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Chewing Gum After Lap Band Surgery?



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I have a really weird question. I thought I read somewhere that people who have WLS should not chew gum. Is this true? I can't imagine never chewing gum again...just a thought I had.

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Well I would think the only risk would be if you accidentally swallow it! Otherwise I cant think of any reason not to...I just dont like gum so I guess I dont know.

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gum gave me terrible pain in my stomach so I dont chew it. I think its the whole swallow air thing but I cant chew gum

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I chew it all the time. I do get gas pains from it sometimes but I did before the surgery so that is normal!

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I chew gum sometimes. I've never had any negative side effects...

I think doctors are just worried about swallowing air. But I figure as long as you're not like... huffing air, there shouldn't be a problem.

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After a lap band surgery, you may need medicines to manage the discomfort and soreness. Follow your doctor's advice on what diet you need to have after a lap band surgery. Like gum surgery, you need to stop eating chewing or foods that are hard to chew, after a lap band surgery.

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I don't chew gum, just don't like it! But the only reason for not doing that I have ever heard is in case you swallow a large lump and it gets stuck! By its very nature, it wouldn't dissolve. But I don't imagine you make a habit of that!

I admit to being cautious about things like this! I am very careful of things like cherry stones which can easily be swallowed by mistake and might lodge above the band.

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I was told by my doctor that the reason they say that is because it can cause gas but he is a lapband patient and he says it has never bothered him so I'd say if it doesn't bother you, it would probably be okay, I chew trident, a lot of xylitol products cause diarrhea and upset stomach sugar free gum is usually made with that so be careful there too.

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I chew gum all the time as well. It keeps me from thinking about food! As a food addict I am thinking about food even when I'm not hungry. Chewing gum actually helps me a lot.

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My surgeon said No Gum, No straws, no soda.. so that is my rules.. He did say that if gum is swallowed accidentally and by the way it can happen you are at risk f having it surgically removed.. so, it's not worth it to me. He's done thousands of lapbands and I paid him to take care of me so I will do what he says.

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Any foods you swallow, will eventually get broken down and pass.....

I can't see a wad of gum digesting very well.

In my entire life, I have never end swallowed gum, but that does not mean it can't happen.

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One of my friend had the habbit of chewing gum, he was addicted to chew gums. But now he faced the bad result of it. He will have his Gum Grafting on monday. It would be really scary experience for him. So, i avoid to chew gum.

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      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
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