain what the manufacturer claims in the right amount with no impurities. And creon was the one tested

quote:I'm surprised there's been so little mention of this.

Search the archives and ye shall find it a number of time me thinks.

 

[Auroraheart]

Just a warning about Creon...it's BLOODY EXPENSIVE!! (at least here in Canada) When I took it was averaging about $1 a capsule; at some places more.

 

[Mike NoLomotil]

Note: _____________________________________"Search the archives and ye shall find it a number of time me thinks." _____________________________________I will qualify my statement with the footnote that I did a fairly quick search of PUBMED using several different search term strings which should be applicable and it did not return anything where the patient selection in the study indicated irritable bowel syndrome or functional diarrhea or any other such criteria among the patient selection...I just returned a couple which seemed that the patient selection was not IBS subjects.However, it would not surprise me that if one maybe had much more time to search, or to go to other sources and dig deeper, perhaps you could come up with something which controverts this.If you have one or more where the patients selected were of the symptom set in question, why not just post the reference if that is the case and help everyone reading the thread out ? Why duplicate effort that has already been made...there is only so much energy left at my age and I need to conserve it whenever possible.ThanksMNL