Just hit my 100 day mark and the craves are fewer and farther between. One thing that got worse as the quit went forward was my stomach. I realized early on what a good laxative skoal/cope was and finally got past that problem only to be faced with the worst cramps, bloating,diarrhea, gastro problems you can imagine. My wife and daughter ran me out of the house on more than one occassion and I moved upstairs to spare my wife. Chaulked it up to the huge amount of food I was shoving down my gullot and the change to no tobacco. Finally could not take it any longer and researched every change I made to find the problem.
Search sugarless gum causes gas and you will find many articles concerning the sugar alchohol that sweetens the gum. It is not digestible by the bacteria in your mouth (no tooth decay ) but it is also not digestible by your intestines and causes havoc in many people. I chewed three pieces at a time at least 25 pcs per day. Not exagerating to say that it was almost deadly and I have felt like "shit" for a long time. Two days off gum now and fighting to keep from eating myself to death.
All things in moderation but I will have to put the sugarless gum in the zero tolerance category with skoal.
Anybody else notice that they could run their car by hooking a hose up to their ass? (Killer will you help me get a patent on the ass powered engine?)

First of all let me congratulate you on ascending to the 1st floor!

Actually, I must admit that I have suffered some of the issues that you have pointed out, to the point of being awakened in the middle of the night with stomach craps. I too just figured it was the amount of food and weight gain (and extra alcohol to a degree) that came with the quit.

I haven't been going nuts with the gum but I will watch out for it now anyway. I wish I woulda thought about the ass-powered engine!

Forget the gum, how did you get a SPARE WIFE UPSTAIRS?!?!?

Just had to comment on that part LOL!

Sorry, but that's outside my field of practice, simbo. And I don't really know anything about "green technology" (or would that be "brown technology"?). But it does sound like an interesting possibility. Maybe one of the other attorneys on the site would be better suited to help out on this, such as pdriver, heywadsworth, or taji trial. Actually, I think Luke's Dad is an attorney and a big liberal, so he might know how to get in touch with former VP Al Gore. Not only is Al a big environmental nut, he's also an expert on hot air.

Oh, now that was low.




Hilarious and true, but low

OMG! The last two weeks have been miserable for me with all the the stomach issues described. It has been the worst experience. I recented attended a huge convention and had to make all of the bathrooms on the map so I would know which one to hit when the pains hit. I have had to leave my sons ballgame to go find a toliet. I have been buying sugerless gum by the box and as of today, I will give it up but dont know what to replace it with. Any ideas. This is day 23 for me quiting after about 30 years of skoal long cut and then skoal bandits. I know that i will never dip again and now I am trying to help one of my friends that is on cope to quit. This website has made the difference. By the way, I used Commit 2mg cherry losenzes to help me. Only had to do 4 per day at the first week. Now down to 2. Another week or 2 will be at nothing. I really dont care how long I have to stay on the Commit as long as I never dip again.

This may sound nuts, but I tried this early in my quit and it worked for me: Pull off one third to a half of a cotton ball and either chew it like gum or put it between your cheek & gums (swish a little water in your mouth to moisten). For some hard craves, swish some Listerine after inserting the cotton ball.

BTW, I've used Trident gum a lot (I love the bubblegum) and haven't had any unusual intestinal problems.

Champion--I found only one gum brand that does not have the fake sugar..... good ole fashion "Bazooka" in fact they use real sugar which will not spike your insulin as much as corn syrup. Corn Syrup--according to research--also deadens the alarm that your stomach is full. That is a big problem for us quitters! I used to buy a few packs a week early in my quit. A word of caution though....do not even try to read the comics as it causes blindness!

Thanks for the information. I will buy some Bazooka today. This is day 3 or so since I gave up sugarfree gum and sugarfree mints and candy and my stomach has returned to normal. Thank goodness. I was in some real pain. Since this is day 27 from dip, I could sure use some gum or something. I did find that good ol Tic Tacs does not have the sorbitol in it which is the culprit for all of the stomach issues. Thanks for the info.

True that sugar free candy will do a number on you, (been there, done that, have the brown stains to prove it), but sugarless gum hasn't caused me any problems - and I was going through 18 pieces of Trident a day at one time.

[quote name='Champ' post='5280654' date='Jun 8 2008, 10:28 PM'][quote name='mavinus' post='5280051' date='Jun 7 2008, 08:54 AM'][quote name='Eutychus' post='5279210' date='Jun 3 2008, 04:32 AM'][quote name='Champ' post='5279171' date='Jun 5 2008, 09:17 AM']...I have been buying sugerless gum by the box and as of today, I will give it up but dont know what to replace it with. Any ideas...[/quote]
This may sound nuts, but I tried this early in my quit and it worked for me: Pull off one third to a half of a cotton ball and either chew it like gum or put it between your cheek & gums (swish a little water in your mouth to moisten). For some hard craves, swish some Listerine after inserting the cotton ball.

BTW, I've used Trident gum a lot (I love the bubblegum) and haven't had any unusual intestinal problems.
[/quote]

[quote]OMG! The last two weeks have been miserable for me with all the the stomach issues described. It has been the worst experience. I recented attended a huge convention and had to make all of the bathrooms on the map so I would know which one to hit when the pains hit. I have had to leave my sons ballgame to go find a toliet. I have been buying sugerless gum by the box and as of today, I will give it up but dont know what to replace it with. Any ideas. This is day 23 for me quiting after about 30 years of skoal long cut and then skoal bandits. I know that i will never dip again and now I am trying to help one of my friends that is on cope to quit. This website has made the difference. By the way, I used Commit 2mg cherry losenzes to help me. Only had to do 4 per day at the first week. Now down to 2. Another week or 2 will be at nothing. I really dont care how long I have to stay on the Commit as long as I never dip again.[/quote]
Champion--I found only one gum brand that does not have the fake sugar..... good ole fashion "Bazooka" in fact they use real sugar which will not spike your insulin as much as corn syrup. Corn Syrup--according to research--also deadens the alarm that your stomach is full. That is a big problem for us quitters! I used to buy a few packs a week early in my quit. A word of caution though....do not even try to read the comics as it causes blindness!
[/quote]

Thanks for the information. I will buy some Bazooka today. This is day 3 or so since I gave up sugarfree gum and sugarfree mints and candy and my stomach has returned to normal. Thank goodness. I was in some real pain. Since this is day 27 from dip, I could sure use some gum or something. I did find that good ol Tic Tacs does not have the sorbitol in it which is the culprit for all of the stomach issues. Thanks for the info.
[/quote]

I'm off the sugarless gum -- i had the same painful gastro issues. Thanks for the info. Heck, gum with sugar is a lot healthier than the alternative.

Diarrhea!

Duloxetine can make your mouth dry. Chewing sugarless gum, sucking hard candy and drinking plenty of water will help.

Do not treat yourself for coughs, colds, or allergies without asking your prescriber or health care professional for advice. Some ingredients may increase possible side effects.