g-tube replacement

[JSerene]

My dd has a mic-key and I replaced it for the first time today. She was very scared. We used EMLA cream and that helped. It was weird, I have to say. Anyway, it had only been in for 3 months and was all black and gross inside. We had been taught that they can last 6 months and the nurse told me today 3 months, but that she's had patients keep it in for a year.

So, what's the routine in your house? How often are you replacing the g-tube? Do you do it yourself or do you go in to the clinic? Does your kid freak out?

Thanks.

[MotherWhimsey]

We have a GJ now so we can't do it ourselves, but we used to have a just plain g-tube. We replaced it at home after the first placement. It's really not as hard as it seems. You just lube it up and shove it in.

We would aim for 3 months but if it was in good shape we'd keep it in longer. Likewise, if it wasn't working right or the balloon burst before the 3 month mark, we'd change it. Ours would sometimes come out all black too.

My kid freaked a little at first, but not much. Towards the end, right before we switched to the GJ, we'd change it with him standing up and it took about 2 seconds and he didn't even blink.

After you've placed it once it's not so bad. It's that first time that's so intimidating.

[MotherWhimsey]

here's a black one

Prevacid can cause them to turn black like that. Some meds cause them to turn other colors.

[pixiekisses]

Originally Posted by MotherWhimsey

After you've placed it once it's not so bad. It's that first time that's so intimidating.

Yes, indeed.

We also have GJ-tube now and can't do it ourselves, but when we had only the G-tube we did it from the start. At home. And the kid didn't freak, she thought it was weird too the first time. But it was no biggie after that. We also did it with her standing up after a while, and you get real quick, and the kid also gets used to it and doesn't raise an eyebrow.

I could really have signed MotherWhimsey, because we also had it in for more than 3 months if it still looked good, up to 6 months. And you obviously have to change it if something is wrong, even if it's shorter than 3 months in.
Oh, and yeah, they do sometimes have funny colours.

[mekat]

Insurance will usually pay for a new one every three months depending on your insurance policy and child's medical condition but I always try to get as much use out of them as possible so I can have multiple back ups. You just never know if the brand new one you put in will be defective. So I always get a refill every three months but try to make them last longer so at a bare minimum I have two backups at all times. I had to use our back up at one point in less 16 hours the brand new back up busted and the button was so bad I couldn't even jerry rig it so I had to take DS to the emergency room. Naturally when one breaks that quickly the manufacturer will usually replace it due to the device being defective but it could take weeks for them to get you a replacement. I only know that AMT & Corflo will replace theirs though I don't have any experience with the other button manufacturers. I have been tube feeding DS for almost 6 years (as of August it will be 6 years) and that has just been our experience.

[AndVeeGeeMakes3]

We change VeeGee's out every four or five months. Mostly I just know by how the balloon is deflating. I'll take it out and check it. Hers is often discolored, too, after a round of Prevacid or any other unusual meds.

My kiddo's never gotten used to it, but I suspect that's mostly due to her sensory issues (she hates the feeding tube and all things touching her, so it makes sense that she'd really freak with the change-out). Still, you get used to it, even if they're freaking and kicking and screaming, and learn to do it quickly and dispassionately. I can even hold her down AND replace it by myself (though I need a nap afterward ).

Also, before I really knew better, I didn't want to touch it much (she came to us at 16 months, and I only had an hour or so of training on the thing), so it got pretty crusty and yuck. Since then, I just turned it quickly a few times while in the bath (I always make sure that her bathwater goes above the button) to make sure that there was no gunk under it. She does that herself now, with a prompt.

As with most things, you get used to it, and it becomes no big deal. HTH

[bandgeek]

We generally changed her mic-key every 3 months unless there was an issue like the balloon popping. Now that she has a GJ mic-key they tell us to only bring her in every 6 months, but it gets soooo gross before then! The longest we've lasted was 4 months and at that point the balloon popped.