PEG

stevenl
stevenl Member Posts: 587
edited March 2014 in Head and Neck Cancer #1
Hi everyone,

First, thanks for all the responses to my other post about the timing of scans.
This Tuesday I get my peg out and was wondering what to expect. Do they just deflate the thing and put their foot on your gut and yank or what? Does it hurt or is it bearable? Just heard some strange stories about removal and was wondering what the procedure normally entails.

Thoughts and prayers,
Steve

Comments

  • Kent Cass
    Kent Cass Member Posts: 1,898 Member
    #2
    Extraction
    Your's must be different than mine, Steve, as their was nothing to deflate with mine. Had the Surgeon who installed it as the one to remove. He just kinda twisted it around for maybe 10-seconds, then pulled it out- which mighta taken 2-seconds. The "button" inside my stomach was 15/16" in diameter, and the tube opening around 3/8"- so you can imagine what it felt like. If you had the balloon, I've heard removal is much friendlier. With even mine, though, I got no meds before or after. They slapped a 4x4 over the hole and taped it, said to not remove for 24-hours, and after keep it gauzed with Bicatracin. Had mine out on 5/4, and it really does look like another belly button. From my chest to stomach- about 1 1/2" of tube, but I'm a puny little man. The experience, for me, went better than I thought it might. Hope the same for you.

    kcass
  • Tanager75
    Tanager75 Member Posts: 89 Member
    #3
    Congrats
    That was a big day for me. They deflated/emptied the fluid from the bladder and pulled it out. Felt like a bee sting and then it was over.

    mark
  • Greg53
    Greg53 Member Posts: 849
    #4
    Tanager75 said:

    Congrats
    That was a big day for me. They deflated/emptied the fluid from the bladder and pulled it out. Felt like a bee sting and then it was over.

    mark

    Awesome
    Steve,

    Glad to hear you're getting yours out! Mine is still in there, so you beat me on this one (since we started at same time). Mine's a balloon too, so I'll be interested in how much it smarts. Congrats!

    Greg
  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #5
    Tanager75 said:

    Congrats
    That was a big day for me. They deflated/emptied the fluid from the bladder and pulled it out. Felt like a bee sting and then it was over.

    mark

    PEG-LESS
    Glad to say something that you all are going through that I didn't, though we have all shared a lot of the rest.....

    Congrats on your success with the PEG, and welcome back to the PEG-LESS....

    JG
  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #6
    I don't believe I have a balloon...
    Hi Steve;

    I think I have a little disc-like stopper inside, at the end of the tube. My gastroenterologist said that she'd put on a mask and a splatter suit, grab ahold, apply a tremendous pull, and pop it right out. Sait it would burn, but only for a moment. Eeeeek.

    I told her I'd snagged the hose a couple of times, and given it a pretty good jerk, and scared myself that I was going to pull it out. She said "no way", as it takes a lot stronger yank to get it out than I would be able to do myself.

    Gastro doc said they want to see the patient maintain weight for a month, taking everything via mouth, before they'd remove the tube. Stanford wants to scope, and probably to scan before they will give me the all clear to get it out. So far, no PEG use since June 1st, and my weight is steady.

    Deb
  • delnative
    delnative Member Posts: 450 Member
    #7
    D Lewis said:

    I don't believe I have a balloon...
    Hi Steve;

    I think I have a little disc-like stopper inside, at the end of the tube. My gastroenterologist said that she'd put on a mask and a splatter suit, grab ahold, apply a tremendous pull, and pop it right out. Sait it would burn, but only for a moment. Eeeeek.

    I told her I'd snagged the hose a couple of times, and given it a pretty good jerk, and scared myself that I was going to pull it out. She said "no way", as it takes a lot stronger yank to get it out than I would be able to do myself.

    Gastro doc said they want to see the patient maintain weight for a month, taking everything via mouth, before they'd remove the tube. Stanford wants to scope, and probably to scan before they will give me the all clear to get it out. So far, no PEG use since June 1st, and my weight is steady.

    Deb

    It was no big deal for me
    It wasn't even a doc who took mine out. It was a nurse.
    She grabbed the PEG and ... YANK!
    That was the end of it. It didn't really hurt, but it was a little unnerving.
    But boy, was I glad to be rid of it.

    --Jim in Delaware
  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #8
    Steve, good for you, glad to
    Steve, good for you, glad to hear you're getting rid of it. I wasn't as strong as you guys, I was put to sleep to have mine removed ;0( I guess I am a real scardy cat....lol.
    Way to go,
    debbie
  • Pam M
    Pam M Member Posts: 2,196
    #9
    D Lewis said:

    I don't believe I have a balloon...
    Hi Steve;

    I think I have a little disc-like stopper inside, at the end of the tube. My gastroenterologist said that she'd put on a mask and a splatter suit, grab ahold, apply a tremendous pull, and pop it right out. Sait it would burn, but only for a moment. Eeeeek.

