I cannot believe how much I miss chewing of all things to miss.... Maybe I'm just extra weird..lol

No!!! Your normal! I miss it too! I feel like if I get wanting to chew something out of habit I chew a piece of sugar free gum.... Being EXTRA careful not to swallow it!!! It helps keep me from wanting to chew on a snack in stead! Happy chewing!

I went down the pet isle tonight in Target and thought a chew toy even looked good LOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL

I really am having a touch pshyological time with that one. Chew a nice crusty piece of bread - yeah baby!!!

Seems like chewing is all I do! Even if it's mushy already, I chew, chew, chew. I have to be careful not to swallow something too unchewed. I haven't PB'd since the first week, but I sure have got some things stuck, slime, 5 min later it finally passes through...I'm still very restricted. And so I chew. It's what's keeping my from shrimp! yuk.

So now your on liquids, right Christine? Don't worry, you'll get the chewing back, and then some! Gum is a great idea...just don't swallow it!!!

Debby, you are funny...salivating over a Milk Bone!

(quick hijack...sorry...Jack, how do you eat your shredded wheat? I bought some for the Fiber, but I'm only 4-5 weeks out and I have been afraid to eat it. Do I sip milk with it and chew like mad? ya know, make a mush of it in my mouth before swallowing? Any advice/hints?)

Sorry ya'll, I thought about PMing but this is good info for the board, so...thanks

Oh, and I had a small salad the other day, it was SOO good! Chewed to bits, I tell ya, but good!

thanks, I'll wait and nibble in a few weeks. And I can live without Triscuits, too. I was tempted in the grocery store with Triscuits or some other cracker but remembered your Triscuit PB, and declined!

Seems like chewing is all I do! Even if it's mushy already, I chew, chew, chew. I have to be careful not to swallow something too unchewed.

I'm with you Kathy

I'm so carefull not to under-chew

That was so banded, what a classic statement!!Thanks :bandit :rambo :rolleyes :laugh :banana

I've been looking for a name for my band..

That's it

Chew!

Why can't you chew?

Trop, they were banded more recently and are still doing the liquids/soft mushies/cream Soups, etc. so no chewing required!

Don't worry, they'll be chewing like champs before you know it.

Hey, Vera, how 'bout "Chewie" the Band?

If you don't chew properly or enough for your restriction, It will come back up on you

Sweetheart Chew by it's self is good!

Kathy...Just call me Chew

Trop, they were banded more recently and are still doing the liquids/soft mushies/cream Soups, etc. so no chewing required!

Don't worry, they'll be chewing like champs before you know it.

Hey, Vera, how 'bout "Chewie" the Band?

Oh I see...

Hey Kathy, I'm still afraid to to try Jello after your experience!!! What do you think, should I give it a try? How weird is that going to be, chewing my jello???

I am still loving my Soup though!!!!

Banded 1 week ago TODAY!!!

so far no PBing.....now I've just jinxed myself.

No!!! Your normal! I miss it too! I feel like if I get wanting to chew something out of habit I chew a piece of sugar free gum.... Being EXTRA careful not to swallow it!!! It helps keep me from wanting to chew on a snack in stead! Happy chewing!

Okay I probably should rephrase this statement. I do plenty of chewing ....but it isn't the same when you have chewed a piece of steak till it doesn't even taste like steak anymore.... or when you chew up chicken till its mashed to death.

The chewing I miss is on crunchy snack stuff I think and things that I ate when I was bored. chewing gave me something to do! So sometimes I've missed that. I can eat and feel full but still feel the need to go get something to chew/snack on but I don't. I just remind myself that thats why I'm going through all of this now and snacking just for something to do isn't going to help. So now I'm finding things to do when I feel the snack chewing attack coming on that keeps me buisy and not thinking about eating.

Hey Kathy, I'm still afraid to to try Jello after your experience!!! What do you think, should I give it a try? How weird is that going to be, chewing my jello???

Don't be afraid of jello, there were several factors involved in my PB espisode with the jello.

1) My stoma was irritated by coffee and V-8 juice and swelling was worsening

2) I ate the thick part on the bottom of the bowl, not regular jello

3) I ate it impulsively (the pre-band way!) and didn't swish it, chew it, liquify it before swallowing

so I PB'd it. Thus began the spiral downward into a difficult road to recovery from stoma swelling.

Just eat it slowly, liquify it in your mouth before swallowing and you'll do great. Oh, and spit out any jello that doesn't liquify...wish I had.

Try it, jello is yummy! But, know what? I haven't had it since.

The chewing I miss is on crunchy snack stuff I think and things that I ate when I was bored. chewing gave me something to do! So sometimes I've missed that. I can eat and feel full but still feel the need to go get something to chew/snack on but I don't. I just remind myself that thats why I'm going through all of this now and snacking just for something to do isn't going to help. So now I'm finding things to do when I feel the snack chewing attack coming on that keeps me buisy and not thinking about eating.

Yep, I took your gum advice today and chewed a piece...thanks!

I have been able to manage Tostitos white corn tortilla chips crumbled up in my guacamole and chewed to death. It satisfies the crunchies but it can really get out of hand, too. Too many Tositios are NOT good! But Oh so yummy, especailly when you miss the crunchies! If you can avoid it getting out of hand, try it. But if you think it might be too hard to stop, DON'T start!!!

Oprah talked about that today, she uses cereal for her crunch food.