BMX went well, but drains in after 18 days

It seems that doctors have very different approaches. My drains came out on day 5 when I left the hospital. I had about 30 ml per day and he took them out. I had no problems after that, no excessive fluids and it healed perfect.

Carmen

While dealing with drains can be a 'bother' - dealing with the effects when they are out too soon is much worse.  It's called a seroma.

My first drain was removed 2 weeks post with no SEs.  My 2nd draim was removed 4 weeks post.  Problems started then and were still showing on CAT5 mths later.  Of course you want then gone but i

t getting them out in a hurry can be "jumping out of the pan into the fire" .

Winyan - ThemPower Within

Susan

Rague said:

Drains can be your 'friend'

While dealing with drains can be a 'bother' - dealing with the effects when they are out too soon is much worse.  It's called a seroma.

My first drain was removed 2 weeks post with no SEs.  My 2nd draim was removed 4 weeks post.  Problems started then and were still showing on CAT5 mths later.  Of course you want then gone but i

t getting them out in a hurry can be "jumping out of the pan into the fire" .

Winyan - ThemPower Within

Susan

Love how you put it. It's so hard to be patient even when you know those drains are giving all that fluid a way out so you don't develop a seroma or an infection. Drains are the friends we love to hate.

coco2008 said:

I've been staying quiet and

I've been staying quiet and still as possible today in the hopes that the totals would improve and the drains could come ou tomorrow.  Not so sure anymore.  I just checked and there is at least 25 ml in each and my regular measuring time is still 3 hrs away.  Looks like we will be close friends for a while longer.

Anyone one have suggestions to reduce drain pain when moving?

Sandy

How do you support your drains? Many hospitals put you in a soft bra with pockets attached for the drain bulbs. If you aren't wearing the bra anymore, there are lots of ways to support the bulb and tubing so the drain doesn't pull against the suture site. I used several methods. You can use dental floss to make a LONG loop around your neck and attach the bulbs with safety pins. You can do the same thing with a long piece of flat wide elastic. (It's a little more comfortable than the dental floss for some people.) You can make your own pockets for the bulbs. Take a pair or two of socks, cut off about three or four inches from the toes and you have pockets that will hold drain bulbs. That way you don't have to unpin the drain itself, just take it out of the pocket to empty.  If you can find some baby diaper pins, they are perfect for pining and unpining the drains. The tiny thin ones are harder to deal with. I also bought some summer bandeau tops that were like comfortable strapless bras. I pinned the drains to them sometimes. Also been known to put the bulbs in my jeans pockets and tubing in my underwear.

While they are always uncomfortable, they shouldn't hurt when you move unless something is pulling on the skin where the suture is. Do you wear a bra? Does it press on the suture or rub against it? How long is the tubing from your skin to the bulb? Usually it is very long, could be down to your thighs and can get hung up sometimes so the tubing pulls against the suture. Do you hold onto the tubing next to the suture while you are "milking" the drain? If not, it's easy to pull on the suture.

coco2008 said:

I've been staying quiet and

I've been staying quiet and still as possible today in the hopes that the totals would improve and the drains could come ou tomorrow.  Not so sure anymore.  I just checked and there is at least 25 ml in each and my regular measuring time is still 3 hrs away.  Looks like we will be close friends for a while longer.

Anyone one have suggestions to reduce drain pain when moving?

Sandy

I had no pain with moving and I was  very  active.  I rode my horses with no problem.  I used a bandage pin (humongous safety pin used with bandaging horses) to hook the drains to my jeans belt loop.  Worked great as it was cold at the time and I always have a big/floppy sweat shirt on so it covered 'it'. 

muffingranma said:

Drains

I had so much trouble with my drains. I had my mastectomy the first part of November 2012 He took my drains out the last of November I think it was a big mistake , him taking the drains out. I kept filling up with fluid I had to go back one a week sometimes every other week, so he could take a tube and needle and go around in my chest area and draw fluid off until around March 2013 when I started radiation. After radiation the fluid became thick and I  was getting damage from the draining it couldn't be done anymore. It hurts a lot in that area. So unlike you I wish they would have left the drain in another month as long as any fluid was coming out. That was just my experience, yours could be different I pray and hope all goes well with whatever your journey is.

How you doing,- any updates?   Drains out --

Vicki Sam

muffingranma said:

Drains

I had so much trouble with my drains. I had my mastectomy the first part of November 2012 He took my drains out the last of November I think it was a big mistake , him taking the drains out. I kept filling up with fluid I had to go back one a week sometimes every other week, so he could take a tube and needle and go around in my chest area and draw fluid off until around March 2013 when I started radiation. After radiation the fluid became thick and I  was getting damage from the draining it couldn't be done anymore. It hurts a lot in that area. So unlike you I wish they would have left the drain in another month as long as any fluid was coming out. That was just my experience, yours could be different I pray and hope all goes well with whatever your journey is.

How you doing,- any updates?   Drains out --

Vicki Sam

muffingranma said:

Drains

I had so much trouble with my drains. I had my mastectomy the first part of November 2012 He took my drains out the last of November I think it was a big mistake , him taking the drains out. I kept filling up with fluid I had to go back one a week sometimes every other week, so he could take a tube and needle and go around in my chest area and draw fluid off until around March 2013 when I started radiation. After radiation the fluid became thick and I  was getting damage from the draining it couldn't be done anymore. It hurts a lot in that area. So unlike you I wish they would have left the drain in another month as long as any fluid was coming out. That was just my experience, yours could be different I pray and hope all goes well with whatever your journey is.

sorry about the multiple posts!

Vicki Sam

coco2008 said:

First drain came out last

First drain came out last Thursday and hoped last one would come out today, but drainage still too heavy.  From what I've read here I'm lucky PS is letting me keep it in.

Now looks like Halloween to take out drain and get first installment into my expanders.  Sounds like a good day for a freak show.

Sorry, been kind of down lately.  Having trouble bouncing back.

Sandy

to grasp all our poor bodies have been thru  .. in a few months you feel a little better as our bodies change, breast become more visible.  My thoughts and prayers are with you, Sandy.

Keep up the faith, and never give up.

Strength, Courage and HOPE for a Cure.

Vicki Sam