1. < Colorectal Cancer

Gas & Gurgling

Posted by bruce3431 @bruce3431, Jun 24 6:49pm

I was diagnosed with colon cancer in April 2021 and had surgery in May 2021 to remove two cancerous tumors, which fortunately did not spread. A colon resection was done. My question ... it seems that ever since then, I have increased gas and my stomach frequently makes noise. I also notice that my bowel movements are very loose, similar to diarrhea. Has anyone else experienced this? Thanks so much.

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rjjacobsen | @rjjacobsen | 6 days ago

Yes, but I didn't have a resection, I had my whole colon removed. This may not apply.

Now you don't state how much of your colon was removed. The major function of the colon is to remove liquid so that your stool is semi-solid, so if a portion was removed it will not do as good of a job because there's less of it.

I don't know if this would apply to you, but Mayo recommended a thick, barely drinkable slurry of Metamucil to help absorb the excess fluid. Frequency and amount will vary with the situation. I do a heaping teaspoon in 2-3 oz. of water usually 2 hours after meals and once overnight. The 2 hours offset is to not impact medications.

Again, I don't have any colon remaining, so this likely would require a lot less Metamucil. Note: it has to be a water-absorbing fiber supplement like Meta.

In your case, you should probably start with a small amount and adjust as needed. Also, you may want to run this by your medical team.

Hope this helps

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1 reply
rjjacobsen | @rjjacobsen | 6 days ago

And about the gas part... I found that some heavier cooking oils can cause the gas symptoms. Watching the fat intake and type may help.

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bruce3431 | @bruce3431 | 6 days ago
In reply to @rjjacobsen "Yes, but I didn't have a resection, I had my whole colon removed. This may not..." + (show)
@rjjacobsen

Yes, but I didn't have a resection, I had my whole colon removed. This may not apply.

Now you don't state how much of your colon was removed. The major function of the colon is to remove liquid so that your stool is semi-solid, so if a portion was removed it will not do as good of a job because there's less of it.

I don't know if this would apply to you, but Mayo recommended a thick, barely drinkable slurry of Metamucil to help absorb the excess fluid. Frequency and amount will vary with the situation. I do a heaping teaspoon in 2-3 oz. of water usually 2 hours after meals and once overnight. The 2 hours offset is to not impact medications.

Again, I don't have any colon remaining, so this likely would require a lot less Metamucil. Note: it has to be a water-absorbing fiber supplement like Meta.

In your case, you should probably start with a small amount and adjust as needed. Also, you may want to run this by your medical team.

Hope this helps

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Thanks so much for your response.

I had about 2/5 of my colon removed. I actually had a colonoscopy today and thankfully, there was only one small polyp which was removed and did not appear to be malignant. I'll know for sure after the biopsy results.

Thank you again and I will consult with my doctor about the Metamucil.

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