Patient Education Cancer of the Pancreas: A Care Guide | Page 30

Stomach Discomfort
• Refrigerate leftover formula. Throw
away opened formula that is not
used within 24 hours.
• If you are not able to tolerate the
amount of feeding on your feeding
plan, call your doctor, nurse, or
dietitian.
Diarrhea can drain your body of a lot
of water.
• If diarrhea lasts more than 24 to
48 hours, call your doctor or nurse.
You may need a stool sample sent
to check for infection.
• You may need to put extra water
through your feeding tube each
day that you have diarrhea.
This may be a feeling of nausea,
belching, bloating, or fullness.
• If you are using the pump method,
stop the feeding. Wait 2 hours and
then start the feeding again.
• Never force a feeding. If you feel
full, wait an hour or so before
taking more.
• Body position can help to prevent
these stomach problems. Keep
your head raised at least 30 degrees
while giving your feeding and for
30 to 60 minutes after your feeding
is done. This is also a good time to
walk.
• Your feeding plan may need to be
adjusted if you keep having these
problems. Call your doctor, nurse,
or dietitian if the discomfort lasts
longer than 4 hours.
Dehydration
This occurs when your body tissues
do not get enough water to meet
their needs. It can happen when large
amounts of water are lost through
diarrhea. It also can be caused by
some kinds of medication, such as
diuretics.
Diuretics, which are also called water
pills, cause your body to get rid of
more fluid.
Your formula, plus the extra water
used to flush your tube, should meet
your fluid needs. If your fluid needs
are not being met, you may have:
• A strong thirst
• Fever
• Weakness
• Less urine
• Dark-colored or strong-smelling
urine
Diarrhea
Talk to your doctor about what your
bowel habits may be on the tube
feeding. Some health conditions or
medication can increase the risk of
diarrhea.
A person on a tube feeding may have
soft or loose stools. Loose, frequent,
watery stools are known as diarrhea.
Sometimes people also have cramping
in the stomach with the loose stools.
If diarrhea is a problem, try these tips.
• Make sure your supplies are
cleaned well after use.
• After talking with your doctor,
nurse, or dietitian, give smaller and
less concentrated feedings, at a
slower rate, more often.
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