My word, is this GERD?

[KarenNWendyn]

I know. I’m about to have breakfast and I’m dreading it.

 

[affected]

@nona and @KarenNWendyn this is a real signal that you need to look at very slow feeding methods such as a pump. You can do the pump feeding during the day - if you have a couple of hours when you tend to nap or watch some movies or something is a great time. You can forget 'mealtimes' as the guideline and go with what keeps you comfortable. (it doesn't matter if you feeds happen at 11am, 3pm and the rest overnight, what matters is keeping your nutrition and fluids up in a way that keeps you comfortable)

If you are dreading eating your quality of life is dropping and you are going to eat less, I believe your gastroparesis will increase, your nausea will increase because you are stressed for sure, and you could start losing weight and your progression speed up more.

Please stop and consider, how you can slow your feeds down - even if you start by making each feed now slower so it takes at least half an hour to administer. See if that makes any difference. If that makes just a bit of difference, then a slow pump delivery will really do the trick.

 

[KimT]

This question is totally off the wall and for those of us who don't have to tube feed yet. Can the stomach be bypassed and the tube placed into the small intestine? It seems like it would be a more complicated surgical procedure but what are the pros and cons? I have horrible reflux even taking a PPI every day.

 

[Nikki J]

The pump during the day when you are sitting is easy . My sister did that right along. It didn’t matter really as long as we were home. It was on an iv pole so we could move her around. If need be we interrupted the feeding for toileting. No big deal.
and the pump is incredibly easy to use

and the most common type is a kangaroo You can think of Tillie when you use it

 

[blitzc]

I know a fellow PALS in my area who just had surgery to convert her Peg tube to J tube due to aspiration pnuemonia. She said the J tube goes directly into the small intestine.

 

[affected]

This question is totally off the wall and for those of us who don't have to tube feed yet. Can the stomach be bypassed and the tube placed into the small intestine? It seems like it would be a more complicated surgical procedure but what are the pros and cons? I have horrible reflux even taking a PPI every day.

Yes, it's called a J tube (jejenum). It's not simpler and it means you have to be fed very specialised formula as it all has to be a pre-digested formula.

 

[nona]

quick update : I started taking a PPI, Protonix, about two weeks ago. I also slowed my feedings way down, dropped down to one dose of Mexilitene, and cut back on ibuprofen except at bedtime. It all seems to be working. Less bloating, fewer reflux episodes, and a lot less dry coughing. Yay!

 

[KarenNWendyn]

That’s awesome Jessie.

And mine seems better by splitting 3 meals into 4, going slow, and using BiPAP during and for a while after the meal. It’s good to know the pump is an option for both of us if the current methods stop working.