Guest guest Posted May 19, 2003 Report Share Posted May 19, 2003 > I need some information on TPN. I need to know how long you on it and how many hours a day are you receiving the TPN. Also what can you do when you on it. And can you drink anything while on it. I want to ask my doctor about it, but I need more info about it first. I just got out of the hospital last Wednesday, after being in there for 6 days with a bad flare up of pancreatitis. I could eat anything of drink anything until Wednesday when I finally got to come home. It was a short lived relief from the horrible pain I was having and now it's back so soon. > Louie in WV Louie, I wish I could answer your questions about TPN, but since I haven't personally ever had to go that route (YET)....I can't. But I did want to tell you how sorry I was to hear that you'd been in the hospital and are still feeling so poorly. That weight loss sounds alarming, too! Don't let yourself get like me....it's no fun and impossible to gain back. Hopefully someone else will have a lot of good info for you. Just take care of yourself, and I hope you're feeling better soon. With hope and prayers, Heidi Heidi H. Griffeth Bluffton, SC State and Regional Representative Pancreatitis Association, International Note: All comments are personal opinion only, and should not be a substitute for professional medical consultation. > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 19, 2003 Report Share Posted May 19, 2003 What is TPN? Anita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2003 Report Share Posted May 20, 2003 Louie: Sometimes you have to stay on it several weeks. As far as length of time in a day, that is up to your doctor. Most folks get the same amount but it runs over different periods of time varying from 8-16 hours. Just depends. Its kind of an experiment because if they have you off of all food, you have to watch your blood sugars. I have been on it in the day and I have been on it in the night. In my own case, while on it I felt much better and had energy but if I ran it at night and had nothing going in during the day and was doing alot, my blood sugar would drop and I would feel bad so I let them hook me back up in the day. I did most everything you normally do, certainly I did more with it than without it. I remember cooking Thanksgiving dinner, hooked up to this pump, on an IV pole with wheels in the kitchen. I felt great, it was a riot. That may sound awful to some of you but I say that so you will know you get energy from it. Also, my skin cleared up, my hair grew back in. I have very thick black hair and it had started coming out. It grew back in twice as thick and I could hardly get a comb through it. They give you a back back that looks like a kids school back pack and you can go anywhere. I assume you have a PICC line? If not, they put one it so you can use it. I think asking your doc for TPN is a wonderful idea. I got to the point back then that if I felt bad or started having my hair fall out, I would call him on the phone and he would order it right away. I had to do several rounds of it over 3-4 years and havent' had it since about 1999. Also, the doc will tell you whether you can have clear liquids or anything. Sometimes they put you on nothing by mouth and then advance to clear liquids. At one point, my doc said I could have boullion and I use to make my own vegetable bouillon. Just boil the veggies with salt and seasonings and strain it. Believe me it was good when you haven't eaten. I think TPN would be a good thing! Take care Kaye Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 20, 2003 Report Share Posted May 20, 2003 > What is TPN? > > Anita Anita, TPN means Total Parenternal Nutrition. In other words, total sustenance given by an IV in the hospital, or a j-tube with a picc line while at home. " Food in a Bag " ! Some patients that are severely undernourished or that have problems with food ingestion are put on this. With hope and prayers, Heidi Heidi H. Griffeth Bluffton, SC State and Regional Representative Pancreatitis Association, International Note: All comments are personal opinion only, and should not be a substitute for professional medical consultation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 21, 2003 Report Share Posted May 21, 2003 Louie, I am sorry that you were in the hospital. I can imagine that he would be worried with that amount of weight loss. My experience with TPN was both good and bad. The bad part was that I had three serious infections. With a line straight from your heart it is easy to get an infection, especially when you are at he will of nurses that you don't exactly know how well they do technique. I was not able to maintain a PICC line and had to have a subclavian, which is more risky. But, the good, was that when I went on TPN I was so nauseated I could not stand it. Having complete gastric rest was wonderful. It stopped all nausea. The nutrition gave me so much energy. I felt great. I went on three out of town trips with my TPN. I ran mine 12 hours at night. I was still hooked up to tubes, though, as I had IV morphine 24/7. If I ever get so sick and nauseated again, I won't hesitate to have it again. Karyn E. , RN Exec. Director, PAI Indianapolis, IN The PAI serves as a means of support, information, and advocacy. The PAI cannot offer medical advice or direction nor substitute for your health care provider. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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