There is too much gas in my stomach and it leaks!

Dr Flo, I have a weird disease. There is so much gas in my stomach. I have to stay away from people because the gas leaks and I can’t stop it. Please help. Silas

Dear Silas,

Having a lot of gas in the stomach is called bloating. It makes you feel full, uncomfortable, and may even cause the tummy to appear bigger than usual.

 It can be caused by overeating, eating too fast, eating very fatty foods, drinking through a straw, chewing gum and taking carbonated drinks like soda. Some foods like beans, lentils, and other legumes, cabbage, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts and artificial sweeteners like sorbitol can also cause bloating. For people who are lactose intolerant and have trouble digesting milk, taking dairy products can also make you gassy. Smoking can also lead to bloating.

Bloating may also be due to infection e.g. amoebiasis, H.pylori infection; hyperacidity, irritable bowel syndrome, indigestion, poor absorption, food allergy, illnesses that cause inflammation of the lining of the intestines, intestinal obstruction, problems with the movement of the intestinal muscles, problems with other abdominal organs like the kidney, liver or spleen, and in rare cases, abdominal or pelvic cancers.

Since you seem to have had this problem for a while, it would be good to visit a doctor so that you can have stool tests, endoscopy tests like OGD (oesophagogastroduodenoscopy) and colonoscopy, and if necessary, an abdominopelvic ultrasound scan, to check if you may have an infection or any other illness. You can visit a gastroenterologist (specialist in the digestive system) for proper follow-up.

Also, eat slowly, take smaller portions, and avoid fatty foods and any other foods that increase the gas. You can keep a food diary – record what you eat each day and monitor your symptoms to see which foods may be worsening the symptoms. You can also take simethicone tablets to reduce the gas. Medicine with alpha-D-galactosidase helps to break down sugars in beans and vegetables and reduce excess gas.

Dr Flo, when I wake up in the morning, I sweat profusely all over the body. I take antidepressants when going to sleep. Is the sweat attributed to the antidepressants or is stress getting the better of me? Am I suffering from a form of psychological ailment or trauma? Do you think I need to see a psychiatrist? Walji

Dear Walji,

The excessive sweating when sleeping or on waking up is most likely due to the antidepressant medication. It is a common side effect that affects eight to 22 per cent of people who are on antidepressants. Other psychiatric drugs can also cause the same effect. It is unlikely to be due to a psychological ailment or trauma.

Make sure that you are not overdressed at night and that your bedroom is not too hot.

Other possible causes of sweating at night include having low blood sugar, thyroid disease, some infections like TB, HIV and endocarditis, and many cancers. These illnesses would have other symptoms in addition to the sweating.

Since you are already on antidepressants, it would is advisable to be followed up by a psychiatrist, especially when you feel like you are developing new symptoms or if you are experiencing side effects from the medication.

Dr Flo, I used to struggle with sexual, pornography and masturbation addiction, but I quit recently. I have been free from sexual addiction for a year and free from masturbation for two months. However, ever since I quit, anytime I go for a long call, semen-like fluid passes together with urine, especially if I exert force. Could my previous life have inflicted damage on my inner organs? If that is the case, is the damage reparable? Joseph

Dear Joseph,

First of all, congratulations on overcoming the addiction. Sometimes as you pass stool, and especially if you are constipated and the stool is hard, the exerted force and the bowel movement exerts pressure on the prostrate and the seminal vesicles and they release the semen-like fluid. This is more likely to happen if you have gone for long without ejaculating.

On rare occasions, this may happen if there is a problem with the seminal vesicles (the tubes that carry semen) or with the prostrate.

You can see an urologist for proper evaluation to make sure that your reproductive system is okay.

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