tube feeding problems

higg927
higg927 Member Posts: 1
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
my dad is on hospice and has had a feeding tube for 6yrs and does bolus feedings. this past week he has started on 20mg morphine q4hrs and now his feeding is not going down it stays in the syringe. just wondering if anyone knows if this is normal and does the feedings just stop going down completely?

Comments

  • newbride
    newbride Member Posts: 142
    #2
    Feeding tube
    is he flushing the tube with clear water after the feedings? perhaps the tube got clogged? Is he using special feeds or any type of liquid? Our nutritionist told my husband only to use the special feeds (jevity) or ensure as anything else can clog the tube.
  • soccerfreaks
    soccerfreaks Member Posts: 2,788 Member
    #3
    normal?
    It is NOT normal for your dad's 'feeding' not to go down, clearly. That is, to state the obvious, what the tube is for, after all.

    newbride's comments re clogging may or not apply, depending on the type of tube your dad has. She mentions 'special feeding' along with Jevity and Ensure. I can tell you from personal experience that without proper care Jevity can become like concrete within the G tube that I have used and use. It is critical to keep it flushed with warm water.

    If dad is using this type of tube (and it doesn't sound like it), I would strongly encourage that you or someone else use a plunger device that comes with the tube, pour some warm water into the tube, and 'force' the water down the tube to clear obstruction.

    Better yet, I wonder why the hospice staff have not been alerted to this situation. They should know EXACTLY what to do when they are advised of the predicament.

    Obviously, a clogged tube means dad is not getting proper nutrition, is probably not getting ANY nutrition.

    Maybe the hospice folks will tell you that is part of the plan at this point, given that he IS in hospice and now receiving routine doses of morphine?

    Your best bet, HIS best bet, is to bring this up to the hospice folks and harp on it until you get a satisfactory answer. A clogged tube, in and of itself is unacceptable.

    Take care,

    Joe
  • carolinagirl67
    carolinagirl67 Member Posts: 153
    #4
    Coke
    Hey,

    My sister is a Home health care nurse and she has helped us a lot with our PEG. It is normal for it to clog sometimes, she suggested for us to pour a coke down the tube to unclog it. IT WORKS. Check with your nurse or DR to make sure you Dad can have the coke. (some diabetics can't have coke), so just make sure. The coke will unclog it in about a few seconds. We actually pour a little coke or sprite down the PEG once every couple of days now to keep it clear. Good Luck. Donna
  • mess17
    mess17 Member Posts: 5
    #5
    carolinagirl67 said:

    Coke
    Hey,

    My sister is a Home health care nurse and she has helped us a lot with our PEG. It is normal for it to clog sometimes, she suggested for us to pour a coke down the tube to unclog it. IT WORKS. Check with your nurse or DR to make sure you Dad can have the coke. (some diabetics can't have coke), so just make sure. The coke will unclog it in about a few seconds. We actually pour a little coke or sprite down the PEG once every couple of days now to keep it clear. Good Luck. Donna

    Peg Tube
    or Club Soda will work.

    I was wondering if anyone has ever seen a peg tube turn black inside. The hospital did a horrible job of cleaning the tube and there is black all at the top and then yellow crud (from Jevity) further down. We have used soda daily for a week with no change. Has anyone tried a pipe cleaner? Thoughts?
  • HIGRADE
    HIGRADE Member Posts: 3
    #6
    mess17 said:

    Peg Tube
    or Club Soda will work.

    I was wondering if anyone has ever seen a peg tube turn black inside. The hospital did a horrible job of cleaning the tube and there is black all at the top and then yellow crud (from Jevity) further down. We have used soda daily for a week with no change. Has anyone tried a pipe cleaner? Thoughts?

    peg tube cleaning
    I think you could use a pipe cleaner just be sure it doesn't go down too far. I have had 9 peg tubes since 10/2006 and i usually put club soda down mine to try to keep it clean. I also use about 32 oz of carrot juice in it on a daily basis. This makes it appear a little orange but doesn't clog it up. I am using jevity 1.5

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