PSP problem in swallowing..

[sonikaKharb]

Hi ,

MY father has PSP from 3 years ...and now he can't eat the food ...he has problem in swallowing..can anyone suggest any medicine or doctor for this.

[kenh1]

I would suggest that you look at the related posts to the right of this column. Apart from this as you are in India I feel powerless to help. Hopefully there are others on this site who can help you.

[sonikaKharb in reply to kenh1]

Thanks

[anis_attar in reply to sonikaKharb]

Hi,

It's very hard to believe,but no cure to this PSP disease.My father is also in same condition from last 2 years..But please try to follow swallowing techniques instead of medicines..also consult speech therapists..other than these ,I don't find any miracles for this disease..

[greelycat]

My husband has difficulty swallowing. He is down to 85 pounds since each time he has trouble breathing he can't eat (he also has severe COPD in addition to PSP). He is on a special diet of thickened liquids (you get a powder from the drug store which you add to liquids so that you do not choke) and all of his food is minced.

[sonikaKharb in reply to greelycat]

Thanks !

[Hidden]

When mom was in the nursing home she was given some instructions (or maybe l should say classes) on swallowing & breathing. Unfortunately l was unable to attend so l don't know what they did. PSP definitely was a problem with her swallowing. In the past many people here have used thickeners, check some of the older post on swallowing, maybe there will be brand names of products they used. Best wishes as you tend to your loved one's needs. Granni B

[sonikaKharb in reply to Hidden]

Thanks !

[LuisRodicioRodicio]

Hi sonikaKhard!

I'm sorry PSP has entered your family.

The suggestions of my "chat" colleagues are wise and based on their different experiences. In my case they have been very helpful.

These are our experiences:

solids or regular liquids from reaching the lungs to avoid eventual “aspiration pneumonia,” (Besides falls, this is another very important risk.)

•Add thickeners (eg, Resource from Nestle, Thick-it, Simply Thick-Easy Mix, CVs) to drinks (soups, water, Aquarius (*) orange or lemon or similar without gas, etc.) till obtain a bit glutinous liquid. To drink, it is advisable to use a special cup (Ornamin 815) with the chin as near as possible to the chest. Some mango and peach juices have an adequate consistency.

(*) Isotonic drinks are interesting to help maintain blood electrolytes at the correct level.

•The food must be moderately doughy and in small pieces if solid.

•The speech therapist has insisted that she should not take meals that "deceive" the mechanism of swallowing that is damaged. The foods that “deceive” are those that have liquids and solids in the same bite (eg, some beans with soup or a soup with pasta).

•Check the patient is sitting fully upright to eat and try not to have distractions around while he is eating.

•Making a puree with a hand blender is always a solution, but it is preferable to crush with a fork until a homogeneous paste without liquid and so as not forget the function of chewing. What is not used is lost!

Hug.

Luis

[Tippyleaf in reply to LuisRodicioRodicio]

Excellent advice there Luis - I have nothing to add😊

Love Tippy

[sonikaKharb in reply to LuisRodicioRodicio]

Hi Luis,

Thanks for the sharing the details ..It will help me...

Sonika

[Meykat4]

My husband also has difficulty swallowing. He can eat pureed food but cannot drink fluids anymore. He has a feeding tube called a PEG now that all his fluids go through. Your father problem needs a swallow study done with fluoscopy to evaluate his ability to swallow. After that his doctors will determine what he needs to do. Hope that helps!

Kat

[sonikaKharb in reply to Meykat4]

Thanks ! i will discuss this with doctor also

[AJK2001]

Hi

Get a dietician and speech therapist involved if you can. My Mum has recently got to this stage and has been prescribed some thickened milk based supplements - one is high in energy, the other in protein, she has also been recommended some "petite puree" meals (from Wiltshire farm Foods in the UK) which again are fortified so the portion size is smaller than a normal ready meal but the calorie level is higher. She still finds the portions large as she gets so tired eating.

The other thing is to try little and often, so move away from 3 meals a day so smaller feeds more often if you can - like you would a baby.

Good luck

[sonikaKharb]

Thanks!

Now will consult speech therapist !