To Roma: Post-Pagophagic

[Guest guest]

Roma-dear,

Thank you again for your encouraging support and medical knowledge. I so

appreciate your ideas and input.

In response to your recent post...

>Dear Sonja:

>I know you're trying to conceive....and I also know you are a reformed

>pagophagic, (i.e., ice chewer) as well :-)........

>Well, 's post about craving ice during all of her five pregnancies

got

>me thinking. I seem to also remember hearing this same complaint from some

of

>my (non-anemic) friends during their pregnancies.

>The craving to ice-crunch IN PREGNANCY must have something to do with

dental

>problems (specifically gum inflammation) commonly appearing during

pregnancy.

>As with iron-deficiency anemia, the need to ice-crunch must be a need to

soothe

>tender, inflamed gum tissue.

>According to the article below, the HORMONAL culprits during pregnancy

>causing these GG " Gestational Gingival " =pregnancy gums) changes are. . .

high levels

>of estrogen and progesterone during the second to the eighth month or so.

>http://www.ivillage.co.uk/pregnancyandbaby/pregnancy/concernpreg/qas/0,,11_

158

591,00.html

>I know if YOU should re-encounter this problem when YOU become pregnant,

>(which I hope is VERY SOON!!), you'll know WHY--and know HOW (and WHY) to

avoid

>giving in to the ice craving!!! :-)

Wow, how interesting! I wish I would have known the cause of my horrific

ice chomping habit while I was in the middle of the worst of it. But now I

can be prepared for any future pagophagic behavior in pregnancy or anemic

periods.

For me, yes I craved ice cubes and crushed ice, not for the coolness, but

for the crunch. I craved other crunchy things too. When I was at my

ultimate pagophagic period I found myself being extremely thirsty. Chomping

on ice solbed both problems: the thirst and the desire to crunch.

I continued to see my dentist on a biannual basis. I would always get a

clean bill of health, no cavities, no gum disease or gum swelling, and very

little tarter. I was always one of those people who got to choose a prize

from the " box " because I had 90% tarter free teeth. Still do. I'm a

compulsive-obsessive dental care nut. So I wonder about the gum swelling.

Could it be something even lower, possibly inflammation in the throat,

stomach, or small intestine? The craving for ice cubes would help soothe

the inflammation and increase the hydration of these organs? Hmmmm....

>I suppose the key to avoiding dental/gum problems in pregnancy is

heightened

>care of one's gums....and warm salt water rinses/gargles.

>If all of those measures fail, Sonja, you may have to start a " Pregnant

>Pagophagic " support group to keep you " ice-crunching abstinent " during

those nine

>months!!!

Ha ha! I will definitely keep that in mind!

>Meantime, Sonja,... Wishing you.....

>Favorable (and Fast!) Fruitful Fibroid-Free Fertility Forces for you...

From

>your Fibroid Forum Friend,

>Roma

Wow, I just love your alliteration!

Thank you so much my dear.

I'll keep you posted when my good news arrives!

Your pleased, peachy, patient, positively-pondering, possibly pregnant

post-pagophagic posting pal,

:)Sonja