Feeding tube

Hello Ade123

My name is Steph and I’m part of the Community team. I'm sorry to hear that you're unable to swallow and for how desperate the feeding tube in your nose is making you feel. 

I hope you don’t mind me reaching out here on the forum. Have you told your palliative care team that you feel that this tube is making you wonder if it’s worth going on and that you’re feeling like you would rather end your life now? It’s really important that you talk to your nurse or GP about the way that you’re feeling.

Please do reach out and speak to a professional. Do you have regular contact with your palliative care team, or  a 24hr telephone number that you can call?

It is easy to feel discouraged if you’re struggling to access the support you need, particularly when you’re already feeling at breaking point. It’s important to remember that your needs matter. I’d encourage you to continue contacting your healthcare teams and be as open as possible about how you’re feeling, as this should help to speed up the process and ensure your needs are met. 

In addition to speaking to the team in charge of your care, there is lots of support available to you: 

• Between 8am and 8pm, every day of the year, you can speak to a Clinical Nurse Specialist on the Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, email or live webchat.
• If you’re ever feeling like ending your own life, please call 999, or the urgent mental health NHS helpline number on 0800 330 8590.
• There are other 24 hour services available who can help when you’re struggling with how you’re feeling.
• Shout Crisis Textline - If you need immediate support, you can text SHOUT to 85258 and talk to a trained volunteer. The service is free on most networks in the UK and available 24 hours a day.
• The Samaritans helpline – You can call the Samaritans 24 hours a day for free on 116 123. They are also piloting a new webchat service.

For further support from the Community, you might find it helpful to also join the living with incurable cancer forum. You can connect with more people who understand and may be able to answer some of the questions you have.

I hope we can support you through this Ade123.  Please do let us know if you have any questions or need further support with anything at all. 

I hope the Community helps to show you that you don’t have to go through anything alone.

Warm wishes

Thank you for your reply I don’t really think I have a palliative care team and iv asked for a district nurse but just keep getting told iv been referred to them but nothing seems to happen,I will ring your support line oxing Day ,I live alone and I have family close by there obviously not medical trained and I don’t want to burden them any more than I have to I’m normally mr positive but this tube is just destroyme but thank you again for listening