I've been entubed

[Schmidhogan]

After two weeks of hassling with insurance I got my tummy tube installed last Wednesday. In fact I'm enjoying a meal as I type this. Thanks for all your good wishes. All went well but the ordeal was unpleasant. Glad I spent the night in the hospital so I could have a happy shot every four hours. Still haven't pooped, maybe too much info. Otherwise things are going pretty well. Glad I don't have to eat. Alex

 

[gooseberry]

Just make sure you do some to prevent the big "c"....as in constipation. The smoothies I make my husband have a lot of berries and added fiber. Choose something you love or pour some apple or prune juice down the peg....you wont have to drink the foul stuff

 

[bigmark1954]

Congrats on your new tube...don't worry about the poop, it is overrated.

 

[gooseberry]

Glad its going well...gives a lot of freedom.

 

[affected]

So glad it went well Schimd, it is a relief that you can get all you need into you without the fear of choking, all lots of fluids, so important!

 

[JimInVA]

So happy for you! It provides options that you would not otherwise have had. Well done!

Jim

 

[Diane H]

Alex, it is time that all systems are "go'. Take a laxative every day until you go, but notify your doctor if no results by Monday.

 

[Nuts]

Congratulations Alex, I'm gad it's going well for you! As for the poop--definitely not TMI with this group

 

[Schmidhogan]

I started on a Trader Joes natural laxative today. Not to say all is perfect. I'm going through 5 Isosource 1.5 cans a day trying to make it to 6. I supplement with one Ensure Plus when I take my pills. I'm very full and boated but hope this will go away over time. I'm determined not to lose any more weight.

 

[dalvin]

Schmid, my doc recommended suppositories. Get faster, gentler relief

 

[nebrhahe53]

Glad it went well Alex. I had bad gas for 3 days then it went away. Still not used to seeing my stomach contents come out of a tube-yuch.
They told me Id get a button in 3 weeks.
ldo note that you will continue to have a small amount of a greenish discharge every day around the tube. I was told this is normal and wont ever stop.
I'm jealous you got pain meds. They wouldn't give me much because of the breathing issues and it really hurt the first week and a half.

 

[jmchilindrina]

When my mom first got her g-tube she would get bloated and really bad hot flashes from the formula. We started blending her real food (just made sure it was very liquidy) and she hasn't had problems with the bloated feeling. We also give her a supplement called Intestinal Cleanse No.1 and it has been the best thing to help with constipation (even better than anything ever given at the hospital).

 

[MaxEidswick]

>Congrats on your new tube...don't worry about the poop, it is overrated.

Ditto that!

 

[skipper66]

Thinking of you Alex ! I am pretty much always full of shit. lol You are too proper by calling it poop. lol

 

[ECpara]

Tom takes 6 bottles of Walmart's Liquid Nutrition Plus a day. Before and after feedings he flushes his tube with bottled water mixed with Benefiber, about 16 oz. a day. His weight has been well maintained and no problems with constipation since using the Benefiber.