PEG removal

cureitall66

Hi Everyone,

We are going on 9 weeks post and doing well. Liquids, soft foods and still doing the Ensure, Boost, and 2.0 for calorie consumption. Kreg's visit with ENT on Jan 3 was a hand and scope check and the tumor of the tongue and lymnodes were not felt. First PET scan after tx will be end of Feb.   

This Thursday he will have his PEG tube removed. He is quite anxious about finally having it removed as it hasn't been used in almost 3 weeks now and it's pretty itchy and bothersome to be there. Could any of you that are familiar with the PEG tell us what it's like to have it removed, any pain during or after, do they stitch it up, how long to heal etc?

It's been a long road from dx through tx and the recovery is coming along nicely. First 2-3 weeks after tx were rough, but we are seeing some nice improvements. They aren't happening as fast as he would like, but they are still coming along well.

Still staying positive and rolling with the punches. Thanks for your help!

God Bless,

~Cureitall (Cris)

 

DX: Stage III/IV SCC BOT, 2 lymph nodes (same side), HPV16+

TX: 7 wks Rads & Chemo: Carboplatin & Paclitaxel 

 

Ladylacy

My husband's first peg tube was removed by the specialist during an office visit.  He just pulled it out.  No stitches said it would close on its own.  Some pain, but not bad.  Had to keep the opening covered for a few days and clean.  So we are assuming when the second peg tube is removed it will be the same way by the specialist in the office.  My husband never had a problem with the peg tube site being itchy or bothersome.

 

cureitall66

Ladylacy said:

My husband's first peg tube was removed by the specialist during an office visit.  He just pulled it out.  No stitches said it would close on its own.  Some pain, but not bad.  Had to keep the opening covered for a few days and clean.  So we are assuming when the second peg tube is removed it will be the same way by the specialist in the office.  My husband never had a problem with the peg tube site being itchy or bothersome.

 

Thanks for the reply...

I thought maybe the itching was because the skin wants to heal around it? I'm hoping this doesn't mean it's infected. It's only gotten uncomfortable the last week. 

corleone

cureitall66 said:

Thanks for the reply...

I thought maybe the itching was because the skin wants to heal around it? I'm hoping this doesn't mean it's infected. It's only gotten uncomfortable the last week. 

I’ve got rid of the G tube

I’ve got rid of the G tube 5.5 months after radiation treatment (it was kept too long, but that’s another story). Mine was the type with a small hemisphere (mushroom shaped) end. They pulled it, I felt a kind of quick pain similar with a strong gastric contraction and it was out (with a pop sound). It was kind of painful for the first few minutes, but mainly because of the granulation tissue that was treated with silver nitrate just prior to removal (and that stung like a bee bite). The hole healed in a couple of days or so. Just to be aware that the usual recommendation is to refrain from drinking and eating 4 hours prior and post removal.

The itching you are mentioning could be determined by some granulation tissue that is forming, but could also be just the friction of the tube (moving in the stoma).

Your experience might be a little different, depending on what type of G tube you have, but shouldn’t be very different.

cureitall66

corleone said:

I’ve got rid of the G tube

I’ve got rid of the G tube 5.5 months after radiation treatment (it was kept too long, but that’s another story). Mine was the type with a small hemisphere (mushroom shaped) end. They pulled it, I felt a kind of quick pain similar with a strong gastric contraction and it was out (with a pop sound). It was kind of painful for the first few minutes, but mainly because of the granulation tissue that was treated with silver nitrate just prior to removal (and that stung like a bee bite). The hole healed in a couple of days or so. Just to be aware that the usual recommendation is to refrain from drinking and eating 4 hours prior and post removal.

The itching you are mentioning could be determined by some granulation tissue that is forming, but could also be just the friction of the tube (moving in the stoma).

Your experience might be a little different, depending on what type of G tube you have, but shouldn’t be very different.

Thanks for the tips...

Corleone,

I'm not sure of the type it is. They've only referred to it as a PEG tube. He's hoping it's a quick removal as you explain. I will make sure we remember about the 4hrs before and after...thank you! Is it normally covered with gauze those few days and do we expect drainage?

katenorwood

No experience with

Hi Cris !

