About your treatment  

Your doctor has ordered total parenteral nutrition (TPN) for you. TPN will drip through a needle or catheter placed in your vein for 10-12 hours, once a day or five times a week.

TPN is used for patients who cannot or should not get their nutrition through eating. Your TPN may include a combination of sugar and carbohydrates (for energy), proteins (for muscle strength), lipids (fat), electrolytes, and trace elements. Your solution may contain all or some of these substances, depending on your condition.

Even though TPN often includes lipids, it will not make you fat. Everyone needs calories, protein, and fat, in addition to other substances, to stay healthy.

Electrolytes include sodium, potassium, chloride, phosphate, calcium, and magnesium. Trace elements include zinc, copper, manganese, and chromium. Electrolytes are important for maintaining almost every organ in your body. They help your heart, muscles, and nerves to work properly and keep you from becoming dehydrated.

Your health care provider (doctor, nurse, or pharmacist) may measure the effectiveness and side effects of your treatment using laboratory tests and physical examinations. It is important to keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. The length of treatment depends on how you respond to the medication.

Storing your medication  

• Your health care provider probably will give you a several-day supply of total parenteral nutrition at a time.You will be told to store it in the refrigerator or freezer.
• Take your next dose from the refrigerator 4-6 hours before using it; place it in a clean, dry area to allow it to warm to room temperature.
• If you are told to store additional total parenteral nutrition in the freezer, always move a 24-hour supply to the refrigerator for the next day's use.
• Do not refreeze medications.

Store your medication only as directed. Make sure you understand what you need to store your medication properly.

Keep your supplies in a clean, dry place when you are not using them, and keep all medications and supplies out of reach of children. Your health care provider will tell you how to throw away used needles, syringes, tubing, and containers to avoid accidental injury.

In case of emergency/overdose  

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Signs of infection  

If you are receiving TPN in your vein or under your skin, you need to know the symptoms of a catheter-related infection (an infection where the needle enters your vein or skin). If you experience any of these effects near your intravenous catheter, tell your health care provider as soon as possible:

• tenderness
• warmth
• irritation
• drainage
• redness
• swelling
• pain

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