My dad is going through parkinsons and he has having difficulty walking , moving his hands freely , leans forward while walking.Also he has difficulty in swallowing food or drinking water.Planning to go for a PEG (stomach feeding tube) . How safte it is and how is after life of getting him the stomach feeding tube ? appreciate if anyone can share their experience and where to get the care after getting PEG.
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Thank you Sudha for the
Thank you Sudha for the detailed response. This discussion may also be helpful https://www.patientsengage.com/discussions/swallowing-difficulty-late-s…
Hello there, thank you for
Hello there, thank you for questions, this is one that routinely comes up. If the affected person is much advanced into PD and is unable to swallow liquids, then PEG is a good option. It is safe and low maintenance. There are very few, if any, side effects or complications from PEG.
Having this feeding mechanism is also like a safety precaution. Food he is able to swallow easily can be given orally and those he tends to aspirate can be given through PEG. That way his oral consumption can be continued for longer.
Also, please note, most PD persons are fatally affected by aspirational pneumonia. This happens when they cannot swallow and foods goes into lungs leading to pneumonia. Such a problem can be avoided by inserting a PEG.
However for a lot of families, inserted a PEG denotes degeneration in the health condition and they postpone the procedure as long as they can. This is a personal call one has to be make