Morphine pump and Drain

Hiya all, I just want to know how many of you post ops had morphine pumps and or drains put in?  I'm reading a book written by a lady who had the RnY, however I don't think it's completely up to date, so I don't even know if morphine pumps and drains are even used now.

If they are still used and you've had one or both, can you tell me about them?  How effective was the morphine?  Was there any side effects?  Was the pump hard to use?  The drain.....was it painful?  Was it very cumbersome?  How did bathe with it in?  And how soon were you able to get it out?

I guess I should have asked my surgeon about this today when I saw him, but I totally forgot.  :O(

Thanks everyone!!!

I HAD A DRAIN FOR 5 WEEKS AFTER SURGERY.  IT WAS VERY EASY TO USE AND HELPED ME ALOT RIGHT AFTER SURGERY TO GET FLUIDS AND ORAL MEDS AND PROTEIN SHAKES IN.  THERE WERE TIMES IT KINDA HURT AND YOU COULD TELL THAT IT WAS THERE UNDER MY SHIRT.  I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAD RNY THAT WISH THEY HAD A G TUBE TO HELP WITH LIQUIDS, MEDS AND PROTEIN INTAKE AFTER SURGERY.  ALTHOUGH THAT IS NOT THE MAIN PURPOSE OF THE DRAIN, THE MAIN PURPOSE IS TO RELIEVE PRESSURE OFF OF THE STAPLES AND INCISION ON YOUR NEW STOMACH.  I HOPE THIS MAKES SINCE.-CHAR

My surgery was monday the 3rd.  I had the morphine pump and drain.  I hit my button often for the mophine, the machine will not give you too much it has a special setting to only dispurse so much over so much time.  I don't think that it helped w/ the pain as much as it helped me sleep, I think this because of ALL of the pain I have been having.  The pump was just a rubber hose that came out of my left ribcage.  It was covered by gause and tape and it was min the middle of day 2 when I had the blue ice chip test that I even noticed it.  They changed it to be clean to check for the blue.  I would say NO to the drain being PAINFUL... aquward yes, that whole side hurst from the other 2 incision and entry point that could not decipher if it was the tube or just sore from surger.  IT DID NOT HURT WHEN THEY TOOK IT OUT, JUST REALLY WEIRS AND TOOK ABOUT 2 SECONDS.  They took mine out when I was discharged along w/ my IV...Cath was taken out night before around 10 pm.  Now having said that...my sister did NOT have drain she had her done last year by different dr...So maybe you wont have it at all.  Good luck

Thanks guys for the quick replies!!  I also read in that book that the morphine wasn't enough for her so she had to have extra pain meds....so I guess the morphine isn't going to be good enough.....but then maybe I won't have to take my sleeping pills then.  :O)

So, do they actually put food (or I guess liquid) up the tube?  I thought it was only for draining OUT??  And you don't go home with it?  It comes out when you're discharged?

Thanks so much for all the info guys.  :O)

I think we must have read the same book (was it titled: Weight Loss Surgery ?).

I had a lot of questions after reading it. I've never had morphine before and I'm definitely going to address this with my surgeon during my pre-op appointment next month.

I'd love to know what other books people are reading or have read.

The drain isn't in your pouvch, but around the pouch to drain liquid, swelling,etc.  Some people have a g-tube which is different.

The surgeon I am going to use uses a drain.  Everyone reacts to morphine differently.  You will probably be fine. 

HI, I did not have a morphine pump but as an RN, I've utilized them with patients.  They are computerized and will allow only a specific amount of medication to be delivered no matter how many times you hit the button.  There is a locking code and you will not have it, nor will you have direct access to the medication in the pump.  You will have NO PROBLEM using it.  When I had my sx, the surgeon's drug of choice was dilaudid, very effective but I eventually elected to be switched off of it as it made me too pain-free. 

The drain: I believe everyone gets a drain.  It helps to clear out sero-sanguinous fluid from the surgical area.  That is also easy to use but while you are in the hospital, the nurses will empty it for you.  If you go home with it, they will instruct you how to empty it.  It is easy.  My drain was removed just prior to discharge.  A very strange sensation to have it removed but not bad.  Hint: very important, make sure that the drain is some how afixed to your gown, safety pinned.  The nurses know how to do this so that it is not hanging down and causing you discomfort at the site.

I kept a small notebook with me constantly to write questions and comments that I took to each appt with the surgeon, etc.  Even though I'm a nurse, I still had questions.
Good Luck!  Andrea

I had the Morphine pump and it did the job because I felt no pain at all!   It made me really sleepy though, which was a good and bad thing .   The nurse took the button away from me for a while (took it and let it hang by the floor) just after I got out of surgery though because I was pushing it a little too often and was still loopy from the anesthesia... and was SO in and out of it...lol.  

I hated the drain, it was so uncomfortable to have in and thankfully it was out by the 2nd day in the hospital, before I went home.   I felt a million times better once it was out!   Thankfully, I didn't have to keep it in for a week or so, like some of these other people!!!

Hi! I had both a morphine pump and a drain as well. The morphine pump is usually only used the first 12-24 hours after surgery. I was then alternating between 2 different pain meds every 3-4 hours. I also took an anti-nasua med to keep me from throwing up because you could rip out the staples in your new pouch. The morphine gave me extremely bad migraines and that was more unbearable than anything else. I had my RNY surgery on a Friday was home from the hospital on Sunday and stopped taking pain meds all together by Tuesday.

The pump was strictly to drain excess fluid. I had mine is for about 10 days.

Now with my plastic surgery tomorrow I am having a full LBL and BL and I will have 4 drains.

When I only had the one drain I safety pinned it to the bandage covering it. But with my LBL I am going to use a lanyard that I can safety pin them too so they are out of the way while showering.

You will be fine and I wish you a very speedy recovery. If you have any questions feel free to ask me...but I do have plastic surgery tomorrow!

Good luck,
Brandy

I had a morphine pump- which was great!- but I didn't have a drain.  I'm pretty sure my surgeon rarely if ever uses drains on his patients.  I am so glad I didn't have one because all the other tubes connected to me were enough to drive me crazy!