Need a few tips

[Aaronmandevill]

Hi all,

I’m having trouble swallowing pills, non gel caps just sit about 6 inches up from stomach and have to be washed down with lots of water. I got the silent knight pill crusher to try and prepare for increasing difficulty swallowing until I can get my feeding tube put in. Since I paid out of pocket for my neurologist/diagnosis, the Air Force says his referral for feeding tube isn’t covered. My authorized referral with Methodist isn’t until mid August.

1. Does temperature of apple sauce/pudding matter for mixing with crushed pills? I heard somewhere warm lemon juice was good to help clear mucous and was wondering if temperature might apply here. I was also thinking warming might help the medicine powder dissolve better.

2. I am worried about food getting stuck in the esophagus but the speech therapist said it wasn’t a big deal because my airway is still protected. Is it true I can just keep swallowing more food to push the rest down? It hurts when there’s a big chunk stuck but just want to make sure there isn’t a safety concern. I am planning to move to all purée meals soon but just not ready to give up some foods just yet.

3. Does anyone know if the TUDCA 250mg are half the size of the 500mg? The 500s are quite large and if 250 is a smaller pill I’ll need to swap over or hold off on TUDCA until feeding tube. I’ve read trying to mix bile acid with pretty much anything is impossible to get down.

4. I’ve started to have mini laryngospasms throughout the day and I’ve read Larson maneuver but that requires someone and I live alone. Is there anything I can do to help stop these?

 

[Nikki J]

3 my tudca 250 are 7/8 of an inch. It was too hard to measure circumference but they are normal capsule configuration. I hope 500 are not twice as big!

1 think very cold might be harder otherwise not sure it matters. But yes things may dissolve in warm a little bit. My sister had best results with cottage cheese for her pills

swallpwing more and more food sounds uncomfortable and where does it end? Can you swallow liquid safely ? That would seem a better idea

read Gerry’s idea in this thread need support, laryngospasm

 

[Aaronmandevill]

@Nikki J Thanks for the tips, I love cottage cheese!

Yes, I can swallow liquids great, just not sure I want all puréed just yet. It’s just a lot of liquid if I wash down every bite with a bunch of water so I eat, let it get stuck, then the next bite pushes that one down. Eventually I drink water and that flushes any residue it seems.

Will start trying to think of some more soft dishes that I really enjoy in case I need to move over sooner than I think

 

[lgelb]

Plain water is not the easiest way to wash down food. Try a non-acidic juice like apple, or peach, possibly cut with water.

Also, re temp, if you buy the individual applesauce cups, like in a six pack, you can use them one at a time at room temperature instead of having to eat cold/warm up from the fridge. There are also shelf-stable puddings through they are usually less healthy.

Re soft foods, you can be creative as your swallowing allows, e.g. melt cheese into mashed potatoes, eat jello cups that have canned fruit in them, etc.

 

[Aaronmandevill]

@lgelb Thanks for the great tips! Never heard of using juice but I do love apple juice. Probably much better than my sweet drink of choice (Pepsi). For some reason soda causes a lot of phlegm buildup but I like sugary drinks so apple could definitely work. Will start looking for other fruit juices to see if any others are less acidic. Acid messes my teeth up pretty quick

Cheesy mashed potatoes does sound good right now

Oh and I do have the individual apple sauce squeeze packets currently and an almond pudding. Haven’t tried the pudding yet though

 

[KimT]

Pepsi is one of the most acidic things you can drink. Apple juice is a much better choice.

Do you like Mac & Cheese?

I recommend buying a Vitamix so you can blend things to your ability and taste. You can make healthy shakes with lots of nutrients with a Vitamix. You can also puree veggies and add them to whatever you're eating. I make a morning shake with Greek Yogurt, raw cocoa, sprouts, avocado, and lots of berries. It has about 800-1,000 calories depending on how hungry I am. It takes three minutes to prep. I add milk of choice, usually walnut milk for the nutrients.

 

[Aaronmandevill]

@KimT I do like mac n cheese but grew up on the cheap box stuff so homemade isn’t as appealing. Love velveeta shells and cheese! Love apple juice so will be purchasing a bit container of that tomorrow.

I am looking to get a vitamix but have never blended anything before so will just need to get a bit spun up on that whole process. If you have any recipes feel free to post or pm, I’ve been sending my email to various members.

By the way attached pics of the TUDCA 500mg size, so big!

 

[Nikki J]

So about the same as 250. I couldn’t imagine it being much bigger. And you are right opening it is not an option. The taste is horrendous and hard to eradicate if you do try.