Can someone please share with me what is involved with having the feeding tube removed? Dan is now maintaining his weight and they will be removing the tube shortly, but we are not sure what to expect. Is is done in the hospital or office? Any anesthetic? Painful? Please help!!!!

Tks,
Michelle

Hello Michelle,

The peg tube removal was nothing more than them grabbing ahold of it and pulling it out. Some do this without med's. I asked to be sedated and they gave me some adivan. It felt like someone punched me in the belly. The pain lasted only a few seconds. Some hurt more than others. Compared to what Dan has been through this will be nothing to worry about. It is usually done in the doctors office.

Best Wishes, Danny Boy

Hi Michelle,

I too was very aprehensive about having the feeding tube removed. At that time I didn't know about The Oral Cancer Foundation and went to a hosiptal to have it removed. The fear of the unknown was much worse thaI had not sedation or anything and it took less than five minutes. n the removal. It was removed so quickly and painlessly that I didn't realize it was gone until I was told not to lift anything heavy for the next few weeks. Good Luck, Hacklene

Hi Michelle,
I too worried about removal but it was very quick, painless and no big deal. Took about 2 minutes. Cleaned the area, and then one pull. Had it done at medical clinic. Good luck to you! - Kris

Hi Guys: thanks for the GREAT news! Finally....something that seems pretty simple! I'll let you know how it goes. Dan goes back to the ENT on Friday, so hopefully they will do it then???

Thanks!
Michelle G.

Michelle, I am one tough cookie, but to be perfectly honest, pulling out the PEG hurt like heck. It was over quickly, but it DID hurt a LOT. The upside was that I, raised to be a proper lady at all times, was able to yell to the full extent of my lung power in a public place, not a stadium. THAT felt wonderful and I figured was worth the short but intense discomfort. It heals up very quickly. The nurse called me the day before to tell me this, and because I always want to know beforehand what is going to happen, I was prepared, which is why I am telling you. I guarantee that Dan will feel terrific to be separated from PEG.

Hi Michelle,

I am just like Joanna in that although I think of myself as a tough cookie, having the peg pulled hurt like HELL ... the good news is that the pain, for me, only lasted a few seconds and then all was well! The hole seemed to close up overnight and what a WONDERFUL feeling to be separated from that peg!!! I remember that when my doctor pulled it (in his office) it made the loudest POP sound that was so loud that it startled my sister who happened to be in the room! Tell Dan that it's really no big deal and if he should have any discomfort - even for a few seconds - it's well worth it!

Hugs, Nancy

I can't relate to the last two posts. There are several different styles of PEG's. Mine had a wire in the tube. When they inserted the tube initially, they pulled on the wire and that caused the portion in my stomach to curl up like a pigtale, and that's what held it in. When it came time to take it out (which I did myself) I cut the wire, which cause the pig taill to straighten out, and it just slipped out of the hole, In 2 days it had healed in completely. A second design that a friend had, had a small balloon on the end, which was inflated once the tube reached into inside of the stomach, and this caused the tube to stay in place. To take it out the balloon was collapsed and the tube slid right out. I've never heard of this yanking it out in pain stuff before. What kind of tube brand was it.?...and perhaps given these other simple alternatives, we should tell patients to ask for the simple deisgns.

We have a long way to go to get to the removal stage but to answer a little of Brian's question....

When they put Harry's tube in, the doc took pictures (yes it is very odd to view the parts of your husband that you never really wanted to see) and she showed them to me. There were before and after shots. The after shot showed the inside of his stomach where the PEG goes through his abdomen. It has a cup like shape with the open part of it facing inward. The tube comes out of the top of the cup thing and protrudes through the abdominal wall.

The doc told us that the removal procedure was simply to come into the office and she would give it a healthy yank and out it would come. My assuption being that with just the right pressure, the cup collapses and the aparatus is quickly removed.

I am no doctor but this was just my observation. Why it functions this way rather than the way yours did, Brian, I am at a loss for sure. Maybe something new in the technology or maybe just different procedures or manufacturers?

Cindy

We don't get the latest treatment options up in the Northern woods Brian!!!! It hurt like hell for about three to five seconds. Mine must have been like the one Netteg describes. Sometimes I wish it was back in. So much easier to put on weight. Swallowing is my biggest issue with liquids running through my noise the second worst issue and my voice is terrible.

Danny Boy

Mine was almost 6 years ago, it certainly wasn't a new idea, though I have to admit that the use of a gastric PEG is far better than 10 years ago when a ptient had to have NASAL tubes for months on end. Think of going out in public with that!!!

Thanks all for the information......lot's of different results, so I'm hoping Dan is one of the lucky ones!!!!!! Either way, it seems like any discomfort is short-lived and considering what he has been thru, I think he will be able to handle it! Let me tell you what his tube is like and then perhaps someone can tell me if there's was like this......on either side of the tube there are long "wires" (sutures) protruding from the skin. The wire is strung thru a cotton "bolster".....much like a small version of the cotton rolls that a dentist uses.....then the wire goes thru a small plastic disk, and then thru tiny metal clamps t hat are crimped to hold it in place. Around the tube itself there is nothing. His docshave been great.....but having the tube put in was a nightmare. It was done in the hospital by interventional radiology. I'm thinking that the bolster I mentioned were placed there due to the swelling to keep the disc from digging into the skin, but I did think that at some point they would be removed.......not very sanitary in my mind.....but the docs kept checking on it and said it was fine.....no inflamation or anything.....but I'm just wondering what is going on inside????? I sure hope it comes out easier than it went in, that's for sure!!!! I'll let you guys know how it goes!

Thanks