Hi again- more questions-love this site!! My dr said to stay away from chewing gum and using straws- have you heard that?? Do you know how long?? Thanks!!!

I was told the same. Gum makes my stomach gassy & I wk back to straws. It's the only way I get my water in. No problems yet. I am 5 months out & tried straws last month or do.

My doctor said forever. It is a life-style change. The reasoning is that you swallow air when you use a straw or chew gum and the air will a) take up valuable space on your pouch and end up stretching your pouch out.

I love straws too it's the only way I can drink enough fluids during the day !!

no Straws because you draw in air with it so can't take in as much Water. Although we were told the same thing when I had the lapband and found I drank more water if I used a straw. The only time it was an issue was when it was a straw that had a small crack...you know when you can actually hear the air pulling into it from the side of the straw and you have to draw hard. WEll then I threw it away and used a new one.

Gum...the added air but, more so because if you accidently swallow it, it can block the opening from your pouch to intestine and you'll be in trouble. Gum takes a LONG time to digest and our pouches are too small to have something in them that long blocking things.