right after surgery i remember the nurse telling me that i couldn't eat gum anymore because when people swallow their gum it sometimes gets trapped in the upper pouch. just wondering if anyone else has been told this.

it sounds right was she said .. but i chew gum all the time and i just make sure i dont swollow

My doctor just said if you swallow your gum to call right away. He doesn't suggest chewing it if you can! I chew gum all the time though.

I was told the same thing, but i chew it just dont swallow it.

Who swallows their gum anyways?

Nean I am pretty sure we all mean "accidentally" swallow gum.

I guess since i chew like 10 pieces a day , i cant even imagine doing that! lol

No chewing gum? Really my doc never said anything about not chewing gum. I chew gum all day go to know this stuff. I don't think I got enough info from my dr. I am learning more here.

I chew gum often. I really think that if I were to accidentlly swallow it, something like pineapple juice would break it up well. Just like the trick with rubbing in peanutbutter if a child gets it stuck in their hair. Have you ever eaten food with gum? It breaks up the gum.

I think taking pills is much more dangerous than swallowing gum.

My doctor doesn't have this rule, but I know several banded people who've had to be scoped to remove gum they've accidentally swallowed and that has gotten stuck in their stomas. It tends to shape itself to the stoma and be particularly difficult to get to pass through. Ouch!

ETA: pills are a HUGE problem for me. I cannot take any pressed tablets. I can take capsules or gelcaps because, if they get stuck, they eventually dissolve. But pills? They've been a no-go since before I had restriction with anything else. I get my meds prescribed as liquids now.

I do chew gum--but I'm a lot more mindful about it.

Edited April 28, 201016 yr by BetsyB

so here is my issue. i forgot about this because i was just out of surgery and still had foggy brain. no one else ever said anything about no gum, and i have chewed gum about 3 times recently swallowing it each time. this is the reason i don't chew gum often to start with, because i forget i am chewing it and the next thing i know it just isnt there anymore. i know it sounds stupid, but i just swallow it with out thinking. now that means all three pieces have been swallowed 2 of them in the last few days. i dont have any pain, but i am wondering if this is going to cause a problem or if it was going to would i know it already.

My doctor said not to chew gum but I do chew it. The other reason that gum isn't good is because it's supposed to have something in it that makes you feel hungry (so they say). It hasn't bothered me at all.

Swallowing gume with or without the band is not a good idea...but especially with the band my Dr. said swallowing it could be very very hazardous.

I was scared to death to chew it for about 6 months, but chew it often now. I am just VERY mindful of NOT swallowing it!

so here is my issue. i forgot about this because i was just out of surgery and still had foggy brain. no one else ever said anything about no gum, and i have chewed gum about 3 times recently swallowing it each time. this is the reason i don't chew gum often to start with, because i forget i am chewing it and the next thing i know it just isnt there anymore. i know it sounds stupid, but i just swallow it with out thinking. now that means all three pieces have been swallowed 2 of them in the last few days. i dont have any pain, but i am wondering if this is going to cause a problem or if it was going to would i know it already.

If you were going to have a problem with it, you would definitely already know---if you didn't experience trouble right away, then it moved through your stoma without a problem.

It's more of an issue with people who have more restriction :thumbup:

I think it's a common sense issue. When many adults know they are chewing gum, most won't swallow it. However, if you have an "issue" with gum, don't chew it. Go with a breath mint.

Before discharge today I met with the dietician. She wrote in bold NO GUM on her instructions. Then she gave me some horror stories. She to suggested sucking on a breath mint instead of chewing gum, just to keep me from slipping up and swallowing.