My husband just went through a couple of bad weeks with his Mic-Key type feeding tube. Was experiencing pain and some other issues, and was just given an antibiotic.
Trip to the ER, finally they did an endoscope and discovered that it was completely imbedded.
Anyway, it has now been removed. Doctors (and I) wanted to insert NG tube until they can do another PEG tube in a couple of weeks, when his stomach has had a chance to heal. He is dead set against it....insisting he can try to eat. Eating/drinking is as bad as ever - lucky to get 200 calories in by mouth each day and very little water.
Anybody had the NG tube and can give me something to offer my husband. Hoping that it is not as bad as he imagines and I can convince him to get it inserted ASAP.

Thanks for any help.

From my understanding the NG tube is very easy to use. It can be removed or inserted by the patient or caregiver. One of our former admin used the NG tube. Its meant for short term use. The link below has tons of info about feeding tubes, formulas, and tips.

Main OCF pages--- feeding tubes

If a patient is only taking in 200 calories daily then that is not enough to sustain him. Its not even a quarter of what his daily intake should be. When skimping on intake it can only lead to some major problems. Eventually his body will struggle and he will start feeling horrible from malnutrition and dehydration. If I remember correctly, a person can go 2 weeks without food but only a few days without water. Your husband can always get hydrated at the hospital. A few bags of IV will help him to bounce back. But... if he is continuing to only take in very limited fluids dehydration will eventually catch up to him and he will feel lousy.

Hopefully your husband will agree to get the NG tube. If he skimps with fluids and calories daily its only a matter of time before his physician orders a feeding tube anyway. Better to get one before there is a problem with his health.

Best wishes!

I've had the NG tube many a time. It's a very easy way to take in nutrition. Not nice going in but skilled nurses can insert it almost without you noticing. It's not uncomfortable once it's inserted. Your husband will feel a sense of relief once it is in and he is getting the nutrition he needs. He will still be able to sip water and so on.

Best wishes.

Can't say I know how it felt when it was being inserted, as I was still asleep from the surgery. But it was not uncomfortable while it was in and being used, nor was it uncomfortable when they were taking it out.

If I were to imagine what it felt like going in, well, it's probably quite similar to when the doctor puts the endoscope down your nose.

Thanks for the replies.
I ended up bringing him to the emergency room yesterday.
He has aspiration pneumonia (again). Very frustrating because the hospital doctors are now refusing to put the feeding tube in....concentrating on other issues like elevated heart enzymes, etc. Meanwhile he hasn't had any nutrition since Wednesday night. He was painfully thin before this latest incident.

Anita,

Has you husband had a swallowing test to determine if he can swallow safely? If he keeps on getting aspiration pneumonia, he may be having silent aspiration, where he aspirates but does not know or react to the aspiration. Try to get the doctors to send in a speech and language pathologist, she/he can suggest special techniques for swallowing to minimize the chances of aspiration. This is important, please make sure you get to the bottom of it.

he's been through the barrium swallow tests (2) and has had extensive swallowint therapy....but the swallowing just gets worse and worse. He has had a PEG tube for 2 years now, but continued to eat and drink a little (very little). Could be getting the aspiration pneumonia from that or from the PEG tube feeding....PEG tubes can cause aspiration pneumonia, too.

They finally inserted the NG tube this morning (it took them every EKG, CT scan, Ultrasound, blood test know to man to finally bring them around to deciding the elevated heart enzymes, etc are due to the pneumonia and malnutrition).

Anyway, he hates the NG tube. Says it hurts his nose like crazy. Does that go away with some time?

My husband had an NG tube when he was in hospital for pneumonia in October. He did not complain about discomfort. It was only a problem because the nurses couldn't just insert it because of the narrow passage down the nose to the throat (another side effect of radiation) and he had to be sedated and sent to endoscopy to get it done. Swallowing for him deteriorated over time. Within six months, he went from being able to swallow liquids to aspirating on them. The speech path said even his saliva could go down the wrong way and, over time, it would catch him with him and he would get another bout of pneumonia. I am concerned for your husband because my husband ended up getting pneumonia pretty well non-stop for half a year. Please be vigilant, especially if he gets a temperature or experiences chills and coughs.

I think it will go away - the NG tube pain. I didn't really feel it unless I accidentally pulled on it. I wonder if some sedation or relaxation exercises would help him. When you are tense (and I'm often the worst culprit) everything hurts more.

Best wishes.

NG tube pain has eased up. And he'll get a new PEG tube in a week - so that's good.
Gloria, what you say hits home. I have seen the swallowing get steadily worse and the aspiration pneumonia come again and again. Have to wonder how many times a body can take it. Even stopping eating and drinking completely may not help - tube feeding puts patients at risk for aspiration pneumonia, too.

I wonder why some patients have such swallowing woes 10 or so years out from radiation and some don't. We have a friend that had his same diagnosis and very similar treatment, but has little or no swallowing difficulty.

I appreciate all the feedback. Thanks.
Anita