Peg Tube formulas

louiethetzu
louiethetzu Member Posts: 17
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

Radiation and chemotherapy is over but still getting strong nausea that results in throwing up at least once a day. Spoke to oncologist and they said chemo is out of system so it can't be chemo. Then what is it? Been on peg tube from July, still can't swallow, working with therapist but gets exteme nausea which prevents me from completing exercises in therapy or at home. 

Nausea started after I started therapy and swallowing again, so now beginning to wonder if phelgm is the cause of nausea. But have no idea how to reduce phlegm. I am on osmolite 1.5 through peg and I do not believe it is helping my phelgm/nausea problem. Also, I am on the continuous feed so I am feeding all day and night but I feel empty sometimes and I get nautious like I need to eat. Thinking of adding soups and blending food to pour down peg but nutritionist said no out of fear of clogging tube.

But if I am extemely cautious in thinning and straining liquid why not? I have learnt that not all patients are the same and each has to experiment and see what works for them. I intend to start blending some fruits/veggies and smoothies and try adding that to my diet. I've been on osmolite 1.5 since July and I still lost weight but regained 6lbs and that's it. Have been at the same weight since October so I am currently 30 lbs underweight. But I am not too worried about the weight, as long as I maintain or gain. I am trying to find a substitute for these milky products that might be contributing to the phlegm and nausea.

Did anyone feel like this after treatment? If so, what did you do.

And if anyone has some healthy peg tube recipes please share. 

Thanks and God bless.

Comments

  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
    #2
    Check out the thread by

    Check out the thread by Sweetblood. There is some recipies and a website for natural foods for the peg. I never heard of the osmolite giving anyone nausea unless the were taking it in to fast. The plehm is an issue you will deal with for some time after treatment. Maybe you should consult your PC doctor about the nausea. Jim had stomach problems after treatment and it turned out to be his appendex and blockage in the colon. Hope this helps. Praying you find relief.

    Debbie

  • Ladylacy
    Ladylacy Member Posts: 773 Member
    #3
    Feeding Tube

    My husband has been on his second feeding tube for almost two years.  He mainly uses Nutren 1.5 and has no problems with it.  It is gluten and lactose free.  He is on hospice and they had to reorder their supply of Nutren so they sent him Jevity 1.5 and he has had no problems with that.  He spaces his feedings out.  We have never tried anything else, always been too afraid that if we blended any regular food it would clog up his feeding tube.  We were also told not too.  As far as the mucus he has had that every since he was first diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in July 2010 and after radiation, chemo and surgery it got a little better but then he was diagnosed with a second primary basically in the same spot as the first (cervical of his esophagus) and he underwent more radiation and chemo which made the mucus in this throat worse again and it isn't much better.  He will have this the rest of his life we were told.

    Wishing you the best -- Sharon

  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    #4
    PEG

     

     

    Hi I have been on the PEG tube for almost two years now and find I can eat anything anyone else can eat. My wife has an hi speed blender that will make anything into a liquid, just add a little water or veggie broth and there you have it PEG tube food. Just make sure you purge to the PEG tube with clean water after every use.

     

    God Bless

    Tim Hondo

  • louiethetzu
    louiethetzu Member Posts: 17
    #5
    Hondo said:

    PEG

     

     

    Hi I have been on the PEG tube for almost two years now and find I can eat anything anyone else can eat. My wife has an hi speed blender that will make anything into a liquid, just add a little water or veggie broth and there you have it PEG tube food. Just make sure you purge to the PEG tube with clean water after every use.

     

    God Bless

    Tim Hondo

    HI Hondo thank you

    what size peg tube do you have? Mine is 16....does it matter what size? It seems small for regular food but I'm sure if I blend well and thin out the liquid really well it could work.

    If you don't mind me asking why are you on the peg for so long, is there any plan to to remove it in the future?

  • louiethetzu
    louiethetzu Member Posts: 17
    #6
    Ladylacy said:

    Feeding Tube

    My husband has been on his second feeding tube for almost two years.  He mainly uses Nutren 1.5 and has no problems with it.  It is gluten and lactose free.  He is on hospice and they had to reorder their supply of Nutren so they sent him Jevity 1.5 and he has had no problems with that.  He spaces his feedings out.  We have never tried anything else, always been too afraid that if we blended any regular food it would clog up his feeding tube.  We were also told not too.  As far as the mucus he has had that every since he was first diagnosed with laryngeal cancer in July 2010 and after radiation, chemo and surgery it got a little better but then he was diagnosed with a second primary basically in the same spot as the first (cervical of his esophagus) and he underwent more radiation and chemo which made the mucus in this throat worse again and it isn't much better.  He will have this the rest of his life we were told.

    Wishing you the best -- Sharon

    Thanks Sharon,

    We were using nutren 1.5 too but our hospital pharmacy had problems sourcing it from their vendor so I had to switch to the osmolite 1.5. I am on the continuous feed because I could not tolerte the bolus feed....so I feed all day and night at a slow rate.

    I've had the peg for six months but never tried to blend regular food, but after talking with my therapist and doing some research I believe its worth a try testing out regular food for a day or two just to see if the phlegm settles down a bit. I don't expect it to stop right now but it seems to be worse than what my doctors told me (they said since treatment is over, the phelgm should be getting better). 

    All the best. 

  • louiethetzu
    louiethetzu Member Posts: 17
    #7
    jim and i said:

    Check out the thread by

    Check out the thread by Sweetblood. There is some recipies and a website for natural foods for the peg. I never heard of the osmolite giving anyone nausea unless the were taking it in to fast. The plehm is an issue you will deal with for some time after treatment. Maybe you should consult your PC doctor about the nausea. Jim had stomach problems after treatment and it turned out to be his appendex and blockage in the colon. Hope this helps. Praying you find relief.

    Debbie

    Thanks Debbie

    I don't think the food is causing my nausea, I think its the phlegm....but I will be seeing a doctor this week about it because it is really hindering swallowing therapy. 

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