Dysphagia

[Abby2006]

I just finished a 5 day hospital stay, got pneumonia from food going into my lungs now as the cervical dystonia has destroyed my throat. Then the MS flared up but I was able to add eight pounds ti my 57 pounds (D-3) screw up, and was having alot of fun just eating, eating BUT now no solid foods and this new thing is level 3 advanced, So off to find a Dysphagia diet. They told me drinking water is now dangerous, Man it just keeps getting better

Abby

just got word my D-3 level has gone from over 96 to now 86, well at least that was alll going in the right direction

[Virginia]

Abby, I am so sorry about the hospital stay and the Dysphagia. Maybe it will not be too hard to find foods that you can eat with this. I understand about the water, but maybe some soft foods. You sure need weight, so keep looking for something. I am surprised the hospital did not recommend a diet before letting you go home - or at least your Doctor.

Good Luck

[Abby2006]

Just has to be thin, They gave me a list of thngs I could have and things to avoid, So I went on line to get info to make sense of it all. I 'm not sure how much weight I can gain drinking jello

Abby

[agate]

I'm so sorry, Abby.

Has anyone taken a look at you? You must look rail-thin.

You may have to be the squeaky wheel and point out to them that you're seriously underweight, and do they have suggestions as to how you can regain the weight?

EDITED TO ADD: Ohio State University apparently has developed a dysphagia diet. Here is a link for Level 3 dysphagia:

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There are some higher-calorie foods that are allowed--grilled cheese, fruit pies, bananas, hot cereals, and many more. Bananas are often a good place to start, IMO. Loaded with potassium and very digestible.

[SalpalSally]

So sorry you are going through this (((((Abby))))).
I hope you can find a proper, easy to fix, easy to eat diet just for you.

Be well soon..

[Jeanie Z]

:) Hi Abby, My David has lost almost 40 lbs. since starting chemo. The nutritionist told him to get a can of Ensure and put a scoop of Whey powder and a raw egg in it. This gives him protein to build muscle and help prevent further weight loss. Use a blender or beater to make it smooth. I hope you will be able to have this. Check and see. Jeanie :)

[Virginia]

Abby, both bananas and grilled cheese sandwiches sounds good to me. Hope you will take a look at the diet Agate found for persons with dysphagia.

[Parsi]

Just has to be thin, They gave me a list of thngs I could have and things to avoid, So I went on line to get info to make sense of it all. I 'm not sure how much weight I can gain drinking jello

Abby

Baby food???????

[Abby2006]

Been down for a few days dealing with a side effect from antibotic for the pneumonia.
Think I lost my 8 pounds I worked so hard to get on and may even be be below 57 now but working on ideas to work this thing out.
I'm into serious nutrition now and they have taken all the good stuff away - no bananas ( has strings) but you know Parsi I did think o baby food for right now,

Getting a mini coffee grinder so I can gring of the almonds I was living on and put on stuff

and getting a real mini steamer for some eggs and baked sweet potatoes, can't have rice or corn maxing out a credit card to do it but then again paying the hospital bill is going to be real brain stormer and I make $50 to much a year to get any help, I've just got to take care of me right now and hang the rest I am very tired and week but Lord willing I will bounce back.



Abby

[Abby2006]

Thanks Agate thats more than I found or they gave me


Abby

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Abby))))))

I'm so sorry to hear that you're going through so much. I hope that you're able to find a diet to help put the weight back on and will be safe for you to consume.

Please be careful with the almonds. Even ground, they could present a problem for you. I suggest almond milk, if you can have that consistency. There are "thickeners" available too.

Rather than invest in a coffee grinder, could you possibly invest in a blender of some kind? Could you handle a smoothie, for example? Soups that aren't too thin? I'm thinking you cook the vegetables, then put them through a blender or food processor to puree them. I did this for my sons for many years, and it allowed them to be able to eat almost anything (but not nuts or seeds). Baby food is just pureed food. So, if you cook up your own food and puree it, it will be fresh, and organic/natural. And you can blend it to the right consistency for you.

For the cost of a coffee grinder and a steamer, you might be able to afford a blender or a Magic Bullet. It might be worth shopping around on the internet to see what's out there and how much things cost, thinking of it as an overall investment in your health and prevention of aspiration.

Sending healing thoughts to you ~

Love & Light,

Rose

[agate]

no bananas ( has strings)

I'm wondering about the strings. There are those you can peel off, and if you haven't got all of them, you could fish them out if you mashed the banana.

If you leave an unpeeled banana in the freezer, it will come out fairly pulpy. Or you can mash it yourself with a portable hand mixer or a potato masher.

More up-to-date people can probably recommend newer gadgets for this, but I find a potato masher works fine.

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[Abby2006]

Just checking in to say thanks for all the support

Abby

Getting a small personal smoothie maker maybe next week

[Earth Mother 2 Angels]

((((((Abby))))))

Good plan! Maybe you can also put veggies in it, as well as fruit.

Hope you're feeling stronger.

Love & Light,

Rose

[lawnerd]

Abby2006,

So very, sorry to hear you are having to deal with this. Ditto with whoever said they can't believe hospital/docs didn't give you some diet instructions.

My mother has Parkinson's and dysphagia is her main problem. 3 x in hospital since Feb '12 b/c aspiration pneumonia. She is in a nursing home. Per speech therapist's recommendation after a barium swallow study, my mother is on a pureed foods, honey thickened [thicker than "nectar thickened"] liquids diet. I have had major problems with nursing home doing the proper things regarding her diet so I have done a good bit of research on this subject.

Some highlights follow, but if you want to private message me and I will be glad to give you more detail.

Posture - Remain sitting up for at least 30 mins after eating or drinking anything. Try leaning your head slightly forward and tucking your chin as you swallow.

Plain water - You probably can drink it safely if you do it correctly. Google "Frazier water protocol" for good info about plain water issue.

Google "pureed food" and you can get some good ideas.

Basically, as I understand it you want foods to be the consistency of pudding. For instance, ice cream isn't considered OK because it melts to liquid before you swallow it.

Whoever suggested a blender is on the right track.

Mashed potatoes - tons of tasty & nutrient dense things you can puree with/ add to them.

Rice or bread - Not good things to puree. They come out about the consistency of library paste or modeling clay and those things may have more taste - not a good thing.

Cream soups - may have to blender a bit to puree the chunks of broccoli, chicken, etc. If too thin, crunch up some crackers up into bits and mix in or add a little of some other sort of thickener [see below].

Pureed meats - chicken, ham, turkey salads works well; if end product of things like baked chicken or beef, thin with some gravy, a bouillion or veggie broth.

Try to add things to foods to increase the nutrient/ good calorie content, like adding melted cheese to eggs or mashed potatoes.

Fruits - if you want banana, remove those outer strings and run it thru the blender; apple sauce; most any fruits that don't have a lot of seeds will work, even things like strawberries can be eatten if put thru blender. I'd avoid blackberries. If too thin after going thru blender alone, thicken with some type of light/fluffy cake put in blender with the fruit.

Custards & puddings are good.

Cooked veggies - most work well in blender. But do not attempt mixed vegetables in the blender - end product is neither tasty or nor pretty.

Thickeners - there are commercial thickeners. Also try corn starch, flour, depending on what you are trying to thicken. Google "cooking thickeners".