Do you do chewing gum?

When the dos and don'ts were being given out pre and post surgery, they stressed no chewing gum. Especially for the lap band patients, chewing gum could be "hazardous" to their health if they swallowed it. I have gone all this time without chewing gum, but the last couple of days I bought a pack and the chewing seems to quiet some of the hunger thoughts. So just wondering if any of you chew gum and if you think it helps? Of course I got the sugar free gum. Barbara

Barbara, I do chew gum occasionally. I asked the bariatric nurse practioner and she indicated that it was okay this far out. I do keep in mind that other doctors disagree. So I chew gum, but typically only when I'm not participating in another activity. I find that I chew it most often when riding in the car. My main reason for chewing gum sparingly is that it if I'm chewing, I'm not drinking water. I may be able to walk and chew gum at the same time (barely! ) but I'm not talented enough to drink water and chew gum simultaneously! I'll be interested to hear from others! Hugs, Stephanie

My dh (rny 12/06) chews it constantly for the same reason, he says it keeps his munchies away. I don't do it now b/c my jaw is aligned weird and my dentist recommends I don't....but the real reason is (strange but I'll share ): as a teen I dated a boy who was training to be a cop and worked in a bad area--he said all the prostitutes they brought in, always had one thing in common--THEY WERE ALWAYS CHEWING GUM! For some reason that association has always stuck with me.

LOL Rebeka I think women who chew gum with their mouths open, smacking it loudly, look like prostitutes You know, like Britney Spears Did I say that? Oops, I did it again! I, of course, am very ladylike with my gum

lol!

Are those requirements in being a prositutes? chew with your mouth open, smacking it loudly? too funny!

I started chewing it between the hour wait from food to liquids and it brought back my sweet tooth I had no cravings for sweets before the gum, not sure if its the sugar alcohol in the gum or aspartame but the sweet tooth is back (nothing like pre-op, but its there)

Barbara, I used to chew a pack a day of doublemint gum. Since surgery I probably haven't had a pack in 18 months. For some reason it just doesn't appeal to me anymore. Rick

I *HAVE* been chewing a lot of gum lately (what great timing for this thread!) for the same reasons some have shared here: 1) trying to curb head hunger/munchies, and 2) to pass time in between eating/drinking wait times... I recently researched this topic (because I wasn't sure if I was jeopardizing myself by chewing gum) and 3 reasons were given: 1) the most popular reason is the possibility of swallowing the gum. 2) some say chewing gum stimulates stomach acids (preparing to digest food) and when no food arrives, the acids just sit and may cause ulcers. 3) some say when you're chewing gum, you're not drinking, so lack of hydration. Of all the reasons mentioned above, the only one that worries me is the possibility of extra stomach acids causing ulcers. Have I stopped chewing gum? No My favorite is Trident's melon twist right now, ooh its so MELON-Y SF of course...

I chew s/f peppermint gum to relieve indigestion, and to quench my thirst when waiting for it to be time to drink after eating.