Can You Eat With a Feeding Tube?
Sometimes yes and sometimes no. It depends on many things, like the severity of your dysphagia, your medical status, and your goals. Dysphagia (dis-fay-juh) is the medical term for difficulty swallowing.
Last year I helped my dad go from a feeding tube to eventually eating by mouth. His requested meal: a Whopper with pickles and a black and white milkshake on the side. Since sharing that story publicly, one of the most frequently asked questions I get, usually goes something like this,...
"Alex, my grandpa is in the hospital after a stroke and the doctor had to put a feeding tube in him. They said he's not swallowing right but he wants to eat. Is that possible? What should we tell the speech therapist?"
1. I'm always so happy to hear people advocating for their needs and wants in the medical space.
2. I'm even happier when they remember to ask about a speech therapist. ;-) (PS - Did you know that some speech therapists are board-certified experts in swallowing disorders?)
After a bad fall and infection, my dad ended up in the hospital with a feeding tube in his nose. He told me how bad he wanted to eat. Based on my quick bedside swallow test, I could tell he would be a good candidate. Fast forward a few conversations with hospital staff and one swallow study later... he was finally able to eat by mouth and eventually get his tube removed.
Some people with a feeding tube are at a high risk for infection if they eat by mouth. It’s important to know your swallowing status and all your options. Below I'm going to share the exact process I used with my dad and what I would tell any patient of mine.
1. Participate in a speech therapy evaluation for your swallowing and diet. Tell the speech therapist that your goals are to eat by mouth. See some ideas below of what you can tell your doctor and speech therapist:
"I know I have a feeding tube but I would like to begin speech therapy for dysphagia. Are there any exercises, strategies, equipment, or positions that can help me to eat and drink safely?"
“Am I a candidate for neuromuscular electrical stimulation, like AmpCare or VitalStim?”
2. Ask your speech therapist or doctor to recommend a swallow study ASAP, if you haven't had one already. See script below:
"I'd like to schedule a swallow study. Should I receive a modified barium swallow study or a FEES? My goals are to eat regular foods and drink thin liquids, by mouth."
Details on the: modified barium swallow study, FEES.
3. Advocate for your needs. Tell the rest of your care team that your goals are to eat by mouth. Ask your speech therapist to keep your care team updated on your progress.
This includes providers involved in your care: your primary doctor, neurologist, oncologist, ENT, cardiologist, etc... This ensures coordination of care between all your providers on your healthcare journey.
4. Plan for your next level of care (ex: discharge or transfer to nursing home, rehab facility, or home).
If you're not eating by the time you're discharged home, make plans to continue with a speech therapist. Ask your nurse or doctor to include a "referral for speech therapy for dysphagia"... on your discharge papers. Ask your inpatient and nursing home speech therapist for their contact information. You can share this with your next speech therapist at your next level of care. This also allows them to have the most up-to-date record of your swallowing skills.
Have questions about difficulty swallowing? Email me at hello@thewynterwellnessgroup.com
Be well!
Alex
