Ulcerative colitis and stoma difficulties

August 8, 2012

Hi

A friend has a permanent stoma bag, as a result of ulcerative colitis in

1997. The stoma was made permanent in 1999.

He has coped really well with it, plays football again and swims, but

more recently has had problems with gas and noises, which commence even

after taking one mouthful of food, so is he often doesn't eat in company.

He has heard about two products, one is Simethicone which is an

antifoaming agent, and the other is Beano which is alpha-galactosidase

enzyme.

I wonder if anyone has heard of these and has an opinion. He is

vegetarian, retired teacher and living half the year in Scotland and

half the year in Bulgaria. Whilst here he eats a lot of Bulgarian

yogurt, but hasn't found it helps.

Are there any herbs which would be helpful in this instance? I don't

have any experience with stoma patients so would be grateful for advice

from those who do.

Thanks

Liz Lillicrap

August 18, 2012

Hi Liz This reply is a bit late but was thinking others may have better answers than mine.I would treat as you would any other patient with bowel flatulence. Check his stools have not changed in any way. Try carminatives, warming herbs. Do an abdo exam to see how extensive the gas is, check liver and partic gall bladder. Check he is digesting well further up the tract, treat for hypochorhydria if need be, try plant based digestive enzymes, probiotics as a supplement. Trials of food elimination if need be. The FODMAP diet could be helpful. If there is an element of irritable bowel, treat that.If the stoma is distal (but it probably isn't with UC) the bowel should evacuate pretty much

as frequently as an ordinary bowel with similar consistency. If proximal, obviously bowel movements more liquid, can burn the skin. More astringency needed. Helen To: ukherbal-list Sent: Wednesday, 8 August 2012, 13:39 Subject: Ulcerative colitis and stoma difficulties

Hi