Dad's PEG Tube inserted and in pain

Jenny32
Jenny32 Member Posts: 23
in Esophageal Cancer #1
My dad had his PEG tube inserted yesterday and was admitted over night to keep him hydrated. Looks like he will be there an additional night due to the amount of pain he is in. He said he feels as though his stomach is contracting and he doesn't feel that he should be in that much pain. I put a call into his doctor and the nurses also put a call in first thing this morning. They have increased his pain meds to 4 hour intervals and we are hoping to hear back from the doctor soon. One of the nurses mentioned they might check on the position of the tube but so far nothing has happened with that. I really thought this procedure was going to go fairly simple for him.

Comments

  • TerryV
    TerryV Member Posts: 887
    #2
    Sorry to hear
    Jenny,

    I don't have experience with PEG tubes, but my husband had a Jtube (placed in the Jejudeum or 2nd small intestine). I know that he found that quite painful as well. Seems like it was a couple of weeks of low dose pain meds before it was "all good" again.

    This pain will lessen for your dad. I know how difficult it is to see someone we love in pain. But you're doing the right thing for him. As Eric says - you are standing in the gap. You are making sure he gets what he needs or you will find out why they say he doesn't need it :)

    Blessing to you! Keep standing in the gap for your dad!

    Terry
    wife to Nick, age 48
    dx T3N1M0 05/19/11
    THE 09/08/11
  • sangora
    sangora Member Posts: 213
    #3
    TerryV said:

    Sorry to hear
    Jenny,

    I don't have experience with PEG tubes, but my husband had a Jtube (placed in the Jejudeum or 2nd small intestine). I know that he found that quite painful as well. Seems like it was a couple of weeks of low dose pain meds before it was "all good" again.

    This pain will lessen for your dad. I know how difficult it is to see someone we love in pain. But you're doing the right thing for him. As Eric says - you are standing in the gap. You are making sure he gets what he needs or you will find out why they say he doesn't need it :)

    Blessing to you! Keep standing in the gap for your dad!

    Terry
    wife to Nick, age 48
    dx T3N1M0 05/19/11
    THE 09/08/11

    I have a PEG tube
    Jenny, I have a PEG tube and did NOT have any pain whatsoever with it. I know several folks that have them and non of us has had pain. Now and then I get a tingling sensation where they external bumper lays against the skin but that is all. It really needs to be looked at and sooner than later. I was using mine 12 hours after it was put in. Keep us posted, Sam
  • jim2011
    jim2011 Member Posts: 115
    #4
    PEG Placement
    To start with, I hated my feeding tube from the start. I put up with it and used it and it probably saved my life but it hurt if it was too tight or too loose. Always leaked. The pain the 1st evening was terrible but that eventually faded and living with it became bearable. I am no doctor but in my case the first nights pain was from the air that the docs pump in you to get room to work. The gas bubble needed time to work itself out. My bet would be that by now your dad's pain is way way less today.
    Oh, the hole left when the tube is finally taken out is my #2 belly button! I wish you guys the best.
    Jim
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #5
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator
  • TerryV
    TerryV Member Posts: 887
    #6
    Clarifying
    Let me clarify my statement of Nick's pain in relation to his Jtube. It was in regard to the abdominal surgery, NOT spasms of the stomach. His muscles didn't take kindly to being disrupted to place the Jtube.

    Apologies if my comment caused confusion or concern regarding your father's PEG placement.

    Terry
  • Jenny32
    Jenny32 Member Posts: 23
    #7
    TerryV said:

    Clarifying
    Let me clarify my statement of Nick's pain in relation to his Jtube. It was in regard to the abdominal surgery, NOT spasms of the stomach. His muscles didn't take kindly to being disrupted to place the Jtube.

    Apologies if my comment caused confusion or concern regarding your father's PEG placement.

