peg tube/eating problems

francma
francma Member Posts: 69 Member
Finished my 7 weeks of radiations and 3 chemos on April 18, 2011. I've been with a peg tube from the beginning. I cannot seem to eat a complete meal yet. My taste buds are still altered but getting better. Any suggestions for bland diets as spices flare up the taste buds. I can't have peg removed until I am off the nutrient1 can formula for a month. My repeat Petscan showed cancer free as my monthly exams.

Comments

  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    I have been wanting to put a
    I have been wanting to put a section together on my superthread about a list of soft bland foods, because this is a very frequently asked question. I have pieces of it started but it's kind of a mess. Here is some:

    here's another thread for some food ideas:

    SOFT BLAND FOOD IDEAS

    REBECCA KATZ MAGIC MINERAL BROTH


    CHICKEN STOCK RECIPE

    BEEF STOCK

    VEGETABLE STOCK

    You can certainly add things to the broth above.   I use my crock pot to make all kinds of stock, and it's quite easy to do. I keep it frozen in containers.   Make gnocchi, or ravioli nudé, pastina, congee, oatmeal, or pureed vegetable and bean soups with the stock.   I find store bought to be too salty and lacking in vitamins.  


    RICE PUDDING

    BASIC CONGEE

    CRUSTLESS QUICHE


    MASHED CAULIFLOWER


    MASHED SWEET POTATOES


    Egg drop soup
    Wanton soup
    Smoothies 
    Poached eggs
    Grits
    Cream of wheat
    Cooked zucchini or any squash
    DelMonte peaches
    Avocado
    Creamed spinach
    Blended soups

    Here is a good all around smoothie meal.  I did the nutritional analysis for you.  The first number is the amount in the smoothie, the second number, in the parentheses is what you would need for a 1600 calories per day.  I use a HealthMaster.   That or a vitamix is best.   I often have this for breakfast.   Especially good when you are on the go.  

    1 medium apple
    1 medium carrot 
    1 banana
    3 leaves of romaine 
    1 tbs almond butter
    1 cup milk
    1 tbs flax seed oil
    1 tbs protein powder

    Total Calories (kcals) 597 -  (1658)
    Protein (gm) 17 - (46)
    Carbohydrate (gm) 76 - (130)
    Total Fiber (gm) 10 - (25)
    Total Fat (gm) 29 - (13.3 - 23.2)
    Saturated Fat (gm) 5.4 (< 6.6)
    Monounsaturated Fat (gm) 10 **
    Polyunsaturated Fat (gm) 12 **
    Linoleic (omega 6) (gm) 4.1 12
    Alpha Linolenic (omega 3) (gm) 7.5 (1.1)
    Cholesterol (mg) 19 (< 300)
    Vitamin A (mcg RAE) 735 - (700)
    Vitamin C (mg) 32.7 - (75)
    Vitamin E (mg a-TE) 9.5 - (15)
    Thiamin (mg) 0.4 - (1.1)
    Riboflavin (mg) 0.8 - (1.1)
    Niacin (mg) 4.1 - (14)
    Folate (mcg, DFE) 148.4 - (400)
    Vitamin B6 (mg) 0.9 - (1.3)
    Vitamin B12 (mcg) 1.3 - (2.4)
    Calcium (mg) 486.2 - (1000)
    Phosphorus (mg) 485 - (700)
    Magnesium (mg) 152 - (320)
    Iron (mg) 3.2 - (18)
    Zinc (mg) 3.1 -  (8)
    Selenium (mcg) 11.7 - (55)
    Potassium (mg) 1540 - (4700)
    Sodium (mg) 288  - ( 1500 - 2300)
    ** Nutrient has no established recommendation.

