Chewing Gum on Dialysis a Bad Thing?

[UkrainianTracksuit]

Alright, so the third member of my family (including me) with kidney disease started dialysis today.  My older auntie in Russia started HD and we Skype'd to hear all about it.  However, she told us that the technicians at her clinic very much enforced the rule of "NO gum chewing" while on the dialysis machine.  They made her spit it out and waited until she did.

I had heard once that there is a chemical in chewing gum that interacts with the dialysis process.  Is this true?  Could this be the reason?  Anyone know the name of the chemical?  I didn't think much of it.  I've heard more of the positive effects of chewing gum for dialysis patients: combating thirst and helping lower phosphate levels.

Is this normal?  Or is this just "old school" thinking because of the facilities?  What have you guys experienced concerning this?  I don't want to get her into trouble but I would figure chewing gum is fine.   

[noahvale]

*

[jeannea]

I was also thinking choking hazard. Even if you just fall asleep you can choke. If something worse happens I would think gum could make CPR difficult.

[UkrainianTracksuit]

Thanks for your replies, noahvale and jeannea.  I think you both are right and I see your point.  I'm extremely stupid and should've thought of that.  I hope that at least she can chew ice or something during her sessions.  She's at an older center with older machines so we'll see what they offer as time goes on... Ice might be a luxury.   

By the way, since I couldn't rely on my memory, I knew I'd written it somewhere about this mysterious chemical interaction.  I went through my note pads and found it was just Sorbitol found in sugar-free chewing gum that causes hypotension.  With that already being an issue during HD, I can see why the clinic used this scare tactic to stop gum chewing here.    

[galvo]

I happily chew sugar-free gum every day on Dialysis. I saw a bloke go flat while eating a sandwich. The nurses just hooked it out of his mouth.

[UkrainianTracksuit]

What does "go flat" mean?     And by hooked out of his mouth, you mean, they just took it out?  Sorry, sometimes I am lost in translation.

[Rerun]

 

[UkrainianTracksuit]

Well, at topic of laughing at either my stupidity or the general topic at hand (either way, glad I can be some entertainment!  ), on the topic of candy, I guess the issue wasn't chewing gum per say.  It's the issue of salmiakki -flavoured gum causing issues with blood thinners on the machine.  So, some interactions going on...

[galvo]

'Go flat' is the euphemism used when a patient loses consciousness due either to low BP or a hypo. 'Go floppy' could possibly be more appropriate. No, 'took' would not be expressive enough. The fingers have to go deep in the mouth (some throat might be involved!) and rapidly remove the half-eaten sandwhich in a scooping manner.

While all this is happening, the patients chair is rapidly returned to the prone position, fluid removal is ceased, and his/her name is called loudly in the hope that consciousness returns. It's quite a show for the rest of the patients!

BTW, you called yourself 'extremely stupid'. Cut that that out! (trans: desist). No questions, or questioners, are regarded as stupid here! Ask any thing and everything you don't know or are unsure of. We are a mutual help society

Rerun, behave!

[Jean]

 Salmiakki-flavored?

[UkrainianTracksuit]

Salmiakki is black licorice "salted" with ammonium chloride.  The flavoring is used in candies and vodka. 

[jeannea]

I have never heard of that flavoring. It must be something in that country and it does sound like a problem. Maybe she could get hard candy like mints (unless she's diabetic).

By the way, you're not stupid. No stupid questions here.

[cassandra]

Interesting. Didn't know about the licorice /salmiak causing that. When my bp is low I deliberately eat (dutch) double  salt liquorice to get it up.
I must try the salmiakky flavoured vodka though.

Sounds yummy

Love, Cas

[amanda100wilson]

Never heard of the flavoring either, but as others of us have said, possible choking is the issue.  Galvo, glad that you explained to us that don't know what going 'flat' means.  Never heard the term before although I suppose that this could be due to the fact that I only did in-unit as a transition between PD and HHD.