question about drain color this morning

ConnieGreene

Surgery was 10/23 - drains due to be removed (hopefully) on Monday - this morning I drained them and the left side was dark yellow...is this normal? The right side (cancerous side) was more brown than yellow but still yellowish...does that mean it's finally slowing down?

btrflynaia

Yellow should be good if its a straw color and you don't have other signs of infection (fever, chills, bright redness at the site, unusual pain).  The other side sounds like it still has some old blood in it.  Is the amount slowing down?

btrflynaia

My PS said that I should expect for the drainage color to go from more bloody to eventually yellow.  Which is what I see in chest tube output on my patients?  Hope this helps and that you are doing well

ConnieGreene

WHEW! THank you!!!! thank you thank you! I am doing well

maryah930

Good morning Connie.  Your colors are exactly what mine were one-two days prior to removal.  The one on the right was a clear brownish-yellow.  I just watched carefully to make sure the skin was dry to touch and not getting more painful and/or swollen.

ConnieGreene

first thing I did was feel myself up

I am HOPING to have them removed Monday - but draining 70/80 cc per day STILL!

SpecialK

connie - 70-80 per day is a lot, pulling your drains too early can result in a seroma, which you do not want!  You should have an output of about 25-30 a day before you lose the drains.  Just don't want you to be disappointed if they are not removed.

ConnieGreene

Yeah I know ..pretty sure she will say no.......but a gal can dream................I am tired of sitting at home or having to have someone take me anywhere ......

BetNY22

I had my surgery on 10/24 and my output is still over 140 per day. I have very dark drainage which they said was normal or old blood. I would only worry about the yellow if it was accompanied by other symptoms. I do understand about dreaming, I was hoping when I went on monday mine would be removed too, absolutely not! I had fever last night out of nowhere that went away by the morning, I thought I would end up in urgent care which would have been very upsetting. Good luck to all of you!

SpecialK

Also keep in mind that increased activity usually means increased drain output, so the quieter you can stay for a while the less you should produce.  What you ladies are seeing that looks yellow, is serum - it is produced when the body is attempting to heal, so don't let it worry you.  If you see bright red again, or run a fever or see redness on the skin, there is a problem, otherwise it is a normal process.

ConnieGreene

really? I have been on the go cleaning etc all the time -dang!

dessert1st

I read it should go from red to lighter. my output is now less than 30 ccs but is dark red. is that Normal? the drains are really painful at the site and hope to get them out next week.

ConnieGreene

yes mine were still red at 30 cc output - a few days of that then it started that yellowish color as it went down. One of my drains was really painful at the site too - come to find out it has scabbed over....she had to rip off the scabbing before she could remove the drain and you know how that hurts!!! Other than that drains were no problem getting out - weird feeling but no pain at all

purple-flower

Hi all. waiting (not so) patiently here for drains out also. my PS said 3 days in a row w less than 30 output. sadly I have a ways to go on that. Strangely had a big dump of red blood this morning on right side and now lighter even w some yellow. other side getting clearer but not low enough. These drains hurt! what a pain! Looking forward to getting them O.U.T.!!

PF

Lucysbff

the hospital told me less than 0ml for 24 hours ,but the visiting nurse who came to my house the day after surgery said 20 ml for a 24 hour period for 2 consecutive days. I have 4 drains, and 2 are pretty close to the 20 mark, really hoping those two come out tomorrow when the nurse comes back. I am so over having 4 drains hanging off of me!

Yogatyme

My BS also said to watch for any cloudy drainage and any clotting in the tubing.