Emotional implications of having a feeding tube

@jaymoore100 Hello, my wife is just starting this journey with radiation treatment to her tonsil upcoming in the next couple of weeks. We’re scheduled for a PET scan hopefully this week pending the waiting on approval from insurance. I was curious, you mentioned you had this 2 and 1/2 years ago and you said you were still having issues eating, has this been on going or is this something that recently started up?

My wife was just diagnosed with poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma P16+. The tumor is based on her tonsil and there “suspicious of maybe a lymph node. There’s a high likelihood of radiation therapy to start versus surgery. She’s 55 and I’m wondering about the issue of eating problems and what we have to look forward to and possible remedies.
Thank you, Erich and Alma

Hello I am 2 years post chemo and radiation for basenof tongue C.
It has been a long road to recovery. I could jotbeat for the first 3 months l so a feeding tube was inserted. I started with using Boost 224 for nutritional support 3x per day. I then decided to just cook a meal and using my Ninja, blend it. I do regular foods as if I were sitting down to dinner. I felling give me more than Boost as I am heavy on the veggies and lean clean protein. Make sure they are blended well or ot will clog the syringe.
I do a full dinner this way.
As for breakfast and lunches..I try to eat small amounts. However, a lack of saliva and swallowing issues from.the radiation, I need to chew chew chew amd chase with water for it to go down. It is not enjoyable and I have almost zero taste buds so can be frustrating.
So over time if you keep trying and really push, you will be able tk eat again.
So what I am trying to say is, it gets better over time. I still have some Gerd after certain foods.
I also learned that if you go slowly with the feed, it is less vomiting.
Just wanted to share my experience. Good luck all!

Glad l saw this! I am having a stomach feeding placed this week, April 30th 2026. I’ve been told everything will be explained to me day of installation but l didn’t want to wait to the last minute to get answers so l went to Web. Md. sorry you are having such difficulty. I will take your issues and bring them up with radiology intervention doctor or nurse. Especially your issue of vomiting and gerd. I had non B cell lymphoma 2 1/2years ago and the chemo and radiation has limited my swallowing. It takes an hour and half to finish a meal and my weight is still low. Hence the feeding tube. I’ll post something after l have the procedure. Hope you find answers as well. God bless you.

The formula , Jevity , is a death sentence, I make my own food , with every healthy ingredient you can think of , and add about two Jevity per day to it , I am eating healthier than ever , I eat a lot of fiber , and and I feel about 85 % of my old self .

Yes , do not rely on Jevity , etc , 54% of calories from corn syrup !

Hi Colleen, The swallowing seems to be doing better and I believe by working with a speech/ swallow therapist has been a help.

@patriciagsr and @luckyhunterjs, I wanted to reach out and see how you are both doing?

Patricia, how are you managing with the feeding tube and finding the right diet? And how about the emotional toll? Are you able to consider ways to reduce the social isolation and be with people more?

John, how is the swallowing coming along and working with the speech/swallow therapist?

Hi - no she never did experience any extreme reaction from IsoSource so it appears each body probably reacts differently. She always said she never felt hungry at any time but recognized the need to nourish the body.

Hello, i was prescribed with Isosource 1,5 with fiber too but it was not processed in my body well and 6/10 I vomited and 10/10 times I was nauseous. I ended up replacing it by a home blended diet. How does your wife react to Isosource ?

@walisky and @motek

I so agree with what you said about speech therapists/pathologists. I have had vocal cord surgery and I understand the swallowing problems. Speech therapists can do so much to help you strengthen those muscles involved with swallowing. Speech generally improves as a by-product of the speech therapy process.