Plugged Drain??

kjrpcb
kjrpcb Member Posts: 41
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Ladies,overall I'm doing well. However, my drain on the right side seems "plugged". Very little drainage is coming out as compared to the other side. I'm not dizzy, no swelling,fever, nausea etc. I do have what appears to be a blood clot in the collection bulb. I called the 24 hour nurse and was told to follow up on Monday since I don't have any significant symptoms. Should I wait it out or call the nurse back? Thanks so much for your help. My post-op has been relatively uneventful up to now so I'm a little concerned. I hate these drains. Prayers to all.

Comments

  • b7pima
    b7pima Member Posts: 16
    #2
    There is a way to "milk" the
    There is a way to "milk" the drain. Hold it extra tight near the incision and rund your other handdown the tube squeezing it until you see liquid drop in the bulb. I had to do this twice a day. It does work. Be careful though.
  • jo jo
    jo jo Member Posts: 1,175 Member
    #3
    I have the drains in right
    I have the drains in right now too and ive been told and shown how to "milk the tubes" before i left the hospital. Mine got clogged once but it bounced back after the milking process...just be glad you dont have a cat tryin to bite through it cuz she thinks its a toy...groose!
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #4
    jo jo said:

    I have the drains in right
    I have the drains in right now too and ive been told and shown how to "milk the tubes" before i left the hospital. Mine got clogged once but it bounced back after the milking process...just be glad you dont have a cat tryin to bite through it cuz she thinks its a toy...groose!

    Yes, I passed several clots
    drains often get back up .. so we have to milk the tubes .. It does work. I hope someone showed you 'how to' complete this process. Please call the 24 hour nurse - so she can instruct you on milking. Please be careful not to pull to hard on your tubes.


    Vicki Sam
  • jo jo
    jo jo Member Posts: 1,175 Member
    #5
    VickiSam said:

    Yes, I passed several clots
    drains often get back up .. so we have to milk the tubes .. It does work. I hope someone showed you 'how to' complete this process. Please call the 24 hour nurse - so she can instruct you on milking. Please be careful not to pull to hard on your tubes.


    Vicki Sam

    You are suppose to be
    You are suppose to be instructed to do this twice a day (milking the tubes) so they dont get clogged and they still can get clogged.
    Just remember like vickisam said be careful doing this cuz you dont want to pull it out or rip out your stitch. Even not clogged they dont drain evenlly...like today on mine, one had 20 and one had 40...so i dont think thats a big deal. but do ask your doc on the proper technque of doing this.
  • jk1952
    jk1952 Member Posts: 613
    #6
    jo jo said:

    You are suppose to be
    You are suppose to be instructed to do this twice a day (milking the tubes) so they dont get clogged and they still can get clogged.
    Just remember like vickisam said be careful doing this cuz you dont want to pull it out or rip out your stitch. Even not clogged they dont drain evenlly...like today on mine, one had 20 and one had 40...so i dont think thats a big deal. but do ask your doc on the proper technque of doing this.

    Here is a link to the
    Here is a link to the Memorial Sloan Kettering site about the Jackson Pratt drain and its care. It tells how to milk it. I had one that was plugged and it was fine for 36 - 48 hours after I discovered the problem until I could go into the doctor's office. You may have it leak out the 'other' end if there is any space between the skin and the drain. This happened to me, and although it was a surprise, it didn't harm me. Hopefully, everything is fine and will be quickly resolved.

    http://www.mskcc.org/patient_education/_assets/downloads-english/530.pdf

    Joyce
  • kjrpcb
    kjrpcb Member Posts: 41
    #7
    jk1952 said:

    Here is a link to the
    Here is a link to the Memorial Sloan Kettering site about the Jackson Pratt drain and its care. It tells how to milk it. I had one that was plugged and it was fine for 36 - 48 hours after I discovered the problem until I could go into the doctor's office. You may have it leak out the 'other' end if there is any space between the skin and the drain. This happened to me, and although it was a surprise, it didn't harm me. Hopefully, everything is fine and will be quickly resolved.

    http://www.mskcc.org/patient_education/_assets/downloads-english/530.pdf

    Joyce

    Milking the drain
    OMG!!
    It worked, I milked the drain and a huge clot came out. There was quite a bit of drainage but things are fine. Again my thanks
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #8
    kjrpcb said:

    Milking the drain
    OMG!!
    It worked, I milked the drain and a huge clot came out. There was quite a bit of drainage but things are fine. Again my thanks

    Thanks, Joyce for posting the website .. I thought and thought
    about how to explain the milking .. to no avail.. hahaha .. Who would of thought!


    Vicki Sam
  • alexlib_mom
    alexlib_mom Member Posts: 46
    #9
    plugged drains
    I thought mine were plugged, but my dr. said that if there isn't any fluid buildup, then probably not clogged, but just slowing down. It sounds like yours was clogged, though. My husband stripped (milked) the drains 3x a day, which may have helped them not get clogged, but they still had clotty looking blood where the tube attaches to the drain.

    I'm just glad mine are out and hope yours are soon also!

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