Post-mastectomy drain holder

Kiki2016
Kiki2016 Member Posts: 31
in Breast Cancer #1

hi,

Any recommendations for drain holders?  I looked on line and saw vests, shirts, and pouches that go around your waist.  I am thinking of the pouches that go around my waist but don't know what is easiest to move around with. 

 

Thanks!!

Comments

  • Teach76
    Teach76 Member Posts: 354 Member
    edited July 2016 #2
    Pouches and lanyard

    I was given 2 cloth pouches from my surgeon's office.  For showering, I used a lanyard that had a clip on it.  Please tell those who may help you at home to be GENTLE when moving the drains for/with you.  One of the pains I most remember was how sensitive my skin was near the site of insertion.  I think it was really the stitches holding the drain in place.  After thinking about it later, I probably should have just bought an inexpensive "elderly ladies' vest with pockets in the front.  You could always put it on inside out to have pockets on the inside for drains.  Remember the kind our granmother's used to wear for sewing and cleaning?  You could wear that under something else very loose.  May be worth a try???

  • LisR
    LisR Member Posts: 11
    #3
    Drain holder

    I bought a neoprene drain holder on Amazon.com that accommodates one or two drains and is specifically designed for mastectomy drains, but could be adopted to other uses.  Certainly, it could be used anytime, but I pinned the drains to my jog bra when I wasn't showering.  The problem was what to do with it in the shower?  I only had one drain.  It sure solved the problem even though it was still a bit awkward to have anything 'on' in the shower and the neoprene dried really quickly. 

  • desertgirl947
    desertgirl947 Member Posts: 653 Member
    edited July 2016 #4
    I did not have my drains for

    I did not have my drains for very long.  I took the easy way.  I just safety-pinned them to my clothing to keep from stepping on the tubing.  I think -- it's been four years -- that I only had to unpin them when I was having to empty the "containers" to measure how much fluid had drained out.  Probably if someone has to have the drains for more than maybe two weeks or, that might be a nuisance. 

  • Ace44
    Ace44 Member Posts: 47
    #5
    Cami

    My hospital gave me a cami with velcro pockets for the drains. If you can find something like that I would recommend. It was a nice thing to have. I also used the pinning method like DesertGirl when my cami was in the wash and that worked too. I think the thing that would have been the most helpful though was something to wear in the shower...I have a bench in my shower to sit and the drains were long enough that I could just set them down but when I was standing I either had to hold them or put them between my legs and that, frankly, was a little awkward. A friend of mine had something for the shower that her hospital gave her that tied around her neck so her hands could be free which would have been nice.

  • Kiki2016
    Kiki2016 Member Posts: 31
    #6
    Thanks!

    thanks ladies.....my surgery is a week from tomorrow (7/26).  I'm so nervous.  Will be glad when its over.  Would like to fast forward 6-8 weeks!

  • Ace44
    Ace44 Member Posts: 47
    #7
    Kiki2016 said:

    Thanks!

    thanks ladies.....my surgery is a week from tomorrow (7/26).  I'm so nervous.  Will be glad when its over.  Would like to fast forward 6-8 weeks!

    Good luck to you. Let us know

    Good luck to you. Let us know how you are feeling once you get home and feel up to it.

  • twnkltoz
    twnkltoz Member Posts: 169 Member
    #8
    Check with your surgeon. My

    Check with your surgeon. My hospital gave me a belt with a pouch on it. Then when I took showers, we pinned the drains to a lanyard around my neck and wrapped my whole chest in plastic wrap. It's only a couple weeks...to me, it wasn't worth spending a bunch of money on something I'll never use again.

  • cinnamonsmile
    cinnamonsmile Member Posts: 1,187 Member
    edited July 2016 #9
    I loved my post surgical

    I loved my post surgical mastectomy camisole. I got mine through the local mastectomy boutique, but the American Cancer Society has one on their website (http://www.tlcdirect.org/Post-Surgery-Mastectomy-Camisole-Bra-American-Cancer-Society-TLC-Direct?did=65).

    I loved the feeling on my chest and the two pocket drain holders. I had two camisoles so while one was air drying, I had another to wear.

    Make sure if you get a post mastectomy camisole, you get one that opens in the front, not one you have to life your arms to get into, because you will not be able to life your arms high enough to get in it. I had one that pulled over my head and it was difficult to get in and out of without being able to life my arms. My significant other had to help me. I wish I had gotten one that opened in the front.

    Some place online also sells post mastectomy camisoles that you can wear in the shower. I couldn't afford one, so I used a bathrobe belt to hold mine up. I also had a friend let me borrow a shower chair which came in really handy for me.

    Good luck with your surgery!

     

     

     

     

     

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