Oops! Clog in Tube

[mellorama]

Hi all,

I made the mistake of mixing Omega 3 fish oil with a crushed pill in my mom' s tube. I got the clog unstuck using the plunger, but now there is some gung gummed up around the rubber stopper of her peg. Think putting some coke or fiz in will help that? Should I try to stick a Q-tip inside it and scrape it out?

I learned my lesson there!

[BarryG]

Melissa, there is no problem with cleaning the Y adaptor but I usually replace it every few weeks because it gets stretched out by the syringe. With a new clean Y adaptor the syringe stays in tight and won't accidentally come out and make a mess. You can try coke or something fizzy but make sure you flush it with water after a few minutes so it doesn't plug the tube.

[mellorama]

Thanks Barry...That is good to know you can replace that adapter, I've noticed it has been getting stretched. Who amongst your team provides you the spares? We still get confused as to who manages which part and piece of the equipment

[BarryG]

Mellissa, you would just have to ask whoever you get your feeding tube supplies from for a new Y adaptor. I get all of my supplies from a government warehouse but everywhere would be different. The end that I ask for is a Bard end but your mom's may be different so you will have to ask. I just clamp off the tube with a large paper clip and then pull the end off and stick in a new one, a two minute job.

[cris]

So many things they don't bother to tell us!!! Thanks for asking about the clog,mellorama. BarrG your ideas are good . They never even mentioned that you could change the end "thingy". I was just asking Earl about it the other day.. the normal "eye-rolling" when I said "thingy", but he didn't know if you could change it or not........

Thanks for the tips!!!!

[JOSIEM02]

Any other good ideas of how to unclog a feeding tube? We were told to use meat tenderizer. What does everybody else use?

[joelc]

If you have replaced the original and now have one with a balloon to hold it in you can take it out and deal with the clog then put it back in.

Taking to the sink and using water pressure should do it, or if you have an air compressor that will definitely solve the problem.

[mellorama]

Great tips... thanks all. Today's lesson was the prune juice mixed with the crushed pill.... Thanks, Barry, I'll ask what kind of end stopper my mom has. Love the paper clip idea! And Joel... one of the doctors told us, if the peg ever comes out, just stick a straw in there until you can get to the doctor!! Its a PALS MacGyver episode ....

[indigosd]

Not to hijack this post about clogs BUT...Web has had several episodes of bleeding from his Peg site. Not oozing but real bleeding like a very horrid nose bleed! It stops with a pressure dressing. I have aspirated the tube and it is not internal-coming from the peg site. He has developed a moderate amount of granulation tissue around the incision-what I would call "proud flesh" and it is fragile and looks like mucous membranes. I researched it online and it said to have it cauterized with silver nitrate. I made an appt with the Surgical group that did his surgery-they were actually doing their monthly out reach clinic in my little town! :] The surgeon declined to use the silver nitrate because he felt that it caused the creation of more granulation tissue. hmmmm Anyway, he did measure Web for the "button" and we are scheduled to have it inserted in April! I can not remember who on the forum suggested the Johnson and Johnson Mic-Key [THANK YOU] That is the one that he will have inserted. He really does not like his long tube-I think it is a self image issue. The Mic-Key is low profile and with the one way valve it will be lovely. We have not had any clogging issues as of yet. Oh, we did have a little external yeast issue but cleared right up with over the counter cream that is used by women for yeast infections!

[handinhand]

Thanks for the information on what kind of peg.... I hope I don't need one for a while but want to have all the information.. Linda