    I told her I'd snagged the hose a couple of times, and given it a pretty good jerk, and scared myself that I was going to pull it out. She said "no way", as it takes a lot stronger yank to get it out than I would be able to do myself.

    Gastro doc said they want to see the patient maintain weight for a month, taking everything via mouth, before they'd remove the tube. Stanford wants to scope, and probably to scan before they will give me the all clear to get it out. So far, no PEG use since June 1st, and my weight is steady.

    Deb

    Congrats, Deb
    Glad to hear you're taking all nutrition by mouth. I still have my PEG, although I haven't used it for over a month - I'm sure they'll let me get it removed at the end of the month, assuming my scans are clear.
  • debbiejeanne
    debbiejeanne Member Posts: 3,102 Member
    #10
    Pam M said:

    Congrats, Deb
    Glad to hear you're taking all nutrition by mouth. I still have my PEG, although I haven't used it for over a month - I'm sure they'll let me get it removed at the end of the month, assuming my scans are clear.

    I have to say, most people
    I have to say, most people here say their docs said they can remove the tube when you have maintained your weight for a month. My doc said he would remove mine whenever "I" felt I no longer needed it. He said he prefered it be in for at least 3 weeks tho. Well, my family was under the impression that I should have it removed in the 3 weeks. I had the tube much longer b/c I was completely unable to swollow food. Then my family kept saying I was just relying on the tube b/c I didn't want to eat...yeah right. I finally had the tube removed in April of this year. I had the tube for about 7 months. At no point did my doc even ask me about my weight. I just called his office and scheduled the removal. It sounds like your docs were much more concerned about your health...thank God.
    God Bless You All,
    debbie
  • MarineE5
    MarineE5 Member Posts: 1,034 Member
    #11
    debbiejeanne said:

    Steve, good for you, glad to
    Steve, good for you, glad to hear you're getting rid of it. I wasn't as strong as you guys, I was put to sleep to have mine removed ;0( I guess I am a real scardy cat....lol.
    Way to go,
    debbie

    Glad to hear about the removal of the Peg
    Steve,

    Outstanding Steve, glad to hear that you will have the Peg removed soon. It is another step in feeling a bit more normal. Not having to worry about bumping that Peg Tube when ever you do any type of activity.

    My grandson grabbed it once when he was 9 monhs old when I was holding him. He felt the bump under my shirt and grabbed the hose. I was quick and got his hand before he could yank. I put him down right after that.

    As mentioned, it feels like a bee sting and the bite lasts about a minute or two. You'll do fine.

    My Best to You and Everyone Here
  • D Lewis
    D Lewis Member Posts: 1,581 Member
    #12
    MarineE5 said:

    Glad to hear about the removal of the Peg
    Steve,

    Outstanding Steve, glad to hear that you will have the Peg removed soon. It is another step in feeling a bit more normal. Not having to worry about bumping that Peg Tube when ever you do any type of activity.

    My grandson grabbed it once when he was 9 monhs old when I was holding him. He felt the bump under my shirt and grabbed the hose. I was quick and got his hand before he could yank. I put him down right after that.

    As mentioned, it feels like a bee sting and the bite lasts about a minute or two. You'll do fine.

    My Best to You and Everyone Here

    Bumping the PEG....
    EEEEK! I hate bumping the PEG tube. Now that I am out and about more, I get a lot of bear hugs from friends I haven't seen in a while. Ouch. But, glad to see ya anyway.

    Friends and family keep asking me when I am going to start up trail riding with my mule again. I do a lot of bumping on the saddle getting on and off, and I have NO interest at all in banging into the PEG tube. My previous nightmare involved accidently hooking it over the saddle horn and jerking it out when I vaulted off. TMI, sorry. My doctor cut it off very short for me, so that is less likely to happen. But, I am waiting for PEG removal before I do any riding.

    Deb
  • CajunEagle
    CajunEagle Member Posts: 408
    #13
    D Lewis said:

    Bumping the PEG....
    EEEEK! I hate bumping the PEG tube. Now that I am out and about more, I get a lot of bear hugs from friends I haven't seen in a while. Ouch. But, glad to see ya anyway.

    Friends and family keep asking me when I am going to start up trail riding with my mule again. I do a lot of bumping on the saddle getting on and off, and I have NO interest at all in banging into the PEG tube. My previous nightmare involved accidently hooking it over the saddle horn and jerking it out when I vaulted off. TMI, sorry. My doctor cut it off very short for me, so that is less likely to happen. But, I am waiting for PEG removal before I do any riding.

    Deb

    Post Peg Tube activity
    I've had mine removed for 3 months. I've noticed that I still protect that area, being that I had mine for over a year. Currently, when taking off a tee shirt, I still find myself bending over forward to keep the non-existant tube from getting hung up in the shirt. I also, from just out of the blue, get these very itchy/irritating sensations around the puncture area. They seem to go away after about a half hour. And yes....all that glue residue from taping the tube does eventually come off of your torso. Also Steve.......the removal feels like someone pinched you. No big deal.

    Larry

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