Does EVERYONE get a gastric feeding tube???

I am a revision and this surgery was of course nothing like the first (the first being in '93).  But I had a gastric feeding tube put in me and I thought it was because of the revision but one of the nurses told me EVERYONE gets them.  I am having a TERRIBLE time with mine and PRAY it will get removed on Monday (which can NOT come fast enought!!!).

I never read about anyone having one or about how VERY painful this stupid thing is (my body is pulling it inside which feels like a large blunt object in my side and is leaking which is buring the skin.

If people do, then what do they do about this pain.  The dr is orderig more drugs because I sit and wait for the next dose!!!  I wanted something stronger 

I am so sorry you are going through this.  I did not have a gastric feeding tube and do not believe it is that common.  I will keep you in my prayers.

I didn't think EVERYONE got them!  And really this thing is KILLING me.  I can only keep my eye on Monday and reasure myself that it will be here soon.  This is hurting me everywhere now.  I don't sleep well, can''t walk around without excrusiating pain.  I should be much better off by now 9 days post op!!!  Instead I had to call for stronger meds and the nurse tells me yes those are very painful.  WTH????  I have NEVER heard of feeding tubes being painful.  EVER!!!  Maybe the skin is hurting from the stitches and a little draining but this is CRAZY!!!

Ugh, sorry to whine!  I just can't wait until Monday!!!!

I had a J-tube and my surgeon puts one in everyone.  I am not sure if that is the same as the gastric tube or not.  My tube came out my side and went into my intestines.  It was a real life saver when it came to getting fluids and such when I was a new post op.  My tube was pretty painless.  I taped it to my body so that it would not "catch" on things.

Red

I had one put in when I had emergency leak surgery 9 days post-op.
I had mine for 3 weeks.  
It pulled and tugged, but didn't actually "hurt" unless I YANKED on it accidently.
I made sure that I wore my surgical binder and tucked the tube inside so that it was protected and not subject to being moved around.
Yes, the skin around the tube can become very irritated.  Keep it as clean and dry as you can.
Fingers crossed for you, that you can ditch the tube on Monday.

Are You Actually Feeding Yourself through this tube? Or is it the Drain Tubing from the Gastric Bypass Surgery? Was your surgery Laproscopic or Open? I taped mine in place and though not instructed to do so, I un-capped mine occassionally and let any fluids in me drain out. This relieved the pain pressure inside of m. Thus relaxing me.

I did not have one for my laproscopic RNY, but did after my leak as well. I had  three J tubes, which are the small bulbs that hang and drain mostly blood and excess fluid. I also had a G-tube. G-tubes go into the remnant and can also be used as a feeding tube to insert fluids if needed. I had mine in for 6 weeks. Yes, mine hurt as well. I had it hooked up to gravity empty into a uring bag for the 10 days I was in the hospital. Once I got out, I opened it to allow any fluid or air to drain 5-6 times a day. It did get irritated and ***** around the opening, and it is going to, no matter how well you care for it. Just clean with mild soap and water, and if your surgeon says it's ok, you can also apply Neosporin, which helped mine. It may be painful and pull and feel gross the whole time. If it begins to become severely painful and large amounts of pus come from it, or if it becomes foul smelling, you will need to be seen. Yep the body pulling it back in is a horrible feeling. I pray that you will be able to get it out on MOnday. Good luck!

The drains with the bulbs are Jackson Pratt drains.  The J-tube is a jejunostomy tube.  A jejunostomy is a procedure that creates a small opening through the outer abdomen into the small intestine (jejunum). A thin tube placed through this hole is called a J-tube. It allows fluids and feedings to be given into the small intestine. It will come out on the left side of your abdomen and has a fitting on the end so that you can attach a big syringe. You then inject fluid into the tube. The great part about it is that what you inject goes directly to the small intestine where it is absorbed bypassing the stomach. I believe a g-tube differs from the J-tube in that the G-tube goes into the stomach.

Red

I had a g-tube for 6 weeks and I hated it yet I am glad it was there.

YES, I said 6 weeks and I was thankful for it. It really wasn’t that bad at all, you can ask anyone that has had surgery, and had complications, if they wish they had one, so that they were able to feed themselves instead of being readmitted in to the hospital for malnutrition issues. Would you rather spend time in the hospital or at home?

I used it and loved it, instead of tasting gross crushed up pills each morning, I used my tube. Dr Jawad insists on using them. I am surprised you haven’t heard of them. Many Dr’s use them, didn’t you Dr tell you about it before the procedure?

Perhaps everyone of that particular surgeon's patients get them, but my surgeon does not insert them routinely.  Everyone does get a JP drain from my surgeon, but it is removed postop day 1 or 2 and no one goes home with one.  It would be a very, very rare situation for him to have to insert a feeding tube.  But each surgeon does things differently.