Job hunting, do I have to tell bout my g-tube while interviewing?

If I can manage to hide my g-tube well enough do I have to tell my potential employer about it during the interview? I'm really in need of a part time job but I'm afraid if they know about it that I may not be hired but it's kind of hard to hide regularly. My skin doesn't tolerate it being taped to it all the time because my skin breaks down so I have to let it hang but could tape it up for the interview so I know doing anything around a lot of machines and stuff like that wouldn't really be good but I was thinking about maybe part time retail or at this point restaurant work (even though I'm really trying to avoid this because in my previous restaurant work days I used to never eat because I was around food so much I couldn't stand the thought of eating) but I just really need something part time to help take a lil bit of the burden of my medical stuff off of my DH. I'd really prefer a desk job but I haven't seen anything around here. With all my medical issues and doctors appointments I really only want like 20-25 hours a week anyways maybe 3-4 days and that kind of thing sooo anyways, should I tell or wait til after I'm hired??

You do not have to divulge medical issues to anyone unless you are in the food service business and then only certain things would have to be admitted.  I understand that the tape would start hurting your skin after this length of time but there are other ways to put it up when you go out.  When I had mine, leaving it hang actually hurt as bad as the tape and tore up the insertion site.   I took my belly band from surgery and cut it to about 1/4 the width and used it to hold mine in place. I only wrapped it tight enough to hold so it wasn't uncomfortable and didn't itch.  It was easy to remove for flushing too.  You could also use a piece of wide ribbon or cloth sash.  You could try getting a diaper pin and pin it to your clothes. A diaper pin should be big enough to go around the tube without piercing it.  You could pin it to your waist band and let your shirt hide it.  You just have to remember to unpin it before removing your pants!!! These are just a few ideas. Hope they help.  I'm sure others have many inventive ways they came up with to hide that pesky tube too. Have a great day,

Wow Brenda, I hadn't even thought about pinning it. Thats an awesome idea. I've wore my binder a few times but thats tooooo much to wear for long periods of time. I may look for some ribbon and all too. :) Thanks a ton!

Misty, I have never let any tube just 'hang there'. If that is what you've been doing, no wonder that it keeps pulling the stitches out. My drain tube (and all the tubes I've ever had) has a plastic tab on it. I have mine safety pinned to the band of my underwear..that way, it doesn't get pulled when I go potty either. I too have a huge allergy to medical tapes. The paper tape isn't too bad but even after awhile, it gets irritation. I break out in huge blisters so I definately avoid tapes whenever possible. As to divulging that you have the g-tube, while you may not be legally obligated to tell any prospective employer except if they are in the food industry, I would be sure to be open and honest about it if asked about medical conditions. I know that in the pharmacuitical manufacturing business, you would not be allowed on the production floor. If you had skills that  it wouldn't be neccesary for you to be on the floor (such as office/secreterial skills), the g-tube would not affect their decision to hire you. So..in addition to 'food', I would say that any business that is governed by the FDA (Food & Drug Administration), I would be sure to be forth-coming about it. That would also go for bars. Anywhere that manufactures or supplies anything that goes into the consumers body pretty much. At what point do you divulge this info? I wouldn't during the initial interview..unless asked specifically about medical conditions....unless it's a restaurant/bar to where that intial interview is probably the only one you'll have. If it's a manufacturer though, you can hold off a little bit..but definately let them know at the physical, if not before then. When we owned the bar, we wouldn't have not hired you because you had the g-tube. To be honest though, the first time I came in and saw it 'hanging', you would have been let go. That could be considered unsanitary not just for you, but also for the business from the health department's perspective and the food/liquor service industry wants as few run-ins with the health department as possible. Hope this helps. Sherri

Thanks!! I don't let it hang all the time, mostly when I just run around the house. I just started letting it hang again more because my stomach is covered in blisters from tape and stuff right now, paper tape is all I've been using. I wouldn't let it hang at a job to where it is visable anyways though because that wouldn't be professional plus I wouldn't want to have to tell the story on why I have it repeatedly. I was taping it for a good long while (and will again if I have to or try the ribbon or diaper pin suggestions) and like I mentioned I use my binder for it sometimes but thats not good for hours upon hours. After it was stitched a time or two is when I started taping it, noone had ever told me different until then, in the hospital the nurses just let it hang and stuff soo I thought that was the thing to do. Thankfully I've not had a stitch in a lil over a month and it's staying put still sooo thats a good thing lol. I don't care bout it being stitched as much as I do staying outta my Duodenum hehe. Theres nothing on it to put a pin into or anything like that though the way this is. So I'd have to get a big nough one to go around it. One reason I'm trying to avoid restaurants truthfully is because I don't wanna have to go into detail plus as I have mentioned before the last thing I need is something affecting my already non-existent appetite. The G-tube should be coming out at the end of next month and I may just wait til then but keep my eyes open and apply for the jobs. I'm hoping it comes out!!! Hopefully these past few weeks haven't set me back but I know that Dr. C is going to use her best judgement for when she thinks it's time or I'm ready but gosh I feel ready most days. They got me tube feeding at night still even when I can keep things in if I'm no where near my caloric range and soo hopefully over the next month I

During the interview process, they can not legally ask you about any medical condition.  You could come in with an IV bag and they are NOT permitted to ask you any questions about it.  It is illegal.  Once they choose to hire you they need to make accomodations and you can speak to the HR department about these issues or to the person that actually did the hiring but I wouldn't do that until I had something in writing that stated I was hired and what my salary was going to be. These laws are there to protect you and the employer.

Hi Misty, I had a G-tube put in after my 2nd surgery. When I got released the DR. told me to keep it packed at all times. I had to use packing made for g-tubes and some skin protector along with paper tape. the only time I was to have the g-tube out was for feeding & taking a shower. I had to use an antiboic soap and allow the water to clean the area for 30 minutes, 2 times a day. I had no problems. I had it in for 6 months, some people didn't even know I had a g-tube. It looks like you got a lot of good advice. Hopefully, every thing will work it self out. Big Hugs & Blessings, Gail     

I went back to work with my g-tube without any problems.  Heck, I even did some tube feedings at lunch while at work.  But then again I'm a nurse, so everyone was just intrigued by it because we don't have g-tube patients on our floor.  I just kept the end of it tucked under my bra between my boobs!  It was easy to hide. Good Luck with your job search.  I would imagine that getting back to work will do a lot to help you feel like you are getting back to normal. Jennifer