Crud - I swallowed a piece of gum :-(

[AlysonRR 0]

I swallowed approx. half a piece of Orbit gum (ie., pretty small) but it is just sitting there, not going down.

It felt like it was just at the back of my throat, so I tried to cough it out, hack it out, and finally vomit it out... That was dumb - I should have phoned my doctor first.

He explained that the esophagus doesn't have full sensory output, so even though something may feel like it's at the top, it could be at the bottom end of the esophagus.

So I'm on liquids after a single day of mushies (waah...), waiting for gravity and peristalsis to take it's course.

I probably won't stop chewing gum - I only have a piece every week or two - but I will be very, very careful the next time I do!

Just wanted to share my cautionary tale...

[Daisalana 33]

I'm not a fan of gum, but they told me at my pre-op, DO NOT CHEW GUM! He said if you swallow it, it can get lodged in the hole and it could require surgery to remove it, since gum doesn't break down. That was enough for me to stop chewing, especially since it was such a rare occasion anyway.

However.. eep.. I have been sick the past few days, and I have that infection taste in my mouth and it's driving me nuts, so I chewed a piece of eclipse yesterday. And in the past when I did chew gum, I always swallowed it. I was walking around a store chewing the gum mindlessly and almost swallowed it.. so I immediately spit it into a tissue. Gum doesn't seem worth the risk to me.. I'm so tight, I would be the person who had to have it surgically removed lol.

[AlysonRR 0]

My post-op instructions didn't have anything about gum, but honestly I didn't look until after I'd swallowed it and before I called (wanted to 'fess up if I did something against recommendation, even if it wasn't in the instructions).

I didn't even think about having it - besides the horribly bad breath from eating high Protein, low carb I also developed thrush, which makes it multiple times more yucky. I really need a breath freshener before talking to anyone - my 5-y.o. daughter came to hug me and say "Man, mom, your breath stinks!"

I don't think I've swallowed more than a half dozen pieces of gum in my life. Just bad luck, I guess. Everything was going along smoothly...

I saw the doctor today and he said since it's so small it's likely it will pass through at some point. It's not very comfortable, so I hope it happens soon.

Still there 30 hours later...

Alyson, posting a GumWatch update, lol

[travelgirl 3]

If you still feel like it's in there, try drinking hot liquids. Hot tea or coffee. The hot liquid can make it soft enough to go through.

I hope your ordeal is over soon!

[Wheetsin 714]

I was a gum chewer but gave it up immediately - didn't want to risk it.

(IMO) the perfect solution are the little ice breaker mints. They're tiny, probably smaller than a BB, and look kind of like blue fish eggs. The coating is a Gelatin base that dissolves, and the fillings are all liquid. Even if you swallowed one, the coating would naturally dissolve. (I've sucked on them to see how long it took, and within 20 - 30 seconds it had dissolved). The meltaway strips are ok too, I just don't care for them.

If you prefer natural remedies, you can chew parsley (nasty but a great way to freshen your breath). A few weeks ago I purchased a breath spray from the organic market. It was pricey, about $10 for a very small spray bottle, but it's completely natural and even though it tastes like crap at first, man - it does smell nice, and lasts a very long time. My co-workers tell me they love my breath. I don't have it with me, but I can look up the brand next time I'm in the office.

[AlysonRR 0]

Day 3 of gumwatch - still there :-( It sometimes feels as though it's headed through but then I'm compelled to cough and I can feel it bouncing around in there. I have a little concern I'm stressing the esophagus and stoma with the constant swallowing and throat clearing.

Wheetsin - you're right - mints would be better since they'll just dissolve.

Thanks for the suggestion about hot liquids, travelgirl - I don't drink them much, and I haven't had any since the gum incident, so I'll give it a try. I had some ice Water today and could sense the gum as more solid, so maybe the hot will work!

Alyson

Banded 12/18/07 by Dr William Neal

[Cerrin 3]

What about pineaple juice? I know it desolves Protein. maybe it will work with the gum.

I had to give up gum a couple years ago it kept pulling out my fillings. no I am greatful I dont have that issue.

Good luck

[travelgirl 3]

So, how 'bout another gumwatch update? Did the hot liquid help? Or are you still battling?

[AlysonRR 0]

Day 5 of Gumwatch - still there :-(

Hot liquid didn't work, unfortunately. I can't feel it when my stomach is full of mushy food, so I think "ah, maybe it went down!" but then my stomach empties and it's still there, bouncing around...

A couple times I've felt as though it was going down, but then I am compelled to cough and up it comes. I'm frequently working my tongue (like a cat with a hairball?) and swallowing.

I think it was a long skinny shape when swallowed so I'm not sure how to encourage it to point down.

I have an appt with the doctor again next week. I'm not sure if it's possible to remove it endoscopically, but if it's still there next week I'm certainly hoping so!

[mango24 1]

Alyson - My nurse has sat me up with the needle still sticking out of my port to make me drink. They can pull all your liquid out, sit you up, make you drink Water to wash the gum down, they lay you down and refill it.

[sunsett 2]

What about trying food tenderizor with msg in it?

[Daisalana 33]

I don't think food tenderizer or pineapple juice will help it. That's why I was warned against it, gum has uber powers heh heh. Remember the story they told you as a kid, it takes 7 years to digest 1 piece of gum.

Wheets, I'm waitin for you to post the name of the stuff! I want pretty breath.

[travelgirl 3]

Sorry, but I don't think that the meat tenderizer or pineapple juice is going to do any good. Those things break down Protein, and since gum isn't Protein, it won't soften it. Not to mention the fact that it would have to penetrate the offending material to do it's work, and I don't think that's gonna happen, either.

Try it if you must, though.

[travelgirl 3]

Yeah, I want pretty breath, too!!!

[Daisalana 33]

Urban Legends Reference Pages: Seven Years to Digest Gum

It wouldn't let me copy & paste but.. it says vegetable-oil softens gum. It says your body doesn't digest it, but it of course goes through your body. If it doesn't go through your body, I wonder how long it actually will stay around. I would try to barf it up..

Here's some other random website info I found....

Peanut Butter works - Rub creamy Peanut Butter into hair and work it into the gum. It will dissolve the gum.

The enigmatic enzyme that dissolves gum might occur in chocolate. When I was a child, my Double Bubble gum would disintegrate if I ate M&Ms at the same time