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Wednesday, November 9, 2011

What kind of g-button do you have?

Annabel has a Bard mini one non-ballon gbutton. She is having this changed out very often due to leaking when we open it. It doesnt leak below it just when opened. If your child has a g-button please share what type and why you like it. I realize the balloon buttons are easy to change out and have seen it done, but I like not having to worry about it coming out. Thank you for any information you can offer.

7 comments:

Nancy said...

Rebekah has the AMT Mini-One non-balloon button. This was our first try with a non-balloon. We made the decision to switch to it in August (She had balloons for 2 years), because her stomach acid is strong, and it was eating away at the balloons much faster than it should have. We were told that the balloon buttons should last 3-4 months, and the longest we ever had one was 7 weeks. We had issues with them deflating in the night and coming out and then having to have her stoma dilated to have a new g-tube put in. Not fun.

I can't say I'm thrilled with the non-balloon button, either. We experience the same thing with Rebekah. If we aren't using it, it's fine with no leaking. When we use it (continuous overnight feeds), it leaks everywhere. Her pajamas and sheets are all wet with formula. I think I need to call her surgeon's office to see if we can get a different size for a better fit. I love that it stays in though, and we don't have any more surprises in the mornings. :)

Anonymous said...

Kathy -

Daisy as the Mic-key g tube. She doesn't have strong stomach acid, so one can last for 8 months if we didn't change it (our dr. said it was fine to not change every 3-4 months so long as we watched for failure). No leakage problems - except when the ballow was not inflated enough - then she'd leak stomach acid which would cause redness.

I've played with the levels of fluid used to inflate the ballon - that seems to really help her comfort and performance of the device.

Prayers continue for Annabel!

Sara Knowles (sariasar@yahoo.com)

Anonymous said...

I messaged a friend and asked what her daughter has, Bailey is much older than Annabel. This was her response: Bailey has a balloon button and I love it because of the fact I can change it out myself at home. It really is sturdy and has only "fallen" out a few times. I know when it is getting close to having to change it out because it gets loose or sometimes will leak. I hope this helps. Hers is a size 18 French.
Edie

The VW's said...

Gavin has the Mickey G-tube button. I like being able to change it myself at home (Every 6 months or so), and it has worked great for us. it has been pulled out about 3 times in the last 4 1/2 years, but it's an easy fix and it has never bothered Gavin when it has happened. It takes stepping on, or kneeling on the tubing of the feeding bag for it to be pulled out. (At least, this is how it happened to us.) It doesn't come out easily, as long as the balloon is adequately filled with water.

Anonymous said...

Madeline has a Mic-Key button, and we love it! We actually don't use it anymore other than for venting when she is sick. In the first few months after we after she got it, we did accidently pull it out a time or too, but even my husband who does very little of her actual care beyond diaper changes and hugs and kisses put it back in when I was out of town for a day. I just changed her last one when it was getting lose, but it had been about a year since the last change. :) She doesn't usually have any leakage or redness.

R said...

If you use Facebook, check out the 'Feeding Tube Awareness' group - there are many many parents of kiddos with tubes there, as well as some adults with tubes (including me!) - it's fantastic for sharing knowledge and exchanging advice.

ANewKindOfPerfect said...

Emily always had a MicKey ballon g-tube, until she got this long gj-tube. And I have to laugh because your title asked about my bottom! ;)