Chewing Gum aids in Colon Surgery

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dixchi
dixchi Member Posts: 431
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I found this news interesting in the current AARP Bulletin. Chewing gum
three times daily for 5 to 45 minutes stimulates nerves in the digestive
system, boosts gastric hormones and saliva and secretion from the pancreas
after surgery. Apparently it helps get the digestive system back in operation
much quicker and the article touts doing this shortens hospital stays, alleviates
stomach pain, nausea, etc. I find this unbelievable but anyone out there who
tries it, let us know what the results were.

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  • CALC
    CALC Member Posts: 2
    #2
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    Chewing Gum
    Chewing gum does work. My surgeon told me to do it when I had a colon resection back in 2003. I chewed all day long because I had the NG tube and couldn't eat or drink anything. Sounds funny, but true.
  • Joy1216
    Joy1216 Member Posts: 290 Member
    #3
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    Chewing gum
    Before my resection in March '06, I read about chewing gum waking up the bowels. My surgeon wouldn't let me have anything by mouth, not even ice chips or chewing gum, for 5 days. I was released from the hospital on day 6. I think my recuperation would have been faster if I could have chewed some gum (any my mouth wouldn't have felt like cotton for 5 days).
    Joy
  • Hatshepsut
    Hatshepsut Member Posts: 336 Member
    #4
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    It worked for my husband!
    Hi Dixchi:

    My husband had trouble getting his disgestive system reactivated after both of his resections. He had to have an NG tube after the first surgery. Several days after his second surgery, his saintly surgeon suggested chewing gum to get things moving. Within a day, my husband had a bowel movement and we avoided the dreaded NG tube. Obviously, his problem could have resolved itself naturally but he did chew gum and his problems did promptly resolve themselves. So...what can it hurt? Research (published in medical journals) , as I found on the Internet, points to gum chewing as being a helpful thing to do after colon surgery.

    Hatshepsut
  • dixchi
    dixchi Member Posts: 431
    #5
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    good news
    It is so wonderful to know that something as simple as chewing gum does work;
    and no rediculous side effects. I may try it for problems after chemo treatments
    as well just to see what it does.

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