Stupid question?

rachel12yrsuv · March 2013

Hey Guys,

Those of you that have feeding tube or had, and had to do it yourself... I get delivery of my Ensure once a month, I get food, syringes, and 2 bottles of Saline solution along with qauze bandges for the peg.

Question is, WHAT THE HECK IS SALINE FOR? I have been flushing with 1 60cc of tap water, food, and than 3 60ccs in a row every feeding so I keep my water level up for hydration. I use the plunger to push last water through at night, suck back make sure no clog or blood push back in and close up shop.

Wound long since healed so am I supposed to use this to flush, I don't think I could stand all that salt?

I said STUPID QUESTION?

P.S. new swallow study to see if first was a fluke(NOT) or if made any progress. Pockets and prayers please!

Rachel

phrannie51 · March 2013

They gave me a little bottle

of saline to mix 1/2 and 1/2 with the hydrogen peroxide, to clean around the stoma hole. That's the only thing I can think of that it could be for.....I still have some left over, so can't imagine you'd use two bottles of the stuff every month.

p

KTeacher · March 2013

No Stupid Questions!

Rachel, I have no help for saline solution just wanted to say no question is a stupid question. Someone out there is wondering the same thing. They may be on the board or lurking, but I assure you that each question is something that someone else in our abinormal world is wondering about.

CivilMatt · March 2013

cleaning?

Rachel,

I just Binged a search and the answer came bake ”normal cleaning around the PEG with saline solution”. So maybe it is for maintenance. I used hydrogen peroxide around my (2)

Matt

wolfen · March 2013

KTeacher said:
No Stupid Questions!
Rachel, I have no help for saline solution just wanted to say no question is a stupid question. Someone out there is wondering the same thing. They may be on the board or lurking, but I assure you that each question is something that someone else in our abinormal world is wondering about.

No Saline Here

Just pump, Glucerna, bags, syringes, 2x2 drain sponges, and musn't forget those 4 q-tips. They were real helpful. LOL

Phrannie, glad to know hydrogen peroxide is okay. Have just been using bottled water for cleaning.

Luv,

Wolfen

rachel12yrsuv · March 2013

CivilMatt said:
cleaning?
Rachel,

I just Binged a search and the answer came bake ”normal cleaning around the PEG with saline solution”. So maybe it is for maintenance. I used hydrogen peroxide around my (2)

Matt

Phrannie,kteaher and
Phrannie,kteaher and Matt,

That's what I thought and I do, or I just use soap and water in shower, when it acts up I use saline and neosporin, but I couldn't quite figure out why 2 lg bottles every time since Dec. I have 5 bottles now that I am elling cheap! Lol

Thanks,
Rachel

George_Baltimore · March 2013

rachel12yrsuv said:
Phrannie,kteaher and
Phrannie,kteaher and Matt,

That's what I thought and I do, or I just use soap and water in shower, when it acts up I use saline and neosporin, but I couldn't quite figure out why 2 lg bottles every time since Dec. I have 5 bottles now that I am elling cheap! Lol

Thanks,
Rachel

Rachel

if you are existing solely on Ensure, it WILL catch up to you. Ensure, Boost, etc were made to be a supplement to food, NOT to take its place. I would strongly suggest you talk to your doctor about using some kind of formula.

rachel12yrsuv · March 2013

George_Baltimore said:
Rachel
if you are existing solely on Ensure, it WILL catch up to you. Ensure, Boost, etc were made to be a supplement to food, NOT to take its place. I would strongly suggest you talk to your doctor about using some kind of formula.

George I am exsisting on
George I am exsisting on Ensure alone. What do you mean it will catch up to me? And what kind of formulas, now you have me nervous?

Rachel

jcortney · March 2013

rachel12yrsuv said:
George I am exsisting on
George I am exsisting on Ensure alone. What do you mean it will catch up to me? And what kind of formulas, now you have me nervous?

Rachel

alone

Rachel,

You need one of the formula's that are made to have all the vitamins and minerals in addition to calories. The dietician that is in my MO's office has me on Nutren 1.5. It has 375 calories per container plus a bunch of protein. I try and take in six per day but that's really tough to do, there's only so many hours in the day and they tell me I need at least 2 1/2 hours between feedings. Anyway, I don't think Ensure will not do it for you long term.

Joe

rachel12yrsuv · March 2013

jcortney said:
alone
Rachel,

You need one of the formula's that are made to have all the vitamins and minerals in addition to calories. The dietician that is in my MO's office has me on Nutren 1.5. It has 375 calories per container plus a bunch of protein. I try and take in six per day but that's really tough to do, there's only so many hours in the day and they tell me I need at least 2 1/2 hours between feedings. Anyway, I don't think Ensure will not do it for you long term.

