I suggest using the tube for supplementing your husbands water intake. Flush it a couple times per day with water. If he is able to eat and take in 2500+ calories per day encourage him to continue to do so. It isnt necessary to depend on a feeding tube if someone is able to eat and drink. That will promote dependance when it is unnecessary. No reason for that! Good for you for standing up and being a great advocate for your husband!

Best wishes!

NO surprising. Mine pushed me to. She kept saying try it make sure the formula is okay (it may take a few tries to get one you can tolerate) I guess she didn't want me to get to the point where I NEEDED one and couldn't find a formula I could have. Both times I used it I vomited violently, so I stopped. And suffered by mouth. Which was a good thing. I had the peg out two weeks after rads finished.

take care.

That's true I think she wanted my husband to see if he would be able to tolerate the formula in case he came to that point where he would need the peg for calories but really she should have said it that way it was like she wanted him to take formula more than doing the intake on his own I got really frustrated on that subject .. He into week four so I'm hoping for him that he will continue to swallow by mouth if he needs the peg then it's their and yes I have been putting water trough the peg , keeping it flushed everyday since he had but one day and that's when he first got it we left the hospital with out talking to the the dr that placed the peg cause we had been their so long from a delay they had and the dr was still in the operating room .. The nurse said it may be awhile before he will discuss the care for the peg they we're so busy she didn't have time to tell us but seem very nice so I came home and got my info from here very thankful for this site and all the caring people on here that takes their time out to reply to the post!!!

My mom is mid week 5 without a peg. She's gained a pound since the start of radiation. She's worked hard at getting her calories and water down. The radiation nurse was ready to give her a medal. However, the interim RO (regular doc is on vacation this wee) said, "I don't understand why you don't have a peg, you won't be able to finish this treatment without a peg. Let me call for a consult on the peg."

We declined. There was a reason the RO and MO decided not to place the peg unless she started to go into a weight free-fall. One pound gained in 5 weeks of radiation is not a weight free-fall.

Re the PEG.....there is a NON SURGICAL option to the PEG and that is the nasal tube. It takes a minute to slide the tube up thru your nose and into your stomach. It's rigid at first because it has a thin metal stip in the tube. Once in place they take an X Ray to make sure it's where they want it to be and then they slide the metal strip out. It's meant for short term uses which is exactly what we need. I refused the PEG but 1 week post Tx I was in serious trouble. I couldn't swallow without sever pain and then I would gag and toss those cookies. I was going down hill fast but they talked me into the nasal tube and wow I used it for 2 weeks and was allowed by my doc to pull it out at home myself. It made a HUGE difference in my recovery. No pain, no discomfort ever. Even took showers with it. I can't understand why this isn't pushed way ahead of that PEG???

BWB your mom is doing great by the sounds of it. I lost weight.. about 12 lbs. Then after treatment I lost 21 - (I had it to lose) mostly because I revamped the way I ate cutting out all crap and processed foods. I have gained back about 5 lbs as I was told I was too thin by a casting agent (VERY UNUSUAL) Initially all food tasted crappy but now natural foods taste fine and I am still not the sweet-aholic I used to be (my sweet taste is VERY DULL) which is a blessing for my teeth, weight, and health.