Those who have or had a PEG...

RogerRN43
RogerRN43 Member Posts: 185
in Head and Neck Cancer #1
The stitches were out 4 days ago. I have one of those Foley urinary catheters as my PEG, size 14 I think (ink is wearing off).
The Foley is the standard tube they use now for most PEGs from what I see in the hospital and nursing homes. When I use to do home care over 10y ago, I saw the clear ones with a ring at the base which prevented in/out migration, I think local irritation at the exit was more common with them so they moved to Foley catheters.

Now that there is no stitch, my tube migrates in and out, more in. Is this normal?
I do secure it so it doesn't move, and I remember my ENT saying it would hurt at the beginning because the balloon is right against the stomach wall due to the suture and after it's out, it will feel better (presumably because it will move in a bit, be free perse) but I swear it seems a lot shorter now, lol.

Good question when I can call on Monday but just wondering out there what you guys think?

Comments

  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #2
    Hmmm. I didn't have
    Hmmm. I didn't have stitches. Your explanation is so technical, I'm not sure what exactly you have. I had a bumper infront of my belly opening. Do you have one of those? Mine did move in and out a bit, I had the bumper out farther though than she wanted it. She would close it, and I would go home and open it more. My belly blows up after I eat, and I hated that tight. It hurt. The hose definitely looked shorter when my belly was bloated.

    I will show you my peg and you can see if it's the one you have. This would be the first tube I had. I hated the second. The third was a mic-key button, which I liked best.

    My first tube:


    PHOTO OF A PEG TUBE
  • Noellesmom
    Noellesmom Member Posts: 1,859 Member
    #3
    PEG
    Jim did not have stitches, either, and his really had no free movement at any time.

    His did have a "backstop" and we kept tape all around the backstop so I'm sure that limited the movement significantly.
  • SASH
    SASH Member Posts: 421 Member
    #4
    Tube
    I didn't have stitches with mine. Mine was held in place by a piece of plastic on the inside. It did move a little but nothing drastic. When ever something doesn't seem right, call.

    If it really is on your mind you can call your doctor's office and they can get a hold of whom ever is on call who will then call you back.
  • Greend
    Greend Member Posts: 678
    #5
    Peg
    Roger,

    I didn't have a stitch and do have the ring so this may not help you.

    I have had three pegs in the last year and all of them have or had numbers on the side. I was told to keep the ring at the number 4 ((in my case). This number would keep it at the correct tension for my body. At first I was adament about keeping it snug (no 4) but that in turn seemed to cause more irritation. I found I could move the ring, especially when showering and wanting to wash the area around the entry point and then could move it back. When I had it on say number 6 then yes, I could push it inside up to the number 6. Key it not to tug too hard when pulling on it.

    Sometimes I would leave the ring out far and during the day just to air out the area and I could start to feel a bit of discomfort which would dissipate when I readjusted back to good old number 4.
  • sweetblood22
    sweetblood22 Member Posts: 3,228
    #6
    Greend said:

    Peg
    Roger,

    I didn't have a stitch and do have the ring so this may not help you.

    I have had three pegs in the last year and all of them have or had numbers on the side. I was told to keep the ring at the number 4 ((in my case). This number would keep it at the correct tension for my body. At first I was adament about keeping it snug (no 4) but that in turn seemed to cause more irritation. I found I could move the ring, especially when showering and wanting to wash the area around the entry point and then could move it back. When I had it on say number 6 then yes, I could push it inside up to the number 6. Key it not to tug too hard when pulling on it.

    Sometimes I would leave the ring out far and during the day just to air out the area and I could start to feel a bit of discomfort which would dissipate when I readjusted back to good old number 4.

