Besides the obvious, any advice for Dad once it's in, that only someone that had one would understand? TIA (Thanks in advance)

Do the feedings slowly, and sit up for at least 30 minutes after the feeding. There are 3 ways you can use the PEG. But, encourage him to still try to eat through this whole ordeal.

1. by pushing the liquid in with a syringe

2. by letting it drip, I think that one is called bolous feeding

3. overnight with a feeding machine (thats what I use)

Also make sure it's flushed out before and after every feed, and make sure to measure the amount of water he takes during a day,
oh and don't use water that is to cold!! That can be a bit of a shock to the stomach.
Sunshine.. love and hugs
Helen

Hi LD

Watch the area around the tube, it is normal for some "nasty stuff" or seepage to build up, keep it clean.

If it gets too uncomfortable, have it checked to see if it may be too tight.

I used the gravity method for mine, popped the syringe in the end and let the liquid flow in naturally. Some have trouble with this, I did not, even at 9 cans a day, plus water.

The gravity method worked best for me too. Pushing food in with the syringe is likely to make him feel more nauseated.

And make certain he keeps swallowing whether he uses the PEG or not. If he doesn't, he will lose the ability to swallow. Those muscles are in the 'use it or lose it category'. Try to take as much as possible orally, like water or other drinks once he starts using the peg.

Take care,
Eileen

Dad's throat was so swollen, they couldn't get the tube down his throat, so they rescheduled for Thursday and will go in through the stomach for the PEG. Poor guy.

I'm on my second tube, first one in 2003 for 9 months and this current one I've had for 3 months. Sometimes I think to much is made of having a PEG tube, although I KNOW there are a few that have had issues with them. Point being, most don't have trouble. I use the bolus method, put the syringe in the end of my tube and fill the syringe up, letting it flow in how fast I want it to. Lift the syringe higher for it to go faster, keep it lower to slow it down. I confess that I have never flushed it with water before or after a feeding, but I do put some water down my tube while I'm "eating". I put 7 cans a day in now and sometimes I put one can in in 2-3 minutes. It takes a little time to get past the initial queasy stomach from tube feeding, so go slow at first. Let your father decide how he wants to do it, the bolus method gives him the control. I never, ever use teh plunger to put anything in my tube, it is uncomfortable and adds air to the stomach.
Just don't look at the tube as some horribly complicated issue. It doesn't have to be. I forget I have mine unless I'm using it.

Good luck,
Minnie

This might be an obvious but I found out the hard way by accident. Before uncapping the tube for feeding, make sure he coughs ahead of time if he feels any sensation at all of needing to cough. He wants to make sure he doesn't cough with it uncapped by any means. It makes quite a mess!

Bill D.

Adding to what Bill said about the coughing............also make sure he's not going to be laughing while he's eating. I was watching a movie with the girls and one part just cracked me up. I was in the process of "eating" and me laughing so hard shot the food out of the tube and all over the place. Of course that made me laugh harder and it just was downhill from there!
Minnie

[quote=William Dozier]This might be an obvious but I found out the hard way by accident. He wants to make sure he doesn't cough with it uncapped by any means. It makes quite a mess!
[/quote]

I learned to pinch the tube REAL quick if I felt a cough or worse a sneeze coming on