Hi all, my husband just recently had a peg tube put in. We have been crushing his pills and adding water to help dissolve them. but they still seem gritty.They do go through the tube but a lot of residue is left in the bag, even after adding more water to flush it down. Is there some method of completely dissolving these pills? I fear that he is not getting his full dosage this way, and also fear that it will clog in the tube.
Any suggestions would be welcome.

Thanks,
Maureen

Hi Maureen,

We also had that problem. Some pills just dissolve better than others. Sometimes warm or hot water works better than cold and sometimes not. We also didn't put them in the feeding bag, but put them directly in the tube with a syringe. Less residue that way.

The best solution we found was to get everything possible in liquid form. Almost any med can be had in liquid form. Sometimes the docs had to look it up or call the pharmacist, though. They don't seem to have to deal with liquids as often and don't always know what's available. Be persistent and you'll probably be able to get what you need in liquid form.
There also sometimes is a little more trouble with red tape. Between gov't regs and insurance roadblocks, it can take a little longer to get some liquids, mostly the narcotics, but it can be done. Hang in there and good luck.

Rainbows & hugs,
Rosie

Hi Maureen. I just love it when I have exactly the answer to a problem. What you need is a pill crusher, available at pharmacies. This is like a little jar into which you put the pill, then you screw down the top to crush it. The resulting powder is then mixed with water and put into the PEG, which is subsequently flushed with clear water. No mess, no fuss, and all the medication goes where it is supposed to. Just ask at a drugstore for a pill crusher and you will be in business.
Joanna

Maureen,
What I always did and occasionally still do, is dissolve the medicine in water and then inject it into the PEG with the syringe. I never put it in the drip bag. With the syringe it goes in with a bit of force, doesn't tend to stay in the syringe, and they need to be replaced from time to time anyway.

Danny G.

Everyone has this right. Crush the pills as best as possible in a small cup. The pill crusher is a cool thing, but mine wasn't designed so I could just add water to the powder, I had to transfer it to another container. Mix in warm water and stir. Some will dissolve, some will remain as particles in suspension in the water. (If that is the case be sure to do the whole process twice to get everything. ) Suck it up in a clean syringe and squirt it directly into the PEG tube, not the bag. Follow this with two more tubes of fresh water from the same syringe and that will clean all the residue out of the syringe and the tube ensuring that you are getting the full dose, and the tube doesn't get clogged.

I was just rereading this and realize I left something out. I used a very huge syringe -- without the plunger -- to pour things into my PEG tube. Plugged the end of the syringe into the PEG, then poured the water or water w/meds right in. Held the end of the PEG up, and let gravity do the work. Maybe because I flushed that thing many times a day in my effort not to become dehydrated, my PEG never got plugged up, so I never needed the plunger. The syringe served as a big funnel. Hope this helps somebody.
Joanna, PEG proponent (converted)