When do the drains come out?

christald21
christald21 Member Posts: 55
in Breast Cancer #1

HI,

     Just had surgery on the 25th.  Can anyone tell me when does the drains come out.   Is it by a certain time, or when the fluid comes out is no longer blood.  On my right side, the fluid is not as bloody as my right side.  It is more clear fluid.  Is that a good sign or not?  My pain is almost all gone!  Laughing

Comments

  • cinnamonsmile
    cinnamonsmile Member Posts: 1,187 Member
    #2
    i had to take daily drain

    i had to take daily drain totals for each side. when the drainage amount got to an amount that was low enough for the surgeon, they came out. it's been so long ago, i can't remember how much it was. that is a question to write down to ask or call the surgeon about.

    So it may depend on your own outputs of drainage and no one can predict that.

  • Kelardo1
    Kelardo1 Member Posts: 1
    #3
    Daily measurements

    im still taking daily measurements. I had a left mastectomy 11/12 and had one drain removed a week ago because my output numbers were below 35cc's. The second drain stayed in. It's oytputting less than 35cc's now and my appiintnrnt with PS is Tuesday to get the second drain out. That said, everyone is different. Some have their drains out sooner some later. Your doc should be able to advise you. Call their office and ask. It's I formation you need to ease your mind. 

    I think it's wonderful you're almost not feeling any pain now. Continue to feel well. 

  • bethsbaby
    bethsbaby Member Posts: 61
    #4
    Kelardo1 said:

    Daily measurements

    im still taking daily measurements. I had a left mastectomy 11/12 and had one drain removed a week ago because my output numbers were below 35cc's. The second drain stayed in. It's oytputting less than 35cc's now and my appiintnrnt with PS is Tuesday to get the second drain out. That said, everyone is different. Some have their drains out sooner some later. Your doc should be able to advise you. Call their office and ask. It's I formation you need to ease your mind. 

    I think it's wonderful you're almost not feeling any pain now. Continue to feel well. 

    Drains

    Hi,  the drains are a nuisance, but so important.  If you remove them too early and you body is still forming fluid, you can develop complications that end up needing drained .  Keep up with your output and remind yourself that a little longer is better than too soon. I'm sure if you are concerned you can call your dr to get an idea when he thinks they will come out.  there are lots of tricks to help them stay out of the way.  I used large safety pins and pinned them to my clothing or waist band if I didn't have pockets for them.  And in the shower, I tied a shoe string and made a necklace of sorts and would just pin the safety pins where they would hang around my neck, then after I got out and got dressed would pin them to what ever I was wearing, and hang up the shoelace necklace to dry.  

    Hang in there,  it won't be too much longer and the less fluid build up you have, the faster you will heal.  

    Bethsbaby,  aka. Lynne

  • jessiesmom1
    jessiesmom1 Member Posts: 915 Member
    #5
    Surgical Drain Removal

    As the other posters have mentioned, the criteria for the removal of the dreaded drains is not really the color of the fluid OR the length of time they've been in  but the AMOUNT of drainage. Each time I've had drains I was told to keep track of the amount of the drainage. Once it got below whatever the doctor's magic number was the drains were removed. I'm glad you are now pain free.

    I wish you continued good luck.

    IRENE

  • christald21
    christald21 Member Posts: 55
    #6
    bethsbaby said:

    Drains

    Hi,  the drains are a nuisance, but so important.  If you remove them too early and you body is still forming fluid, you can develop complications that end up needing drained .  Keep up with your output and remind yourself that a little longer is better than too soon. I'm sure if you are concerned you can call your dr to get an idea when he thinks they will come out.  there are lots of tricks to help them stay out of the way.  I used large safety pins and pinned them to my clothing or waist band if I didn't have pockets for them.  And in the shower, I tied a shoe string and made a necklace of sorts and would just pin the safety pins where they would hang around my neck, then after I got out and got dressed would pin them to what ever I was wearing, and hang up the shoelace necklace to dry.  

    Hang in there,  it won't be too much longer and the less fluid build up you have, the faster you will heal.  

    Bethsbaby,  aka. Lynne

    thank you

    YOu are so creative,, not sure how long it has been since your surgery, but they gave me a strap for shower to hold the drains, and also i got a camisole with pockets to hold the drains.  I where under my clothes, or if it was hot enough outside i could just wear the camisole.  looks like a tank top. 

    Thank you for the advice, and i see my doctor tomorrow, and am sure that he will look at the drains, and i have been keeping a log since the  day i arrived home from surgery.   I guess i just have to be patient.  I am used to being pretty active so it is challenging for me.  I was able to take a walk outside yesterday for about a mile.  It was nice to move... Cool    I am not sure if your doctor gave you antibiotics but they gave me right away to take for the next 14 days.  And muscle relaxers and vicadin.  So i am set.  Although like i mentioned, the soreness is gone down alot. 

  • desertgirl947
    desertgirl947 Member Posts: 653 Member
    #7
    Mine came out about about 10

    Mine came out about about 10 days after surgery.  Then for a few weeks I went in to the surgeon's twice a week (M/Th) for him to take fluid (fine needle) and check how things were going.  After that, I may have had one appointment per week for one or two weeks.  After that, it was a few months before I had to go back. 

    Being numb in the area, the process was painless.

  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    #8
    I don't know about others,

    But I was told with my mastectomy, when the fluid was low enough, same with gall bladder and hysterectomy.  Gal l bladder was 3+ weeks b4 my surgeon would take it out.

    Hope it comes out so poo n.

    Carol

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