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the gum followup

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Irritable Bowel Syndrome
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Posted 9/10/2007 10:22 PM (GMT 0)
WEll, went to gastro Dr. today and forgot to take the gum out of my mouth. Thought I had it tucked away in cheek. He picked up on it right away and said that there should be no more gum chewing. He said even though it neutralizes the acid it causes too much gas and at first blamed that for my problem but I told him I had just started it to help with acid. Yesterday all my problems came back so was glad I had appt though I never get too much out of him. He wants me on 2 Nexium a day and to take Gaviscon about a half hour after I eat and nothing else. Nothing so so much for my "cure" I was going to have to stop anyway cause the sugarlass gum was giving me very bad diahrea. So ignore what I said about gum at least if you have a lot of gas.
Posted 9/11/2007 3:24 PM (GMT 0)
Gum can only give you gas if you chew with your mouth open.  tongue  

I certainly can't do sugar-free gum, even though it's supposed to be good for your teeth because it keeps your saliva production up, which reduces the bacteria which cause cavities and even gum disease.  But they say chewing on anything, even a rubberband, will do the same thing.  Oh, and so will kissing.  tongue

I think all I need to do is put a package of SweeTarts next to my computer monitor.  For whatever reason, just thinking about eating one makes my mouth water.  I guess because they are tart. 

Posted 9/12/2007 4:44 AM (GMT 0)
Well, I sort of figured that but I wasn't even chewing it when I was talking to him. Obviously. Not that talented. I think it is really hard to chew gum with your mouth completely closed at least it is for me. It has to open a little bit. Hard candies they say do the same thing and you don't open your mouth with those. I am trying to chew a piece now just to see if I can and it has to open every once in a while. I may be more prone to it because of my breathing. Sugar free is the only one that doesn't stick to bridges and dentures.
Posted 9/12/2007 7:09 PM (GMT 0)
Chewing gum, sucking on hard candy, drinking through a straw all cause you to swallow air. Not to mention gum chewing increases salivation which swallowing too much salivation also causes gas ... crazy huh?
Posted 9/12/2007 9:58 PM (GMT 0)
I didn't think the saliva caused the gas as that is the reason I read on chewing gum to make more saliva to neutralize the gas based on studies that were done. Oh, well, moot point for me know anyway. But even my Dr. said the saliva neutralilzes the acid, just didn't give me any ideas how to get more of it. LOL I know increase saliva does help with teeth and gums. Was also told that ice water or iced drinks increase gas so stay with room temp water but have to have the wine cold. Yes, he mentioned no straws and no carbonated drinks which I have not had for probably 50 years as I hate them.
Posted 9/12/2007 11:05 PM (GMT 0)
Actually anytime we swallow anything, be it air, food, drink, we are also swallowing air. Since you constantly swallow when you chew gum, you are ingesting a lot of air. That's not to say that the saliva doesn't help neutralize the acid though which makes perfect sense. Darned if you do, darned if you don't eyes
Posted 9/13/2007 12:38 PM (GMT 0)
Timely reminder. I have read that chewing gum and drinking from straws just adds more gas in our gut. Not to mention drinking carbonated beverages.

When I had my temporary colostomy (after a colon resection for rectal cancer), back in 1999, my ostomy nurse said all 3 were out - no gum, no straws and no soda or beer. She said if I was really missing Pepsi (my one vice in life), I could pour it into a glass and stir, letting the bubbles dissipate, waiting a while before sipping it. But not to use a straw. They give you straws in the hospital I said.....she said - they shouldn't! Anyway, occasionally I had a Pepsi, I was missing that taste but by the time I did drink it tasted flat. And I was petrified of wreaking havoc in my gut.....LOL So I basically gave up Pepsi for 8 weeks.

So again, this makes total sense to me.

I used to love real bubble gum but I'm sitting here typing with 5 dental crowns and I've had one root canal, made need another (dentist is watching 1 tooth). He said no gum too especially bubble gum.

It's not fun to grow up is it? LOL Or eliminate foods or cravings we once enjoyed......dang it all!

Good luck to you......
Posted 9/13/2007 3:04 PM (GMT 0)
Anybody who says a straw will give you gas has never seen me sip from a cup! My mother's fussed on me from sucking more air than liquid when I drink. I think I'd be better off with a straw, lol.
Posted 9/13/2007 3:08 PM (GMT 0)
Aww don't tell me your a slurper Keri FOFL tongue
Posted 9/13/2007 8:14 PM (GMT 0)
Slurp? A better description would be "beverage vacuum." LOL.

Funny, though, I don't have problems with gas, except for when I take probiotics or I eat something that definitely doesn't set well on my stomach.

I think maybe if you're prone to gas, there's not a whole lot you can do to prevent it; just take gas relief to get rid of it.
Posted 9/13/2007 9:48 PM (GMT 0)
Me thinks you are right. I have always been prone to it, have never chewed gum, drink carbonated things and rarely anything with a straw. Just the nature of the beast.
Posted 9/13/2007 10:58 PM (GMT 0)
The question then becomes, Canyon, do you make your gas worse by chewing gum? If not, then may want to continue to chew it in order to help reduce your acid. Gas won't leave physical damage, but acid will.
Posted 9/14/2007 4:33 AM (GMT 0)
The problem is knowing whether this indigestion is from the acid or from swallowing air. He said it could be from either one. My problem is that I can't get rid of the gas. It won't come up and it won't go down so it causes pressure on my lungs which makes breathing difficult and also creates pressure in the esophagous till I belch which is pretty painful. Darned if I do and darned if I don't. The Gaviscon seems to be helping. Actually the gas does do damage to me because it causes me terrible coughing because of lung pressure(pretty unique to me) that causes me a bad strain on my lungs something I can't afford so iam really caught in the middle as the more coughing I do the more damage I am doing to my bronchial tubes which then in turn creates more mucous. This is a no win situation at times. The other problem is the diahrea from the sugarfree gum. I don't think there is another one that works with a denture.
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