Deb,
At my appointment today with my Nutrition RN and Dietitian, I asked about the higher calorie Nutren 2.0 w/fiber, but my Dietitian said her patient often have digestive problems with it so she only uses it for long term users and even then moves them to it gradually.

So I guess for me it will be nine cans of 1.0.

Thanks

Christine,
thanks -- went over this with my Nutrition RN and Dietitian today. They explained the Robitussin to me. They also checked my two prescription meds, a pill and a capsule and told me I can grind up the pill, and empty the capsule into slightly warm water and send them down the tube.

Don:

Glad I could help you with the medicine info using the tube. For me, I really dislike having it at all but at least I have found a way around taking yucky medicine. I dont grind pills, I just dissolve them in warm water. Just make sure you flush the tube good. It also gives you extra water which will help you with staying hydrated.

Don,

So glad you were able to address the Nutren issue with the nutritionist...sounds like she has your best interest at heart. I will say, that if, and I am praying that you don't, have to go to tube feedings only...getting 9 cans of supplement in a day is not exactly easy. It takes being very regimented to do it. I would definitely suggest having someone chart it for you along with your water intake. Some here used an overnight pump or a gravity feed bag to get enough in.

The main thing is to always get the prescribed calories and fluids in each day...think of it as a major player in allowing the body to withstand and heal from the onslaught of your treatments. It will make all the difference.

Deb

Hey Don

If you take nothing else from this thread, the advice of protein, protein, protein and calories, calories, calories is very good advice. As Deb say, it will make a difference, believe it, because it really does.

I was able to do 9 cans of Glucerna a day, 3 cans a meal, 3 times a day, and there were days that I also did a couple of cans of V8 juice as well. Even the chemo nurses were amazed at my blood work and I firmly believe that it is one reason I did as well as I did.

Kevin

Well I guess if Kevin could handle nine cans of Glucera I will just have to do manage nine cans of Nutren(somehow! -- boy do I dread this).

I wonder how many cans of Jevity Margret has to use?

Only six! I also add a lot of water and some fruit juice. My nurse practitioner also suggested sports drinks or broths to keep my sodium and electrolyte levels up.

Don,

Try not to dread the feedings if you need them...just take it on like a very important job and think of it as a life saver.

I would like to encourage you as well as anyone reading this thread by saying that my Bill finished treatment on October 1 and by October 10th was eating and drinking easily by mouth and feeling fairly well. He didn't seem to get worse at all after treatments end and was able to eat enough to be off the PEG feedings very quickly - less than two weeks. I actually was able to donate several cases of the Nutren and other PEG supplies to a deserving person at our RO's office. Not everyone has this quick a recovery but Bill did and the fact that you are having no chemo may make your time on the PEG shorter.

No false hopes here...just encouragement. Right now is a good time to take one day at a time...put your head down and take care of yourself.

Deb-

You have no idea how encouraging your post is! Well, I'm guessing you do

Thank you.

- Margaret

[quote=DonB]Well I guess if Kevin could handle nine cans of Glucera I will just have to do manage nine cans of Nutren(somehow! -- boy do I dread this). [/quote]

Hey Don.. Try not to dread it, it's Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. When my wife would cook I'd go in the kitchen for my feedings, take a big whiff of what ever she was cooking, and in my head, played the game that it was what was for dinner. Then down the tube with the goo

Whatever it takes man!!

Kevin