Hi Tony:

Welcome to OCF. I see that everyone had spared you the PEG jokes so far so I won't go there either! Many of us do look fondly at our best girl PEG because she is reliable and constantly present but others don't find that an endearing female trait so only you can really decide what works for you.

Since you have some extra weight to spare, you probably could physiologically lose 40-60 pounds and still be robust enough to get through radiation followed by a surgical procedure. However, it is important to consider that protein stores assist greatly with wound healing and this may be the benefit of having the PEG tube during radiation since most of the supplements have a high protein content. The other factor to consider is motivation. It is really hard to force yourself to drink supplements when you are exhausted from radiation and mustering even a few sips can take a long time.

My fiance, Dave, had a tonsillectomy and neck dissection first prior to radiation. He started out at 172 lbs pre-op and went to a low of 128lbs during radiation. Dave did opt for the PEG at the start of radiation and is glad in retrospect. He finished radiation at the end of November and is now able to eat everything and his weight is currently about 143lbs. and hopefully climbing over time.

I should also mention that insertion and removal of a PEG tube is often done under endoscopy(in a GI outpatient unit) which requires sedation but it is a fairly low risk procedure unless you have other major health issues.There is post-procedure pain for a couple of weeks for many folks but it can be relieved with minor meds for most. The tube requires monitoring,cleaning around the area daily, and usually application of bacitracin plus a piece of gauze around the tube. The incidence of infection around a PEG tube is generally low if daily care is taken but can occur.When the tube is removed, the hole in the abdomen is a few centimeters in size and seals over within a few weeks and leaves a minimal scar.You can travel with it and use it in an airplane bathroom with as much ease as you can do anything else in an airplane bathroom!

For Dave, the benefit of the PEG outweighed the risks. I hope this info helps you. The folks here are also pros at neck dissection questions and literally gave me a crash course in what to expect post-operatively. Happy to answer any questions on that topic when you know what you next steps in treatment will be.

Welcome Aboard,
Kim