HI everyone
this morning i had one drain taken out (2 more ti go).
not wanting to say too much but it was a bad experience and i’d love
to hear how it was for others? I’m wondering if it was that particular nurse
or that is normally how it is???.
thanks
lavendersun xxxx
Hi Lavendersun
So sorry to hear you had a bad experience re drain removal. Especially considering you have two more. I was lucky and only had one drain, but it used to drive me up the wall. I’d hang the little bag on the corner of my dining chair, then get up and walk away without it - a definite no no!! It fell out of bed a couple of times too. Fortunately, a lovely district nurse came to my home to remove it. After peeling the glue away (actually I’d peeled some off as it was making me sore and itchy) she snipped the stitch, asked me to take a deep breath and hold it, and she eased it out. I did feel a little pulling as it came out, but far from painful. Afterwards was a different matter though, I was quite sore on that side and couldn’t stretch up, or even lie on that side for a while (having a bit of a seroma didn’t help). So, maybe you were unlucky with your nurse, if so I hope the next time you get someone a bit more gentle.
Lavender sun… I had 2 drains, the first was where the nodes were removed and was a thin one that they removed the day after surgery before I came home and the second where id had the mx. A nurse removed it on day 6. I wasnt expecting it to hurt at all as the first one didnt. the nurse sat me down, a second nurse came to hold my had (i thought she was just being uber nice) and then nurse one yanked it out (to be fair to her very quickly)- the pain was fairly horrific - it bought tears to my eyes. but that’s because it was serrated and flesh had already attached itself to the drain…
…your next 2 might not be as bad, but I would recommend some pain relief next time…
…at the time i did tell the nurse that despite her little bun, sweet face and glasses that she was actually quite evil! she has forgiven me.
Good luck
Mxx
Hi Lavendersun,
It was a student nurse who took my drain out and it was her first time after just having watched the staff nurse take one out of the previous patient. To be honest I was dreading it and all I felt was like a little trickle of water. She was amazing. I think you have just been very unlucky with the nurse. It’s a bit like when you have bloods done: some are painful but most are not, depending on who you get. Good luck with the other two.
Take care, Liz.
Hi Lavendersun. I’ve had a bit of bother with my drain had ANC in Wednesday. Came home same day, drain bag changed Thursday pm but vacum pump blocked up Thursady night. Was very put off when night district nurses said they’d not been trained to deal with breast drain. Fortunately my lovely OH used common sense and tapped at the top of the drain vacum to clear the blockage. All draining fine again now.
District nurse that came this PM was much better and made me feel much more confident. Think drain will stay in 'til Monday but have had a chat to macmillan breast nurse who explained how it all works so now I feel better. Apparently it does sometimes sting a bit when it’s removed but I think it’ll be more of a relief to get rid now as it is aching where the line goes into the wound.
Best of luck with yours.
M x
I had mx on a Thursday and two drains removed following morning before discharged.
I would suggest pain relief if you have had drains in for more than 3-4 days when having removed,
As dried blood and knitting tissue would make it sore to just pull out.
Chat to nurse district nurse office a day before its due to be removed to ensure you haveenough time to take pain relief. District nurses do have heavy work load, so won’t want to hang about waiting for pain relief to kick in.
Hope it goes well for you
Maggie x
Thanks Maggie, that’s good advice. I’ve been taking less meds that they said in case I run out but saw nurse today who said to get them taken every 5 hours to keep the pan at bay. She got me enough to last until after drain is out.
We are all so different aren’t we?.. I never took pain relief after mx, and the drains were only in 24 hours.
You know your own pain threshold, so if you feel that it will hurt you more, might be worth getting stronger relief just for the drain removal. Otherwise why not ask to be allowed back on the ward and have a stronger injection and get the nurses to remove.
My ward were always there as back up, so might be worth asking your breast nurse to arrange for you.
Dont ask don’t get…
Good luck
Maggie x
Hi Lavendersun sorry to hear you had problem with drain, I think you may have been unlucky with nurse .I had mien removed 2<sup>nd</sup> day by District nurse that came to my home she rely frightened me by saying never seen my op before, what was the blue dye on my breast I had to explain what WLE /SNB and therapeutic mammoplasty where, then she went on to try to take out drain with stitch still in place kept saying I can not see a stitch I told her defiantly there yes I see it now snip, this may hurt brace your self felt like fainting, she had no dressing OH had to look in our fist aid box. Needles to say next morning I had blister were she had put sticky tap on sore skin .on her way out said just ring me if you need me never did.hope all gos well for you Big hugs AnnG
Worrying isn’t it AnnG. They also said I looked a bit red, thought they should take my temp. Asked OH to find a thermometer. Apparently they don’t carry them! We don’t have one, temp didn’t get taken. OH going to buy thermometer tomorrow.
Good idea Maggie, Macmillan Nurse said they’d take me onto ward if I was concerned so will give it a think.
When I had my first drain out …it was so…painful. The nurse said I was soft, but I don’t think so. It was mega painful. No problem with the other, so I think it was down to the nurse.
yippee
ive just had drain no. 2 taken out and what a different experience!!
i hardly felt it. i think this drain was shorter,i had taken some pain
relief and it was a different nurse. this was a back drain and my bad
experience was a front drain. wow what a difference. phew!!
one more to go though still dreading it but trying to be positive. nearly there.
love to all
lavendersun xxxx
When my drains were removed I was given laughing gas and that really helped.
Watching the little holes close over time was odd and they are gone.
Good to read you are doing well Lavendersun 
!
thank u lilac sun. yes wish i had laughing gas for no 1 drain. i take
it you werecin hosp?
roll on no 3!
xx
what a lovely scent there is around here - lavender, lilac, we only need a rose and my hayfever will start off. Glad to hear your second drain was a bit easier lavender, let’s hope your final one is easy too. I think the position the tube is in must have something to do with it too. Maybe your first one was a bit close to a nerve and that would definitely have hurt.
It does very hugely. My drain was in my side and was in for eight days. I went to the hospital to have it taken out (small private one) and it was out in a couple of seconds and I hardly noticed it. I hadn’t taken any pain relief - it never occurred to me that I might need it!
As others have said, if it’s a longer tube or close to a nerve that would hurt more.
Jane xxx
drain no 3 out. No pain at all whoopie!!!
Im now drain free it actually feels a bit weird nof having them but soooooo happy.
Ill celebrate with a cuppa !!
Congratulations Lavendersun
It’s a great feeling, isn’t it, when you are free from drains. Hope you continue to improve re wound.
pg xxx
I had 2drains both removed 2days after mx… i was still on a ward with several ladies who were there for their hip replacements all old enough to be my granny! Anyway after the drains were out and the curtain open again I told all the ladies that I was very sorry for my language… most of them were deaf so I guess they didnt mind!!!
Most old ladies I’ve known could teach a navvy to swear Charlotte, so I wouldn’t worry too much
pg xx