new member having drains removed

TXGAL41
TXGAL41 Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I am having my drains removed tomorrow and am very nervous. My docter stated it may hurt does anyone have any suggestions or thoughts on this. I am new to all of this just had a double mastectomy on 6/9 and am not sure about anything right now. I am going to the oncologist on 7/2 and I guess he will set up chemo treatments at that time.

Comments

  • Chickadee1955
    Chickadee1955 Member Posts: 356 Member
    #2
    Drain removal was painless!
    Drain removal was painless! Don't worry about it. The doc removes the stitch holding the drain and pulls it out. It is a little creepy because it is longer than one would expect, but no pain at all in my case. Relax! I was concerned, too, because I heard there was pain, but there was none.

    Best of luck. I have my first chemo next Monday. I had to have another drain implanted when the portacath was implanted for the chemo due to fluid accumulation. Neither was a big deal. All will be okay.

    Chickadee
  • MOrtiz0810
    MOrtiz0810 Member Posts: 41
    #3
    Welcome! I'm new as well
    Welcome! I'm new as well and I have found so much helpful information and great support from the BC family. I went through the bilateral with reconstruction just several weeks ago, and I left the hospital with 4 drains hanging from my body. On my first follow-up visit with my Surgeon, he removed the drains from both breasts, and I was so terrified that I closed my eyes like a little kid waiting for an injection. I was just waiting for that moment of pain, and seconds later I hear my Dr telling me that they are already out and if I had felt any pain, but it was completely painless for me.

    I wish you the best in your road to recovery, and I hope you have a painless removal of your drains tomorrow! Let us know how it went!
  • TXGAL41
    TXGAL41 Member Posts: 3
    #4
    MOrtiz0810 said:

    Welcome! I'm new as well
    Welcome! I'm new as well and I have found so much helpful information and great support from the BC family. I went through the bilateral with reconstruction just several weeks ago, and I left the hospital with 4 drains hanging from my body. On my first follow-up visit with my Surgeon, he removed the drains from both breasts, and I was so terrified that I closed my eyes like a little kid waiting for an injection. I was just waiting for that moment of pain, and seconds later I hear my Dr telling me that they are already out and if I had felt any pain, but it was completely painless for me.

    I wish you the best in your road to recovery, and I hope you have a painless removal of your drains tomorrow! Let us know how it went!

    Thank you for sharing I
    Thank you for sharing I don't know why I am so nervous. I am glad that I only have the two and I will be so glad to have them removed.

    I will let you know how it goes. I also wish you the best on your recovery.
  • Dawne.Hope
    Dawne.Hope Member Posts: 823
    #5
    TXGAL41 said:

    Thank you for sharing I
    Thank you for sharing I don't know why I am so nervous. I am glad that I only have the two and I will be so glad to have them removed.

    I will let you know how it goes. I also wish you the best on your recovery.

    You'll feel so much better
    You'll feel so much better once they're out! I felt like a free woman. I literally skipped out of his office it felt so good.

    You'll be fine! Congratulations on the hard part being done!
  • Sally5
    Sally5 Member Posts: 87
    #6
    Dawne.Hope said:

    You'll feel so much better
    You'll feel so much better once they're out! I felt like a free woman. I literally skipped out of his office it felt so good.

    You'll be fine! Congratulations on the hard part being done!

    No more drains. Yipee!
    Drains?

    No pain getting them out. I had 4 drains. The doctor took two out and then the other two a few days later.

    REMEMBER: The best part.... You are getting them out. Yipee!!

    No pain. You'll be fine.

    Yes, it is strange how long they are.

