Hello All! Recently I read a post from someone who advised using a particular pill crusher from Rite-Aid and had also devised a feeding rig setup whose directions they would share through e-mail. Being a newbie, I didn't realize I hadn't saved this post to my stuff I follow. Can someone please share the information if you have it or would the person who originally posted the information please contact me thru a private message (PM). Thank you for any help you can offer.

DrgnldyWarrior,

The post should still be there. Do you remember under which thread you saw it under?

It was probably me who talked about a pill crusher from Rite Aid. I have a horrible memory but I do faintly remember writing about the pill crusher.It doesnt have to be any particular brand or from a certain store. Any pharmacy should carry them. This is similar to what I use...

Rite Aid pill crusher

That is the kind Ive found is easy to use, you simply put the pill inside and twist the lid to crush the pill. Make sure you never crush time release medications or capsules. Also to be certain the medication you intend to crush is ok, ask the pharmacist.

I had a few of these pill crushers or pulverizers, but they didn't work well for me either by not crushing pills fully, clogging my peg tube, the plastic cracking under stress or not having the hand strength to properly use it. What I did wind up using instead was an electric coffee grinder, purchased and solely used for pills, which worked well pulverizing them into a powder, which I then mixed into water and through the peg tube without clogging.

Good luck!

My husband had a PEG tube for two and a half years. We used a mortar and pestle to crush his pills. It worked really well. I did have a pill splitter/crusher that I brought with me for when we went out and I couldn't bring the mortar and pestle along. I sometimes also crushed the pills ahead of time and brought the powder along in little plastic containers. The crushed pills were mixed in with some water and put into his tube.

I should also explain that John never had a pump for his feeding tube. He was told to use a 60 ml syringe to "inject" the feed directly into his feeding tube. I am mentioning this because I haven't come across anyone on the forum who uses this method of delivery.

Just in case you get into trouble with the crushed pills clogging the feeding tube, our nurse taught me to "inject" some soda into the tube, the carbonation in the soda will push the clog up the tube and the problem is solved. I have tried it three times and it worked each time. Of course, if this doesn't work, the thing to do is to go to the ER asap.

if it helps, I never used a pump or syringe plunger either for the two feeding tubes that I used through several treatments for 5 years, except when hospitalized initially, but rather used gravity to work the feed poured directly through the 60ml syringe. Used the soda rinse a number of times, and if that didnt work, flexable smoking pipe cleaners.