Peg Question?

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Phil M

Senior member
Joined
Dec 28, 2008
Messages
599
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
5/2008
Country
US
State
Ga
City
Snellville
I'm getting peg Friday. Anyway, I have read where folks who blend food strain it before injecting it. Is that necessary if you know it is blended up fine?
Thanks, Phil
 
No, it is not necessary. I am glad you are getting one and you will be thankful you did it. Good Luck and don't worry, it is easy.
 
Hey Phil!

Would you mind if I ask where you are having the PEG done? You can PM me if you like.

Good luck friend!

Please let us know how it goes!
 
Congrats Dude ...

Once you get home , you can PHIL er up !

{{groans happen here}}

I am scheduled for Sept 15. Let me know how it goes.

Glen
 
Hello Phil , I will be thinking of you tomorrow , congrats on going for the peg , you won't regret it , and getting it put in is so easy :)
x
 
I never had to strain Andy's vodka/cranberry juice cocktail..... :D

Hi Phil. There is a huge thread about blending and formula. I wish I could think of where it is, but you will find lots of tips there. Straining is going to depend on how big the tube is going to be. (Circumference) We found we had to strain or it would clog easily. Another PALS friend had a bigger one and pretty much didn't strain much at all. That tube was such a relief especially for the meds.

Blessings,
Pam
 
Peg Tube size?

Just how big are these peg tubes like the inside diameter? And the length that sticks out of the belly?
I know they probably are not big enough for the olives from Andy's vodka/cranberry juice cocktail..... ? :lol::lol:
Just wondering from the standpoint of will my medicines fit without having to open plastic capsules like nexium comes in?
 
I know that not straining food would have clogged my mother's peg though we only used formula. We got clogs just from miniscule pieces of pills when we crushed them. The tube itself was large enough, but the syringe and the valve we put it through were not very big at all. I'm curious why someone would go through the work of putting food through it, formula seems like it would be much easier.

Good Luck with your PEG I think you will really like it!
 
My Mom would get sick from the formulas. And we tried a lot of them. Since we have been doing food, she is fine and even though she can't taste it, she is happier that she eats what we eat. Sometimes she gets a small taste on her finger and smiles. We use a vitamix and that purees everything. Last night she had salmon with spinach and chesse for dinner. You can buy a used one on ebay for a good price. And, no I would not advise putting the capsule in the tube...open it up and put it in water first. You don't want that getting stuck. Good luck, any questions, Please ask. I am trying to get my Mom to join the forum. I kep telling her that there are a lot of people that are needing her help.....
Laura
 
It bothers me that the capsule is to make the pill pass through the stomach before it dissolves, so if I put the meds in straight it might have bad effect?
Does anyone know about these type meds?
 
Captain Al

My Dad has 1 med that is a capsule that has to be opened and dissolved in water and then put in the tube. He has not had any problems with effectiveness or side effects from it.

Dad's doc said controlled or extended release pills can not go into the tube as they are designed to release medication in layers and the pill is unable to do that if crushed. Fortunately the doc was able to change the dosage on one of Dad's meds so that he could take a standard dose.

Enteric coated pills are made to stay coated until they get into the small intestine so that they do not irritate the mucus or gastric linings and I think you are right that they are unable to do this if crushed.

I am hoping the doc or pharmacist can review your options for meds.
Dana
 
Capt. Al ... the tubes are quite small. Mine is a quarter inch diameter on the outside. I have about 15 inches on the outside, long enough to hold the funnel up high for gravity feeding. My gastro guy said it is even longer inside the body, so there is no chance of it being pulled out.

I thought capsules were for ease in swallowing. I was told to open them and empty them out, but am sure you would lose a little of the med that way. I worry about the time-release pills, like Ambien CR, as you can't crush those. I am still taking meds by mouth (with yogurt) but it is getting really hard. Not sure what I am going to do when I can't manage that any more.
 
We had a "french" tube? As described by BethU. Once Andy could no longer take his extended release by mouth (with yogurt), there were other options in the form of liquids or crushables that he just had to take on a more frequent basis. Unfortunately one of these was every 4 hours. Not good if you have to be awake every 4 hours for a pill. (from a caregivers point of view, this is the time when you get overnight help so you can sleep). Most capsules can be opened and dumped out but some of them even had little tiny bead-like things inside that we couldn't crush. They clogged. Every time Andy went for a tube change, we requested something bigger, which they did. He was going for the "steak sized." :D So yes, the tubes can vary in sizes. Keep working your way up every time there is a change needed.
 
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