After 2 months of trying to find where we could buy Carnation Instant Breakfast VHC,[we live in the Arkansas Ozarks] I finally talked to a Home Health Care company in Little Rock, Ar. today. Here is what I learned. CIB VHC is NOT recommended for tube feeding because it is too dense and may clog the tube.It is for people who can swallow. However, Nestle makes a product called Nutren 2.o that has 500 calories per can and is made specifically for tube feeding. We are going to order a case and try it. {John is presently on 2CAL-HN @ 450 cal. per can] If he tolerates this, he will pick up an extra 200 cals per day. Amy

Amy,

I had the tube through the nose thing for 10 days and I never had a problem with Carnation VHC. I don't know if the nose tube is comparable to the Peg because I've never had one or even seen one.

My guess is that it must be different. The Intral person I discussed this with told me that the VHC was too dense to go through a peg and would cause problems. She also said we should NOT thin it with water-don't know why, but their nutritionist is supposed to call me tomorrow. There is so much info AND mis-info out there, it takes alot of trial and error in my experience. I will post what I find out tomorrow. But extra calories would be great for us, so we are following through. Amy

Hi Amy,
Mike was on a Nestle Nutran product as well. His was called Pro Balance. It was only 300 calories a can. His tube has been out a while now, and he still drinks a can or two a day. Along with eating a normal diet. It tastes ok. A nutrionist precribed it from the dozens of formulations Nestle offers.
The point I would like to make is our insurance covered this product while he had the feeding tube. I got the impression from some posts that people were buying it out of pocket.
Insurance also paid for all the dressing and tape required for maintanence on both the feeding tube and picc line.
We went through a home health company that is national, called Apria. They did the billing to insurance too.
Perhaps some insurance companies do not pay, but it is worth a try!
I hope the new product works well for John.
Ginny (Mike's wife)

Hi David,
The nasal feeding tube passes through the nose, down the throat and esophagus then on to the stomach.
The Peg tube is inserted into the stomach through the outside of the stomach wall. They can be short and flush against the stomach or long or really long like that garden hose Mike had.
I am surprised that you got a Nasal tube. You might have liked the Peg. The Peg is concealed when you are out in public. The nasal one runs through the area you got radiated.

I don't want to get in peg this war again but if you are only going to need a tube for a few days or weeks, the nasal tube is much less invasive. Ugly yes, but it works. I found Ensure Plus worked perfectly fine with the nasal tube I had after surgery in 2001. I also think Ensure Plus which is 360 calories works through the PEG.

Eileen

Hi Amy,
They could be right. Jack was on the neutron 1.5 with his PEG tube and at times he was on the 2.0 formula. He is now using the Carnation VHC by mouth so we have both. He poured out a can of the VHC to compare it to the neutron and it's definitely thicker. It will be interesting to see what the nutritionist says.
Regards JoAnne

Small world, Ginny- the people I talked to today were Apria in LIttle Rock, Ar.! Interesting that your Ins. will cover the ancillary supplies, tape, dressings for the tube-our won't. But we think they will cover the Neutron because they cover the 2Cal. We'll see. Getting 2000 cals. a day through a peg is really a challange when you have no appitite and your stomach has shrunk. Amy

JAM, I live in Texarkana,ARkansas. I was on PEG tube about 6 weeks, I have two cases of 2-CAL left, if u want it send me your mailing address and I will send it to you. Sandra

Amy, I had a peg for ten months and used Carnation Instant Breakfast and had no problems. Afterwards I followed with about 4 oz. of water.
I am curious that you live in Arkansas and in the Ozarks. Last year I purchased a home in Berryville and my husband and I spend time there as well as Arizona. Send me a e-mail and maybe we can meet?

Hacklene