    Terry

    Well I went up to the
    Well I went up to the hospital yesterday and they did an xray that showed the placement was good. I guess he just has to tough it out. What really makes it so painful for him is that he has a serious cough. I do think he had a lot of air still trapped in his belly too as you mentioned Jim. I hope that it is not too tight and causing him pain in that way. He is completely miserable at the hospital and I feel terrible for him. He hasn't had anything to eat or drink since Sunday evening and it is now Wednesday. They didn't even give him a nicotine patch and they completely missed his medications last night leaving him in excruciating pain for a few hours until they got that sorted out around 4 am. Very disappointed with this hospital and I will not have him admitted there again. I just called the doctors office and was informed that the doctor should be seeing him there within the hour. Hopefully he will be discharged to go home today.

    Thank you all for the responses.

    (And I am pretty certain that he has a G Tube not J by the way.)
  • jim2011
    jim2011 Member Posts: 115
    #8
    Jenny32 said:

    Well I went up to the
    Well I went up to the hospital yesterday and they did an xray that showed the placement was good. I guess he just has to tough it out. What really makes it so painful for him is that he has a serious cough. I do think he had a lot of air still trapped in his belly too as you mentioned Jim. I hope that it is not too tight and causing him pain in that way. He is completely miserable at the hospital and I feel terrible for him. He hasn't had anything to eat or drink since Sunday evening and it is now Wednesday. They didn't even give him a nicotine patch and they completely missed his medications last night leaving him in excruciating pain for a few hours until they got that sorted out around 4 am. Very disappointed with this hospital and I will not have him admitted there again. I just called the doctors office and was informed that the doctor should be seeing him there within the hour. Hopefully he will be discharged to go home today.

    Thank you all for the responses.

    (And I am pretty certain that he has a G Tube not J by the way.)

    it can hurt
    It is hard to keep that tube from moving around but if you can get a pad between the little round disk and his skin and then tape it so that it doesn't move around and get accidentally yanked(ouch!). Keep it from moving around at all. Mine always leaked a bit but I think that was better than having it too tight. Keep an eye on the skin around the tube for any redness. The doctors have a suave that came be put on 2-3 times a day to keep that irritation down. I felt better to keep it clean and change the pads myself as it is the one with it that feels the pain.
    Jim
  • sangora
    sangora Member Posts: 213
    #9
    jim2011 said:

    it can hurt
    It is hard to keep that tube from moving around but if you can get a pad between the little round disk and his skin and then tape it so that it doesn't move around and get accidentally yanked(ouch!). Keep it from moving around at all. Mine always leaked a bit but I think that was better than having it too tight. Keep an eye on the skin around the tube for any redness. The doctors have a suave that came be put on 2-3 times a day to keep that irritation down. I felt better to keep it clean and change the pads myself as it is the one with it that feels the pain.
    Jim

    Glad they did an x-ray
    At least you know the placement is correct. They may have gotten it a little too tight on the inside but I wouldn't think so. Jim is correct about the outside tension. If the bumper is to close to the skin, it can pench. Mine will. The pad is very helpful. When they first put mine in, they sent me home with a netting to wear around my waist and over the tubing to keep it in place that really helps in the beginning. Then yo0u don't have to worry about catching it in your sleep. Keeps us posted on the outcome with this. Sam
  • TerryV
    TerryV Member Posts: 887
    #10
    sangora said:

    Glad they did an x-ray
    At least you know the placement is correct. They may have gotten it a little too tight on the inside but I wouldn't think so. Jim is correct about the outside tension. If the bumper is to close to the skin, it can pench. Mine will. The pad is very helpful. When they first put mine in, they sent me home with a netting to wear around my waist and over the tubing to keep it in place that really helps in the beginning. Then yo0u don't have to worry about catching it in your sleep. Keeps us posted on the outcome with this. Sam

    Wife beater T's
    To keep his Jtube close & secure, my husband took to wearing "wife beater" T's a size smaller than he normally purchases. I think the proper name for them is Sleeveless A's, but I'm not certain.

    The close tight fit kept the tube from dangling and catching. Also helped to keep the disk from pinching.

    Terry
  • Jenny32
    Jenny32 Member Posts: 23
    #11
    Bad to worse
    Looks like another nights stay for my dad. They finally gave him something to eat and at some point it came right back up. I think what he said happened is that he got up to use the
    restroom and felt nauseous and dizzy. He threw up and nearly passed out. He also hasn't had a bowel movement since Sunday so between the coughing, the possible straining, and throwing up, they are worried about the tube coming out of place.