Sorry I don't have experience with peg.....but I wanted to say how happy for Kreg on his recovery !  It sounds like you two have come through everything wonderful.  Continued healing and better days ahead !   Katie

mikeev

katenorwood said:

No experience with

Hi Cris !

Sorry I don't have experience with peg.....but I wanted to say how happy for Kreg on his recovery !  It sounds like you two have come through everything wonderful.  Continued healing and better days ahead !   Katie

PEG removal

Had mine removed a few weeks ago, the nurse removed the water that was inflating the ballon, then it was a sharp pull of the peg and it was out, felt like taking a stitch out, had to keep the entry covered for a day or so but have not had any pain or problems qwith it and it has now healed completely, apparently it wil more or less heal in about 2 hours

 

Mike

mikeev

katenorwood said:

No experience with

Hi Cris !

Sorry I don't have experience with peg.....but I wanted to say how happy for Kreg on his recovery !  It sounds like you two have come through everything wonderful.  Continued healing and better days ahead !   Katie

PEG removal

Had mine removed a few weeks ago, the nurse removed the water that was inflating the balloon, then it was a sharp pull of the peg and it was out, felt like taking a stitch out, had to keep the entry covered for a day or so but have not had any pain or problems with it and it has now healed completely, apparently it wil more or less heal in about 2 hours

 

Mike

phrannie51

I had mine removed the end of November....

I was very nervous, but wanted it out so BAD!!  The Dr. gave it a good hearty yank and out it came.  Hurt for about 30 seconds....put a bandage on it, and I was good to go.  There was some residual pain (not unlike when it went in, but not as bad) for about 3 days after....and that was it.  Not having it there was worth any uncomfortableness afterwards.  It's not bad at all.

p

phrannie51

Oops

Double post

corleone

cureitall66 said:

Thanks for the tips...

Corleone,

I'm not sure of the type it is. They've only referred to it as a PEG tube. He's hoping it's a quick removal as you explain. I will make sure we remember about the 4hrs before and after...thank you! Is it normally covered with gauze those few days and do we expect drainage?

Yes, it’s covered with gauze

Yes, it’s covered with gauze for a few days, for as long as it still oozes. Once it’s dry, it is no longer needed. Yes, you might have some drainage, but minor. In my case there was very small bloody secretion around the former hole (which closes rapidly, probably hours if not sooner) for only a couple of days. There should be no pus. In the literature it’s described that you might also get increased secretion during meals, but I never experienced that, neither other members on the forum. Also, the 4 hour “prohibition” might extend for larger meals: the stomach also has to heal; so even after 4 hours you should avoid eating too much, so that the stomach’s wall is not stretched.

George_Baltimore

phrannie51 said:

Oops

Double post

If it has an inflatable balloon, ask them to draw the water out.  Unless it is stuck to the side of the stoma, it should pull right out with no pain.  When my balloon deflated accidentally on its own, there was no pain when it came out.  The stoma will close up rather quickly. 

CivilMatt

Cris,
It is fast and virtualy

Cris,

It is fast and virtualy painless.

Happy eating and drinking,PEG away

Matt

cureitall66

Wow! Thanks to you all!

Thanks to all of you for your kind replies. This is really nice to know ahead of time to help through this journey. I love that I can count on you all to give us tips! I hope we can help some folks along the way as much as we can also.

 

~Cris

cureitall66

katenorwood said:

No experience with

Hi Cris !

Sorry I don't have experience with peg.....but I wanted to say how happy for Kreg on his recovery !  It sounds like you two have come through everything wonderful.  Continued healing and better days ahead !   Katie

Thank you....

Thank you Katie. This is kind of you. I hope you continue to have good days ahead as well.

Laralyn

cureitall66 said:

Wow! Thanks to you all!

Thanks to all of you for your kind replies. This is really nice to know ahead of time to help through this journey. I love that I can count on you all to give us tips! I hope we can help some folks along the way as much as we can also.

