Faster feedings using a feeding tube - options?

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nick770
nick770 Member Posts: 195
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hi I have been using my feeding tube for about two weeks almost exclusive. I'm using the gravity bolus method but it just seems to take forever and when my wife makes me something a little too thick it takes even longer.

Has anyone heard of ways to move food quicker? I ask this because I eat about 8 or 9 times a day and would like to eat more but it can be a pain in the butt. are there manual pumps or something out there what do you guys do?

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  • CivilMatt
    CivilMatt Member Posts: 4,722 Member
    #2
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    more food faster
    Nick,

    There are pumps available (my infusion center told me about them). I’ve heard that some people eat at night when they are sleeping (go figure). Make sure you get the liquid as high above you as possible. You could always use the big syringe used for flushing, except I think if you feed too fast you are going to get sick. It always took about 45 minutes per can of Jevity for me.

    Oh yeah, keep swallowing and drink lots of water.

    Bottoms up,

    Matt
  • phrannie51
    phrannie51 Member Posts: 4,716
    #3
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    Find out from you Oncologist where
    to get supplies that will allow you to feed at night (we have a Medical Supply store here)...they would also have the pumps...You might put a call into Home Health or Home Options...they can send someone to show you how to use it. (my insurance paid for them for four visits).

    p
  • patricke
    patricke Member Posts: 570
    #4
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    TUBING
    Hey Nick, Ive been tubing for many years, it't the only way I eat. I use the gravity funnel/bolis method too, and feed myself everywhere I go where I need to eat, including resturants, as well as when hiking and camping in the wilderness. When I'm having cans (Fibersource HN), I dilute the liquid with a bit of water (8 - 16 oz's per 2 8 oz cans), and I'm done in about 10 minutes. When my wife, Dine, or I whoops up a meal, we utilize a generous amount of juice and milk when blending it, to thin the consistency, and then I also utilize about 16 oz of water to thin the liquid out even more during the course of the meal. I ususally pour some water into the container and/or my funnel (when I say funnel, I am referring, of course, to the hospital issue type that is really a giant syringe) throughout the meal, so that it is thinner at the end than at the beginning. My homemade meals are usually about a quart and a half, plus the 16 ozs of water, and they do necessitate having a dining experience of a half hour to 45 minutes (give or take depending on the viscosity). I hope that my experience may be of some help for your fun tubing times. If you have any questions about the above, please feel free to ask.
    I don't know how you deal with keeping your tube in place during your activities of daily living, but what works for me is taping it vertically to one side of my chest with 2 pieces (high and low) of Nexcare Cloth tape. I have found that Nexcare holds best, and is easy on the skin.

    PATRICK
  • Jims_wife
    Jims_wife Member Posts: 4
    #5
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    Pump Not Really Faster
    Hubby's partially on the Kangaroo Joey pump and has it turned up as far as it can go. It's still faster to bolus. Ten minutes as opposed to about 1/2 an hour to 45 minutes per can of Jevity 1.5. The only benefit of a pump is that you can load up a bag and feed overnight while you're sleeping - if you don't move around a lot when you sleep. Also remember, if you use the pump during the day, you're tethered to your IV pole and pump.

    When he does a gravity bolus he uses a 60ml syringe and a funnel. It's about 3 and a 1/2 syringes worth to get it all in. We watch TV while waiting for it to go down. He could use the syringe plunger to get it in more quickly, but his stomach has shrunk and he want to make sure everything is going down naturally.

    Thinning your formula with water would help it go down faster. We noticed the difference in speed between plain water flushes and the Jevity.
  • wifeforlife
    wifeforlife Member Posts: 189
    #6
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    Jims_wife said:

    Pump Not Really Faster
    Hubby's partially on the Kangaroo Joey pump and has it turned up as far as it can go. It's still faster to bolus. Ten minutes as opposed to about 1/2 an hour to 45 minutes per can of Jevity 1.5. The only benefit of a pump is that you can load up a bag and feed overnight while you're sleeping - if you don't move around a lot when you sleep. Also remember, if you use the pump during the day, you're tethered to your IV pole and pump.

    When he does a gravity bolus he uses a 60ml syringe and a funnel. It's about 3 and a 1/2 syringes worth to get it all in. We watch TV while waiting for it to go down. He could use the syringe plunger to get it in more quickly, but his stomach has shrunk and he want to make sure everything is going down naturally.

    Thinning your formula with water would help it go down faster. We noticed the difference in speed between plain water flushes and the Jevity.

    add water
    we always added water to our cans.. never took 45 min.. 10 min tops.. and you get the bonus of having the extra water ... Water is always good for your.
    Wife

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