Doctor Visit

The MA answered my email.  She said she talked to the NP, who wasn't familar with those pancreatic enzymes but that the doctor has prescribed them to  patients who have nutrient absorption issues.  I'm not sure that I am not absorbing nutrients as much as just not taking in enough but I will see what he says next week.

I am really sorry you are going through this Ladytazz.  I have been struggling with losing slow and know that this is a journey not a sprint.  As far as the feeding tube......TPN or PPN can be offered via IV and not through a feeding tube.  If a PEG feeding tube is placed this would be a tube in your stomach.  I would think they would try TPN or PPN first.......I am unfamiliar with creon......I just wonder if there are something else that can supplement you without causing dumping.....like more calorie laden shakes.....

Sending healing thoughts.....

~~Jennifer

Would it be placed in my pouch?  That wouldn't work because I assume I would just dump.  I have no remnant stomach so there is nothing else to put a tube in.
I don't know how to make my shakes have more calories.  I can't use 1/2 and 1/2 because the fat makes me dump.  Same with too much dairy.  I tried to make a protein smoothie with Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, protein powder and frozen fruit and was terribly sick.

Here is something about Creon.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0000279/

I am not sure what you put in your shakes or how many calories but here is one of my recipes - 45 grams of protein and 350 calories - approx.

8 ounces of milk - I use lactaid or soy
2 tablespoons of SF chocolate syrup - torani
5-6 ice cubes
1 1/2 scoops of chocolate protein powder (GNC ProPerformance 100% whey protein)
2 tablespoons of SF chocolate pudding powder
1 sliced banana

put in blender for about 45 seconds until smooth. It is a delicious chocolate milkshake

don't know if it will help any, but there is fat free Half and Half

I have not worked with any patients who were post weight loss surgery with PEGs so I am unsure where the feeding tube would be placed....my guess is in your new, small pouch.   There have been several recent post weight surgery posters on here who had feeding tubes post surgery so they may know the answer.  I work primarily with patients who have a PEG due to cancer or stroke. I am not a fan....especially for long term use.  I would suggest that you ask to see a dietician before they start any feedings to make sure THEY know how much sugar, carbs are in whatever they give you....my guess is they will give you something they give diabetics.   I wish you luck Tazz.....

Oh Tazz, I hope they can get something going that isn't a feeding tube.  I have had clients with them due to choking problems and they aren't fun.  but neither is wasting away.  And I think you are right, if it goes into your stomach, ie pouch, I think if it is sugary, you will dump.  I hope you at least stop and maybe gain a little so you won't have to do that.

Best Wishes Tazz,  I hope it works out that you don't need a feeding tube.  My only experience was with the G-tube post op into my remnant stomach, without a remnant stomach I don't know what they will do.   

This past winter I had tons of complications - without going into major details, I had 4 open surgeries for bowel obstructions, internal hernia, became septic a week later with perforated colon and almost died.  They then amazingly saved me but had to remove a large part of my bowel, insert a G tube and an illiostomy.  3 months later I had the illiostomy reversed.  With all this, I lost 45 pounds but only needed to lose about 15 of it.  So, I was really skinny and majorly malnorished. I was losing weight at the rate of a pound per day and it wouldnt' stop.  I was put on tube feedings trough the Gtube into my remant which was a pain in the neck - took 14 hours per night but it did the trick - it stopped the weight loss.  I did this while in the hospital and for a few weeks when I got home but when I stopped it, thought I was out of the woods, the weight started falling again.  I didnt' want to go back on the feedings, so I was told that I had to somehow eat enough to stop the loss.  So, I went back on protein shakes and eating high calorie foods.  At this point it was tough because my bowels weren't normal yet from the surgery - everything gave me diarhea, so I didnt' know if I was dumping or if it was just plain healing.  So, I continued to eat what I needed.  I never dumped before this, so I figured it wasn't dumping.  I was eating tons of dairy and some sugar.  It turns out my lactose intolerance came back, can't even eat dairy with lactaid pills or use lactaid milk - must use soy milk now but I can tolerate sugar to a degree.  So, I basically eat all day long  - I would be afraid to add up my calories and for about 3months of this I hadn't gained a pound.  Then one day I got sick and I lost 5 pounds again.  So, when I went to my Endocrinologist, she decided to try putting me on Pancrease - pancreatic enzymes - she felt it would not only help me absorb my foods but it might help with the diarhea.  Well, she was right - the diarhea got a lot better and I was definitely absorbing my food - in 3 weeks, I gained 15 pounds.  I stopped the pancrease and am doing okay now weight wise.   IT is really weird, I am still about 30 pounds less than when I went into the hospital last year but my clothes from then fit.  So, my weight has shifted.  I guess from all the incisions in my abdomen, that is where all the weight is.

You might want to try pancrease - it really helps you absorb food - my dose was pancrease 4200.  I would try that before having a tube put in for feedings.  good luck

Good luck Tazz.  Hope they can get you fixed up soon!!  My FIL was on the Pancreatic medicine to help him gain weight and it did help him for a while.  He had pancreatic cancer so it was a short term fix for him because he was loosing so fast.

Linda