Doggies, I failed my modified barium swallow bigtime and will have a PEG "installed" tomorrow. Since January my swallow difficulty has increased even with the honey-thick and pudding-thick consistencies. Hoping that I had strictures in my esophagus that a dilation or dilations might help, I had an upper GI endoscopy. My upper GI looks great ~ love the colored photos ~ no problems there. The MBS showed "food" pooling in my vocal folds and slipping into my airway no matter what consistency and swallow techniques I used. My dysphagia is oropharyngeal. I am losing weight and am in a chemo clinical trial for mets to a hilar lymph node so I must get this situation turned around. I will have speech therapy and Vital or E Stim in addition to the PEG as I hope to be able to eat/drink again.

I had a PEG into my duodenum in 2005 for eight months during and after my initial surgery, chemo, radiation. It was the pigtail version. I used Jevity 1.5 at that time. I would love to hear from current PEG users about techniques, bolus with syringe vs. pump feeding, and ideas to help me be successful. I have reviewed a number of your posts and I am armed with some questions and more information would be much appreciated. I had very little guidance re my PEG in 2005. It had been placed by my ENT who was more interested in the big surgery! Your ideas and personal experiences re exercises and muscle stimulation would be super as well.