Last night was that "super full moon" and sure enough, my G tube balloon suddenly deflated and out plopped the tube. It's 9pm on a Saturday night, with interventional radiology closed until Monday morning at my CCC where I have the first appointment to get the feeding tube replaced. So I grit my teeth and pop it back in place, hastening to secure it with a wide bandage and criss crossed surgical skin tape. Gingerly test it out with a syringe and I'm back in business. Whew.

Technical note: I use PEG in the subject line since almost every OCF member's feeding tube is a PEG. My tube is exactly the same as a PEG except in the way it is inserted and what doctors will change it. 4 gastro docs simply refuse and say stick with IR. Very frustrating due to CCC paper bureaucracy and parking etc. Local gastro doc offices are great but I can't use them.

Bottom line: if your PEG plops out: pop it back in and then get an emergency appointment asap.

OUCH!!!! Bet that hurt like heck!!! Good thing you are so good with your PEG! Now you will have a nice new one without any problems.

Christine

Yes, I made this appointment in advance even though it's not been 5 months so that when TSA tugs on it on my way to San Antonio cancer walk to hear you talk, it stays in. Going to go to 4 month replacement schedule now.
Charm

Good thing you already had this scheduled! My J/G tube has stitches to hold it in. I cant imagine putting that back in. I know how uncomfortable it is when I get it changed and thats with using lidocaine. I just had mine changed a couple weeks ago. Cant wait to compare TSA stories with you in San Antonio! Only a couple weeks left!

Good luck tomorrow!!!

Wow, Charm, you are very brave. My surgeon who put my G-tube in told me if it ever popped out to push it back in but then go immediately to the ER. It never happened but I can't imagine waiting from Saturday 'til Monday to have someone fix it.

J tubes have to be replaced??!!?? Oh God no. I hate my life.

There are many different types of feeding tubes. The most common one is the PEG tube (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy). This one will usually last for a couple years before it wears out. The type I have is a J/G tube (Gastro-jejunal) which for me wears out every 2 to 3 months. To replace it is no big deal, its out patient surgery which takes a whole 10 to 20 minutes. The doc uses lidocaine to numb the area then simply swaps it out and adds a stitch inside to keep it in place. I am awake for the whole thing and its normally not usually very painful, just a little uncomfortable. Afterwards it does not hurt at all. Having a feeding tube of any kind replaced is much easier than the original placement.