Feeding Tube In

ilevin
ilevin Member Posts: 24
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Thanks to those who responded to my concerns on having a feeding tube. I had surgery 2 weeks ago. Because of previous stomach surgery mine was a little more involved and required removing adhesions etc but the tube is in and functional. The best thing is I am finally at home! I have been taking feedings at night using a pump so I only need to do water and meds during the day. The incision is healing but I do have some pain at the site where the tub enters. Is that common? Does it go away eventually? Its usually bearable but I am looking forward to getting off of pain medication.
ilene

Comments

  • dkeats
    dkeats Member Posts: 11
    #2
    Hi Ilene,
    I'm glad you got thru your feeding tube installation OK. The pain around the tube site will get better but mine never went completely away. I think because there's always movement there so it never gets a chance to completely heal. I had mine for 5 months and it was continually red and a little sore. I put neosporin around it every morning and if it really got to bothering me, I'd take a shower. That always made it feel better. It must never really toughen up because when they took it out, all they did was pull it out and stick a band-aid on it! No stiches or anything. They said it would be closed within 24 hours and I never had any leakage once they took it out. Now I just look like I have two belly buttons instead of one! I don't know if you're using Ensure, Boost, etc. but I had a little trouble with them because they were so strong. I ended up getting prescription "Probalance" that I tolerated much better and insurance covered the cost.
    One of these days you'll look back on all of this and think it wasn't too bad considering it saved my life. Keep up the good thoughts!
    Marilyn
  • snwflk
    snwflk Member Posts: 16
    #3
    Hi ilene,
    Glad to hear the feeding tube insertion went OK. My tube experience was pretty much the same as Marilyn's during and after although upon removal of the tube I was afraid to breathe too heavily for fear that my stomach contents would spew out of the little hole in my tummy. A silly thought now, but not at the time. I didn't have pain at the tube incision site but it never did actually heal, there was always some leakage. Yikes, trying to bathe during that period was a challenge. Four body parts wrapped in bandages...no wonder mummies stink.

    And it just isn't email without a joke:

    George Carlin's Thought On Life....

    The most unfair thing about life is the way it ends. I mean, life is tough. It takes up a lot of your time. And then you die.
    What's that? A bonus? I think the life-cycle is all backwards.

    You should die first and get it all over with.
    Then you live in an old age home.
    You get kicked out when you're too young.
    You get a gold watch.
    You go to work.
    You work forty years until you're young enough to enjoy your retirement.
    You do drugs, alcohol and party.
    You get ready for high school.
    You go to grade school and become a kid.
    You play. You have no responsibilities.
    You become a little baby & go back into the womb.
    You spend your last nine months floating...
    Then, you finish off as an orgasm. I like it.
  • jleider
    jleider Member Posts: 4
    #4
    This might be coming a bit late, but here it is anyway. When my feeding tube was inserted, I too, had pain around the tube. The area was sensitve to the touch and seemed to be inside and on the surface. I went to the surgeon who placed it to have it checked, and he adjusted it in the office. I felt immediate relief. I was glad I didn't tough it out. That was 6 weeks ago and I still don;t know how long I'll have it.
  • minnesotamark
    minnesotamark Member Posts: 4
    #5
    I had my feeding tube put in about 6 weeks ago. The initial pain was unbearable, but it subsided in a couple of days.
  • phattpig
    phattpig Member Posts: 29
    #6
    Ilene,

    I have had my feeding tube for two years now, and it is still sore. Some days it doesn't hurt unless I get the tube caught on something, like when I am shaving, and get the end caught on the cabinet. I hope that you will be able to have yours removed soon. It looks like I will have mine for a while, as I have problems swallowing.

    Good luck to you, and I hope your recovery goes quickly.

    John
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #7
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

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