    Avocados are a great food.  Good fats and good for you:



    AVOCADO BANANA BERRY SMOOTHIE

    Half a ripe avocado
    1 to 1 1/2 frozen bananas
    4 to 5 frozen or fresh strawberries
    Splash of nut milk
    Pinch cardamom
    Pinch allspice

    PEAR AVOCADO SMOOTHIE

    1 large pear, chopped
    1/2 cups green grapes
    1/4 avocado
    2 teaspoons honey


    GREEN ENVY AVOCADO SMOOTHIE

    1 avocado
    2 bananas
    2 cups orange juice
    1 cup of strawberries (preferably fresh, but frozen will do)
    1 cup of orange or strawberry sherbet
    1 cup ice


    APPLE AND AVOCADO SMOOTHIE

    1 Granny Smith apple, cored, skin on
    1/2 ripe Hass avocado 
    1/2 apple juice 
    1/2 cup ice 
    3 sprigs mint leaves


    Combine all ingredients together in a blender like Vitamix or HealthMaster. 

    AVOCADO BERRY SMOOTHIE

    1 medium avocado, peeled and pitted
    1 tablespoon cashews, raw 
     1 tablespoon honey
    1 cup water 
    1/2 cup blueberries, frozen 
    6 ice cubes

    Blend the avocado, cashews, honey, water, blueberries, and ice together until smooth. Serves 1-2



    Check the superthread for more ideas, in the healthy eating/liquid nutrition section:

    HNC  SUPERTHREAD
  • Hal61
    Hal61 Member Posts: 655
    Keep nibbling
    I was near your time out before I started to eat much, had my tube over a year after treatment. Keep tying the stuff you could't eat before. It took me a very long time to eat bread and I'm still not great at it, at 18 months out.

    As for soft bland edibles, Sweet hit a lot, and it's worth the invesment to get a good blender and make those smoothies. I always have to emphasize eggs, because they helped me a lot in getting off the tube, poached, or boiled, then add margarine or butter, and smash them up. Also try the mother of all health foods, oatmeal. I was able to eat it fairly early, or cream of wheat. Don't get discouraged. If you're getting a bit of taste back now, then it, and your ability to eat better, should be close at hand.

    best, Hal
  • Hondo
    Hondo Member Posts: 6,636 Member
    Hi francma

    Welcome to CSN, I am just glad to here your PET is showing clear. Yep the eating thing now and trying to gain the weight back. I wish I could help there but I too am still trying to get up to 180lbs, it just takes time.

    Hondo
  • jcashion
    jcashion Member Posts: 2
    hope this helps
    I finished treatment dec 20th 2010 and still being tube fed and just starting to swallow small amounts of things with great difficult all along I've tried different things for the taste and just now able to tolerate alot of stuff still find salty hard to take. But the more i experiment with tastes it seems to be dulling the sensations so try sucking on different foods the washing the taste away with a little milk or water it seems to be helping me. And gl with getting rid of the pesky peg.

    John
  • Greend
    Greend Member Posts: 678
    Hondo said:

    Hi francma

    Welcome to CSN, I am just glad to here your PET is showing clear. Yep the eating thing now and trying to gain the weight back. I wish I could help there but I too am still trying to get up to 180lbs, it just takes time.

    Hondo

    Dont tell wife
    Hondo,

    I'm trying to stay above 150, Dr wants me at 170

    And to think that at one time I weighed 240 lbs.
  • Tanager75
    Tanager75 Member Posts: 89 Member
    Weight
    My team said one month, they preferred three, without losing weight and the tube could come out. I was able to maintain weight for the month by drinking the nutrient formula, and omelets. I was told I could drink the liquid. I would hold my nose and down 5 cans of ensure. It was a great day to have the tube removed. I hated it but it kept me alive.

    Past the 2 year mark now and eat most everything again. My brain had to get used to food tasting different then remembered.

    Day at time,

    mark
  • francma
    francma Member Posts: 69 Member

    I have been wanting to put a
    I have been wanting to put a section together on my superthread about a list of soft bland foods, because this is a very frequently asked question. I have pieces of it started but it's kind of a mess. Here is some:

    here's another thread for some food ideas:

    SOFT BLAND FOOD IDEAS

    REBECCA KATZ MAGIC MINERAL BROTH


    CHICKEN STOCK RECIPE

    BEEF STOCK

    VEGETABLE STOCK

    You can certainly add things to the broth above.   I use my crock pot to make all kinds of stock, and it's quite easy to do. I keep it frozen in containers.   Make gnocchi, or ravioli nudé, pastina, congee, oatmeal, or pureed vegetable and bean soups with the stock.   I find store bought to be too salty and lacking in vitamins.  


