I've actually had an NG tube for several years during college. The worst part for me was actually getting the tube down. It's not all that painful, but what helps is if you drink water while you're getting the tube down to ensure it goes down the correct side. When you take it out, I typically just tried to pull it out in one fell swoop, so to speak, and it wasn't that painful. To me, it was harder to get it in that to get it out.