I want to be clear that my experience is with only one type of feeding tube: the Gastronomy Tube, or G-Tube. I call mine “Peg” — short for Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy tube. All of the information I’ll share is based on my personal journey with my G-tube over the past couple of years.
For reference, here’s a page that lists the most common feeding tube types.
My Experience with a G-Tube
I never thought a feeding tube would be part of my life, but a direct and frank conversation with a provider changed everything. She looked at me and said, “You look like sh**,” then asked how much weight I’d lost. The answer was 40 pounds. Three days later, I was in surgery getting my PEG tube.
That surgery was one of the most “non-event” medical procedures I’ve ever had, but it saved my life. Undernourishment had left me weak and tired, and I didn’t even realize why. Once I started getting adequate nutrition through the tube, I felt so much stronger and better.
The Surgery: A Quick Look
The term PEG stands for:
- Percutaneous: Through the skin
- Endoscopic: Inserted using an endoscope, which is a tiny camera a surgeon uses to see inside the body.
- Gastronomy: In the stomach
The surgery is typically done with you asleep or under twilight sedation. The surgeon uses an endoscope to find the best spot on your stomach wall where it’s close to the skin. They then make a small hole and thread a wire through. The actual feeding tube is then guided over that wire.
In my case, my first tube was a “dangler”—a longer tube that hangs outside the body. It was a medical “wardrobe malfunction” and felt like a “fire hose” under my shirt. Fortunately, it was temporary. I now have a fantastic, low-profile “button.” While the surgical site was sore for about a week, I would not describe it as painful.
They started my feeds almost immediately after the procedure. It was a huge relief to finally get the nourishment I needed.
In my upcoming posts, I’ll share more details about this journey, from managing supplies to the emotional aspects of living with a feeding tube.