Question about meds and hydration

Thanks for the info, and yes, one of my medications is synthroid. No one told me about the 6 hour rule. Great!!! That makes things even more complicated!!! Do you know if that applies if I put it through the G-tube with my fluid infusions? Probably since we absorb through the intestine and the carafate coats the intestine. Well crap. I'm already having to wake up at odd hours to get in all the carafate, fluid,protein, and supplements. I feel like an idiot that I can't figure out how to do this. I only got 3 carafates in today because I was feeling hunger, so I was trying out some stuff other than full liquids. I'm glad to remove the 30 min between drinking and eating rule from my life, but how does that effect the 2 hour before/1 hour after rule for the carafate? I was doing pretty well till that was thrown into the mix.The pharmacist and the Dr were both really adamant that it would only work if taken as directed. I very much want to be well again, so I want to get this right!

I am getting some fluids through the tube, but even with that I'm confined somewhat by the carafate restrictions, though today I ignored them. My thinking is that the carafate needs to coat my pouch, not so much the intestine in my case, and since the tube goes into the remnant stomach, I didn't think it could do any harm. What do you think? Is that alright?

I am frustrated. I feel stupid. I used to feel confident in (at least) matters of my own body, but now, not so much anymore. I feel like I have lost control of my body and in some ways my life. I hate this and wish that I had never done this to myself.

It doesn't matter where you put the carafate, it is still being absorbed in the same place- your intestines.  The only reason I found about about the synthroid is because my Endocrinologist told me when I told her I was on it.  You may be feeling hunger because of what is going on in your stomach - it may not be real hunger.  I Know I mentioned in my post yestarday about the diagnosis they gave you - an open wound sounding just like an ulcer?  The number one symptom of an ulcer is gnawing pain that feels like you are hungry. So, many times people think they are hungry all the time - even to the point of the stomach almost growling.  It is just the ulcer making itself known.  So, where an ulcer is an area of where the stomach lining has been opened, your is basically the entire thing - so just one big ulcer.  Make sense?  I do hope you are taking Prevacid, protonix or nexium preferably 2 times per day with how bad your stomach is. This along with your carafate should really help.

One thing that might help is that when they say you have to take it on an empty stomach - 2 hour before and 1hour after - that only pertains to food, not liquids (atleast clear liquids like water, crystal light, the protein drink Isopure Zero Carb, Gateraides G2, and stuff like that.  Stuff with milk that would interfere with it.  So, hopefully that can help with the liquids part of it. 

I am totally confused now, if you are putting the carafate into the remnant, then you aren't coating the pouch at all - how is this going to heal your pouch?  You need to be swallowing the carafate for it to get to your pouch.  I would talk to your surgeon about this on Monday.  That is the total purpose of the carafate is to coat the lining of the pouch to promote healing and if you are putting into the G tube which goes into the remnant, then it never touches your pouch.  THIS MAKES NO SENSE>  It would work if you had an ulcer in your remnant.

Don't feel stupid, unfortunately, you and are were blessed with too many complications. Is the carafate liguid or tablets?  IT comes both ways so if you can't swallow pills, it comes in a liquid.

I hope I didnt' confuse you more - feel free to write me anytime.

Good luck and let me know how things go.

Sorry I wasn't very clear about the carafate/remnant thing. I drink the carafate. It has to coat the pouch. That I do know. lol I was talking about it making a difference if the synthroid went into the remnant. If the 6 hour rule would apply then.
The hunger I'm feeling is just regular hunger for me. Not a gnawing feeling and it's not all of the time. It's just kind of an empty feeling. Not painful at all. I eat a couple of tablespoons of appropriate food and it goes away for a few hours. I want to see if food is passing and not getting stuck on another stricture. I don't want it to get so bad before getting to the Dr if it reoccurs.

I replied in the other post to answer some of you questions about PPIs. I really appreciate your willingness to share your knowledge and experience.Thank you again for your help. the info on the fluids is very helpful. That will make getting my fluids in by mouth much easier!!!!                        -Julie

normally I would say you might not have to wait the full 6hours if you are putting the synthroid in the G tube but with your gastroparesis, there is no guarantee how fast anything is actually going through your system and I wouldnt' want to take the chance of not absorbing it.

 Gosh U really scare me young lady !   

Im an officially disabled person myself with VERY severe  life threatening asthma  that at one point had me virtually homebound .  That was when i was following  doctors' orders the MOST and taking a whole bunch of pills , inhalers, nebulizers etc...  

I realized at  some point that being a " good patient "  was kiling me slowly ...  i was getting a LOT of attention from doctors .. sure ...  I was on a first name basis with most o fthe staff  in my local emergency room ...  but i was virtually homebound and  they were talking about an eventual heart-lung transplant !!!    NOT  my cup of tea.  

Anyway  ..I  took matters into my own hands , started doing a lot of research into  Natural  non invasive commonsense  "old-fashioned" ways to deal with asthma..  followed those ways ... took walks every day ...  STOPPED   taking  most drugs except when  ABSOLUTELY necessary  ..and became able to exercise and even work and go to ( graduate degree ) college full time again ... 

It wasn't easy .. it took  TONS of discipline but every day it got a tiny bit EASIER   to breathe and i got a bit more hope ...  

Anytime i hear of a young person taking tons of medications  ...  having G-tubes and so forth  .. it SCARES me.  Please believe me ..  medicine is HARDLY accurate .   If U take the HISTORY  of medicine course at a place like Harvard like I did ...  U'd know   that its  STILL a very inexact  , very guesswork based  "science " .  Please dont be a willing lab rat .  Don't  put Ur head in the noose  .

The satistics say .. most people  who take 4 or more medications  daily DIE within  10 years ... 

 

You are sooo right! I should stop taking my thyroid medications and my supplements, along with tossing my carafate because YOU took a History of Medicine class at a place like Harvard. Makes TOTAL sense to me now.

I really wish I knew where you got some of your stuff from. You really amazed me sometimes with the stuff you have been coming up with lately.  She is a very sick young lady and you dont' know her medical histoy and to tell her to stop taking her medications is basically telling her to commit suicide.  Just because you went to Harvard doesnt' give you the right.

 I have been taking way more than 4 more medications at a time for way more than 10 years and I am still here to talk about it.