I went Pegless and lost 30% of my total body weight where I had none to loose. I didn't have the benefit of this site's wisdom either and I didn't listen enough to my wife but in spite of all of that I did make it through. Would I do it again without a Peg...Yes. Would I do it again without a Port...No.

Dehydration was never an issue for me without the PEG. Nor was any malnutrition. I lost all my body fat but I had substantial muscle mass to burn. I did give myself an imaginary medal for not getting a PEG. The parade of "horribles" of not getting a PEG don't happen to many of us. However, now that I was forced to get a PEG, I certainly do not want to start the PEG wars all over again as I did when I first posted in my enthusiasm to help others avoid swallowing problems. With apologies to Joni Mitchell:
[quote]I've looked at PEGS from both sides now,
From in and none, and still somehow,
It's PEG's illusions I recall,
I really don't know PEGS, at all.[/quote]
Charm

PS. Just got Judy Collin's tickets for next month

[quote=davidcpa]I went Pegless and lost 30% of my total body weight where I had none to loose. I didn't have the benefit of this site's wisdom either and I didn't listen enough to my wife but in spite of all of that I did make it through. Would I do it again without a Peg...Yes. Would I do it again without a Port...No. [/quote]

Man, were in the same boat. I went from 160 to 130 and change. I had one doc (oncologist) telling me to go without, another (radiologist) telling me to get it. I'm glad I didn't but I wish like heck I'd gotten the port. It really blows now when I go to the doc and they have to poke me multiple times because the chemo ate up all my veins. Could be a lot worse though!

I went peg and tube less thru rad, chemo, and implants. Yep, I lost 70 lbs and felt good fo awhile. Now it is catching up and fast. My Dr screwed up by telling me I didn't need rads or chemo and that he got all of the Cancer. What a screw up he had there. The Dr. I saw last week siad that the one at OSU made a really big mistake by telling me this. He told me that I should have stayed in Wheeling at the CCC there because the Dr was well up on my case. The only thing I have left now is hope. It seems this nasty stuff robbed me of not only a future but of a good woman and all the good things about life. I hope you make out much better than this and go get the other opinions .

I will say that having a family that cares makes a great difference if they keep on your back and force things. I have my daughters heel marks on my back. LOL

Jim...so glad that someone is placing heel marks on your back. There is a time to be tough and brave but also a time to let people help you do the best thing for you. Please let them be the caretakers that you need right now...

Deb

Kyle, I luckily was spared the chemo ordeal but I did do 6 weeks of IMRT, preceded a month earlier by a radical neck dissection. I elected not to get a PEG and now, months later, regret it. At the time it seemed like a good decision, especially as I had a crisis during my neck surgery and almost didn't wake up, necessitating an emergency tracheotomy. So I was a little gunshy about another operation.

But the second half of RT and the two months or so following were such an ordeal - mouth and throat full of sores, swallowing disfunction, etc. - that in retrospect the PEG would've made life a lot easier. And maybe helped me keep on some of the 30 pounds I lost.

If you have a choice, I'd advise going with the PEG.

Good luck to you both!
David 2

Kyle:

I went through without a PEG, the team said they would see how I did in the 1st few weeks and I did ok. I was on a trail protocol that seemed to help withsores, etc. The last 2 weeks of treatments and the week or so after treatments were fairly rough and my diet consisted of water and ensure. I did lose 30lbs or so. I think part of that was no junk food. But I would listen to the other posters, I believe I was in the minority as far as pain and discomfort. As the Drs said, bad genes to get the cancer, great genes to handle treatments as well as I did. Based on this forum and asking my Drs, there is no "book" on who does well during treatments and who has a rough go of it. My only suggestion is be prepared for the worst and pray for the best.

Good Luck.