TUBE

LOL...I am scared about the tube!! I guess it is the gastric tube. What is it?? Does EVERYONE get one?? What is it used for? Does it hurt? Do you see "stuff" come out of it? LOL, I am not terrified of having the surgery done, but I am terrified of this tube!!!!!! If anyone can tell me more about it, I would be VERY appreciative!! Thanks!

Jess, I was there when my best friend had her surgery and I cleaned hers out for her and was there when hers was removed. It is a tiny tube that is left in that has a bulb on the end that drains out the blood and gastric juices from your old stomach. It has a balloon that is inflated on the inside of you to keep it inside of you and when the doc removes it he deflates it he pulls it out. From everything I have heard it feels like a small menstrual cramp in your tummy. Feels more strange than painful. I have heard that the skin around it however gets sore and oozes up until it gets removed so you just gotta keep it clean and if it gets too sore you gotta put a warm cloth on it. Its more of a pain in the butt than painful based on all of my research and seeing people after surgery. I have had 3 very close friends have gastric bypass so I have only witnessed it. It you want more responses to your posts, go on over to the California forum. Some of Dr. Clarks patients are over there and they are real quick about answering. Steffie

Hmmm the nurse said they use it for people with sleep apnea? Are we talking about the same thing? The JTube is almost always left in after surgery and that will be coming out of a hole in your belly. Were you talking about the breathing tube that you were afraid of or the nasal gastric tube? As far as I know, none of Dr. Clarks patients wake up with the nasal gastric tube (the tube that goes up the nose and down into the stomach) Make sure that nurse knew what you were talking about because it sounds like she didn't. Steffie

I just told her I was terrified to wake up with anything hanging out of my stomach. I am pretty sure she knew what I was talking about. Did you get a packet from them yet?? In the packet they call it a gastric tube, so when I wrote to her, that is what I called it.