Chewing and Spitting

Jackie McGee
on 1/20/10 10:40 am - PA

I really hate seeing people on OH suggesting to others that chewing up and then spitting out your food just for the taste is a good idea. It's not, trust me on this one. I'm speaking from experience here.

I started doing the chewing and spitting thing in elementary school - I'm going to say around 4th or 5th grade, so I was 9 or 10 years old. I did this until I was 13 (8th grade - my parents divorced, so stress x 1,000,000). By the time I was 13, I came to the realization that if I could chew and spit everything out, then actually eating and then puking would work the same way. So at 13 years old, I became bulimic. I never did go back to chewing and spitting because actually eating and swallowing the food was a hell of a lot more enjoyable.

From the age of 13 to 18, when I graduated high school, I was binging and purging every odd day (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and eating "normally" and puking breakfast and dinner on the "off" days (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday). I started counseling for my ED in 1998 when I went to college for the first time. My counselor had me figure out how many calories I was taking in and then throwing out and we discovered that on (what I would have considered) a "bad" day, I was keeping less than 100 calories in my body. That's not enough for any person to live and finally that scared some sense in to me. I ate normally without the bulimia from age 19 to 23 and that's when I went from 150 lbs to almost 400.

When I was 23, my father committed suicide and my stress levels shot through the roof again. From 23 to 27, I was bulimic - full-blown, actually. I was binging and purging three or more times a day.

And I was still fat (only now it was fluctuating up and down about 40 lbs every few months) and still going to counseling to try to kick the habit.

Well, I started the WLS process when I was 27, so in early 2007 I finally found a counselor I was comfortable enough with that actually listened to me without judging me. We worked through (most of) my issues and from 27 to 29 I stopped the binging and purging altogether. The WLS process took two years because I knew I wouldn't pass a psych evaluation until I had everything under control and I wanted to actually BE in control.

February 24, 2009 I had the RNY gastric bypass. The surgery itself went great. I was in the hospital for four days due to nausea caused by my diabetes being out of control and because my gastroparesis due to the years of being bulimic AND the diabetes was also out of control.

I made it through the post-op phases just fine. I loved only being able to drink liquids and eat soft and mushy foods and I loved how quickly I was losing the weight.

I took my time moving onto actual foods - well, that, and I developed (or possibly irritated an existing) an ulcer and started puking my guts out no matter what I ate or drank, and wouldn't you know all of that puking triggered everything all over again and suddenly I was no longer afraid to move onto solid food.

So, let's see, that was three months post-op. I'm now eleven months post-op and back on track, but I'd say between post-op months three and seven, I tried like hell to binge - my pouch wouldn't let me so it was kind of like mini-binging, puking, mini-binging, puking, etc. for a couple of hours.

I know that was a lot to share, but I just feel like I'm obligated. I'm not saying everyone who chews and spits is going to go down the same road I did, but if I can prevent it by sharing some of this, then that's what I'll do.

For post-ops, it's probably actually healthier to just eat something and see how you react to it. Not everyone dumps, and one cookie post-op is a lot better than the 20 or 30 you may have eaten pre-op. Hopefully that makes sense.

Okay, more reasons why chewing and spitting (C&S) isn't a good idea.

Diagnostic Criteria (RE: Eating Disorders)
The following is considered the "text book" definition of an Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified, to assist doctors in making a clinical diagnosis... it is in no way representative of what a sufferer feels or experiences in living with an Eating Disorder. It is important to note that this is a Clinical definition, and is in no way meant to say that any sufferer does not struggle, and that the condition is not serious. It is not meant to say you do not have Anorexia or Bulimia (or a combination of both sometimes known as Bulimirexia). This is a clinical category of disordered eating meant for those who suffer but do not meet all the diagnostic criteria for another specific disorder.

Examples Include:

All of the criteria for Anorexia Nervosa are met except the individual has regular menses.
All of the criteria for Anorexia Nervosa are met except that, despite substantial weight loss, the individual's current weight is in the normal range.
All of the criteria for Bulimia Nervosa are met except binges occur at a frequency of less than twice a week or for a duration of less than 3 months.
An individual of normal body weight *****gularly engages in inappropriate compensatory behavior after eating small amounts of food (eg, self-induced vomiting after the consumption of two cookies).
An individual *****peatedly chews and spits out, but does not swallow, large amounts of food.
Binge eating disorder; recurrent episodes of binge eating in the absence of the regular use of inappropriate compensatory behaviors characteristic of bulimia nervosa.

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I kind of said this in a comment earlier, but I'll do it again here.

