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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffBecause appointments can be brief, it's a good idea to come prepared. Before your appointment, write down any symptoms you're experiencing. Include, for instance, the frequency of your gas or the intensity of your abdominal pain. It's also a good idea to write down any questions you have for your doctor.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor will likely have questions for you, too. He or she may ask:
- How long have you noticed an increase in gas or gas pains?
- How many times do you pass gas each day?
- Does eating certain foods seem to trigger your symptoms?
- Have you added any new foods or drinks to your diet recently?
- Have you been diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome or another intestinal condition?
- Are you currently taking any antibiotics or other medications?
- Do you have nausea or vomiting with your gas pains?
- Do you frequently chew gum, suck on candies or drink through a straw?
- Do you have gas when you drink milk or milk products?
What you can do in the meantime
Before your appointment, keep a journal of the food and beverages you eat, how many times a day you pass gas, and any other symptoms you experience. Bring the journal to your appointment. It can help your doctor determine whether there's a connection between your gas or gas pains and your diet.
- Gas in the digestive tract. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gas. Accessed March 3, 2009.
- Belching, bloating and flatulence. American College of Gastroenterology. http://www.acg.gi.org/patients/gihealth/belching.asp. Accessed March 3, 2009.
- Villoria A, et al. Physical activity and intestinal gas clearance in patients with bloating. American Journal of Gastroenterology. 2006;101:2552.
- Controlling intestinal gas. International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders. http://aboutincontinence.org/site/about-incontinence/treatment/gas. Accessed March 3, 2009.
- Abraczinskas D. Intestinal gas and bloating. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 3, 2009.
- Picco MF (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, Fla. March 13, 2009.
