I know it’s frowned upon because of the gas issue, is there any other reasons you know of that it isn’t okay to chew sugar free gum? I was avid gum chewer as a kid and it helped with anxiety and stress and kept me from grunting my teeth and am wondering...

what is everyone’s experience with it?

I have an autoimmune issue that causes dry mouth and in the past have used a sugar free chewing gum to help produce some saliva, but haven't for a while. Thing that comes to mind for me is I have always felt a little hungry after chewing gum. Not sure why, but maybe the chewing stimulates the stomach and it starts with the stomach acid to help digest the food it is expecting but doesn't receive.

i certainly wouldn't be chewing gum within a few months of having WLS.

I am guessing you are going to get a lot of differing opinions, but initially the most important one will be your surgeon's and then a number of months after surgery will possibly be your experience of it.

There is this but no idea who wrote it, could be just your average punter.

https://www.gastricsleevedietguide.com/top-6-gastric-sleeve-surgery-myths-fail/

There is this, at least a doctor

https://www.drshillingford.com/blog/why-bariatric-patients-should-stop-chewing-gum-18203.html

And another blogger, not a docter, there is a section on chewing gum

https://thegastricguru.com/chewing-and-digestion

I honestly can't remember how many months they wanted us to go without chewing gum... I think it was three? Urgh, I can't remember because I'm not a gum chewer... sorry! I think they mentioned something about chewing gum allows air to get into your pouch and can cause it to expand like using straws can do and that's why you have to wait a while before you can do either. Sorry I'm not more helpful, I guess I wasn't actively paying attention when gum was brought up...

Ha--that's funny that you should mention drinking through straws. When I got my lap band years ago they said NEVER drink through straws because you swallowed air. Well, after getting my revision I was having lots of trouble swallowing air drinking, so my PA asked me "Have you tried using a straw?" and I went "WHAAAAT??" She suggested trying a straw, and to my amazement the trouble IMMEDIATELY went away. I swallow less air using a straw then when I don't!

15 hours ago, JRT Mom said:

Ha--that's funny that you should mention drinking through straws. When I got my lap band years ago they said NEVER drink through straws because you swallowed air. Well, after getting my revision I was having lots of trouble swallowing air drinking, so my PA asked me "Have you tried using a straw?" and I went "WHAAAAT??" She suggested trying a straw, and to my amazement the trouble IMMEDIATELY went away. I swallow less air using a straw then when I don't!

The nurses gave me straws in hospital!

Depends on artificial sweetner used in gum. Aspertame causes insulin reaction and will make you hungry. Chewing gum also produces a lot of saliva which you swallow. Early after surgery, you don't have room to spare. You need fluids and protein.

Over65, I have been reading about aspartame and supposedly it does not change blood sugar (according to some studies) but I feel like it does make me more hungry. They say the same of Stevia but I wonder if the studies are wrong about that to? I guess it’s called a cephalic response that your body preps for eating and releases tiny amounts of insulin. Even smelling food can do it.

Watched YouTube where two people tested all sweetners taking 2 tbls sweetness equivalent first thing in the morning, one sweetner a day. They measured blood sugar and ketones before eating sweetner and then retested 30 minutes later to see if blood sugar was elevated (elevation of blood sugar will cause insulin secretion). These are keto people but results were identical between the two.

SWEETNERS NOT EFFECTING Blood Sugar
Monk Fruit
Erythritol (caused bad GI symptoms)
Stevia
Allulose (bad GI symptoms)
Sucralose (not Splenda which has additions)
Aspertame


BAD SWEETNERS (raised
Xylitol (GI discomfort), used in gum
Cane sugar
Maltitol (used in Atkins bars, ONE bars)

I had my RNY surgery March 9th and started chewing gum in July with no problems at all.