PUD, Lactose Intolerance, IBD, & Liver Disease

The list of gastrointestinal disorders (GI) seems never-ending.  You GI system can be affected in so many unwelcomed ways.  Total Home Health understands just how much of a nuisance these disorders can cause for you and your loved ones in your daily lives.  During your services with us you will be continuously educated and always encouraged to do what is best for you and your well-being.  The passion of our highly-skilled and professional staff is to keep you at the center of our focus and see that you receive state-of-the-art care in your own home environment.

Our purpose here is to discuss and educate you on some of these unwelcomed GI disorders you may experience, along with what our professional staff can do for you in those instances.  Our focus throughout this article will be on the GI disorders of peptic ulcer disease (PUD), lactose intolerance, irritable bowel disease (IBD) and liver disease.  Each of these disorders will be discussed more in-depth for your information, including nursing interventions to help you through your experience with each one.

o   Peptic ulcer disease (PUD)

·         PUD is characterized by an erosion (wearing away) of a layer of your stomach.

·         Typically, the cause of this is a bacteria called H.pylori; a chronic use of NSAIDs (aspirin, ibuprofen) may also be the cause.

·         You may have no symptoms with PUD, or you may report dull, gnawing pain, a burning sensation in your back or in the mid/lower area of your stomach, heartburn, constipation or diarrhea, sour taste in your mouth, burping, bloating, nausea, vomiting, and tarry stools.

·         Remember…eating may temporarily relieve your pain.

·         If your case of PUD is caused by the bacteria H.pylori, your provider will most likely prescribe a triple therapy for you (a combination of antibiotics and medications that reduce the acid made in your stomach), which is usually taken for 2 weeks.

·         You should avoid eating frequent meals and snacks, as they promote your stomach to make more and more acid each time you eat, which can irritate your PUD.

·         It is best for you to avoid coffee, alcohol, caffeine, aspirin, cigarette smoking, black pepper, and spicy foods.

o   Lactose intolerance

·         Results from an inadequate supply of lactase (an enzyme) in your intestine.  This enzyme is the one that is responsible to digest lactose.

·         If you are lactose intolerant you may experience a distended (bloated) stomach, stomach cramps, flatulence (gas), and diarrhea.

·         Our nurses will encourage you to avoid or limit your intake of foods that are high in lactose which include milk, cheese, ice cream, cream soups, sour cream, puddings, chocolate, and coffee creamer.

·         During your care with us we will make sure to monitor you for deficiencies of vitamin D and calcium.

o   Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)

·         This category consists of disorders that have periods when they do not cause you any trouble, but at other times they can flare-up.

·         Symptoms of IBD may include nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramps, fever, fatigue, anorexia, weight loss, and fatty-stools.

·         Your nutrition therapy will be focused on providing the nutrients you need in forms that you can tolerate…without running to the bathroom per say.

·         Most likely, your diet will be low in fiber so that your bowel will be less stimulated to move and cause bowel movements.

·         Get ready to be prescribed a diet that is low-residue, high-protein, high-calorie, with vitamin and mineral supplements as needed.

·         Our nurses will educate you to avoid intake of substances that cause or exacerbate diarrhea, and we will advise you to avoid nicotine.

·         Once you are enrolled with us, we will discuss other, more serious measures that could possibly be taken to treat your illness with IBD.

o   Liver disease

·         Your liver is involved in the metabolism of almost all the nutrients in your body.

·         Disorders affective the liver include cirrhosis, hepatitis, and cancer.

·         Commonly malnutrition goes hand in hand with liver disease.

·         In the case of liver disease, dietary protein is increased due to the liver being compromised and breaking down what protein is stored there.

·         Carbohydrates generally are not restricted because they are an important calorie source.

·         Based upon the continual evaluations by our nursing professionals your caloric requirements, or your needs for multivitamin and mineral supplements will be determined if they are necessary.

·         Alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine should be eliminated at all costs.

Ultimately these GI disorders can prove to be very discomforting and interrupt your daily routine.  Total Home Health and our professionals completely understand the toll these conditions can take on your body emotionally, spiritually, physically, and psychologically.  Our staff will provide you with continuous education and always encourage you to make positive changes to maintain the best health possible for yourself.  Let’s get started, enroll today!