Drain Pain

alexer · October 23, 2011

The hospital left the drain in one of my incisions. I've been home since Tuesday night and I'm hoping it's removed by Tuesday morning. It's still dripping quite a bit (I empty it at night and last night it was at 52 cc's) and it's driving me nuts. It's leaking through the bandages and the area in general is uncomfortable. Every so often I feel a stinging pain around where the drain goes in, and at almost all times I feel an aching pain in the area especially when I breathe. It doesn't seem infected but I'm not sure about the pain. Does this sound normal?

Note: I had to go to the ER on Friday night to get it looked at, because it was leaking so much through the bandages and not into the bottle. Turns out the hospital didn't teach me the right way to empty the bottle out, and told me to shower even though the bandages weren't waterproof. That and a big blood clot had formed, which was kind of scary. So just be sure to get proper drain instructions if you go home with one! Otherwise things have been going well. I am grateful for this forum.

healpro · October 23, 2011

The hospital left the drain in one of my incisions. I've been home since Tuesday night and I'm hoping it's removed by Tuesday morning. It's still dripping quite a bit (I empty it at night and last night it was at 52 cc's) and it's driving me nuts. It's leaking through the bandages and the area in general is uncomfortable. Every so often I feel a stinging pain around where the drain goes in, and at almost all times I feel an aching pain in the area especially when I breathe. It doesn't seem infected but I'm not sure about the pain. Does this sound normal?

Note: I had to go to the ER on Friday night to get it looked at, because it was leaking so much through the bandages and not into the bottle. Turns out the hospital didn't teach me the right way to empty the bottle out, and told me to shower even though the bandages weren't waterproof. That and a big blood clot had formed, which was kind of scary. So just be sure to get proper drain instructions if you go home with one! Otherwise things have been going well. I am grateful for this forum.

Sounds normal to me. The drain is an irritant as it is a foreign body. I doubt that you have an infection but if you start to feel unweel and spike a temp, do seek some help. You will doubtless feel better once it is out. Good luck x

alexer · October 23, 2011

Thank you - I have about had it with this drain and am really looking to getting it out! That said I guess I should be grateful that this is my main issue post-surgery Thanks again.

Sounds normal to me. The drain is an irritant as it is a foreign body. I doubt that you have an infection but if you start to feel unweel and spike a temp, do seek some help. You will doubtless feel better once it is out. Good luck x

Fusilli66 · October 23, 2011

I just got mine out Wednesday and I experienced all the same things as you are. The drain was really annoying and I was glad when it was gone. I also had another small tube from another incision and that one was causing me so much pain. Now it's gone and it's still causing me terrible pain at that incision site. I called the doctor about it and he explained that it is the incision that the stomach came out of. It's bigger than the others, about an inch long, and it is stitched from the inside out. Plus its just in a bad spot. It's right where the crease is when you sit, so it hurts to bend in any way. But it is what it is. I'm sure it will feel better in a few days, it just has to heal some more.

Still all in all I would do this again tomorrow if I had to. No buyers remorse here. I'm already down 9 lbs since surgery, 21 since the start of the preop diet. Very happy! Good luck and feel better soon!