I have severe gastroparesis. That means my stomach is paralyzed. I do not eat solid foods. I’m limited to the amount of liquid I can take. I try to drink 1 ounce of Ensure or other fluids every hour, but am chronically dehydrated and have malnutrition. I get IV potassium, magnesium and hydration twice a week. I tube feed via a PEG tube to my stomach, but am not able to handle much and am not absorbing much nutrients.
I will try an NG tube to see if my stomach can handle the formula feeds. If not, I’ll have a J-tube placed and format fed directly to my small intestine. If that fails, and I’m not approved for a gastric stimulator, I will have my stomach removed and go on TPN – formula fed for up to 24 hours a day.
I worry about the cost of the medical food/formula. Millions of Americans rely on medical food/formula to survive.
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