A word of caution regarding doing these types of procedures at home. There is a risk of infection involved. This must be done with the guidance of your physician. In order to be changing your own tubes, your doctor must teach you how and explain all the steps. So many variables make this something that the average patient would never be doing.

For example, my tube is a J/G combo tube. This needs to be surgically removed and replaced with a couple stitches made internally to hold it in place. One part of my tube goes into my stomach and the other into my intestines. I get this done about every 2 months as it wears out very quickly. Its uncomfortable and sometimes even a bit painful. I get this done as an outpatient with lidocaine used to numb my abdomen so its not so painful. It takes anywhere from 10 to 25 minutes depending on how easily the doc gets the new tube placed.

****For safety reasons**** I felt it important to clarify within the tube changing thread to make sure everyone understands this is not something very many OC patients will ever do. Charm and his wife are an exception and in my opinion not average patient and caregiver. I do not know 0978cg well enough to comment on their patient experience with feeding tubes.