G-Tube How much to feed?

Ginny_B
Ginny_B Member Posts: 532
in Esophageal Cancer #1
All I was told after the G-tube was inserted on Thursday was to flush every three 3 hours eight times. That flushing has finally been completed. I can't find any instructions on how to feed her Boost or Ensure, which is all she is to take through her G-tube. Do I give her 1 can at a time? I know I have to flush with water after every feeding, but they never told me how much to feed at each feeding and how many times a day.

I can ask the Home Care nurse tomorrow, I suppose, but I thought I'd ask here from the experts who've been there/done that!

Comments

  • sangora
    sangora Member Posts: 213
    #2
    I'd Wait
    I'd wait til you can talk to the nurse or dietician monday morning. It sounds as though the tube is supplemental and if so you don't want her so full of the supplement that she want eat anything. Also, her weight and body type are factored in to how much she gets. I am getting all my calories thru the tube so I get 5 cans of a concentrated formula. Sounds like she does not need that. Keep it flushed though when you start to use it or it will get plugged up. All the supplements are sticky and will stick to the sides of the tube if you don't flush good. Sam Stage IV
  • Ginny_B
    Ginny_B Member Posts: 532
    #3
    sangora said:

    I'd Wait
    I'd wait til you can talk to the nurse or dietician monday morning. It sounds as though the tube is supplemental and if so you don't want her so full of the supplement that she want eat anything. Also, her weight and body type are factored in to how much she gets. I am getting all my calories thru the tube so I get 5 cans of a concentrated formula. Sounds like she does not need that. Keep it flushed though when you start to use it or it will get plugged up. All the supplements are sticky and will stick to the sides of the tube if you don't flush good. Sam Stage IV

    Ok. Glad I waited for some
    Ok. Glad I waited for some input. I'll hold off until tomorrow.

    Thanks!
  • TerryV
    TerryV Member Posts: 887
    #4
    Ginny_B said:

    Ok. Glad I waited for some
    Ok. Glad I waited for some input. I'll hold off until tomorrow.

    Thanks!

    One tip for Sam's "sticky" comment
    Nick was using concentrated formula when he used his tube. That was "glue" the tube cap down sometimes. We went through a few hours of frustration and anxiety trying to figure out how to unstick the cap without causing him pain. A quick call to the chemo floor nurse's station gave us this sound advice -

    unstick a feeding tube cap by "soaking" it in a cup of HOT water for a few seconds. That should loosen the cap to a point where it can easily be opened

    All our love,

    Terry
  • Ginny_B
    Ginny_B Member Posts: 532
    #5
    TerryV said:

    One tip for Sam's "sticky" comment
    Nick was using concentrated formula when he used his tube. That was "glue" the tube cap down sometimes. We went through a few hours of frustration and anxiety trying to figure out how to unstick the cap without causing him pain. A quick call to the chemo floor nurse's station gave us this sound advice -

    unstick a feeding tube cap by "soaking" it in a cup of HOT water for a few seconds. That should loosen the cap to a point where it can easily be opened

    All our love,

    Terry

    The Radiologist and Gastro
    The Radiologist and Gastro docs both said that I will only be feeding Ensure or Boost into her G-Tube.

    If it gets clogged, use Coke.
  • Daisylin
    Daisylin Member Posts: 365
    #6
    Ginny_B said:

    The Radiologist and Gastro
    The Radiologist and Gastro docs both said that I will only be feeding Ensure or Boost into her G-Tube.

    If it gets clogged, use Coke.

    coke
    We were advised not to use coke, as it's sugary and may cause further clogging as well as sticky build up in the tube. We did try it anyways, but found that it didn't work for us. Warm water worked ok, if you use a gentle in and out motion with the syringe, push a wee bit in, then suck it out, and keep repeating that process until the clog dissolves.

    However, the best thing we got was from the cancer centre pharmacy, which I believe I mentioned to you earlier, but will repost, for anyone who may have missed it. We got pills which you dissolve in water ( I think it was partly a baking soda type thing) and push that gently into the tube and let it sit for a few minutes, then flush it with water. We got about 20 of them for $2, so very inexpensive, and great to have handy just in case. We only used it a few times, but compared to coke or warm water, it was fantastic. I don't know the name of it, and our local pharmacy could not get it for us, only the cancer centre. ( I don't think we needed a prescription for it, we just asked for it)

    Remember to keep flushing the line, especially after using it, and you hopefully won't need to figure out how to unclog it!!!
  • Ginny_B
    Ginny_B Member Posts: 532
    #7
    Daisylin said:

    coke
    We were advised not to use coke, as it's sugary and may cause further clogging as well as sticky build up in the tube. We did try it anyways, but found that it didn't work for us. Warm water worked ok, if you use a gentle in and out motion with the syringe, push a wee bit in, then suck it out, and keep repeating that process until the clog dissolves.

    However, the best thing we got was from the cancer centre pharmacy, which I believe I mentioned to you earlier, but will repost, for anyone who may have missed it. We got pills which you dissolve in water ( I think it was partly a baking soda type thing) and push that gently into the tube and let it sit for a few minutes, then flush it with water. We got about 20 of them for $2, so very inexpensive, and great to have handy just in case. We only used it a few times, but compared to coke or warm water, it was fantastic. I don't know the name of it, and our local pharmacy could not get it for us, only the cancer centre. ( I don't think we needed a prescription for it, we just asked for it)

    Remember to keep flushing the line, especially after using it, and you hopefully won't need to figure out how to unclog it!!!

    We still have not used the
    We still have not used the line for food. I only flush when I clean it and change the dressing. I noticed several bruises around the site. Worried me! Purple bruises - two of them - one large and one small. Gee, mom could say I punched her and that's what it might look like! Eeek!

    The Home Nurse is coming tomorrow - she'll see it. She changed the dressing yesterday thank goodness she was hear. I was hit with a horrid migraine and still had it today. It has finally subsided.

    It was the nurses from OR who told me to use Coke. Just a wee bit. I hope I don't have to use it.
  • TerryV
    TerryV Member Posts: 887
    #8
    Ginny_B said:

    We still have not used the
    We still have not used the line for food. I only flush when I clean it and change the dressing. I noticed several bruises around the site. Worried me! Purple bruises - two of them - one large and one small. Gee, mom could say I punched her and that's what it might look like! Eeek!

    The Home Nurse is coming tomorrow - she'll see it. She changed the dressing yesterday thank goodness she was hear. I was hit with a horrid migraine and still had it today. It has finally subsided.

    It was the nurses from OR who told me to use Coke. Just a wee bit. I hope I don't have to use it.

    Sounds slightly different than our sticky cap issue....
    Nick never had a clogged tube. Just a sticky cap on the tube. Sounds like the Coke idea solves a different problem than what we had.

    My suggestion for soaking the cap in hot water is only for if the cap on the tube is difficult to open.

    Hope that helps :)

    Terry
  • Ginny_B
    Ginny_B Member Posts: 532
    #9
    TerryV said:

    Sounds slightly different than our sticky cap issue....
    Nick never had a clogged tube. Just a sticky cap on the tube. Sounds like the Coke idea solves a different problem than what we had.

    My suggestion for soaking the cap in hot water is only for if the cap on the tube is difficult to open.

    Hope that helps :)

    Terry

    The only problem I had was
    The only problem I had was when the tube was fully open and mom coughed! Oh dear!
  • TerryV
    TerryV Member Posts: 887
    #10
    Ginny_B said:

    The only problem I had was
    The only problem I had was when the tube was fully open and mom coughed! Oh dear!

    LOL
    Nick always had that fear. Oh yuck.....

    Thanks for the grin, Ginny!

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