My husband had the PEG put in a week ago Friday. He is basically unable to swallow anything except pure liquids. We have used all types of nausea medicines, but he is still sick to his stomach. He has had some pain in the area around the PEG and they did a dye test to see if there was a problem with the PEG yesterday. All was fine. He had had no liquid or feedings since the night before the dye test. I tried to give him 1 1/2 cans Nutren 1.5. He is to have two cans four times a day. We use the drip/IV method. After 1 can I tried to push the ground medication in the tube and it wouldn't go. I used a pill crusher and warm water to put it through a syringe. I waited over five hours and could suck the contents out and return it, but still could hardly get 30 ml of water down. If I tried to push the water hard it would push the syringe out and squirt the water everywhere. Waited until this morning and still his stomach contents filled the tube. We are going to see the nutrionalst today. They are talking about Raglin to empty the stomach faster. They are also talking about a 24 hour pump. My husband is 6' 5 1/2" and used to weigh 230 lbs, he is down to 206 and if we can't get nutriton in how can he fight this damn disease? I realy thought the PEG would end the food crisis. I spent so much time suggesting different things to swallow, he would look like he was going to throw up or just say no. We are in the last week of radiation(twice a day) so there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I would love ideas on these problems. Thanks

Hi DCS,

Sounds like a difficult problem. I found that if I ever let the stomach get to empty, it also contributed to the nausea. I fed myself 7 cans of ensure with about the same amount of water about 3 hours apart all day. I used a gravity feed because it was a lot easier. I just took the plunger out of the surenge and used a measuring cup to pour the liquids in the surenge slowly as it drained into the stomach.

From what you are experiencing, it sounds as if the PEG tube is obstructed somehow. The nutritionist may not be able to help with this aspect. May need to go to a Gastrointerologist to have it checked.

You are right on the money though that nutrition is the most important aspect of fighting cancer and it's treatment. Keep working with your doctors until you can get nutrition in regularly.

Keep fighting and take care!
Jim

That's exactly what Reglan is for - to keep things moving. Constipation can also stop homeostatsis (the medical term for keeping things moving) - it that an unresolved issue as well? It can cause things to back up and nausea as well. Narcotics are the culprit and appropriate countermeasures must be taken. Talk to your nutritionist and get a laxative with a stool softener. Liquid foods can cause serious constipation, surprisingly. Fiber must be added to the diet.

To add to Gary's fiber comment- we used a powder called Benefiber [OTC at Walmart] and it mixes well with any liquid to go through the peg. Hope you all get this feed tube problem worked out soon. I'm sure it's causing you both alot of stress. Amy in the Ozarks

He receiveed his Eributux yesterday and a large IV for dehydration as well as the Zoyfran, Benadryl, and Magnisum. They gave him the Reglan by IV. It helped got two cans in last evening. Took Reglan this Am and could get two cans in, but only 60cc water. He is not on any pain meds, and the Nutren 1.5 is with fiber. I just pray it keeps working. He is less fatigued and weak today after getting some nutrition. I'll keep you posted. Thanks for the ideas.

Marvin had a rough time when he would get constipated also. We would not be able to get all of his food down. He would also break out in a sweat and was in alot of pain. We have found out that the extra fluids given him during his chemo helped. We have found a solution that seems to be working for him. We put 8 to 16 oz of prune juice in the tube plus he takes milk a mag. I also try to make sure he gets at least 64oz of water each day. Marvin only has 3 more rad treatments to go. Hang in there. Good luck

Robins food is called fortisip fibre and as the name suggests has fibre incorporated.For the constipation he has lactulose twice a day and thus far the combination of fibre and lactulose are keeping everything moving well.Yesterday the nutrionist added a product called calogen which has a large quantity of calories in it.this was because Rob couldnt stomach the volume of liquid involved in taking 8 bottles of fortisip a day.It is a thick oily emulsion and i was supposed to add 30 mls 4 times a day to his feed which gave him an extra 400 calories.this was a total disaster,and for the first time Rob experienced nausea and blow back from his feed so now he wont take that any more.I am having to settle for getting about 1500 calories a day into the peg spread out over three hourly intervals.He is not gaining weight but he is not losing it so i guess that is ok.