Medication via gastrostomy tube

[BlueBeachHut]

Hi, does anyone have experience of giving Madopar via gastrostomy tube? I'm finding it doesn't dissolve very well and I nearly blocked my husband's tube this morning, any tips would be gratefully received.

Has anyone tried crushing and giving Sinemet Plus via a feeding tube? I'm wondering if this might be easier than the Madopar

[calebsmum]

I have been putting my husband’s medication into his peg tube for more than a year. I send a bit of water down the tube first, put the tablet into the syringe and then draw water into it ahead of time, so it fully dissolves, then follow with more water. Some brands of a particular tablet dissolve better than others (such as midodrine) and you can request the GP prescribes a specific brand.

Are you using the dispersable Madopar? We found fibogel blocks the tube and gaviscon is very difficult

[BlueBeachHut in reply to calebsmum]

Thanks yes it’s the dispersible Madopar, hire much water do you dissolve it in? It really adds up and increases my husband’s fluid intake quite a lot

[lotois]

Hello BBH. My wife takes Madopar Dispersible four times a day via PEG administered by carers. They advise that they have never experienced any difficulty with blockages provided that the tube is extended and straight and has previously been flushed through with water. I hope that is helpful

[calebsmum]

I was dissolving it in about 40-60ml water but in the nursing home they use 20ml

[GreenJo]

Hi - I gave all my husband's medication via his gastrostomy tube. It's trial and error re different meds. I found it easier to set up meds in advance in plastic cups. More difficult ones I set up 1st and administered last - giving more time to dissolve. He was on co-careldopa and sinemet not Madopar. One I had most difficulty with and blocked tube was with Omezaprole/losec. The dissolving version doesn't dissolve - eventually got this in liquid form. Also if it felt like tube was starting to block I would change to smaller syringe to flush. Don't know why but this seemed to work. Hope this helps.

[BlueBeachHut in reply to GreenJo]

That’s really helpful thanks very much