Getting a PEG next week - looking for tips

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It is great that all went well! Congrats!
 
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oh this is such great news - I'm thrilled it has gone well so far. don't overfeed in the first 24 hours, but trust your instincts.
 
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one more word of advice : don't make him laugh while the tube is open!
 
@rmt would love an update on you are both doing.
good point @nona it can be quite astonishing how far stomach contents can leap with the force of a laugh ... 😱😂
 
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Things are going great so far! The only pain he has is when he coughs and he slept great (10 hours!) last night. This morning, he did a feeding of formula and one with a pureed oatmeal/cereal/milk mix. And he seems really happy to have the tube! I'm so thrilled that it is going smoothly and he seems so much happier and less stressed out. So far the tube gets 2 big thumbs up!
 
Oh, and thanks for the not laughing advice!!!! I can picture what a mess that would make! 😆
 
Any tips for taking medications? He has a pill crusher because he takes some things crushed up in yogurt (by mouth). And I've ordered a mortar and pestle. Is it best to dissolve them in water? Milk? Juice? The papers they sent us home with said to do one medication at a time, so we are doing that.
 
we mix my meds with water (20-30 ml). I used to do them individually but now we mix them together. we have gotten by with a pretty cheap plastic pill crusher, and some dissolve in water in ten minutes or so. If you are pushing meds with a syringe and encounter a blockage, don't push harder but instead pull back on the stopper and push again. Do this until it goes smoothly. Don't force anything through.
 
Nona, thanks for the tip! I think we aren't waiting long enough for the meds to dissolve. We will be more patient! And thanks for the tip about how to deal with a blockage. My husband tends to brut force things, so good to know it is better to pull back and then push again.
 
First, make sure that all his meds are safe to crush, using the Do Not Crush list.

You can use warm water to dissolve the pieces once crushed. That is the only liquid that should come into contact with the pieces.
 
Oh, wow, that's great info! I'll check out the list and use only warm water! Seriously, you guys are the best!
 
My husband weighed himself last night and he has gained 3 pounds in 2 days (since the night before his procedure)! I'm guessing most of that is water weight. He must have been so dehydrated all the time! He is also in a much better mood and so much more engaged in everything.

Looking back, I should have been more patient with him in the last 6 months, since he was clearly hungry and thirsty all the time, which must have been awful. But I was so annoyed (and stressed) that he wouldn't get the tube when he obviously needed it, so it was hard to sympathize with him. I'm so glad we are in a much better situation now with the tube.
 
That is great - if he was dehydrated, that water weight is fantastic and he will feel better.
Really that's all that matters now, great news.
 
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Robin, you should check with his primary care provider at the VA for liquid versions of his medications. The VA provides me with liquid Ibuprofen, liquid Vitamin C, and Liquid Vitamin E. They also provided the liquid version of Riluzole, TIGLUTIK, until I stopped taking it. Sure makes life easier.
 
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Dave, great idea to ask about liquid versions of his medications! We'll definitely do that!
 
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