Eating and drinking is such a normal part of life for most people. Just because you have a feeding tube, does not mean you no longer feel hunger. It may present in different ways, but typically if you are not fed, you will feel hunger! In some situations, if your doctor approves, you can still eat and drink with a feeding tube. The feeding tube may be there for supplemental nutrition if you are unable to orally eat and drink enough calories to maintain or gain weight. We are going to go over some very specific questions related to food and drink with a feeding tube.
Do you feel hunger with a feeding tube?
Hunger is actually a chemical reaction that occurs in the brain by a hormone called ghrelin. This reaction is what causes the hunger pains that our body feels when we are hungry. There are other ways your body tricks you into feeling hunger that include blood sugar levels, boredom, stress, or habit.
Now depending on how your feeds are set up, like a bolus (every few hours) feed schedule or a continuous feed, you may feel hunger differently. A lot of people on the bolus style schedule, seem to feel that their stomach is empty and that it is getting closer to the next scheduled feed. If you are on continuous feeds over a long period of time like 12-18 hours, it may take a while for you stomach to realize that it is empty and to give signals of hunger.
If you have a g tube that inputs food directly into your stomach, you should feel a feeling of fullness. If you have GJ tube that puts food into your intestines you may feel satisfied but you may still feel hunger due to your brain’s habit of expecting food on your stomach. This can take some mental adjustment to remind yourself that you are getting fed, but it is bypassing your stomach.
Can you drink with a feeding tube?
Drinking by mouth while having a feeding tube needs to be approved by a Doctor. A lot of people have feeding tubes because it is unsafe to swallow. If this is the case for you, your doctor may advise you to be completely NPO (nothing by mouth) when it comes to eating and drinking orally.
In cases like my daughter, she was NPO for a very long time until it was determined that she could safely swallow without having issues like aspiration. We started very very slowly with tiny amounts of milk to teach her how to swallow by mouth. We built up on her skills until she was able to start eating purees and eventually hard and crunchy foods.
Can you still eat regular food a feeding tube?
Not everyone that has a feeding tube, is 100% tube fed. A lot of patients that are recovering from procedures or chemo, may just not be able to intake enough calories by mouth. In these cases, a patient would continue to try to consume enough calories by food and drink and then they would supplement their calories with tube feeding.
So when my daughter first started eating enough food and drink to start counting calories, we would supplement the difference with a tube feed. It is very important to work with your dietician or nutritionist, to work out a plan for eating and drinking while still hitting your calorie goals.
What happens when you eat with a feeding tube?
When you eat by mouth, the food goes down to your stomach like normal. Now depending on the thickness of what you eat or the thinness of what you drink, you may notice that it mayleak a little around your feeding tube site. This is totally normal, but does not happen to all people.
Can I make my own tube feeding formula?
In most cases, your medical team will want you to start with a feeding formula that is commercially made. This is because it is easier to count calories, avoiding foods that may cause issues, and typically formula is easier on a healing stomach. Some people will need extra fats, or extra protein, or extra calories, and there are specific formulas already made to meet those needs.
Once you have had a feeding tube for a while and demonstrate normal weight gain or maintaining of weight, you can discuss with your nutritionist/ dietician about making your own food.
What kind of food can you put in a feeding tube?
Typically the food that is put into a feeding tube is a special formula that is commercially made. There are some formulas that are based on real fruits and vegetables, and there are “real food blends” that are thinned in order to be able to put through a feeding tube.
Can you put pureed food in a feeding tube?
Yes! Your medical team can recommend trying a pureed or blended diet for your feeding tube. These types of diets are very helpful when trying to avoid certain food groups, like vegans avoiding meat, or lactose intolerant avoiding dairy. It is also very helpful to train your stomach to get used to different textures and different nutrients if the feeding tube is not permanent. So doing thinned purees can help prepare the stomach to get used to these foods before starting to try them orally. (Most formulas are made to be easily digestible so a stomach not used to more complex foods may need to learn how to break them down without causing discomfort.)
Can you vomit with a feeding tube?
Typically a feeding tube will not interfere with your ability to vomit. If you have an NG (feeding tube inserted in the nostril), vomiting may lead to displacement or may remove the tube completely and it will need to be re-inserted.
If you have a G tube or a GJ tube, vomiting can and will still occur in cases like acid reflux, stomach virus, or a reaction to certain foods. If you notice that you or your child is vomiting more than once a day frequently, please contact your medical provider because this is an issue that needs to be investigated.
The following are questions only for adults with a feeding tube:
Can you drink alcohol with a g tube?
If you are of legal drinking age, and your doctor approves you to drink alcohol you can. Keep in mind though that alcohol does react and interfere with different medications, so alcohol may be off the table. It is very important to inform your doctor of exactly what types of alcohol and how much you are ingesting. Some research seems to indicate that tube feeding alcohol can actually make the effects stronger, so it is recommended that this only be done in very small amounts.It is recommended that you flush your line with water after your tube feed alcohol to keep the alcohol from sitting in your tubing.
Can I put wine in my feeding tube?
This falls under the same question about alcohol. If you are of legal age and given approval by your doctor, then yes it can be done. It is recommended that you flush your line with water after your tube feed alcohol to keep the alcohol from sitting in your tubing. Moderation would be key, and always double check that it will not react or interfere with your medications.
Can I put coffee in my feeding tube?
Coffee is a huge habit for a lot of people. The warmth and the caffeine can be a much needed wake up call every morning. As long as your doctor has cleared you for caffeine, then yes coffee can be tube fed. It is recommended that coffee be as close to room temperature as possible before tube feeding. Hot coffee can damage tubing and may injure your stomach. You may want to flush the tubing with water after coffee if you like sugar and cream, because these can cause residue to gunk up the line.
Conclusion
With the help of your doctor and dietician/nutritionist, you may be able to eat or drink my mouth. We always recommend keeping your medical team in the loop of anything that you ingest that is outside of your nutrition plan.
With a little help and some trial and error, eating and drinking can still be done with a feeding tube!
