Then thing about the muscles isn't totally wrong. The gastroenterologist who inserted mine said it's always more painful for people who are in decent shape to begin with because there IS more muscle it goes through. He said when a PEG is inserted in someone who has already lost a lot of weight and kind of wasted away it never seems to bother them so much.

I was really doped up when they inserted mine (the first one)but not totally out (it was supposed to me "conscious anesthesia") and I remember coming awake when they cut into the stomach--I was trying to kick, actually, because in my drugged state I thought someone was stabbing me (well, actually they were!). Thankfully, I didn't have much control over my legs and didn't kick the surgeon as he made the incision though I'm pretty sure I twitched. Afterwards, the incision really hurt--I couldn't even stand up straight without pain for the first day or two but the pain went away pretty fast--by the end of the week it only hurt when I laughed.....

Nelie