peg question

difference in how fast it flows....I can't remember how many times I had to fill the syringe to empty a can of Ensure, but it seems like 3 1/2 or something like that....so by lowering the end with the syringe, and spacing out the times she fills it, will slow down feeding.   A number of people have used the pump, to feed very slowly during the night....that seems to help get the food in and keep it down....he might want to inquire from the RO or the Onc about getting one, if the gravity method is too fast. 

I'm sure the first feeding was a bit nauseating if he hasn't had anything at all in his tum for days....

p

How high you hold the syringe tube (using like a funnel) above the stomach does effect the rate that it flows into the stomach.  I had a PEG for 5 months through treatment and recovery and I found that I only needed the plunger for thicker things, like pureed items, but for the most part used the 'funnel' method.  Rate does make a difference, too fast and you can wind up feeling ill.  It is an individual thing.  There were days that I could take it in as fast as I could pour it, other days I had to make it much slower, it was all about how 'off' my stomach felt that day. 

A tip...whenever your Dad has to cough or sneeze while he's using the PEG, make sure he clamps it off beforehand.  I didn't the first time and sprayed the Jevity all over the chair and table.....

Hope your dad is feeling better soon

fishmanpa said:

PEG Food

Cherie,

There are much better liquid foods to use. Have your father speak with a nutritionalist. They can prescribe canned liquid foods that are much better than Ensure and insurance covers them. I was presribed Osmolite 1.5 and it was delivered to my home along with syringes and gravity bags. 

Positive thoughts and prayers,

"T"

I had a g-tube and used a gravity bag. I was never given instructions for a syringe to feed, only to use with crushed meds. I do recall that I wasn't supposed to lay down during feeding or for 30 minutes after.  

I had to experiment on where to hold the syringe the first few times. Higher up so the tube was straight was WAY to fast...down low by my side was way to slow. I found a spot where my arm was on the arm rest and it seemed to work best. I threw up my first few feedings because it was too fast. I take Nutren and it's 500 calories a can. They wanted me to do 5 a day and that wasn't going to happen. It was too much, my body couldn't hold it all. I did 4 a day and started feeling WONDERFUL pretty quickly. After about a week or two I had to cut back to 3 a day because the 4th one was starting to make me vomit. At 3 a day I was able to gain a few lbs and maintain it, so they were pleased. I'm now on 1 a day and real food. Prayers for your dad...once he gets it figured out...he will feel a TON better!!! 

Jim had a pump that you could set fast of slow. Ask his doctor to prescribe. I would set it up at night and set the speed to drip until he had to get up in the morning for treatment. Osmolite 1.5 was his salvation and still is. Much better than over the counter stuff because it has lots of fibre in it. Be sure he swallows at least some water to keep those swallow muscles going. They are the only muscles you can't get back when you lose them.

Blessings.

Debbie

We used gravity feed bags. 1000ml put hooks on walls and then borrowed a iv pole. It has a wheel gauge on the bags to allow adjusting for drip rate.

Our insurance covered none of the supplies or food. I was able to find some on ebay and amazon for a decent price.

Blendtec gaves us a refurbished blender for free and I started liquifying real food and putting in syringes toward the end. He did much better with real food over the ensure. 

mls351w said:

enlightened again!

Just another example of the great information on this site! I wish I had found it before treatment started instead of years afterwards.

I guess that I have finally found one small area where my oncs let me down. NO ONE gave me any info on the proper use of the syringe. I was never told about gravity feeding or gravity bags. I filled my sryinge with Ensure or water, stuck the plunger bagk in, and SLOWLY forced the liquid through my tube. Took maybe 15 seconds per load. It was about three and one half loads as I recall. If I forced it through too quickly, it would make me vomit what I had just ingested, nothing more. I thought that's what the syringe was for. It worked great for me personally.

I do not think I would care for the gravity bags anyway and I would definatly not want the overnight hook-up personally. I wanted to get the stuff in as quickly as possible. I agree with the temperature comment. Room temp was best.

So, am I the only person out there that used the syringe/plunger for a feeding pump??

Mark S.

 

Hi. I had a feeding tube for 7 months after stage III tonsil cancer last year.  I never did the gravity feed or slow drip pump. I used the syringe.  Initially, I had to "eat" very slowly in order to prevent vomiting.  But after a few weeks I could consume a can in 15 or 20 minutes. I used the syringe like Mark used in the prior post. I was scared and cried the first time I tried the feeding tube but after a few times I really liked it and like so mnay others mentioned, I felt really good after a few weeks of getting some proper nutrition.  My only problem later was I was afraid to get rid of it for fear that I could not consume enough to survive! But I slowly weaned myself off and now 10 months after treatment I can eat just about anything and I can enjoy most foods.  I hope your dad starts using it because he will start to feel so much better once he is getting some calories and nutrients into his body. Good luck!