ok so what is bolus. i get the gravity, that just hanging a bag from above, right?

andy is just now starting to use the PEG, i have been using a syringe. but he can still eat a little soft food, mashed potatoes is his food of choice right now.
he is on a day to day menu since things he could tolerate yesterday, he cannot tolerate today. (but mashed potatoes have been hanging on the longest lol).

the MO supplied us with osmolite 1.2 cal. i am looking into jevity 1.5. the MO said he needs approx 3000 cal a day.

i have looked at past post where bolus is mentioned. can someone give me some info on this...

thank u all,
teresa

P.S. HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!

I didn't have a Peg but I believe bolus refers to using a syringe and gravity through a feeding tube.

If you look at the bottom of any page and click on SEARCH and type in say bolus it will take to any site discussion dealing with that word and remember this site is specific to OC so it's a much better source than say Google.

thanks david...will do!

Bolus is where you push the fluid slowly thru a syringe. Gravily is where you use a syringe and pour the fluid into the open syringe and hold it up so it slowly goes into the peg tube.

thanks christine!

your welcome

Just be careful with the speed. Slow works best, fast will make him ill and he will throw up everything you put in. This is why the pump works so well. I use mine overnight set at 100. I set it up and start at 4pm while Im watching TV. Then when Im ready for bed, I move it into the bedroom, add another can and more water and let it run all night.

Have a towel ready in case of spills or illness. If using the pump overnight, have him sleep propped up with at least 2 pillows. I have the head of my bed elevated 6" and still use both pillows. The pump method required sitting up or being propped up.

You can always check with a nutritionist or his PEG doc for pointers too. They might not be as helpful as people who have actually used the PEG. If you need help or have questions, please ask. It can be tricky learning which method is best. Both the bolus and gravity are much faster than the pump.

oh my...i definately dont want to do it wrong and make him more uncomfortable than he is. the thought of having him puke and strain his throat muscles is scary.

Teresa

Dont be afraid of trying these ways to help Andy. Its going to be trial and error to figure out which way is the best. Both the bolus and syringe are much faster than the pump. In my opinion, I would suggest trying the syringe way first. You would open a can and suck up a syringe full of it. Feed it slowly thru, I would say make it take you 5 minutes to get the feed him the full syringe. Wait a couple minutes and do another syringe. Afterwards flush out the tube with 2 syringes of lukewarm water. This needs to be done while he is either propped up in bed or sitting up. Make him sit still for at least 15 minutes after the feeding. Cold water will cause cramping and water too warm will make him feel bloated.

Sounds complicated but its really very simple. This is something Andy can do also. Best of luck with this. let me know how it works out for you. If he doesnt have a pump, ask the doc for one.

Teresa

Yes it is confusing at first. As noted, Bolus just means filling the syringe & pushing it thru the PEG tube. An 8 oz can takes under 5 minutes. For me gravity meant using the feeding bag up on a pole that drips down into my PEG. An 8 oz can takes 35 minutes for me that way.
I see that Christine & Angelia refer to gravity as using the syringe instead of feeding bag to let "gravity" drip it into the PEG.
I have never used a Pump as the gravity system with a feeding bag on the pole is slow enough for me. I am working up to doing one Bolus feeding a day with the syringe but that sometimes upsets my stomach.
Finally, last but not least, what type of holiday would it without using the best (actually the only good part as far as I am concerned) part of having a PEG: using the syringe to bolus feed wine down it. Beer works but can be fizzy & upsetting. Wine is the right consistency plus the alcohol cleans out & sanitizes my Y extender tube and the PEG.

I do not have any gravity feed bags, so I do use the syring without the pushing object. I just let go down in on its own. I do adjust the flow using the clamp on my tube and that has helped me alot. I still can not get more then 2 to 3 ozs at a time without getting nauseated and an upset stomach. At times I even feel bloated. UGH

Oh Charm, please take it easy on the spirits!!!!! Im sure Andy is on meds that wouldnt react nicely with alchol.

Charm, u make me laugh!! if u can tolerate the spirits...i say go for it, and do one more for andy!!

thank u all for ur advise! i guess i was just freaking a little. i am better now. but the thought that i could actually cause him more pain when im trying to help was scary.

today is the day...wish me luck!

Christine

Oh, but the pain meds do in fact react very nicely with alcohol. Unlike the weight loss, I did tell my doctors that I would continue to take pain medications and alcohol - as that way I needed far less opiates and only 50 mcg fentanyl patches or 20 mg oxycodone. Of course I am now down to one little Percocet a night so not really an issue.
I appreciate your concern though. I wanted to comment on your OCF blog, but instead will just say it here. It is so unfair the hand that you have been dealt.
Charm

I got my PEG Christmas Eve, and have had about 5 feedings (all delivered by nurse on duty). Most of the nurses seem to prefer filling the syringe, and letting it drip on its own into my stomach. Only one used the "push" method.

If they have taught you how to check for residual content, do it. It helps you to know if there is too much currently in the stomach to do a comfortable feeding. I got a feeding after I had eaten, and it made me ill. I also had a nurse put some air in my line to clear it, because I'd said it was nasty looking. she wanted to help me, but the air gave me gas.


Keep up the good work. soon you'll be giving folkslike mehelpful hints.

i will be asking about checking for residual content. never heard of that.

i hate to hear you got your PEG on Christmas Eve...hope you are feeling better. i am doing the fill and let drip...so far so good. he is still eating soft foods so right now, it is just to keep his nutrition up.

weigh in is tomorrow...we will see how it worked. i know some weight loss is normal, but lets hope its not 9 lbs again.

How do you check for residual content?

To check residual, push plunger in syringe, insert in tube and pull. Right now, nurses don't seemto agree on what's too much. One says full syringe, another says multiples, one says ask the nutritionist. I have a booklet, but the spaces listing acceptable residual amount weren't filled out. Booklet does say a jejunostomy tube should have little or no residual,so may not be necessary to check it. booklet also tells you to check for residual, but doesn't say how ("ask your healthcare professional . . "). Nurse did tellme to be sure to push residual back in, because it contains needed electrolytes.

I know that for my husband, the content of the residual was of importance. Too many solids meant that he was getting too much. I think that we usually pulled out about half a syringe full.