Ugh, What Now

[ooffa511 507]

I'm a lil over two months. I'm loving my sleeve but not when I brush my teeth. I start dry heaving until I almost start foaming at the mouth. Why is this all of a sudden??

[CBT 450]

Unrelated to the sleeve because I don't have one yet, I have to use warm Water to brush and paste (not gel) or I gag and heave.

life is a journey, not a destination; so, stop running -H.D. THEROUX

[clk 3,519]

That's an odd one. Maybe your tastes have changed enough that it's causing an issue? Have you tried switching brands or is it all toothpastes?

The only time I gag when brushing my teeth is when I'm pregnant.

Hope you figure it out!

~Cheri

[MinaT 669]

It's happened to me since the sleeve. I have never gagged brushing my teeth. Actually my cure all for being hungry was to brush my teeth. I brush 3 times a day normally and after I got sleeved I started gagging.

I never had a problem taking medicine before either. Now I'm gagging on tiny pills. I take a sip of Water and I get my pill in and I have been stalling and the pill melting in the Water. It's like I became drinking dyslexic or something.

I learned if I take my medicine with 1/4 - 1/2 cup of skim milk it's not so bad. It seems heavier and helps bring the medicine down. I find the colder the water and less water I use when brushing I have less foamy and gag reflex.

I have gone 49 years without these problems and hopefully this evens out soon.

Good luck to you.

[JD7176 84]

My NUT says we may have issues brushing our teeth because of the mint. She explained why and of course i don't remember except bits lol. But think of how you eat mint for digestion. So your stomach is gurgling, but nothings in there or something like that. I remembered the solution! Which is switch to cinnamon.

[nikki264 6]

I cannot STAND anything minty since surgery either! I am a little over 4mos post op. Hate mint now. Unfortunate lol

[SkinnySimon79 0]

I've been sleeved for 10 weeks and my gag reflex is out of control. Every time I brush my teeth I have to be extra careful not to gag myself and throw up. It also happens when I cough too hard.

[ooffa511 507]

Same when I cough too. I use to brush my teeth before I left the house. Now I choke so badly my eyes tear and my make up is all messed up lol. Oh to be a woman

[CdnExpat 49]

I'm a lil over two months. I'm loving my sleeve but not when I brush my teeth. I start dry heaving until I almost start foaming at the mouth. Why is this all of a sudden??

So I hadn't gagged (that I remember) or thrown up in 30 years. Now 3 months post op, I gag at the idea of eating certain foods, I had a terrible time swallowing even the smallest pills in the beginning, and I've gone through eleventh-three flavours of toothpaste, gel, and powder trying to find one that doesn't cause me to begin gagging before the brush is even on my teeth. Trial and error produced these solutions:

1. I don't eat (or even think about eating) food that isn't high quality, freshly prepared, and in small quantities. (This actually turned out to be the key. If it looks like a lot of food, I'm in trouble) I keep thinking about the scene in Ratatouille- "If you can muscle your way past the gag reflex, it's not bad." Well, I'm not doing that anymore. If I can only eat 1/2 cup at a time, I want SUPREMO quality. =)

2. I, like one of the other posters, began using skim milk to take medication. Voile! It seems easier, and I've stopped wrenching up those hideously expensive Biocytin pills intended to prevent hair loss.

3. For the teeth, I experimented and ended up with a very soft toothbrush, cinnamon flavored gel (which will last until I die because i use such a small dab) and warm Water. I brush slowly and carefully, and I force myself to concentrate on the job the brush is doing. I mean really thinking about and feeling the process of brushing my teeth. As soon as I become mentally occupied on something else, I brush more vigorously, and *poof* I'm gagging and heaving. Gross.

Keep experimenting. You'll find something that works for you.

CE

[Daddyfat2thin 30]

Are you on any acid reflux medicine? I have had this problem when I had really bad acid reflux pre sleeve. I am not yet sleeved and concerned. With this returning post sleeve.

[CdnExpat 49]

Are you on any acid reflux medicine? I have had this problem when I had really bad acid reflux pre sleeve. I am not yet sleeved and concerned. With this returning post sleeve.

It's pretty standard to take a med such as Pariet (PPI) for 90 days after surgery. Some people get off of it, some don't. If you have acid reflux before, it could get better/disappear and it might not. But meds do take care of the problem, so not to worry.

CE