We were advised by our GI doctor that there is a condition called Gastroparesis or delayed gastric emptying which is a disorder where the stomach takes too long to empty its contents. The symptoms are heartburn, nausea, vomiting of undigested food, feeling of fullness, weigth loss and lack of appetite amongst others.

My wife who has a peg tube to the stomach has been suffering from nausea and vomiting for about 8 to 9 months now during and post treatments.

This GI doctor ir recommending removing the tune from the stomach and insering a new tube into the small intestine so that food will enter the small intestine directly and solve the problems with the nausea and vomiting since there will be no food in the stomach. The tube inserted into the small intestine is called a jejunostomy tube.

I would really appreciate hearing from other forum members who may have had come accross this or have had a tube inserted into the small intestine and what the results where and the side effects.

Thank you very much to all always for your help and sharing you experiences.

Isn't that what they prescribe Reglan for?

http://www.healthsquare.com/newrx/reg1369.htm

My husband has a J-tube and is almost never nauseous. He has just started treatment though, so that may change. He is into his second week of radiation and had his first chemo session on Monday. He has a J-tube because he had gastric bypass surgery for weight loss 3 years ago and it was easier on the day of surgery to insert the Jtube than to find the remnant stomach(hiding behind his liver) and insert the Gtube. Your wife may benefit from the Jtube. It does take us 8 hours a day for feeding since the tube is much narrower and must be fed at a slower rate, but if she sleeps through the night it can be done as she sleeps. DH is up and down all night, so we fit in the feedings during the day.

Gary,

Thank you for your reply about Reglan and the link. We will discuss this with our GI doctor.

AngAk,

Thank you for sharing your experience with the J-tupe. Until lately I thought that the G-tube and J-tube where the same thing. I know understand the difference. It seems from Gary's reply that the J-tupe may not be necessary.

Does the feeding with the J-tube have to be done with a pump?

Yes, Vin, we have a pump that regulates the rate of the feedings. We go 170-180 ml/hr, which takes about 8-9 hours a day for 5-6 cans. It's really not too bad, since it can be done at night while sleeping, or just when they are relaxing in the recliner. It's easy to pack up and take with us when we go to our cabin. I really think he has less nausea because of the J-tube, but we're pretty new at this. The mucous is what is getting him queasy these days. I bought some liquid Tussin and gave him a dose but he swears it made him more nauseaous. I hope your wife finds some relief. Sniffing alcohol swabs helps some people. Kind of like the old smelling salt remedy. We're now done with 2 weeks of radiation and 1 dose of Cisplatin.