Question:
POST OP CHEWING GUM
IM 9 MONTHS OUT AND HAVENT CHEWED A SINGLE STICK OF GUM AND PRE OP I WAS A GUM PERSON. ALL I KNOW IS I WAS TOLD NOT TO CHEW GUM DUE TO THE RISK OF SWALLOWING IT. I WAS NEVER TOLD WHY THOU. WHAT ARE THE DANGERS OF SWALLOWING GUM? CAN ANYONE TELL ME THE "WHY" PLEASE? — JOHNNNYRAY (posted on August 30, 2007)
August 30, 2007
I was told the same thing......but I asked my surgeon last visit and he
said it was fine.....like anything else - it will eventually pass...now I
am not saying shewing a huge wad of gum or anything..a normal piece.....My
surgeon said this was fine.....some people experience gas like bubbles and
can't stand the gum chewing...when in doubt - ask your surgeon :)
Good-Luck to you - Loli:)
— Lolimustang
August 30, 2007
I agree, 1 piece at a time will probably not hurt you now but if you have
gone this long with out chewing - why start up again? I gave up diet coke
because of the "gas" problems - I would drink 1 - 2 liters of
diet coke a day - now I wonder why I ever did - water tastes so much
better. Anyway, congratulations on your great weight loss - I can relate.
— NanaJane
August 30, 2007
Hiya,
Their reasoning is that if you accidently swallow it it will cause a
blockage in your stoma.... But you are an adult... Im sure you can chew gum
carefully... I havn't accidently swallowed my gum since I was a kid... ha
Ha Ha..... Just be careful Im sure Its fine..... Sugar Free is better of
course.... *Smiles*
— Jo_Michalko
August 30, 2007
My surgeon assured me it was harmful for several weeks after the surgery
due to the possibility of the stoma being blocked (which makes sense since
the opening is smaller due to natural swelling immediately after the
surgery). I have to admit that I did chew gum within the two weeks
following the surgery, and yes, I did swallow it by accident.
Long story is that my mouth tasted horrible! I chewed a piece to try to
remove the nasty taste that even brushing only helped with temporarily.
Anyway, while I was moving the piece from one side of my mouth to the
other, I swallowed it by accident. I was terrified!!! I called the nurse
and she first assured me to calm down......drink a cup or two of hot
peppermint tea (because it relaxes the stoma).....and if I had pain within
the next 24 - 48 hrs following the swallowing to contact my surgeon.
I ended up being fine, but am ALWAYS very careful now when I chew gum to
NOT SWALLOW IT....lol. I felt like an idiot simply because I hadn't
swallowed a piece of gum since I was very young. Trust me, it can happen
in an instant. Take heart though, in knowing that you can enjoy a piece of
gum on occasion, just be sure not to swallow it.
A long explanation I know, but hopefully it was helpful. Congrats on your
weight loss.....keep smiling and LIVING! God is sooooo good!!!!!
— tonidaniels913
August 30, 2007
I am almost 4 years out (in 1.5 months). I chew sugar free gum all the
time. I had heard the stories about not chewing it, but I don't remember
my surgeon ever telling me not to. And yes once I actually did swallow a
piece (a few months ago), nothing happened (maybe because I am so far out,
I don't know if it might has blocked me up if I was a newby). I didn't
chew it at first, but like all things, I didn't want to deprive myself
forever!!
— GAYLE CARMACK-LYONS
August 30, 2007
we were told because it could get stuck if you swallow it and you could end
up with emergency surgery to clear it -- that is worse case scenerio -- my
husband chews gum and he hasn't swallowed it yet -- i'm not a gum person --
good luck :)
— RCassety
August 30, 2007
This is straight from the information packet they gave me on my one week
post-op appointment: "No chewing gum (If swallowed, may block stomach
pouch outlet.)" I've never swallowed a piece of gum in my life...but
I suppose there's always a first time. As for myself, I'm less that two
weeks out and I am chewing gum and spitting it out when I'm done with it.
If you feel tired and might fall asleep with a piece of gum in your mouth,
don't chew gum then. Happy Friday.
— sue_secore
August 30, 2007
My surgeon showed me that the outlet of the new pouch is about the size of
a #2 lead pencil and that a stick of gum would plug it and require surgical
removal. Also it would take months if at at all for the body to be able to
break it down. Try sugar free hard candies.
— dabby
August 31, 2007
It may get stuck. Which can cause problems.
— mikedanziger
August 31, 2007
Let the wives tales begin . . . it is doubtful for swallowed gum to get
stuck in your stoma after the initial post-op swelling subsides. The
actual concern is that by chewing gum you are taking in a lot of AIR into
your pouch-- all this air can irritate the pouch. Also, while you're
chewing gum you're not hydrating yourself (another problem). Lastly, for
many of us pre-operatively, we chewed gum compulsively which just fed our
other oral fixations involving food--- some speculate that by breaking that
cycle entirely, we might have better long term success (although I have yet
to see any studies which bolster this speculation).
— SteveColarossi
August 31, 2007
When I asked my surgeron, he said he'd prefer for his patients not to chew
gum, but if I did to be careful. I 1/2 a stick of gum (sugar free of
course). I'd just recommend being very careful not to swallow it. Happy
Chewing.
— GrammaAnn
September 1, 2007
I stick to sugar free, and didn't start chewing it until I was 6 months
out....no problems!
— Phenomenalfemale
September 2, 2007
I didn't start chewing until a year out and make absolutely sure I never
swallow gum anymore like I did preop.
— KRWaters
September 2, 2007
The only reasoning I got from the surgeon was *GAS*. He was right. I had
horrible tastes in my mouth in the beginning; tried a piece of gum, chewed
it for like 4 minutes and YIKES the gas pains I had could of killed the
normal person - luckily I have a high tolerance 4 pain. I've tried a few
times - once I was over 3-4-5 months out. It's OK, but only do it when I
absolutely have to for some icky mouth reasons. Still builds up the gas up
in my belly. But....every now and again....to get the iguana taste out of
my mouth, I tolerate. Good luck.
— jammerz
September 3, 2007
I was told that if it is swallowed it can clog the opening going into the
pouch and that would mean another operation.
— Alvernlaw
Click Here to Return