Join now

Already a member? Sign in

Welcome to Inspire!

What - Inspire is a place where you can connect with people who share your health concerns and find information and advice in groups sponsored by organizations you know and trust.

Why - As a member you can use Inspire to let friends and family know how you're doing, contact others who share your health concerns, receive personalized updates and information about participating in surveys and clinical trials, and more.

How - Joining Inspire is completely free and usually takes less than a minute. Join now!

corner corner corner

G tube issue

Alisha
  • By Alisha
  • Posted June 19, 2008 at 10:43 pm · 16 replies
  • In Out and about
  • Shared with the public
2 Recommendations

I am wondering if it is normal to be draining a little blood from the G tube. I have called my doctor, but he hasnt returned my call. I dont have the greatest doctor where I live. My docotr is not to familar with my condition that is why I rely on doctors from rochester mayo to get medical care but in the mean time if I need something done in emergency I must call them but thought I would post the question in the meantime. I did talk to a pharmacy and he said that he thought it was rubbing against the opening of the tube causing an injury to the inside.

Explore topics in this discussion:

Pain Blisters

16 replies

Sanford

Well, of course, discuss it with your doctor, but I've both a g tube and j tube since June 1st, 2005, and they do irritate the skin round them, My doctor describes ther skin as "friable", I usually have slight bleeding and irritation around the g tube, and intestinal fluid oozing around the j tube.

MarieTwinTubes

Alisha,

Is the bleeding from around the tube or actual stomach contents? Even though some irritation around it occurs, you still need to be concerned about the blood. I hav e learned that doctors and other clinical providers have too low standards for care of g tubes. Irritations don't have to be the norm, and you definitely need to know if anything needs to be adjusted. I'll try to come back with more about my experience with care and getting help. Take a peek at the www.oley.org site. The May/June newsletter just posted has an article I wrote. Best of everthing. Keep at it! Marie

Alisha

I am sorry I that I was not very clears as to where the bleeding was taking place. After I drain the bile from my stomach is when I started to notice that there was blod present in the stomach content. Thanks for your reply any bit of information is a little reassurence to myself thanks you all

sandyb

Alisha,
you do need to speak to your doctor. It may just be an irritation but it needs to be checked out. I have a g tube and a peg sometimes I also see blood after flushing but I was assured it is nothing serious.

Zacolton

If it's a new tube it's definetely nothing to worry about, I've had that when I got a new tube. But, if it ain't its worth checking out. Chances are there just some irratation on the bowel wall (again, has happened to me) and you have some minor bleeding, but it's still worth checking out just in case. None of us can be too careful!

MarieTwinTubes

Alisha, Hi!

Right after you sent out this request for help, I wrote a reply and just before sending I must have wiggled my nose the wrong way. I lost it.

About a year ago, right after having a g tube replaced, I had about 20 days of bloating, pain, and couldn't take in more than 2 cans a day. After getting no help, I changed GI doctors. He sent me to interventional radiology where the radiologist made a simple adjustment to my tube. After 20 days without adequate nutrition or hydration, my problems were over. When things are working right, I do not have bleeding or leakage. I hope by now you have found a solution.

I am becoming increasingly concerned that our doctors and other providers have low standards for our care. It is just not acceptable to live with all these problems and have medical folks act like it is OK. (They would not say it was OK if their new car leaked just a little bit of brake fluid! ) Why are we less important? I think we should all start speaking out in some kind of unified way!

(I had sent this message to another person but thought it might be useful.) When I first had my G-tube placed surgically, about 3 days later while I was still in the hospital, it started leaking profusely. The hospital didn't fix it, sent me home. As it turned out, the tube had come almost all the way out and the formula was spilling out rather than going into my stomach. Because it was a fresh track, the track had begun closeing up so that while I started with a 20 fr, they had to replace it with a 16 (very painful with no anesthesia. They should have given me a local.) On top of that I was dehydrated from all the loss.

Check right away to be sure the tube is in place and intact. Outpatient interventional radiology can do this.

Hang in there, Alisha, and let us know how you are doing. We are all in this together. We have got to insist on quality care so we can have a quality of life!!