When you put something in your mouth, your body prepares itself to receive some nutrition. Your saliva glands start going and your stomach starts producing the acid it requires to break down the food you're about to give it. You're essentially tricking your body. If you don't' swallow what's in your mouth, the acid doesn't just go away. It just sits there and starts causing damage, and the more you do it, the more damage that acid is going to cause.

I know we've all heard that we're more susceptible to ulcers after surgery. Well, that build up of acid is going to give you an ulcer and it's not going to be a pleasant experience at all.

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"When food is not well chewed and the food fragments are too big to be properly broken down, incomplete digestion occurs. Not only do nutrients not get extracted from the food but undigested food becomes fodder for bacteria in the colon which can lead to bacterial overgrowth, flatulence and other symptoms of indigestion."

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I guess the basic thing you're missing out on when you do this is getting your nutrition. Proper nutrition is important, guys. A couple of extra calories from a donut is better than getting no calories at all - "Chewing and spitting out sugary foods can still do damage to teeth, perhaps even more so, as the quantities of sugar ending up in the mouth are larger than if food was actually swallowed and eaten properly.

There’s nothing good about depriving your body of the food it needs. Food that ends up in the mouth should be swallowed. Rather than chewing and spitting out certain types of foods, it’s better to actually eat them in moderation."

Okay, I now return you to your regularly scheduled programming.

 Proud mama of Mischa and Gabriel, both born post-op.

kimily1979
on 1/20/10 10:56 am - Catawba, SC
Jackie,
You are aobviously a very strong woman who has been thru a lot. Thank you for share so much good information with us!
            
Jackie McGee
on 1/20/10 11:22 am - PA
Thank you and you're welcome!

 Proud mama of Mischa and Gabriel, both born post-op.

(deactivated member)
on 1/20/10 10:59 am - .., WA
I have chewed and spit on occasion. To me it is nice to taste and enjoy the crunch. But, I dont want the carbs and calories. I have only done it a few times since surgery but it helps me. (for now anyway)

It may not be right for everyone though. I can see how it may become a problem, like everything. To each his own on this one.
Jackie McGee
on 1/20/10 11:05 am - PA
Let me know how that works out for you a few years from now, then. I'm not saying everyone will become bulimic, but abusing C&S will make you sick in the long run.

 Proud mama of Mischa and Gabriel, both born post-op.

Ruby23
on 1/20/10 3:40 pm - Sweden
I have to comment because it seems like you are trying to say that chewing and spitting is some sort of acceptable strategy to deal with food cravings and its just some folks that it could be bad for. Thats WRONG.

Its only deepening an unhealthy relationship with food and having such an unhealthy relationship can only lead to long term problems. This is not a good way to deal with cravings.

Finding healthy ways to deal with food cravings and impulses is really the only way to deal with this. Thats not an easy task, I struggle with that myself and I bet many people here do, but adding a new bad habit and unhealthy reaction into the mix isnt a good idea at all. We need to reduce our bad habits and unhealthy responses, not increase them!

Its not right for ANYONE to do this and you trying to endorse it as if it is....well thats just wrong and just illustrating the destructive path of denial you are on already.

'would rather get gunned down than dumbed down...K'naan

(deactivated member)
on 1/20/10 11:18 am - Woodbridge, VA
Thanks for sharing your experiences, Jackie. I can't agree more - I get so disturbed when I see people suggesting chewing and spitting as if it were a good idea. It is classic disordered eating behavior. It may seem like a good idea, but it's just NOT. If you can't control your portions with certain foods, it is better to avoid them than to turn to chewing and spitting.

Not to mention that if you are tasting something sweet, then you ARE absorbing some of the calories/carbs because the digestion of sugar begins in the MOUTH.

Jackie McGee
on 1/20/10 11:26 am - PA
No problem :) Thanks for commenting! I was hoping a lot of people would comment and share more information on this - and I'm dreading the comments telling me that I'm wrong, that chewing and spitting is okay.

 Proud mama of Mischa and Gabriel, both born post-op.

Sharyn S.
on 1/20/10 11:21 am - Bastrop, TX
RNY on 08/19/04 with
Disordered eating is disordered eating.  It doesn't matter if you are anorexic, bulemic, or a compulsive overeater.  Those are all different manifestations of the same mental health issue.

Thanks for sharing, Jackie.

Sharyn, RN

RIP, MOM ~ 5/31/1944 - 5/11/2010
RIP, DADDY ~ 9/2/1934 - 1/25/2012

Jackie McGee
on 1/20/10 11:28 am - PA
Thanks for commenting, Sharyn :)

I think that even if you're doing this "every now and then" or "once or twice", there's still something wrong enough with your thinking that makes seeking counseling a good idea.

 Proud mama of Mischa and Gabriel, both born post-op.

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