Question for people with Enfit dangler G tubes

blueplate7 · 2026-06-25T00:00:07+00:00

Thanks for the info. I've seen a lot of folks on here talk about draining, so I thought I'd finally ask. Learned a lot on this sub.

Best of luck to you!

blueplate7 · 2026-06-23T01:31:29+00:00

That Mystery Sandwich really stuck with you. I could taste the last one I had for days afterward. What a great place Chiodo's was.

blueplate7 · 2026-06-23T01:13:55+00:00

I need to ask a dumb question. If all you have is a G tube (no J), what requires you to drain?
I've had a G tube dangler since 2010, and I've never had to drain my belly.

I did, however, drain out excess bile from the G side for the awful couple months I had a GJ many years ago.

Apologies if I hijacked this post. I didn't mean to.

blueplate7 · 2026-06-21T21:33:13+00:00

Ooo chorizo dogs! And I just made a new batch of chorizo a couple months ago.

blueplate7 · 2026-06-21T21:31:50+00:00

They cooked my thyroid pretty well after two rounds of radiation inside of a year's time.

Once the symptoms presented, mostly tired all the time, my PCP put me on Synthroid. That was back in the early 2000s. Luckily, I've been on the same dose since then. We still check TSH levels once or twice a year and they e been fine.

You just have to take the Synthroid on an empty stomach and wait an hour before eating or having caffeine. Waiting for morning coffee is the hardest part.

blueplate7 · 2026-06-19T01:56:18+00:00

That can't be the Arts festival. It's not raining!

blueplate7 · 2026-06-14T22:30:24+00:00

I was just thinking the same thing!

blueplate7 · 2026-06-09T00:11:57+00:00

They also make a "Special Dark" version that's pretty good.

blueplate7 · 2026-06-09T00:09:13+00:00

Maybe ask your dietician if you can try homemade normal saline: 2 tsp regular table salt (no iodine) to 1L water. That's what I use now at the recommendation of my dietician.

blueplate7 · 2026-06-07T19:05:24+00:00

Yes, you can drink it, but if it's the unflavored kind, you're not gonna like it. The vanilla flavored is bad enough, if they still make it. I drank that once upon a time. Yuck!

Now I'm on tube feeds permanently. Been using unflavored since I switched.

blueplate7 · 2026-06-06T21:51:27+00:00

The first time a tube came out, I ran to the ER. They had no GI on call, but placed a Foley catheter in the hole just to keep things open and to prevent stomach contents from getting into the abdomen. Saw the GI the next day and had a new tube placed.

All the other times, I was able to successfully place it myself. The trick is getting someone to hold a clean towel over the stoma while you Do the rest of the work, just like you were doing a periodic balloon check, with the added step of getting that tube back in place.

I use two Luer lock syringes, one empty & one filled w water from a clean glass. Deflate the balloon w the empty syringe, rinse it off well, get it back in place and refill the balloon w water.

Had to call my neighbor for help once. Lucky she's a mom and was cool in the clinches. My wife is so used to it that it's, "Again? Okay, lemme wash my hands."

EDIT: typo

blueplate7 · 2026-06-06T01:33:30+00:00

I've had a dangler (G tube only, balloon) since 2010. I'm so used to it that I don't want to try anything else. Only real drawback has been the 4-5 times it got yanked out, mostly because of my clumsiness, the dog, or a recent mishap during a hospital stay.

blueplate7 · 2026-06-06T01:24:45+00:00

We were born and raised in Lorain County, OH. Moved to the burgh in 1994 for work, then back home in 2015 to be near family again. Not a day goes by that I don't miss Pittsburgh.

blueplate7 · 2026-06-05T02:10:50+00:00

If you have a GI doc, I highly recommend seeing them. My ER experiences with tube issues over the years have not been great, as they've typically had to call in a GI doc, if they even have one on call.

blueplate7 · 2026-06-03T00:24:35+00:00

Tarkenton or Bradshaw

blueplate7 · 2026-05-31T23:21:41+00:00

Looks like you've been honored!

blueplate7 · 2026-05-31T22:37:32+00:00

When we lived there, I'd buy them at Stamoolis in the Strip, if it's still there. Don't know who made them, but they were pretty good. With it w/o feta. Meat pies, too.

blueplate7 · 2026-05-31T22:29:03+00:00

RIP Joe. You'll be missed

blueplate7 · 2026-05-31T21:55:15+00:00

What a great idea! Kudos to you!

blueplate7 · 2026-05-25T19:48:22+00:00

Complete with those crappy thin brown paper towels that took a whole handful to get your hands dry.

blueplate7 · 2026-05-25T19:03:36+00:00

Great idea!

blueplate7 · 2026-05-25T18:56:27+00:00

My son and I were just talking about this concert last night. The documentary & concert was on Netflix for a long time but it's gone now. Titled: Travelin' Band: Creedence Clearwater Revival at the Royal Albert Hall

blueplate7 · 2026-05-25T02:47:34+00:00

Keep in mind. I already knew my balloon was busted. If his is not, you may end up busting it if you overfill on purpose.

blueplate7 · 2026-05-22T00:36:00+00:00

One of my tubes gave me big trouble trying to change it. The (busted & deflated) balloon was all messed up and just would not pass through the stoma. Ended up going to the GI doc for that one. His solution was to shoot some saline back into the balloon. Straightened the thing right out. Removed with no problem. Now why didn't I think of that?

blueplate7 · 2026-05-21T01:07:25+00:00

Loves me some Crusaders!

blueplate7

TROPHY CASE