Nutrition support
Sometimes, no matter how hard a person with HIV tries, it is impossible to gain weight. For people who cannot eat enough, who continue to lose weight or who remain seriously underweight, nutrition support is an option. Nutrition support can be delivered through a feeding tube into the stomach or via an intravenous line directly into the bloodstream. Feeding tubes are used when the digestive system is working but the person is malnourished and cannot eat enough.
For short-term use, a nasogastric tube is placed through the nose and into the stomach. This is most often used during a hospital admission. For the longer term, especially for home-tube feeding, a gastrostomy tube, or PEG (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy), is surgically placed through the abdominal wall. Special formula is dripped into the stomach and may provide total nutrition or be a supplement to regular food intake.
Most people are reluctant to have a feeding tube because it is seen as invasive and psychologically is a symbol of serious illness. However, studies have shown that people with HIV who do accept this type of feeding gain weight and body cell mass, have improved functional ability and better quality of life. This type of nutrition support can save your life if you really need it.
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