Advice on GJ Feeding Tube Placement

Thanks💕 I know I have a balloon keeping the tube in place but not sure about if it will help my stomach feel full. I love food so much being on a soft diet is really hard for me. Lots of times I'd rather not eat than have another protein shake. Now that I'm getting the right nutrition will have to play around with what foods are safe and I actually want

Hi. Dietitian here! This is different for everyone, but because you're not feeding into your stomach, it's not being stimulated which makes you feel hungry despite having all your nutrients given into your small intestine. With a GJ tube it starts in your stomach and bypasses it into the jejunum which is the 2nd part of the small intestine to absorb nutrients. Sometimes they might put a balloon in your stomach to help create a full sensation and keep hunger away, but it seems like they might not have done that with your procedure. Definitely talk to your doctor about whether or not you can eat by mouth to ensure it won't mess with the tube placement. If you can you should eat foods that don't trigger your MCAS and are soft enough that don't require a lot of chewing so you're not dislocating your jaw (I've done this a few times and it is not a fun process and I also have dysphagia that makes swallowing difficult sometimes). Protein shakes would be good for feeling full but you just have to make sure that your protein shake isn't causing bloating, excessive gas, or constipation. Drinking a lot of water can also help, and it can help prevent constipation from protein shakes. I hope this helps!