PEG tube problems

[nebrhahe53]

I got my PEG tube yesterday and everytime I try to drink-even a few sips, I get terrible gas pains, belch and liquid comes out of my stomach into the PEG tube. Has anyone had this happen and what can be done about it. I am unable to eat or drink, I cant even take my medicines.

 

[MaxEidswick]

Neil, have you called you docs yet? Seems important ...

 

[affected]

Neil did you check with your doctor?

This isn't normal, please get it checked over.

 

[Diane H]

Sounds like a bowel problem.

From my website:
The combination of anesthesia and pain meds will almost inevitably cause constipation if a stool softener (Dulcolax, Colace, or Docusate) isn't taken daily, ideally starting a day or two before the feeding tube is put in. It is critical that you not begin eating or being fed through the tube until your intestines "wake up” from any anesthesia you are given during the procedure or surgery. For some reason they are slower to shake of the effects of anesthesia than the rest of the body. This applies to any procedure or surgery! There is some evidence that gastric motility, the passage of food through the stomach and intestines, is slower in ALS patients, but whether this is a direct effect of ALS on digestive muscles is far less likely than the effects of not being able to get up and walk! If you ever had surgery before ALS, you know that you were ordered up and walking far sooner than you wanted to. The assumption is that it was to help you get your strength back. Not really. It was to get you breathing more deeply and get your bowels working.
If you are in the hospital during this time, your nurses should be listening to your lower abdomen with a stethoscope to hear the gurgling that signals the return of bowel function. Until then, you must not be fed. Severe problems with the intestines can occur in anyone after surgery and because of immobility, ALS patients are somewhat more susceptible. If you have the tube placed in an outpatient procedure and go home after or are only kept overnight, you probably haven't been given heavy anesthesia and shouldn't have this problem, but waiting to heard bowel sounds before beginning eating is still important. A stethoscope is handy but just putting an ear to your lower abdomen will let a caregiver hear the gurgling. Once you are being fed, if you haven't had a normal bowel movement by three days, it is time for a laxative. If no results in twenty four hours, repeat the laxative. Let your doctor know if you aren't able to go by five days. Don't mistake passing liquid stool for a bowel movement. When constipation becomes serious, only liquid stool can get past the hard stool blocking the intestines.

Diane
ALS: From Both Sides

 

[affected]

Neil you have 2 threads on this? You must be worried, maybe Beky can merge them and put them in the peg forum?

I agree with what was said on the other thread that the burping and gas could be a leftover from the procedure as they do blow your stomach up with gas to get clear access to the stomach wall.

But I would get it checked too.

It is perfectly normal for stomach contents to leak into the tube at any time pressure happens as it is, well, a hole into the stomach.

Let us know how you do mate

 

[Janie H]

I remember the gas pains from the day after surgery, I was able to drink, stayed in the hospital for 2 days, liquid diet (yuck) I was able to take my meds.
Janie

 

[nebrhahe53]

having fluoroscopy tomorrow to check peg maybe Ill get lucky and get cancer from the radiation. Right now I get such pain I cant even take my meds much less food

 

[gooseberry]

I am so sorry you are struggling with this....it always seems so easy when everyone else does it. Hang in there and hopefully you get some answers tomorrow. My husband thought it was really tight...he had a pinching sensation. He was surprised by the amount of pain he had after. No on eexplained iit would be so.painful.

 

[affected]

Chris had a high pain level for the first week. Doctors tried to say he just shouldn't have that much, most people one day.

I would say to him, sheesh I remember when I had a keyhole surgery tubal ligation, and for days on end I was walking hunched over and sitting down verrrrry carefully! And that was keyhole procedure. They've punched a hole through into your stomach and left a foreign body in place.

Yeah, most people apparently just sail off like nothing happened after 24 hours. Not everyone, and it's worth checking it out, radiation cancer or not.

I do hope they find nothing and that within a few more days it all settles. At least if they find something they can probably fix it.

 

[gooseberry]

Good luck today. Hope things turn out well and you get some relief.

 

[Janie H]

Let us know how it works out, I did not have those issues even though they had to go around a mesh that was in the way from a prior surgery.
Janie

 

[nebrhahe53]

They found a lot of air in the stomach but nothing else wrong. I have an appt today with the surgeon. I can finally eat again, but still have a lot of pain so I cant really breathe too deep. Also lost 4 lbs from 2 days not eating-all the gains we had made in the past month. Muscles feel weaker, but hope it is only from lack of nutrition and not progression of the disease and they can bounce back now that I have started eating.

 

[Janie H]

Glad that you are able to eat and take your meds, it will get better.
Prayers,
Janie

 

[affected]

How are you now a few more days of healing have happened Neil?

Hopefully you can report you are now eating well and the pain has eased off?

 

[nebrhahe53]

Hi Tillie:

The pain is better though it still hurts when I cough-which I do a lot because of mucus. I can eat normally now, but the stomach contents still come up in the tube-even after flushing. Having a nurse come over today to show us how to use the tube. otherwise just sore, and still oozing somewhat around the tube.
This was definitely not just an in and out thing like so many people say.
Makes me rethink the DPS system I was thinking about.