Anyone have any experience using Jevity 1.5 cal as a nourishment replacement? I posted under this section as I get this by prescription. Been on this stuff for 5 weeks now which I dump down the old PEG tube.

Will be starting 7 weeks of radiation on Wednesday with 2 doses of chemo thrown in for good measure and have read how others have used Ensure, Boost etc for nourishment. My plan is to drain 7 - 8 oz cans down the old tube daily along with as much water that I could possibly barf up (when I do).

I have also read where some people get an adverse reaction to a particular flavor which will make them sick. If you are feeding yourself through a PEG tube can you avoid that problem because you basically cannot tasted what your pouring down?

Jon

HI-
I know my sister used this along with Ensure Plus. I don't think she had any reaction to it. I think she did 3 cans of this and 3 of the Ensure when she was at your stage along with water. She also tried Carnation VHC- which I hear is great, but it sat in her tummy like lead- she was very thin at that time. Good luck- Penny had 5 or 6 weeks chemo along with the 38 IMRT's.

Jon,
Jevity is good, as are all the others. It comes down to what you can tolerate best. I was on Jevity in hospital, and it did not agree with me after a couple of days. I wound up using Resource 2.0, and still do as a calorie booster.

If Jevity is working for you, stick with it. It's very well balanced nutritionally, and you'll make out fine with it
Wayne

Others here (like Danny Boy) have sworn by Jevity, and insurance will typically pay for it, which will not pay for Boost or Ensure. I am not sure that the flavor makes any difference when using a PEG, but I didn't use a PEG so there you have it. PEG users can correct me on this.

I did try Boost and it gagged me so I went to Carnation Instant Breakfast fortified with Hagan Daz. I lost weight (a LOT of weight actually - I can still wear a 29" waist size [down from 34"])but at least I am still alive to tell about it.

DEar Jon, Here are several considerations to mull over. #1. I you can get your Rad Doc or other Oncologist to write you a script for "tube food", you can most likely get the Ins. co to pay for it, asuming you have Insurance. That being said, there is an amazing array of choices out there for people who need to keep weight stable or gain weight. The over the counter stuff-Boost, Ensure, etc.- is marketed for senior citizens and people with dietary problems. However, products like TwoCalHN- 475 cal per can, distributed by Ross Nutrition, Carnation Nutren2.0- 480 cal if I recall right- and VHC [very high calorie] distributed by Nestle and others are made specifically for high risk weight problem patients. I don't know where Jevity fits in here.It may be well worth your time to research this and talk to your Docs, because if you are trying to maintain a 2000 +- diet a day, it can get very time consuming and tend to really bog you down. As to flavors, as much as I love chocolate, I could not eat it every day, so you will probably want a choice of flavors. Keep going. Amy in the Oz

Jevity Info:
http://rpdcon40.ross.com/mn/ross+mn...om_ProductName/Jevity+1+Cal?OpenDocument

http://rpdcon40.ross.com/mn/Ross+MN...09061095B3A8525718E004123FD?OpenDocument

My husband is currently using jevity 1.5. 7 cans a day. 3 bollus and 4 by the pump. it has a tendency to give him the hiccups. Dr. gave him chlorpromazine for that. Still losing a lb. every 2-3 days.

Jon,

Try Carnation Instant Breakfast VHC. It has 560 nutritional balanced calories in a 8 oz can and will cut the misery and the time in feedings. You order it thru your pharmacy dept and some have suggested that if you get a prescription for it, your insurance company will pick up the tab. I only pay about $32.00 per 24 can case at Walgreens. That's only $5.00 a day for 2000 calories. Click on this link:

http://www.nestle-nutrition.com/family.aspx?objectID=86E49EB3-BE25-4B16-81D7-235E6F6E5183

Under the PURCHASE PRODUCTS tab, select FIND A PHARMACY NEAR YOU.

Under the PRODUCT NAME pull down, select Carnation Instant Breakfast Lactose Free VHC and fill in your zip code and they will give you a list of pharmacies that carries it.

At the top of that list note the Product Code and NDC Number in case that helps you when you call the store. When I call Walgreens it only takes a day or 2 at the most to get it delivered to the store and they call me when it's in.

You can also order it online but it usually costs more and takes much longer to get.

No, I do not work for the company nor do I get a commission (I wish) but this product made my feeding life during and post treatment much much easier and I am sure it will do the same for you.

Hi Jon,

My husband is usig Jevity 1.2 without any problems at all. But I didn't just receive the Carnation VHC in the mail. I ordered it from South Mountain Health Supply for about $23 per case, plus shipping which was pretty reasonable. It arrived within a week and that is all the way to Hawaii! I'm am just having my husband use one per day to start because he's maintaining his weight pretty well so far. As he starts to drop, I'll increase it.
Keep "Pegging out!" A nurse friend told us that! We both laughed.

Vicki

Just a slight word of caution. Liquid diets can cause just as much, or worse, constipation as if you were eating nothing but protein. One small advantage of Jevity is the added fiber other than it was specifically developed for PEG tube feeding.

I personally used off the shelf Carnation Instant Breakfast packets (I don't think that the VHC variation that David talks about was available when I was going though treatment)because the milk based products were easier for me to get down. I discovered that I could still taste coffee and they had an espresso flavored one but you had to buy the 3 pack cartons to get it. I would take Hagen Daz coffee flavored ice cream and add it to the vanilla flavor. I gave away the strawberry ones - just didn't do it for me. You really must experiment with flavors if you are taking this stuff orally. The thick texure of Boost and Ensure just gagged me and I couldn't use it at all - others here have had the same experience yet some swear by it and still use it to this day!

I have used Jevity almost exclusively for over a year and 1/2. As Gary said, the advantage of Jevity is that it has a special kind of added fiber, which really helps when you are udnergoing treatment and taking pain meds which can constipate you. You won't see it in the stuff as you pour it in your tube (which could clog the tube) but it becomes fibrous when it hits stomach acid (or any kind of acid--so don't pour acidic juice on top of it in the syringe or it suddenly becomes too thick to go down--I know this from experience).

The Jevity I use (1.2) is not a weight gain formula but a high protein firmula, and protein is essential to healing. But they have several different formulas. I lost a fair amount of weight since going on the tube (@50 pounds--30 lost during treatment and right after, but 15-20 lost in the year and 1/2 since) but I was overweight to begin with and no one has told me I need to gain weight back yet. The high calorie forumulas often do not have as much protein so ask your doctor what is right for you.

Also, so far my insurance has paid for my Jevity (minus a deuctable at the beginning of every year).

Nelie

H Jon,

My Mum uses Jevity, she has 1000ml through her PEG on a 10 hour overnight automatic feeding machine, we also give her 2 cartons of ensure during the day to ensure she gets her 2000 calories a day. Mum is nil by mouth so everything goes through the PEG, the only problem we have had with the jevity is if she takes it too fast it makes her feel sick, that is why we go for overnight feeding. Make sure you also take plenty of liquid.

Andrea (UK)