How long can you tube feed?

[Forester]

I had a hospice nurse say that soon I may not be able to tolerate tube feedings. I have been doing fine for about three weeks since I had it put in. I sense they may not have much experience with ALS.

Is there some reason I can't to this for a long time?

 

[TGB1]

What? I have never heard of anything like this. As far as I know, you can tube feed until YOU decide you are done.

 

[tdodson]

I have never heard that either. My mother has been feed on the tube for a year and a half now with no problems. I'm not sure what the hospice nurse meant by that.

 

[zoohouse]

That makes no sense at all. ALS does not affect the digestive system that I know of, and the only reason that it is needed is because PALS lose the ability to swallow without choking. People have feeding tubes for years, for many reasons.

 

[affected]

Forester I would ask them exactly what that statement meant as it does seem odd.

ALS does end up slowing down the whole digestive system, especially if the PALS becomes bedridden. But this is normally in late stages, not always though.

The put pegs into babies who can live a whole lifetime with them.

 

[Forester]

It must be from people with other diseases.

 

[FSHolbrook]

I have never hear that either. The folks that I know have had tube feeders for several years. I would be asking a lot of questions if I was told that you could only have a tube feeder for 3 weeks.

Rick

 

[dalvin]

I would suggest that the nurse in question needs to go back to school. A. To learn her facts. B. to learn proper bedside manner as such remarks will cause undue stress to people who are living what is already a stressful life,patient and family