“Elderly father passes gas seemingly uncontrollably and indiscriminately”
My 80-year-old father came to live with me several months ago, right in the middle of a home renovation from hell. He wants to still be active and actually does still preach weekly, though he has to sit instead of being in the pulpit. The problem is that he farts--a lot--out of the blue and repeatedly in any and all social and environmental situations.
We've lost contracted workers on the house because they took offense at him passing gas in the rooms they were working in and then walked on. I tried to explain to them that he can't help it (he had a ruptured appendix years ago and part of his colon and intestines had to be removed).
I've witnessed giggles and eye-rolling at his church as well, though I don't think anyone has approached him directly about it. He's hard of hearing so he doesn't hear the joking at his expense, but I do--and it hurts.
I say all of this to get down to the question. I'm trying to cook healthy balanced meals with a minimum of sodium (he has a renal condition) but the more veggies and fiber I have on the menu, the worse the gas seems to be. Is there anything that I can do to help this situation? Are there supplements or enzymes that would be safe for an elderly patient with renal issues? Thank you.
We've lost contracted workers on the house because they took offense at him passing gas in the rooms they were working in and then walked on. I tried to explain to them that he can't help it (he had a ruptured appendix years ago and part of his colon and intestines had to be removed).
I've witnessed giggles and eye-rolling at his church as well, though I don't think anyone has approached him directly about it. He's hard of hearing so he doesn't hear the joking at his expense, but I do--and it hurts.
I say all of this to get down to the question. I'm trying to cook healthy balanced meals with a minimum of sodium (he has a renal condition) but the more veggies and fiber I have on the menu, the worse the gas seems to be. Is there anything that I can do to help this situation? Are there supplements or enzymes that would be safe for an elderly patient with renal issues? Thank you.
Male | 80 years old
Complaint duration: 8 - 10 months or more
Medications: unknown
Conditions: renal issues, hyperparathyroidism
1 Answer
Most gas is produced in the colon due to breakdown of carbohydrates, so to reduce flatulence you need to put him on a low carbohydrate diet. A good one is the Low FODMAP diet. This is the most important thing to do.
If he is eats dairy and is lactose intolerant then he should be using lactaid milk or avoiding dairy.
There are no over the counter enzymes that would help much.
Only in special situations after a GI work might an enzyme like sucrase be used.
If he is eats dairy and is lactose intolerant then he should be using lactaid milk or avoiding dairy.
There are no over the counter enzymes that would help much.
Only in special situations after a GI work might an enzyme like sucrase be used.
