People who had drains post-op...

Do you remember how long you had the drain for after you were discharged from the hospital? Do you remember how much it was collecting each day?

I feel like my drain is collecting a lot of fluids, it's pretty clear and pale pink, so I'm not worried - but it is a lot, still about 150-200ml/24 hours. I'm concerned that Dr. Hong is not going to remove it tomorrow and it is very uncomfortable :(

Hi Trish

I stayed in until they took the drain out ...... BUT, 2 days after I got home I sprang a "leak" (as I think of it) under my bottom incision - ie the skin tore open (no pain)  and started discharging excess fluid.  I went back to the hospital and they gave me dressings I had to change several times a day for about a week.  It was messy and I have a permanent bruise there, which I was told at my 1 year appt is "scar tissue".  

Up shot is :
: the drain is uncomfortable, but efficient
: if there is still fluid there, you are better getting it out now than having it accumulate inside and become infected - which I gathered is a real possiblity, and a complication you want to avoid.

I can't comment on volume unfortunately; but if they want to leave it in, it may not be such a bad thing.  Especially if you get a pair of "nursing" eyes looking after it regularly. 

Claire

I had my two drains in for almost two weeks. I was told they were looking more for the colour rather than the amount. When they took mine out, the fluid was pretty clear and I wasn't getting much over 24 hours. I found that the volume wasn't as much of a concern to the doctors and nurses because I found the more I moved, the more fluid I got. It just meant emptying it a bit more frequently.

Like the other poster said, they are uncomfortable and a bit of a pain to take care of, but I was pleased to have them in because thinking back on what came out, I'd prefer that it didn't stay in my body! 

As far as them being uncomfortable, try playing around with how the tube comes out of the dressing and where you pin the drain. I found that sometimes the nurses would have the tube coming out closer to the bottom of the dressing and that was more uncomfortable than if it came out straight from the side of the dressing. Also, pinning the drain itself higher on my clothes, seemed to take some of the strain from the weight of the drain off the area where the drain enters. 

All the best!

I had two drains, posterior leak (2 surgeries).  Drain 1 out on day 4 less than 50cc q 8 hs (colour pink drainage) drain 2 day 7 even though draining 100cc q8h. (colour pink/clear).  I was worried it might of been too early but my surgeon said the body will reabsorb the fluid naturally.  Never looked back.  Good luck, sorry their is pain.  Mine was just uncomfortable *.  Diane

 I'm curious as to why some surgeons use drains and others don't? What happens to the fluid if your surgeon didn't use a drain?

A good friend of mine had plastics (panni and tummy tuck) and she had her drains for at least 4 weeks.  The homecare nurse said that they had to produce less than a certain volume of fluid within a set time period in order for them to come out.  Of course, they were also monitoring the colour.

I hope you get your drains out tomorrow, Trish.

I understand it is primarily an issue of internal manipulation, which causes irritation and inflammation and draws fluids to the manipulated areas, with the DS there would be more manipulation so more of a need.

Thank you everyone! The colour was described as 'good' by the discharging doc yesterday, so I guess we'll see. I know it's better that the fluid be out than in, so I will hope for the best and endure what I must!