    RICE PUDDING

    BASIC CONGEE

    CRUSTLESS QUICHE


    MASHED CAULIFLOWER


    MASHED SWEET POTATOES


    Egg drop soup
    Wanton soup
    Smoothies 
    Poached eggs
    Grits
    Cream of wheat
    Cooked zucchini or any squash
    DelMonte peaches
    Avocado
    Creamed spinach
    Blended soups

    Here is a good all around smoothie meal.  I did the nutritional analysis for you.  The first number is the amount in the smoothie, the second number, in the parentheses is what you would need for a 1600 calories per day.  I use a HealthMaster.   That or a vitamix is best.   I often have this for breakfast.   Especially good when you are on the go.  

    1 medium apple
    1 medium carrot 
    1 banana
    3 leaves of romaine 
    1 tbs almond butter
    1 cup milk
    1 tbs flax seed oil
    1 tbs protein powder

    Total Calories (kcals) 597 -  (1658)
    Protein (gm) 17 - (46)
    Carbohydrate (gm) 76 - (130)
    Total Fiber (gm) 10 - (25)
    Total Fat (gm) 29 - (13.3 - 23.2)
    Saturated Fat (gm) 5.4 (< 6.6)
    Monounsaturated Fat (gm) 10 **
    Polyunsaturated Fat (gm) 12 **
    Linoleic (omega 6) (gm) 4.1 12
    Alpha Linolenic (omega 3) (gm) 7.5 (1.1)
    Cholesterol (mg) 19 (< 300)
    Vitamin A (mcg RAE) 735 - (700)
    Vitamin C (mg) 32.7 - (75)
    Vitamin E (mg a-TE) 9.5 - (15)
    Thiamin (mg) 0.4 - (1.1)
    Riboflavin (mg) 0.8 - (1.1)
    Niacin (mg) 4.1 - (14)
    Folate (mcg, DFE) 148.4 - (400)
    Vitamin B6 (mg) 0.9 - (1.3)
    Vitamin B12 (mcg) 1.3 - (2.4)
    Calcium (mg) 486.2 - (1000)
    Phosphorus (mg) 485 - (700)
    Magnesium (mg) 152 - (320)
    Iron (mg) 3.2 - (18)
    Zinc (mg) 3.1 -  (8)
    Selenium (mcg) 11.7 - (55)
    Potassium (mg) 1540 - (4700)
    Sodium (mg) 288  - ( 1500 - 2300)
    ** Nutrient has no established recommendation.

    Avocados are a great food.  Good fats and good for you:



    AVOCADO BANANA BERRY SMOOTHIE

    Half a ripe avocado
    1 to 1 1/2 frozen bananas
    4 to 5 frozen or fresh strawberries
    Splash of nut milk
    Pinch cardamom
    Pinch allspice

    PEAR AVOCADO SMOOTHIE

    1 large pear, chopped
    1/2 cups green grapes
    1/4 avocado
    2 teaspoons honey


    GREEN ENVY AVOCADO SMOOTHIE

    1 avocado
    2 bananas
    2 cups orange juice
    1 cup of strawberries (preferably fresh, but frozen will do)
    1 cup of orange or strawberry sherbet
    1 cup ice


    APPLE AND AVOCADO SMOOTHIE

    1 Granny Smith apple, cored, skin on
    1/2 ripe Hass avocado 
    1/2 apple juice 
    1/2 cup ice 
    3 sprigs mint leaves


    Combine all ingredients together in a blender like Vitamix or HealthMaster. 

    AVOCADO BERRY SMOOTHIE

    1 medium avocado, peeled and pitted
    1 tablespoon cashews, raw 
     1 tablespoon honey
    1 cup water 
    1/2 cup blueberries, frozen 
    6 ice cubes

    Blend the avocado, cashews, honey, water, blueberries, and ice together until smooth. Serves 1-2



    Check the superthread for more ideas, in the healthy eating/liquid nutrition section:

    HNC  SUPERTHREAD

    smoothies, etc
    Thank you for all these suggestions..I will give them a try!

