PEG tube issues?? Here is what worked for me

Hard12Find
Hard12Find Member Posts: 218 Member
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
As most of you know I struggled with nutrition most of my treatment. I was able to use the medical food / formula then all the sudden became intolerant, same with milk, lots of nausea. So I started making gruel out f malt o meal, and it actualy helped, I am now moving to baby food, and although I have to push it through the tube, the variety is perking up my systems quite nice, something to think about if yo are struggling on the peg.
Jim

Comments

  • cureitall66
    cureitall66 Member Posts: 913
    #2
    Thanks for the tip...
    Thanks for sharing this Jim. Do you have a gravity bag too, but using your tube right now? Wondering when we could start trying other foods. His stomach is so sensitive right now. It has shrunk and therefore they've told us to stick with the formula for the gravity bags.

    How hard is it to get this texture of food through the tube?

    Cris
  • Greend
    Greend Member Posts: 678
    #3
    cureitall66 said:

    Thanks for the tip...
    Thanks for sharing this Jim. Do you have a gravity bag too, but using your tube right now? Wondering when we could start trying other foods. His stomach is so sensitive right now. It has shrunk and therefore they've told us to stick with the formula for the gravity bags.

    How hard is it to get this texture of food through the tube?

    Cris

    Tube
    Cris

    If you make the meal very thin by adding liquids (I add gatorade, alo-vera juice, water, etc) then it is much easier to inject and less likely to clog the tube. It is amazing how much your stomach will expand as soon as you start. I know my first "real meal" was at least a quart and 1/2. I also add vitamin B to my food because I was showing a deficiency.

    I have a "gravity bag" but inject it to speed up the process.

    Good luck and good grub.

    Denny
  • patricke
    patricke Member Posts: 570 Member
    #4
    TUBING
    Hey Jim, I started tubing meals of whatever was being served for the family years ago when the insurance stoped paying for the canned liquid food. After checking with my GI doc, and he gave the ok, my wife started blending the family meals using conventional blenders, and then straining the food to remove the particles that wouldn't go down the tube, quite a processa. We burned out about 5 blenders, and then frinds of ours told us about Vitamix blenders, which were being demonstrated at Cosco, and then gave one to us; an amazing gift. The Vitamix liquifies a meal in 3 minutes, which still astounds me. A fair amount of liquid (juice, and milk is what we use) is necessary in the blending process, and then some more more (ususally water) when pouring it into my syringe funnel for gravity feeding, but my stomach has aparently expanded to accomodate the volume, which is usually about a quart and a half per meal. This has worked swimmingly for me for many years. When we go out for meals or travel, I bring along my trusty FiberSource HN liquid food for an epicurian delightful experience. This is something that you may consider at some point in time. I have heard that Vitamix provides a discount for customers who are purchasing due to medical necessity, although I haven't verified, it could be an urban legend. Here;s wishing you better, easier tubing.

    PATRICK
  • Hard12Find
    Hard12Find Member Posts: 218 Member
    #5
    cureitall66 said:

    Thanks for the tip...
    Thanks for sharing this Jim. Do you have a gravity bag too, but using your tube right now? Wondering when we could start trying other foods. His stomach is so sensitive right now. It has shrunk and therefore they've told us to stick with the formula for the gravity bags.

    How hard is it to get this texture of food through the tube?

    Cris

    Chris,
    I had syringes, and bags for the food pump, which don't work like the gravity ones as there is a valve, and very fine screen, i couldnt get anything small enough or smooth enough to go through the valve. Baby food I am using has no texture and pushes through nicely, although I have been thinning with water....
    Jim

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