Anyone Had Problems Eating?

[alanpvegas]

Has anyone had problems eating due to nausea and vomiting?  Mom has had it off and on for a while (that's why we are on J-Tube feedings).  Basically she vomits up greenish bile and food that she ate 1 or 2 days ago can come up undigested.  Through the J-tube, however, she can get her nutrition and digest it...it just can't seem to 100% always pass the stomach but the Dr's always say there is no problem (also zofran and such don't work for her).

I asked on another board about that and they recommended 'enzymes' and such.  Has anyone had similar experiences or ideas?

[Helmar]

Hi Alan... is there a Dietician attached to the hospital where your Mum had her operation? We have them here at the hospitals, so it's good to talk with someone who knows about nutrition etc. especially for people like us. If you can find a Dietician, she/he can give you a run-down on what's best for your Mum at the present time. Some of the chemists (drug stores? ) could be able to offer some advice in this.
Wishing you and your Mum all the best...Helmar..

[rmarie]

It could still be the ensure working out of her system, give her a day or two to adjust.  This has to be terrible for both of you.  

[freshair]

Hi--everything is controversial.

Please read the section on glutamine.

http://www.krysalis.net/cancer2.htm

[Jatoo]

Dear Allan:

Just to let you know that you are doing great for your mom.

Jatoo

[SimplyStar]

Yes he was having major problems with digesting any thing but very soft, thin foods. This man was in his early 50ts and did not want to eat that way, He was tested and his digestive enzymes were lacking.  I was taught that enzymes flucuate and dissapear with age, so that is why nursing homes offer soft diets to all their patients. Adding this formula to his diet, now he eats more solid foods with no problem. I had them over for grilled steak this past week end.  Taking out part of the intestine should pose no problem as we have many feet of it.  My son lost 8' of his 5 years ago to a necrotic bowel, he eats and digests every thing just fine.  Thedoctor told me he would put Chris on enzymes when he reachs 50.  Chris has to take some really good multi vitamins because the absorbtion level for nutrients is cut down .

[freshair]

http://www.800herbdoc.com/p13.asp

SimplyStar's sounds great too. Yes we totally lack enzymes and probiotics with dead food (hospital)

This website is good. You have to ignore the way he set up his site cause I find it "unbelievable". But it was recommended to me from my naturopath. I can't recommend it if she is on chemo because it has a very cleansing effect. That would be up to you. It has chorella, wheatgrass, beet, spirulina, etc in it. And with B vitamins. I get a surge of energy when I mix it with organic apple juice diluted with water. I am doing it now before my next chemo. He claims that it has brought the very sick back to life and I believe it. You can call them and talk with them.

[alanpvegas]

She had, as part of the surgery, part of her intestines removed.  Basically the Dr's say the ct-scans dont' show any problem.  She did have a 'functional' bowel obstruction which landed her in the hospital until recently but she has (while inpatient) eating, but also not always digesting.  She was on TPN forever it seems until they tried the J-Tube in the small intestine.  She had a pump at the hospital but now we are just doing syringe feedings (which are resulting in diahrrea!).  

Anways I got some things at GNC but not sure if they will work yet.  Thank you for the recommendation!  Did he also have problems with undigested food in his stomach??

[alanpvegas]

Wow thank you guys :)  It's so tough with her...she can be doing great one day and bad the next.  I worry a lot (obviously) about her not eating and drinking enough.  Basically the only nutrition she can get is through the J-Tube and even then she is not taking in enough cans.  She has chemo Friday and I know it's going to be a struggle with her after that to get stuff in her.  Right now she had bad diahrrea, I assume from the can feeding.  When she had the pump inpatient she was 'normal', now it's mostly diharrea because I think we have to do 'more' at a time down the tube than the regulated pump.

I've been prompting her to take the probiotics and other stuff, but she is such a conventional medicine woman (she wants to get better, but will mainly only do what the doctors say...and doctors will only do what they can prescribe) so it's tough in the nutrition front on this!

Anyways thank you again all!!!!  This helped!!!

[rmarie]

did you make the switch to ensure? and is that when the diarrhea started?  If it is, call the Dr.'s office and ask about adding metamucil for your mom, to provide some fiber.  You would need to mix it in, the full amount of water and give it fairly quickly - so I don't know if she could handle that.  - you could try have the dose and see how she does.  Call them.  Good luck

[alanpvegas]

Hi, yes we had a ton of ensure (of course with no fiber) so I put in an order on amazon.com for some Jevity 1.2 cal cans which was what she got inpatient.  This has more fiber in it and FOS.  Anyways she had just half a can of the jevity (recieved today) today before having problems so not sure if it was because of this or from the prior ensure.

[SimplyStar]

I know of this product, my neighbor takes it ,  He had 1/2 of his stomach removed 6 years ago for cancer, he was having alot of difficulty digesting his food. He has been using this now for a year and with good results, stopped the vomiting and cleansed out his colon.  It has a charcoal base so it is good for the digestive system. Loaded with good enzymes for breaking down food.  Go to this web site   Elite-Zyme Ultra.  

[freshair]

Not sure but truly sympathize with you. You are trying so hard. What does her cat scan say? Are there digestive organs involved? How does she do when you give her clear broth (lots of vegies, etc. cooked up slow and strained) I know you have to give her plain things like white rice, banana. Wishing you and your Mom all the best.