Has anyone made it through radiation and chemo without a feeding tube?

Thank you for sharing this. My husband had surgery on October 16, 2023. He needed a feeding tube for about 3 weeks after that. He is about halfway through 5 weeks of chemo/Proton radiation therapy now and his doctors want him to keep the port for the feeding tube in case he needs it before he's through. He is having no trouble eating now, but just the port for the tube causes pain and burning. He's been told that's nothing to worry about Anyway, I hope he doesn't need it and i guess he is going to have to put up with the port a while longer.
I'll be thinking about your husband as he goes through yet another round of chemo. I hope this round gets him back on track.

My Dad had the surgery two months ago and he got the feeding tube for less than 20 days it got remove after that he is now in Radiation and chemo and so far so good. Hangings in there i know that is is a very rough moments but true me everything will pass.

yes. no feeding tube. no catheter. 2 procedures i avoided without issue.

@rockchalk, welcome. It sounds like you have completed treatment for esophageal cancer. When did you finish? How are you doing?

Nope. I had a Tube placed before starting chemo, and radiation, and used it up until surgery. I was fortunate and never had any issues with the tube. It was a "gravity feed" type of tube and worked quite well. Another tube was placed during surgery that required a "pump" to dispense the nutrition. I came home with this Tube, but used only a couple times. I accidentally snagged it while showering, and it came out. That was the end of the feeding tube.

I've seen this a few times... and I wonder why they bother to install both a G tube... and then a J tube. I thought that the usual thinking was we'll leave the stomach be, since it will be used as the new esophagus... no need to put a hole in it. But yes, G tube feeding is simpler and quicker than J tube feeding.

So... did you use the same feeds... or were you able to liquefy and use almost anything with the G tube vs the J tube? I assume you were having issues swallowing early on (at diagnosis) for them to put in the G tube.

I chose not to have a feeding tube and I chose not to have a catheter. I avoided to unnecessary although simple procedures to start this journey. My personal experience was that after two weeks of treatment, I was able to eat small bites of regular food without any complications, my journey is not everyone’s, but as long as you are able to get your food, nutrition, via smoothies or soups or similar items, I didn’t see the need

My husband went through chemo and radiation without a feeding tube. When he came out of his surgery to remove his tumor, he had a feeding tube in place. While recovering in ICU he was fed through the tube. He was eating a regular diet at the time of his discharge from the hospital but his doctor left the tube in place. The plan is to eat a regular diet during the day hours and use the feeding tube during the night . This is to help him maintain his weight. Because he is eating his insurance company denied coverage of the feeding tube . So we're waiting to see the doctor to have it removed. It was only a short time that he was fed through the tube but it was needed.

Doctors push fur the feeding tube. I had one for 3 months and it wasn’t a pleasant experience j tube fell out twice in 3 months. I was eating good after 4 radiation treatments. I had pain also. I would not want to experience that again.
Keep strong.

Thank you, Donna