# Swallowed my gum the night before a colonoscopy **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 5, 2017, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593 "2017-12-05T01:55:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/1 "2017-12-05T01:55:50Z")
Cue Sad Trombone. Will this be a problem? Gum is pretty inert, and my not pass into the intestine by then. I plan to tell them, but was the debilitating prep work wasted? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/2 "2017-12-05T02:04:50Z")
I dunno, but you gotta admit, that’s one for the OP subject/OP User Name combo award. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/3 "2017-12-05T02:13:31Z")
I don’t know. Please return with the answer, so that we may add it to the hive mind. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 3:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/4 "2017-12-05T03:06:58Z")
I’d recommend telling them, just so they don’t encounter any, ahem, surprises. 😛 They’ve seen much, much worse; trust me on that. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/5 "2017-12-05T03:15:54Z")
I wonder if the anesthesiologist will refuse you. They don’t like it if people have anything in their tummies that might come back up while they’re out, twilight or other. ---
**Author:** ![galen\_ubal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/galen_ubal/32/4440_2.png) [@galen\_ubal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/galen_ubal)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/6 "2017-12-05T03:39:15Z")
Definitely tell them. I sympathize, having had a colonoscopy myself, but better safe then sorry. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/7 "2017-12-05T04:15:51Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I wonder if the anesthesiologist will refuse you. They don’t like it if people have anything in their tummies that might come back up while they’re out, twilight or other. Unless the scope was schedule for this evening, that should not be an issue. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/8 "2017-12-05T04:24:22Z")
If you want to understand why they are so insistent about a clean tract (besides simply wanting to see what’s going on up there) take a look at [davidm’s recent horror story](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=843266&highlight=rehab). If the tract had been full of feces when that happened, he’d have had no chance at all. Even with a field as clean as they can make it, he’s lucky still to be with us. So, yeah, make sure they know, and accept your fate. I know after reading that I will never again complain about PREP. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/9 "2017-12-05T16:17:59Z")
[The gum will be stuck in your appendix (along with your fingernail bitings) for the next seven years, so no problemo.](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/398/is-swallowing-chewing-gum-dangerous) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/10 "2017-12-05T16:41:33Z")
Ideal best case scenario, you get your gum back after the procedure (rinse well). ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/11 "2017-12-05T16:44:54Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > Ideal best case scenario, you get your gum back after the procedure (rinse well). Does your chewing gum lose it’s flavor… in the\* colon\* over nite?😛 ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/12 "2017-12-05T18:32:19Z")
It shouldn’t be a problem; endoscopies are often done just to retrieve objects of that size. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/13 "2017-12-05T19:18:47Z")
It turned out to be inconsequential. I owned up to it as soon as I was admitted. No complications ensued. Everyone got a chuckle about it. Side note: the FCC mandates food commercials be broadcasted at an accelerated pace the day before a colonoscopy. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/14 "2017-12-05T20:07:09Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > [The gum will be stuck in your appendix (along with your fingernail bitings) for the next seven years, so no problemo.](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/398/is-swallowing-chewing-gum-dangerous) > > 😃 Huh. I thought it grew into a gum tree. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/15 "2017-12-05T21:16:38Z")
Nothing to add other than that I had a scope this a.m. as well. MAN, that prep was unpleasant! ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/16 "2017-12-05T21:22:47Z")
Glad everything worked out. You didn’t blow any bubbles during the procedure, did you? ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/17 "2017-12-05T21:43:12Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Nothing to add other than that I had a scope this a.m. as well. MAN, that prep was unpleasant! I had mine a few months ago and I agree. I speculated that if I ate lightly for the several days leading up to the prep that I’d clean out quickly. I think that bore out. I heard from the techs that some people figure since they can’t eat on the prep day, they stuff themselves the day before and that turns out to be a huge mistake. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/18 "2017-12-05T23:47:16Z")
Misread the thread title as “Swallowed my **GUN** the night before a colonoscopy” and came in thinking I should tell you the prep is bad but not quite _that_ bad. ---
**Author:** ![seal\_cleaner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@seal\_cleaner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seal_cleaner)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/19 "2017-12-06T01:19:25Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > I dunno, but you gotta admit, that’s one for the OP subject/OP User Name combo award. Username was originally seal\_clubber, but tubadiva asked me to change it. She sent me a a Pez dispenser and some insoles, so it was a done deal. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2017, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593/20 "2017-12-06T03:40:11Z")
Did they find your gum, though? My wife starts her prep tomorrow, and the day of she has to get up at 4:30 a.m. and take one more dose of Suprep. I know how that stuff goes through you, and I can’t believe a wad of gum would stand a chance against the deluge. I was awake but lightly sedated for mine, and thought it a fascinating tour through my large intestine. I even got so I could recognize the little polyps they were clipping off. The procedure was nothing compared to the prep, as everyone in the world says is true and it is true. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/swallowed-my-gum-the-night-before-a-colonoscopy/803593.md?page=2)