    I believe he is in a really weakened state because of the lack of nutrition and the pain medication combined. Maybe this is why the Oncologist wanted to hold off on the feeding tube until after a couple of weeks of treatment. I really hope he regains his strength and doesn't have to stay in the hospital too long. I think it is going to take him longer than expected to rebound from this. They checked his blood pressure following this incident and of course it was elevated up to 170/100 (approx.).

    I am now questioning whether this was a good idea at all. Maybe he wasn't strong enough for this and could have done better with taking in more calories orally for a bit. I guess now all we can do is wait and see how he does.
  • Jenny32
    Jenny32 Member Posts: 23
    #12
    Jenny32 said:

    Bad to worse
    Looks like another nights stay for my dad. They finally gave him something to eat and at some point it came right back up. I think what he said happened is that he got up to use the
    restroom and felt nauseous and dizzy. He threw up and nearly passed out. He also hasn't had a bowel movement since Sunday so between the coughing, the possible straining, and throwing up, they are worried about the tube coming out of place.

    I believe he is in a really weakened state because of the lack of nutrition and the pain medication combined. Maybe this is why the Oncologist wanted to hold off on the feeding tube until after a couple of weeks of treatment. I really hope he regains his strength and doesn't have to stay in the hospital too long. I think it is going to take him longer than expected to rebound from this. They checked his blood pressure following this incident and of course it was elevated up to 170/100 (approx.).

    I am now questioning whether this was a good idea at all. Maybe he wasn't strong enough for this and could have done better with taking in more calories orally for a bit. I guess now all we can do is wait and see how he does.

    Going Crazy
    I don't know if I am coming or going here! Now I get a call from my dad that they are in fact releasing him to go home tonight. The doctor said that he had just been down for too long and he is clear to go home. My Aunt is at the hospital with him and will be bringing him home. I will be meeting her at the house to help him inside. I am worried about how he is going to manage to make it to the bathroom on his own.

    I think I am going to need a glass of wine later tonight.
  • sangora
    sangora Member Posts: 213
    #13
    Jenny32 said:

    Going Crazy
    I don't know if I am coming or going here! Now I get a call from my dad that they are in fact releasing him to go home tonight. The doctor said that he had just been down for too long and he is clear to go home. My Aunt is at the hospital with him and will be bringing him home. I will be meeting her at the house to help him inside. I am worried about how he is going to manage to make it to the bathroom on his own.

    I think I am going to need a glass of wine later tonight.

    Bless Your Heart
    It's now time for you to take a deep breath, and maybe a sip of a good wine and take another deep breath. Not being a doctor I have no idea why this tube has turned into an issue, shouldn't be but it is what it is I suppose. Just know that this too shall pass and you will be glad you have it. Great way to build him up. I have gained 25 pounds using mine. Sam
  • Jsr6773
    Jsr6773 Member Posts: 1
    #14
    TerryV said:

    Wife beater T's
    To keep his Jtube close & secure, my husband took to wearing "wife beater" T's a size smaller than he normally purchases. I think the proper name for them is Sleeveless A's, but I'm not certain.

    The close tight fit kept the tube from dangling and catching. Also helped to keep the disk from pinching.

    Terry

    Solution to holding peg tube in place
    My husband was having a problem with the peg tube hanging. At first, he was told to tuck the end in the waistline of his pants. But he started to get infections and the doctor told him to tape the end of the tube to his body in a circle. After 5 weeks of radiation in the same area as the tube, his skin was burning and the tape was tearing up his skin.

    We came up with a perfect solution to hold the peg tube in place and it only cost $5.00. We bought an ace bandage that stuck to itself with out pins. We now wrap the ace bandage around his lower chest and tuck the peg tube in it. No more tape, no more sores and he doesn't even feel the ace bandage on his body.

    He wanted me to share this others. Hope it can help someone.

    JSR6773 aka Joe

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