    Yes, there are numbers on
    Yes, there are numbers on the tube on that correspond with sliding that bumper bar in and out. I think though when he is saying "14" that might be the diameter or size of the tube that he has in. For some reason the term "French 17" sticks I'm my head for my last one. But I could be making that up. Lol
  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member
    #7
    sweetblood22 said:

    Yes, there are numbers on
    Yes, there are numbers on the tube on that correspond with sliding that bumper bar in and out. I think though when he is saying "14" that might be the diameter or size of the tube that he has in. For some reason the term "French 17" sticks I'm my head for my last one. But I could be making that up. Lol

    G-tube
    No stitches for me, either. The dome of my PEG which was positioned against my stomach wall was around 15/16" in diameter. Had mine for 15+-months without a hitch. Do know my Surgeon says he now prefers the balloon type, as they are easy to replace. I think my G-tube model was first used back in the 1800s around the Civil War, though it's possible the Romans used the same type a couple-thousand years ago! LOL.

    kcass
  • hawk711
    hawk711 Member Posts: 566
    #8
    Kent Cass said:

    G-tube
    No stitches for me, either. The dome of my PEG which was positioned against my stomach wall was around 15/16" in diameter. Had mine for 15+-months without a hitch. Do know my Surgeon says he now prefers the balloon type, as they are easy to replace. I think my G-tube model was first used back in the 1800s around the Civil War, though it's possible the Romans used the same type a couple-thousand years ago! LOL.

    kcass

    Tube
    My tube was a French model and it was really short. I taped it to my chest under a gauze pad.
    My tube moved in and out as I pulled or pushed it. I did it because the Dr told me to spin it and pull it a little so it stayed loose in the hole and did not get solidly attached...Many of us believe it to be a lifesaver for us...Hope yours works well for you during the rest of your treatment and healing...
    all the best,
    Steve
  • Hal61
    Hal61 Member Posts: 655
    #9
    Peg
    Hi Roger, like Kent, I had mine for about 15 months. I didn't know there were several kinds until these discussions came up. I had a long, simple tube. It had a quarter-size or so bumper on the inside, and a oval shaped front tab that could be adjusted, but I never figured out how, and mine never moved in or out.

    It had a pinch/flow stop because the line was otherwise open and things would move out if it was not closed off. I never had any trouble with it exactly, though did get a slight "protrusion" of pink skin from the stomach wall, that stuck out like a tiny tonge around the opening, and would sting at times. That side effect is not uncommon with my type, and the protrusion never showed after the tube was pulled out, which was totally without pain for me, just a soft pop and it was gone.

    I don't know how much tube you have on the outside. One thing that bothered me that I fixed--and I'm sure a lot of people did something similar-was dealing with the length of tubing. As an RN you probably have access to adhesive tape residue remover. It's very hard to find in drug stores, and I was taping the tube after every use. My belly began to look like a neglected billboard with all the patches of tape residue. So I strapped a length of the stuff used to wrap a sprained ankle--my mind goes blank--you know the elastic cloth, folded it in half, and tucked my tube in it after use from then on.

    best, Hal
  • jim and i
    jim and i Member Posts: 1,788 Member
    #10
    Jim had no stiches and his
    Jim had no stiches and his moves in and out by itself some times. I think it is probably muscles or the stomach moving. His tube is white and has a plastic silver dollar size disc outside and a ballon inside.
  • RogerRN43
    RogerRN43 Member Posts: 185
    #11
    Steve
    I think I have the same as what you did. Mine doesn't have numbers on the side.
    You're right SB22, 14 FR is the gauge (thickness) of the tube.

    I've inserted and removed many of these Foleys but as urinary catheters, so it sorta makes sense as easy replacements if need be.
    I'm not sure if the clear ones with the measurements on the side have a balloon, if I remember right, they are also more rigid.
  • Greend
    Greend Member Posts: 678
    #12
    RogerRN43 said:

    Steve
    I think I have the same as what you did. Mine doesn't have numbers on the side.
    You're right SB22, 14 FR is the gauge (thickness) of the tube.

    I've inserted and removed many of these Foleys but as urinary catheters, so it sorta makes sense as easy replacements if need be.
    I'm not sure if the clear ones with the measurements on the side have a balloon, if I remember right, they are also more rigid.

    Balloon
    The first one surgically installed did not have a balloon however the two since then have had balloons and number 2 was too rigid (26 ga) however numbers one and three have bothe been very flexible (22 ga).

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