 

~Cris

Definitely quick!

Congratulations! Getting rid of the PEG tube was one of the events that felt like a major milestone for me!

There are two kinds, I think. One kind has an inflated or liquid-filled balloon that keeps the tube in place. For that kind, I think they deflate the balloon and then the tube just slips out. The other kind has a rubber or silicon bumper, which the doctor compresses and then yanks out the hole. The second kind does hurt, with kind of a sharp, burning pain for about 30 seconds--my eyes teared up just a bit. Then it faded and it just ached a bit if I bent over to pick something up for about a day. There are no stitches or anything, and I was told I could remove the bandage the next day. It's super quick and a big relief to get out--something to look forward to rather than dread!

Mikemetz

cureitall66 said:

Wow! Thanks to you all!

Thanks to all of you for your kind replies. This is really nice to know ahead of time to help through this journey. I love that I can count on you all to give us tips! I hope we can help some folks along the way as much as we can also.

 

~Cris

One more thing

The only thing I would add is to ask the doctor or nurse to give him some warning when the tube gets pulled out.  I didn't get any warning and wasn't ready for the sound and stinging pain from the removal.  Other than that, it was no big deal--as so many have told you.

Mike

 

Billie67

Mikemetz said:

One more thing

The only thing I would add is to ask the doctor or nurse to give him some warning when the tube gets pulled out.  I didn't get any warning and wasn't ready for the sound and stinging pain from the removal.  Other than that, it was no big deal--as so many have told you.

Mike

 

Almost exactly as Phrannie said
I actually had to go to the ER to get mine removed because it was late in the day and I was having a visit with my rad onc. The RN looked at it because I told her it was giving me pain at the stoma. She said my body had had enough of it and was rejecting it. She said it needed to come out "now" so they sent me upstairs to the ER. I was nervous that it was going to hurt. In fact the ER doc had to call my GI and ask her what kind of PEG it was and how to remove it. He called her right there from my bed. I could hear her say "just press down around the stoma sight and give the tube a nice forceful yank", imagine my fear! Well it honestly wasn't as bad as I was preparing for. It was a hard pull, a pop sound followed by a sort of whoosh sound. It stung a little but to be honest, I instantly felt better having that thing gone! It was sore for a few days much like when it was placed but that's it. Mine oozed for a few days but not bad at all. They never gave me any instructions on waiting to eat. As a matter of fact, we ate on the way home from the hospital!
Good luck, this is just another sign of healing and getting back to normal!
Billie

VivianLee5689

Billie67 said:

Almost exactly as Phrannie said
I actually had to go to the ER to get mine removed because it was late in the day and I was having a visit with my rad onc. The RN looked at it because I told her it was giving me pain at the stoma. She said my body had had enough of it and was rejecting it. She said it needed to come out "now" so they sent me upstairs to the ER. I was nervous that it was going to hurt. In fact the ER doc had to call my GI and ask her what kind of PEG it was and how to remove it. He called her right there from my bed. I could hear her say "just press down around the stoma sight and give the tube a nice forceful yank", imagine my fear! Well it honestly wasn't as bad as I was preparing for. It was a hard pull, a pop sound followed by a sort of whoosh sound. It stung a little but to be honest, I instantly felt better having that thing gone! It was sore for a few days much like when it was placed but that's it. Mine oozed for a few days but not bad at all. They never gave me any instructions on waiting to eat. As a matter of fact, we ate on the way home from the hospital!
Good luck, this is just another sign of healing and getting back to normal!
Billie

Good news Cris

Wow I can't believe we started around the same time and now you guys are hitting a major milestone.  I am so glad he is starting to eat and not needing the PEG any more.  I am sure he won't miss that hanging around as a reminder.

Tim6003

VivianLee5689 said:

Good news Cris

Wow I can't believe we started around the same time and now you guys are hitting a major milestone.  I am so glad he is starting to eat and not needing the PEG any more.  I am sure he won't miss that hanging around as a reminder.

Sorry so delayed in my congrats!!!

But congrats Kreg!!!!!!!!! 

 

Tim