Gum

[granddiva 6]

I'm one month post opt. However, I love to chew gum. Am I causing any harm to my sleeve?

[Lissa 2,631]

My understanding is that the biggest danger of gum is that we might swallow the gum and it would obstruct the esophageal opening into our stomach. That would require an unpleasant (at best) procedure to remove the gum.

[granddiva 6]

Gum has been removed as of NOW! Thanks for always having the right answers.

[Joni 94]

Yeah, Lissa posted the same about sugar free hard candies. Like if you accidentally swallowed it......she said that, and I haven't had one since. Just the thought was enough to scare the hell out of me!!!

[crystalintville 66]

I'm staying away from gum which I usually have on me all the time. I'm a habitual gum swallower and ain't taking any chances. I've been eating sugar free mints instead.

[Joni 94]

Maybe I would do a tic tac in case I swallowed it but nothing larger than that!!!!

[Wheetsin 714]

I don't chew gum, but I don't think I have enough capacity to handle the additional saliva. Even sucking on a tiny SF Altoid is enough to give me my "backing up" feeling.

[Lissa 2,631]

I'm not meaning to scare anyone, but the thought of an endoscopy to remove something from the top of my stomach didn't sound good to me either!

[Wheetsin 714]

I know a lapbander (now a sleever, no it's not me) who once swallowed gum that got stuck in her pouch. She could feel it move around sometimes. Yep, they did an EGD with little endoscopy tweezers and pulled it out. She kept it.

[shangefan 193]

Yikes!

[Joni 94]

Hey Lissa - I'd rather be scared than in the ER having an endoscopy!!!

[WillowsKnot 71]

I chew gum, but I am not a swallower of it. I don't chew while driving, etc. I tend to chew at work after eating and then spit it out in like 15 mins. I have a desk job.