Beware the Sugar-Free Jelly Belly: A Cautionary Tale

[Daydra 345]

Alternate title: How I Shat Myself

Sooo, you know that little statement on sugar free candy that says something to the effect of "excessive consumption may have a laxative effect"? I implore you to take it seriously, people.

I never really ate much sugar free candy pre surgery, but I'm absolutely certain that I've had more than a single serving at any one time in the past, just by the nature of some of my historic eating habits. I've recently developed a penchant for the Jelly Belly Sours. They come in a little bag that is labeled as 2 servings (80 cal per). Yesterday, I was a bit low on my calorie count for the day and was just craving the dang things, so I didn't see any significant reason not to indulge. I ate both servings over the course of an hour or two. Big, big mistake.

After the undeniable realization that the rumbling in my tumbly was most definitely NOT just gas (no saving those underoos!), I spent the better part of 3 hours making panicked runs back and forth to the bathroom. Not even a little bit fun. However, it does appear that I've found a solution for the next time Constipation raises it's ugly head... I can't tell you how thankful I am that I was at home, close to bedtime, and didn't have anything (else) pressing that I had to attend to.

Good luck! And watch the sugar free candy! 2 servings was all it took!

[ChihuahuaMom 23]

Oh no! LOL on the solution to Constipation though. I know I can only eat some types of artificial sweetener. I have an actual allergy to maltitol, it gives me a bad rash. The others - yeah I have noticed they loosen up the GI tract. Have not noticed any problems with splenda.

[erp 2,016]

Same thing happens to me after too many sugar-free Ice Breaker Sours. It starts with the rumbling intestines and then....oye!

[MIJourney 490]

Used to love those pre-sleeve but never had the sugar-free version.

Haven't had any candy yet but thanks for the heads up!

Pre-sleeve sugar-free life savers caused extreme stomach pain for me so never had those again.

[aliekat55 157]

I don't generally care for candy but with my Constipation problems perhaps I could try it.

[coopercoop 12]

Thanks for the heads up. And I spit Water all over my key board.. LOL

[Teachamy 1,042]

And remember, sugar free doesn't mean carb free. An important distinction for diabetics.

[Daydra 345]

Thanks all, for sharing in my (my mental thesaurus is failing me, the best I've got at the moment is...)chagrin...

Better (perhaps "more effective" would be more accurate than "better") than any laxative I've tried to date! Including the old standby Fleet enema!

Splenda is a component of the "sugar substitute mix" of these. If I had a package at hand (Oh yes of course I have more, I bought a case online... because pooping one's drawers should never be limited to "just once"!), I would list more info, but you can probably look it up online pretty quickly if you are interested. Okay, grabbed a package because it really wasn't that quick to find the info online... Maltitol (a sugar alcohol) and Maltitol Syrup are the first 2 ingredients on the ingredient list (ChihuahuaMom, stay far, far, away from these!!!), so that's where the beloved "laxative effect" comes from.

Most definitely, there is the carb issue. They're about 37g carbs/serving w/8g Fiber, so that's what, like 2 carb servings I think?

Pre-sleeve, I'd always bounced back and forth with my personal "sugar philosophy". Is it better to just have a little sugar or is it better to go with a substitute. Fortunately, I've never had an A1c or fasting glucose test that was high (though my docs kept poking me because my "fat" square peg didn't fit in their "must be diabetic" round hole...), so I've had the flexibility to have the choice.

MIJourney: I would guess one bad sugar free candy experience would make you suspicious of them all. To which I would say "Good call!"

Thanks all for having a laugh with me! What good is a "I Just Pooped Myself" story if you can't share it, right?!?! And it sounds like I'm in good company!!!

[GypsyQueen 198]

There are some of the funniest, awful, hysterical, gut wrenching reviews on Amazon for Haribo sugar free Gummy bears. I laughed so hard I cried.

http://www.amazon.com/Haribo-Gummy-Candy-Sugarless-5-Pound/product-reviews/B000EVQWKC

[Daydra 345]

Thanks for linking this!! I'm going to save it for later!

[erp 2,016]

There are some of the funniest' date=' awful, hysterical, gut wrenching reviews on Amazon for Haribo sugar free Gummy bears. I laughed so hard I cried.

http://www.amazon.com/Haribo-Gummy-Candy-Sugarless-5-Pound/product-reviews/B000EVQWKC[/quote']

Hilarious!

[slvrsax 301]

Happened to me once with a sugar free red bull. I was pretty mortified, my fiance witnessed the whole thing. He still married me, must be true love!

[Phoenix79 452]

There are some of the funniest' date=' awful, hysterical, gut wrenching reviews on Amazon for Haribo sugar free Gummy bears. I laughed so hard I cried.

http://www.amazon.com/Haribo-Gummy-Candy-Sugarless-5-Pound/product-reviews/B000EVQWKC[/quote']

Thanks so much for this! I had to pin this on my Pintrest "humor" board!

[Daydra 345]

OMG! There are too many to read at once! I think I just broke a rib!

Definitely forwarding this the work... (Only the people that I want to warn off any mysteriously appearing bowl of community gummi bears, of course!)

[RebecaSparkles 247]

My incisions are killing me & i'm in tears ... Of laughter. Thats some funny stuff!

allons-y