    Fran
  • francma
    francma Member Posts: 69 Member
    Hal61 said:

    Keep nibbling
    I was near your time out before I started to eat much, had my tube over a year after treatment. Keep tying the stuff you could't eat before. It took me a very long time to eat bread and I'm still not great at it, at 18 months out.

    As for soft bland edibles, Sweet hit a lot, and it's worth the invesment to get a good blender and make those smoothies. I always have to emphasize eggs, because they helped me a lot in getting off the tube, poached, or boiled, then add margarine or butter, and smash them up. Also try the mother of all health foods, oatmeal. I was able to eat it fairly early, or cream of wheat. Don't get discouraged. If you're getting a bit of taste back now, then it, and your ability to eat better, should be close at hand.

    best, Hal

    keep nibbling
    I guess "keep nibbling" might be half the key, huh. alittle at a time. I get frustrated when I see how little I eat for dinner. I do the "box recommended serving" for cream of wheat....it's much, but happy with that! yes, bread is like a sponge. I will try eggs again. So you eventually started eating like you normally did?
    thanks Hal

    Fran
  • francma
    francma Member Posts: 69 Member
    Hondo said:

    Hi francma

    Welcome to CSN, I am just glad to here your PET is showing clear. Yep the eating thing now and trying to gain the weight back. I wish I could help there but I too am still trying to get up to 180lbs, it just takes time.

    Hondo

    thanks Hondo
    good luck to

    thanks Hondo
    good luck to you too
    Fran
  • francma
    francma Member Posts: 69 Member
    jcashion said:

    hope this helps
    I finished treatment dec 20th 2010 and still being tube fed and just starting to swallow small amounts of things with great difficult all along I've tried different things for the taste and just now able to tolerate alot of stuff still find salty hard to take. But the more i experiment with tastes it seems to be dulling the sensations so try sucking on different foods the washing the taste away with a little milk or water it seems to be helping me. And gl with getting rid of the pesky peg.

    John

    hope this helps
    wow John, you are very positive and your words are uplifting. I guess I will continue to try and not be so hard on myself...I'm not the only one dealing with being still on the peg tube. Thank you for your reply and advise. take care and keep up the good work!

    Fran
  • francma
    francma Member Posts: 69 Member
    Tanager75 said:

    Weight
    My team said one month, they preferred three, without losing weight and the tube could come out. I was able to maintain weight for the month by drinking the nutrient formula, and omelets. I was told I could drink the liquid. I would hold my nose and down 5 cans of ensure. It was a great day to have the tube removed. I hated it but it kept me alive.

    Past the 2 year mark now and eat most everything again. My brain had to get used to food tasting different then remembered.

    Day at time,

    mark

    one day at a time
    You're right Mark..small steps..one day at a time.
    Thank you for your uplifting words. I still can't handle the ensure too well. But able to have carnation breakfast drink now. It's my dinners that I struggle with. Will not give up
    Fran
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    francma said:

    one day at a time
    You're right Mark..small steps..one day at a time.
    Thank you for your uplifting words. I still can't handle the ensure too well. But able to have carnation breakfast drink now. It's my dinners that I struggle with. Will not give up
    Fran

    Yes, don't give up! I had
    Yes, don't give up! I had my peg tube for 18 months and didn't eat anything at all by mouth for 9 months. My mouth was a wreck. I had to have my throat stretched a few times, and learn to cook a little differently, so that I could more easily eat, chew and swallow my food, but I'm doing well eating now. Am I 'normal' and can I eat anything? No. But I can eat many enjoyable things now. Lots of people here can eat almost the same as they did before treatment. Others still struggle with meats and breads and stuff. I still have a stricture, so I can't eat much in the way of meats, and I switched to flat breads, and tortillas, and wraps instead of bread.

    In the very begining I minced a lot of my veggies in a mini chopper before cooking to make it easier on my mouth to chew and swallow stuff. I ate soft foods and puréed a lot of vegetable soups. Also a lot of trial and error in the beginning. A lot of food waste at that stage.