Joe

Joe, You think it won't help

Joe, You think it won't help me long term for nutrition, weight? Are you on tube feeding solely, how long since your last treatment? Joe, I am on the medical one I think its called Ensure pluse Theraptic. That's what they put me on at hospital? So confused now!

Help,

Rachel

jcortney · March 2013

rachel12yrsuv said:
Joe, You think it won't help
Joe, You think it won't help me long term for nutrition, weight? Are you on tube feeding solely, how long since your last treatment? Joe, I am on the medical one I think its called Ensure pluse Theraptic. That's what they put me on at hospital? So confused now!

Help,

Rachel

That's fine

You are more than ok. That is almost the exact same compound as mine. For some reason I thought you were on store bought insure. You are fine!!!!

Yes, right now I am 100% feeding tube but I think I'll be released by the Speech Therapist tomorrow to try and see what I can get down.

J.

rachel12yrsuv · March 2013

jcortney said:
That's fine
You are more than ok. That is almost the exact same compound as mine. For some reason I thought you were on store bought insure. You are fine!!!!

Yes, right now I am 100% feeding tube but I think I'll be released by the Speech Therapist tomorrow to try and see what I can get down.

J.

Whew, you guys! I was
Whew, you guys! I was worried!

Joe good for you coming off, not sure if I ever will be so drink a hot cup of coffee for me. I have swallow study on Wed to see if any improvement, there are so many benefits that are available now, I am doing exercises to regain swallow that all the recently or current treated are doing to maintain swallow. Just like me to have my world backwards!

Good luck tomorrow J.(didn't mean to assume your name was Joe, hope I was right)

Rachel

jcortney · March 2013

rachel12yrsuv said:
Whew, you guys! I was
Whew, you guys! I was worried!

Joe good for you coming off, not sure if I ever will be so drink a hot cup of coffee for me. I have swallow study on Wed to see if any improvement, there are so many benefits that are available now, I am doing exercises to regain swallow that all the recently or current treated are doing to maintain swallow. Just like me to have my world backwards!

Good luck tomorrow J.(didn't mean to assume your name was Joe, hope I was right)

Rachel

yep, that's me

plain ol' Joe.

Good luck to you too at your study.

J.

Billie67 · March 2013

jcortney said:
yep, that's me
plain ol' Joe.

Good luck to you too at your study.

J.

Rachel
I was going to say the same asnthe others, I didn't get saline with my PEG but I was told I could clean around the stoma with saline and peroxide if normal sensitive skin dove stopped working.
I was also going to suggest you get something more than ensure but since now I know it's the RX version you're fine. Many people think the over the counter stuff is a meal and it's not.
Good luck with your swallow study and your exercises, just had my 3rd study last week!
Billie

phrannie51 · March 2013

wolfen said:
No Saline Here
Just pump, Glucerna, bags, syringes, 2x2 drain sponges, and musn't forget those 4 q-tips. They were real helpful. LOL

Phrannie, glad to know hydrogen peroxide is okay. Have just been using bottled water for cleaning.

Luv,

Wolfen

Wolfen....I think they felt straight

hydrogen peroxide might be too caustic, and that's why they had me mixing it 1/2 and 1/2 with the saline. I started out just using peroxide, and had no problems with it.....

p

George_Baltimore · March 2013

Billie67 said:
Rachel
I was going to say the same asnthe others, I didn't get saline with my PEG but I was told I could clean around the stoma with saline and peroxide if normal sensitive skin dove stopped working.
I was also going to suggest you get something more than ensure but since now I know it's the RX version you're fine. Many people think the over the counter stuff is a meal and it's not.
Good luck with your swallow study and your exercises, just had my 3rd study last week!
Billie

Didn't mean to upset you Rachel

I thought you were using regular old Ensure. Since you are unable to get any nutrition other than the feeding tube, you need more vitamins and minerals than are found in regular Ensure. I didn't mean that Ensure was a bad product. If you're eating regular food, Ensure gives you extra vitamins,etc. and that's fine. When I first went on tube feeding, being the hardhead I am, I insisted on being put on Boost. I wasn't getting all the nutrients I needed and, after awhile, ended up in the hospital. This time, when the doctor said Isosource, I agreed. Haven't had a problem since. The reason I resisted it in the first place was when I was in treatment, I was on the stuff and was constantly throwing up. I now know it must have been the chemo and rads rather than the formula.

rachel12yrsuv · March 2013

George_Baltimore said:
Didn't mean to upset you Rachel
I thought you were using regular old Ensure. Since you are unable to get any nutrition other than the feeding tube, you need more vitamins and minerals than are found in regular Ensure. I didn't mean that Ensure was a bad product. If you're eating regular food, Ensure gives you extra vitamins,etc. and that's fine. When I first went on tube feeding, being the hardhead I am, I insisted on being put on Boost. I wasn't getting all the nutrients I needed and, after awhile, ended up in the hospital. This time, when the doctor said Isosource, I agreed. Haven't had a problem since. The reason I resisted it in the first place was when I was in treatment, I was on the stuff and was constantly throwing up. I now know it must have been the chemo and rads rather than the formula.

