PEG Care

[Miss]

Question: Is it normal to be really lethargic for days after anesthesia? My husband has been unbelievably tired.

 

[stephie]

My husband did not use his feeding tube for several months, but we were told to flush it once a day with water. The hospital that put the feeding tube in gave his family members a "mini-class" on using the feeding tube before he left the hospital and the doctor ordered 2 nurse visits after he got home so that we could practice and she could check on the healing process. We were also sent home from the hospital with a syringe, clamp, wound cleanser, and gauze to go around the site. I am surprised that you were sent home with no supplies or instructions!

I think you would be fine waiting until Monday. Anesthesia can make you very sleepy for a couple of days! If he is on pain medication, that also knocks you out.

I would just like to add that if you use a syringe to put water in the tube, try to get the air bubbles out of the syringe so that you don't cause any unnecessary air in the stomach.

The worst that can happen if you make any mistakes is that you will cause very mild discomfort or make a bit of a mess!

 

[sadiemae]

Another reason to flush is to make sure no bacteria is building up in the tube. We went more than a few days without flushing with no harmful effects, Also, the VA will give you some syringes. HUGS Lori

 

[ZenArcher]

We use 50/50 hydrogen peroxide/water and Q-tips to clean the site and cut a slit in a 3x3 gauze pad to go under the stop. We use water from an under sink filter I got a Lowes which would be similar to a Pur or Brita. We put the water in the microwave for a few seconds so it is a little warmer than room temperature and pour it into the syringe about 1/4 at a time.

 

[Miss]

We are doing the same thing to clean the site. How long do you have to put a gauze under the stop?

If the VA will give us syringes, do we just call the clinic? How do we do that if they haven't assigned a primary care physician?

 

[sadiemae]

Go to prosthetics, show his card, and maybe they will do it without a script. While you are there, Demand to see a doctor, You have to have a primary NOW. You can not get anything done until you do. HUGS Lori

 

[CRF8]

we had to get a dietician referral from Primary care Dr.

They ship us syringes, gauze & jevity monthly.

 

[BarryG]

When I had my peg installed in Feb 2009, they wouldn't let me leave the hospital for two days because it was the weekend and there was no one to show us how to use the peg tube. We finally said enough is enough and we could read the handout sheet so we left.

We have a government program here that supplies my formula, syringes, tape, replacement tube ends and I have even started ordering replacement balloon type peg tubes. All for about $100 a month! I keep a spare tube and take it with me everywhere. The nanny state works for me, I am amazed that redneck Alberta has something that the left coast (British Columbia) does not.

Never had any problems with the tube site, I just clean it with saline and a Q-tip every night. Most of the day it is just loose under my shirt and I tape it at night.

 

[Miss]

Thanks everyone. What I am really gathering from all of this is that our GI clinic failed miserably in giving us instructions. I went to the drugstore and could find no syringes. Monday morning, I will be at the GI Doctor's office getting instructions and supplies.

 

[laurel]

Missy here in Canada the syringes are usually kept behind the counter so that drug addicts don't take them. A good source of larger syringes for flushing is a vet's office.
Laurel

 

[joelc]

Laurel, how would this syringe b of benefit to a drug addict?

 

[laurel]

Hi Joel,
I'm not sure, but I know that they mix up some powerful concoctions(and probably attach a needle to that tip). Our horse vet tells us stories about all the big 100 ml. syringes and horse sedatives that went missing when he worked at Hastings Park. Your photo is the same syringe that I got from my small animal vet for Tinker my dog. Works a charm as she has missing teeth on the side and that little tip fits in the gap where her teeth were so I give antibiotics for her chronic anal gland infection problem. More info. than you needed eh Joel LOL.
Laurel

 

[Harold]

My wife had a traditional PEG -- she was told she'd be getting the button-type (Mic-Key tube). She was VERY upset over having the long tube. Also she had a lot of pain at the PEG site. Turns out that the PEG was very close to one of her ribs and was pushing up against that. Also it was way too tight. Finally we convinced the surgeon to change her to a Mic-Key tube. Because the PEG was too tight he inserted the Mic-Key too loose! Therefore lots of leakage, lots of "burned skin," lots of discomfort. We were visited by a screening RN last week -- screening for home-health care. I asked her to take a look at the feeding tube site. She put in a couple of cc's of water and the leakage stopped immediately. My wife had been taking from 2 to 8 Ibuprophen daily. The RN inserted the water just over a week ago. No leakage, no Ibuprophen, no discomfort. Sometimes the surgeons aren't the smartest ones...this RN was much more practically oriented and did us a great favor.

 

[Miss]

Update!

Went to the GI - the bumper was too tight and a mild infection was starting. The GI wants us back in two weeks to check on things. He still says we do not need to flush it until it is used. We'll see. When he starts using it, a home health care nurse will come out and show us everything. I'll hold for now.

Thank you all for the support.

 

[sadiemae]

I disagree about the no flushing till you use it, as food will be in there, and it will clog up, and it will be gross when you have to unclog it. We let ours go for a couple of weeks, and you would not want to flush what we got out of the tube into the stomach. HUGS