Cheers for life and breath! Marie

Alisha

I just wanted to say thanks for giving me some encouragement and hope to keep fighting. I feel very fustrated with my GI doctor that I no longer go to him to get help. So I turn to the surgeon who out of solutions. It is prety bad when the GI Doctor doesnt have a clue as to what is going on with his patients. One time when I went to see him he thought I still had my hickman when it was taken out beacuse of an infection. Not a very good Doctor if he doesnt read up on his patients and kinda have an idea of what exactly is going before he walks in the door. I wish that I had an interventional radiology here where I live beacuse I think my problems would be solved. I am dealing with pain that is enternal around the site of the Jtube as the intestins are contracting pulling the tube in and out of stmach. Have you herd of such a thing. I have had lidocaine patches to take away some of the pain but it seems like they no longer work. It is something that isnt constant but when it comes it is painful. have any suggestions. Ok well I will talk to you later take care.

MarieTwinTubes

Alisha, I have no experience with a J tube, but I just know that any time we are experiencing things like what you are going through, there is a reason. Whatever hospital serves you should have the radiology you need. One challenge is that you need a doctor's order, unless you go through emergency.

Have you been reading the Oley site? They have some good free materials you can order. One is a complications chart. Also they have volunteers equipped with an 800 # that you can call and get help or encouragement. Look on the website for that. Probably one of them may have a J tube. Or just call Oley and ask to speak to one of the staff and share your need.

Did you see my article in the May/June newsletter. When you commented on my profile, I wasn't sure if you meant the profile for this TeamInspire page or the article. Thanks for your responses. I do want to see you get help. Keep in touch along the way. Prayers for you, Marie

wildflowerlil

Daulton has a g-tube for many years and he ocainally has blood or other drainage. he wears a small gauze around the g-tube itself. we split it. you can get these from your suppier too. he also gets like growth like. my docs gave us yeist cream. my docs in the past told me regarding the blood to put an atibotic cream around the area

ahoelle

I have a g-tube, and used to have a j-tube. When I had the j-tube, which was used for decompression, I would have some blood in the contents. My doctors said that it was from the end of the tube irratating the intestine. With my g-tube, I sometimes could feel my g-tube moving in and out, which was weird to feel. I didn't really have any pain with that though.

alphabubo

I have had both a j-tube and g-tube for a long time. Sometimes when I drain my g-tube, I have noticed a little bit of blood, but when I told my doctor, he did not seem concerned as it is usually not very much and all my blood tests which reveal my red blood cell count amoung other things have been basically normal. Has your doctor had labs drawn just to make sure that your red blood cell count is okay? This could indicate if the blood is a sign of a larger problem. I would certainly let your doctor know about it, and see what he thinks. I have also experienced the pulling in and out of the tube. I think that this has to do with the normal contractions of either the stomach or intestine depending on where the tube is located. Sometimes this can be uncomfortable for me, so I have to keep the tubes as stationary as possible either with the tape and gauze, and I have also used the bottom of my bra to hold the tubes so that the downward pull of gravity does not make them pull on the site.

What type of j-tube do you have? Is it the kind that is held in with balloons? I have noticed that if my balloon has burst and the tube does not fall out that I start to experience much more pain around the j-tube site.

I hope that you can soon get some of the answers that you seek and that you can get some relief from your pain. I will be sure to keep you in my thoughts and prayers. Many hugs.

Warm regards,
Bobbiejo

Alisha

Thanks for the reply I have told the doctor about what I am experincing and I he said that is normal and said that I was to keep an eye. I think that when the gtube is open and left to drain it works a lot better and I dont feel pain around the jtube.

ahoelle

I drain my g-tube daily and that really helps with leekage problems, but you do need to make sure the tube stays stable. I have had some problems because the weight of the venting bag pulls on the tubs and causes pain. I find wrapping an ace wrap around my belly really helps alot to keep the tube from pulling.

Floyd

When I first got the g-tube, I kept getting small blisters at the stoma site under it from the tubes rubbing. I also had trouble with the tube top eventually leaking. I solved both problems by making a necklace out of an elastic shoestring and 2 lanyard clips. I put the large end of one lanyard clip around the tube and then sliding it up to the connection of the tube. I put the other lanyard clip on the elastic shoestring and tied it to an appropriate length (for me just below my t-shirt opening. I can then easily snap one clip to the other. Since gravity works and the tube top is above my stomach, no leaks or drips. I also found this to be a thousand times more comfortable than the velcro strap pouches, besides being way cheaper.

starlitesonata

I have had my g-tube for 12 years and had experience periodic spells where there was blood. No need to worry. Especially if you have granlualted tissue forming aound the site. A silver nitrite stick will take care that if your doctor will allow you to treat yourself.

sherri09

no it is not.They told me if that happen's to my baby to get him to children's right away. so you need to take him to children's right away.

Add to the discussion

Don't have an Inspire account? Join now!

Forgot password?

Helpful links from the Oley Foundation

Group leaders

You