    Take care.
  • 109339
    109339 Member Posts: 10
    #7
    Hi,
    They just pull the drains out very fast. Hold your breath and it's done before you know it. Keep strong.
    M
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #8
    109339 said:

    Hi,
    They just pull the drains out very fast. Hold your breath and it's done before you know it. Keep strong.
    M

    I agree with with 109339 .. Hold your breath,
    look away .. and BAM, drains will be out. Good luck


    VickiSam
  • MNLynn
    MNLynn Member Posts: 224
    #9
    drain removal
    I just felt a short little pain when my doctor cut the suture that was holding the drain in place - after that - hardly noticed anything - goes very fast and definitely felt good to have the drains gone - not to deal with them while showering or just getting around during the day (& night!).
  • Rague
    Rague Member Posts: 3,653 Member
    #10
    I had 2 drains (single
    I had 2 drains (single mast.). On was taken out at 2 weeks opst and the other at 4 weeks. No pain at all. My Dr. laughed at me because I squnched up my face/squeezed eyes shut when he said he was pulling the first one out because I'd been told that it would hurt (not by him, his PA or nurse but by 'others'). He asked me what was I doing and I said waiting for it to hurt - he laughed and ssid it's already out and thrown away. We both laughed as i can only imagine how I must have looked just laying there with my face so0 'bizarre'. 2 weeks later, when he took the second one out I watched. Of course might not be true for all - I have quite a bit of numbness in the area. I didn't even feel the novacaine (or what ever he used) being put in when he had to drain the large seroma.
  • Mama G
    Mama G Member Posts: 762
    #11
    Rague said:

    I had 2 drains (single
    I had 2 drains (single mast.). On was taken out at 2 weeks opst and the other at 4 weeks. No pain at all. My Dr. laughed at me because I squnched up my face/squeezed eyes shut when he said he was pulling the first one out because I'd been told that it would hurt (not by him, his PA or nurse but by 'others'). He asked me what was I doing and I said waiting for it to hurt - he laughed and ssid it's already out and thrown away. We both laughed as i can only imagine how I must have looked just laying there with my face so0 'bizarre'. 2 weeks later, when he took the second one out I watched. Of course might not be true for all - I have quite a bit of numbness in the area. I didn't even feel the novacaine (or what ever he used) being put in when he had to drain the large seroma.

    no drain, no pain!
    I had mine taken out separately and felt to pain at all. In fact it felt good to have them pulled out! Good luck and tell us how it went!
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #12
    I'm probably too late so
    I'm probably too late so don't know why I'm posting this other then maybe someone else will want to know. When mine were taken out didn't hurt at all because I was numb. I had a single modified radical mastectomy. He took one drain out after a week and the second out after two weeks.
  • apple25
    apple25 Member Posts: 14
    #13
    drains and you
    Don't worry about it, the doctor won't just yank them out. My plastic surgeon removed them very slowly, it didn't hurt one bit. I was soooooo happy to get rid of them ! I'm 14 years out and healthy as an ox. You're in good hands with your doctors. One piece of advice, ask as many questions as you want. If you're not sure about something the oncologist says ask questions !! It's your life and you need to know exactly what's going on. At my first visit with the oncologist, she spent almost 2 hours in her office explaining what was going to happen with my treatment. Never be afraid to ask any question that pops into your head, there is no such thing as a dumb question. If you don't get a satifactory answer, just keep asking.

    I'll keep you in my prayers.
  • greyhoundluvr
    greyhoundluvr Member Posts: 402
    #14
    TXGAL
    You already got the good news on the drain removal so I will just say "WELCOME!!"
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #15
    I just had my surgery
    I just had my surgery on Tuesday, June 22. Came home yesterday. I have appt with surgeon on Tuesday, June 29 and I'm hoping he'll remove both drains. I had BLM. I had a PICC line before and a drain before for other surgery. There is no pain involved with either. And, yes the drains are very long. For me I think having the drains removed is one step closer to recovery!
    Char
  • slynch
    slynch Member Posts: 82
    #16
    Painless
    I agonized over the drain removal and I never ever realized that they had been taken out. on the first one I was talking to the nurse and said "When you going to take it out", she just laughed and said it is out. I had four and never felt anything. Hope the same is true for you.
  • TXGAL41
    TXGAL41 Member Posts: 3
    #17
    slynch said:

    Painless
    I agonized over the drain removal and I never ever realized that they had been taken out. on the first one I was talking to the nurse and said "When you going to take it out", she just laughed and said it is out. I had four and never felt anything. Hope the same is true for you.

    drains removed
    thanks everyone, I had the drains removed just a little sting on one side but that was it. I have to meet with the oncologist next weed to go over chemo options. I feel so much better without the drains.

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