George,
Its ok, I'm a big
George,

Its ok, I'm a big girl, that panics easy(with our history can u imagine why? Lol). Joe and Billie set me straight. I am not eating any food, may change tomorrow but I doubt it, but I am on Ensure Plus Therapeutic Nutrition. It has more vitiams then I took in my life, sad to say, in one can. Was worried about gaining weight with being on 5 cans a day I didn't think I absorbed that many calories a day 350 in ea can. So far in the 3 months I have been on I have maintained and seem to be losing BMI which being a girl I'll take that and so will my docs they are pleased I am at the healthest weight in a long time. Earlier yesterday, before your post, I was telling someone even if I got ability to eat again I would still use this 2 meals a day because internally I never felt better, its such a vast difference. So much more energy when I do finally get my lazy butt up! Lol

You post was meant to look out for me and that is how I took it. I used to only have one brother, now I have many.

Gotta tell ya though George, your mask picture scares the hell out of me. I threw mine out as soon as over, I couldn't stand to come across it. Lol

God Bless you,

Rachel

George_Baltimore · March 2013

rachel12yrsuv said:
George,
Its ok, I'm a big
George,

Its ok, I'm a big girl, that panics easy(with our history can u imagine why? Lol). Joe and Billie set me straight. I am not eating any food, may change tomorrow but I doubt it, but I am on Ensure Plus Therapeutic Nutrition. It has more vitiams then I took in my life, sad to say, in one can. Was worried about gaining weight with being on 5 cans a day I didn't think I absorbed that many calories a day 350 in ea can. So far in the 3 months I have been on I have maintained and seem to be losing BMI which being a girl I'll take that and so will my docs they are pleased I am at the healthest weight in a long time. Earlier yesterday, before your post, I was telling someone even if I got ability to eat again I would still use this 2 meals a day because internally I never felt better, its such a vast difference. So much more energy when I do finally get my lazy butt up! Lol

You post was meant to look out for me and that is how I took it. I used to only have one brother, now I have many.

Gotta tell ya though George, your mask picture scares the hell out of me. I threw mine out as soon as over, I couldn't stand to come across it. Lol

God Bless you,

Rachel

LOL, the mask

is to combat lymphedema that occurred when I had the mandible surgery almost two years ago. All it does is compress the tissue to aid the built up lymph drain like it should. After the surgery, my lips and chin had a considerable amount of fluid that wouldn't drain down like it should. Now, my lips have gone way down but my chin still has some lymph left.

Marine posted a formula in one of the other discussions that told you how many calories per day you should consume to maintain your weight. For me, the formula worked exactly. I'm 150 pounds. To stay that weight using his formula, I need to consume 5 cans (375 calories per can). Months ago, I was using six cans a day and my pants were starting to get tighter. I dropped down to five a day and, sure enough, I am now just maintaining the weight rather than losing or gaining. I don't remember which discussion the formula was in but it should be still on the first page of the discussion board.

George_Baltimore · March 2013

George_Baltimore said:
LOL, the mask
is to combat lymphedema that occurred when I had the mandible surgery almost two years ago. All it does is compress the tissue to aid the built up lymph drain like it should. After the surgery, my lips and chin had a considerable amount of fluid that wouldn't drain down like it should. Now, my lips have gone way down but my chin still has some lymph left.

Marine posted a formula in one of the other discussions that told you how many calories per day you should consume to maintain your weight. For me, the formula worked exactly. I'm 150 pounds. To stay that weight using his formula, I need to consume 5 cans (375 calories per can). Months ago, I was using six cans a day and my pants were starting to get tighter. I dropped down to five a day and, sure enough, I am now just maintaining the weight rather than losing or gaining. I don't remember which discussion the formula was in but it should be still on the first page of the discussion board.

Weight formula

Losing Weight: PEG tube started by ToBeGolden is where Marine posted his formula for how many calories per day that you need.

Ingrid K · March 2013

George_Baltimore said:
Weight formula
Losing Weight: PEG tube started by ToBeGolden is where Marine posted his formula for how many calories per day that you need.

here is the calorie count from Marine5

Posted by Marine:

How to calculate your needed calorie intake on PEG feedings:

The easiest way for me to control my weight during treatments was this basic method of counting what I needed to take in each day. What ever weight you want to be at, take that number and mulitply it by 12 and that is the number of calories needed to maintain that weight. For me, I feel better at 200 lbs. so the math is easy for me, 200 X 12= 2400 calories a day to keep that weight. If I get on the train for the sweet stuff and start to gain, I know to cut back a bit.

Stupid question?

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