I would like your feedback about my situation because I forgot to mention it to the surgeon when he came to discharge me.
I had a lumpectomy and Sentinel Lymph Node whatever they call it last Tuesday. I was sore for a couple of days but am not coping quite well and do not need to take meds for pain control.
I had one drain and this was removed an hour before I went home. I thought they said that if I had more than one node removed I would have a drain for several days and they would show me how to look after it at home.
My question is …is it likely that they only took the one node?
As I say I could have asked because he said “any questions?” before he went!
If they just removed the sentinel nodes(the ones the cancer drains into ) I think it can be anything from just one to 3 or 4,usually you don’t need to go home with a drain ,if you have full node clearance then you do.
Hi, I also had sentinel node biopsy together with my mastectomy and they removed the drain just before I left, so 2 days after the surgery. I then found out they had removed 4 nodes, so your situation seems to be normal (and they had told me the same!)
Unfortunately 2 of those 4 had cancer cells so I’m going back in tomorrow for a full axillary clearance, and this time they’ve confirmed I will have the drain for longer (so still in when I go home).
Hi,i think it varies by surgeon i had mammoplasty/lumpectomy with 2 nodes removed and didnt have a drain x
Hiya, I had lumpectomy and two nodes removed but no drain, as Jill says Sentinal nodes can be 1 or more depending on where your tumour is so possibly they only took one, you can always ring and speak to your breast cancer nurse who should be able to explain it for you xx
I had a sentinal lymph node biopsy 2 weeks ago, they took 3 nodes but I didn’t have a lumpectomy. I have no drains, just stitched up again. I am still a bit sore and don’t have full arm movement, (should have done the physio more I recon) and I still occasionally have painkillers but it feels much better.
Hi
Just to say I had drain free surgery so no drain at all either in hosp or at home. I had an MX with a full ANC(33 of the blighters in my case). So removing the drain may not be an indicator they didnt take all the ones you were expecting them to take it may mean they think your body can handle the fluid itself they usually take more than one for a SNB from what I have heard so they probably have as Jill said taken 3 or 4
Rest up x take care
Jen x
I had right mx, implant recon and SNB - doctor said they took “2-3” (and he was in the operating theatre, weren’t they counting?!) - had two drains until follow up clinic after a week when they were both removed but very little coming out of one of them in particular. I was nervous about managing drains as I’m a wuss with blood but, just to reassure anyone who may be in the same situation, it was fine and my friend made me a lovely bag to carry all the gubbins in so that made life a lot easier 