Has anyone experienced their peg tube smelling bad? Even though it gets flushed daily with water and sometimes club soda, it has started to smell like yeast.
This happened once before, during treatment and Mike's stomach broke out in a rash. His doctor gave gave RX for an antifungal pill, Fluconazole which cleared the rash up and the smell went away.
Now one month after treament his stomach is breaking out again, and it is hard to really tell where the smell originates. The tube has that smell and his stomach has that smell of sour milk and/or yeast. He cleans the site opening with peroxide everyday, and of course showers daily.
Any ideas?

Fluconazole (Diflucan) is what they give me for Thrush infections in the mouth which are yeast infections. I also use Nystatin to pevent them from occurring. If that is what it is, maybe using Nystatin in the tube might help prevent it. Ask doctor, it is prescription.

Take care,
Eileen

I was critically ill as a child and as a result, I developed a lifelong problem with yeast because of all of the antibiotics I took for so many years. I take a very good quality acidophilus every day to help to control the yeast. What you see on his skin, is likely just a topical expression of what's going on inside, especially if his PEG itself smells like yeast. My Uncle takes acidophilus everyday because of the variety of medications he takes for his heart condition and two stents. Aunt Rosemary took it for a while after her glossectomy because she had yeast in her mouth from the seventeen medications they gave her in the hospital. It's very easy to knock someone's yeast level out of balance, and while I am a life long user of Diflucan (I take 50mg. every night), the acidophilus will keep his yeast levels in check- naturally. You can mix it with water and pour it into the tube. I'll bet you that rash will disappear quickly.

I had Fluconazole (Diflucan) for thrush during treatment from the RO as well.
Then got it again from the family doc for the rash on my stomach the first time.
Thanks for the replies and I will find out about the Nistatin and the acidophilus. Is that what is in yogurt?
I am eating a whole lot better these last couple days and am going to ask to have the peg tube pulled.

It may be time for a replacement. I am on a PEG for life, I now change my peg as easily as I change my underwear. I switched to the "Foley Type" peg or G tube. These G tubes with a foley valve atop are much easier to maintain.
When you are dressing the area make sure that you you apply a mositure barrier paste (Zinc Oxide), this will prevent irritation.

Although you can buy a specific type of yogurt with live pro-biotic cultures in some health food stores, I can't eat yogurt because I'm allergic to milk products AND I'm lactose intolerant. (Oiy)
(My chronic systemic yeast problem made me allergic to a LOT of normal foods and things). No, I take Natren's pro-biotics, Uncle Bob and Aunt Ro took some other brand that they found at their health food store. Mine was in powder form when I started taking it but now I take a very high concentrate triple acidophilus in oil in a veggie capsule.

Mike had the peg tube checked today by the gastro doctor. The sour smell and rash cleared up but the tube turned purple. The doctor said it is normal to turn color. Mike asked to have the tube taken out, since he is eating really well now. He had a throat dilation last week and what a difference that made!
The doc said he had to have the ok from the ENT first. Mike called him, got the ok, and he gets it out on the 11/17!
Darrell, I am sorry you have a peg for life. You were so kind to offer good suggestions for us. I realized from your response that there are different kinds of feeding tubes and read up on all of them.
I saw your other posting on the Blender Food too. All I can say is you have my deepest admiration for your ability to adapt. Your willingness to share and participate in this forum to help others makes you quite a remarkable person.
Ginny, Mike's wife

I've had my PEG for nearly 3 years and just last week had the first problem. I noticed a "yeasty" smell and the area here the tube enters the stomach started swelling and causing some pain. My doctor said I had an infection and put me on augmentin, an antibiotic I take 3 times a dasy thru the tube. He also gave me a cream (nystatin and triamcinoone acetonide) to apply twice daily. After 4 days, it has pretty much cleared up.

Jim Haucke
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SCC Rt lateral tongue Dx 9/03, Surg 11/03 (T2/N0M0);recur SCC BOT and anterior tongue Dx 1/04; surg 2/04 (T4/N0M0) subtotal glossectomy, forearm free flap, floor of mouth reconstruction,pharyngoplasty;trach until 3/04;PEG still have; 36 rad (3/04-5/04)therapy 12/04-12/05; 2 esophagus endoscopies