Will bowels be affected by enteral feeding?
Some people with MND have trouble with their bowels. There can be a number of reasons for this, including poor gut movement and poor fibre and/or fluid intake associated with swallowing difficulties. If bowel problems occur after PEG insertion, the dietitian may advise the use of a special feed with extra fibre. How will medication be taken? Medication will be prescribed in liquid form wherever possible. If medication is unavailable in liquid form, tablets can be crushed in warm water and administered down the tube with a syringe. The doctor or nurse can give advice about this. Will people with a feeding tube be able to bath and shower? For the first two weeks after the tube is fitted it is advisable to only shower or wash. After that period it is perfectly acceptable to have a bath, making sure to close the tube before hand and to carefully dry the tube and exit site afterwards. Is swimming allowed? Yes. Taking care to follow the same procedure as for bathing. © MND Victoria. January
