I've been meaning to start special postings just for tubies, i.e., those of us who can not eat and need a feeding tube.
My wife just reminded me that prior to being on a feeding tube, I had been told to follow a special pre Petscan diet of low carbohydrates and no sugars for 24 hours before and avoid caffeine and heavy exercise. Since my Petscan is not until after noon on Wednesday I was planning on my usual breakfast of 2 cans of Jevity 1.5 through my feeding tube.so I would have fasted for six hours. Problem is that in looking at the nutrient label on the Jevity 1.5 cans I see that it is about 54% carbohydrates and of course mostly Sugar under a different name: Corn Maltodextrin (second ingredient by volume) and Corn syrup (third).

Since this is my third time around with this cancer, I need this Petscan to be accurate and not have unreliable SUV.
I've emailed my doctors to ask them if those diet instructions I got five years ago and four years ago when I had Petscans really mean I should not take my canned nutrient.

Unless they tell me otherwise, I'm going to play it safe and use my Vitamix to liquify some eggs and other low carb foods for dinner and breakfast.the night before and morning of the Petscan. I've only had MRIs since the permanent feeding tube so didn't think of this.
I will keep you posted on what, if any replies I get
Charm

See how smart you are, Charm. Many would not have even thought of that and by you posting, others will learn something, which is why we all find your posts helpful. I wish you the very best and feel that "three times is charm" theory will work for you!
julieann

:)Hi Charm,
Since I will be keeping this tube for some time I think its great to start a tubie forum. I will be getting a pet scan in a couple of months so that is very good information. You said that once they put in the final feed tube, what did you mean? What does it look like? Good luck with all your tests.
Robin

Charm, you are absolutely correct with the caution before doing a PET scan. They have way too many false positives and this is a very important one for you. I have also been advised to drink extra water to help flush your body the day prior to a PET.

Wishing you all the very best with your test, my friend!

Good luck!!!

The Chief of Nuclear Medicine and PET/CT of my CCC, Georgetown Hospital was kind enough to reply to my email query:
[quote]Our instructions are to avoid carbohydrates from the night before the study. Your dinner the night before the scan should be of low carb content, and even more importantly no carbs for six hours before scheduled time. Jevity with its high carbs content would interfere with the PET scan. Therefore, please avoid Jevity the day of the scan and also for the dinner of the day before the scan. I think your plan to use Vitamix to combine low carb food is excellent.
[/quote]
In looking over my records, I realized I did have one Petscan right after I got the feeding tube and before I bought the Vitamix. That explains why that Petscan was inconclusive and false also that time. This one has to be right so they can decided if I can have one more radiation round.
Charm