Drains!

Public Archive
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Hi, I’m looking for some advice in relation to drains. I will be having my unilateral MX next week with SNB and would like to ask if it is usual to have a drain fitted to the SNB area? I would also like your experience of average length of time required to drain the MX area. My BS does not allow his patients to take their drains home and this concerns me as the maximum length of hospital stay seems to be 3 nights following surgery. I remember reading somewhere that MX drains can sometimes take up to 2 weeks to clear. Very worrying if you are having them removed, more or less as standard, on day 3.

Molly

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Hi Molly

I had a single MX five weeks ago with SNB and had a drain put in. I only stayed in hospital one night and went home the next day with the drain in and instructions to return 5 days later for wound check and drain removal. However two days after being at home I “forgot” the drain was there and caught it on a chair (ouch) and the next day it just fell out! so back to the hospital and they just put a new dressing on - but no drain. Luckily it all seemed to have healed ok -but mine never drained that much in the first place!
Good luck for next week.

Jane

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Hi Molly,

Good luck with the mx, I hope all goes well for you, if you have any more specific questions on my mx experience, feel free to ask on here or you can PM me if you wish too.

I had mx end March and node clearance end April, both times I had drains fitted and both times I brought them home with me. For mx I was in hospital overnight, node clearance I came home same day. Drains were in for 5 days and district nurses came daily to check surgery site, drainage levels and well being etc (they have been great) - drains were removed when less than 50mls/day was draining. Looking back at my notes from mx day 3 to day 4 50mls drained, so technically it could’ve been removed for me day 4, but nurse wanted to leave until day 5. It will be different for everyone and I’m sure more ladies may be along to share their experiences too.

Bev x

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I had MX with node clearance on a tue and had both drains out onthe thur b4 they sent me home…maybe i just drained well, but i was please to have them out and not have to go home with them!
good luck, just remember we are all different x

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Hi I had axillary clearance on Monday, home tues with drain. I empty every 24hrs and monitor amount. The ward said to return for removal Friday or Monday when below 40mls . It measured 100mls this am so I suspect it will be Monday. Although not pleasant would rather have drain than fluid under my arm. Surprised you can’t go home with it, it’s not difficult to manage x

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Hi there, when I had my axillary clearance the drain stayed in until 40ml and that was 5 days, so I went home ( and actually on holiday!!!) with it. When I then had my MX a month later the drain was only in two days while in hosp, out before I came home. Hope that helps, best Nicola

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Hi, I had double mastectomies, with all drains out and home the next day. BB

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Thanks everyone for your helpful, informative replies. Just in from a day’s shopping for food and bits ‘n’ bobs for the hospital. You would think I was going away for a month lol. I can see from all your replies there is a wide range of ‘drain’ experiences.

It would be great to get home, drains in tow, asap but alas hospital rules won’t allow it. Wow BB I’d love to match your speedy turn around:) I’m not a bleeder, as a rule, so hopefully my stay won’t be too long.

Hugs,
Molly