no drains?

Options
LostLittle1
LostLittle1 Member Posts: 28
edited April 2015 in Surgery - Before, During, and After

Not sure if this is the right forum for this..

I am scheduled for a MX and SNB next Wed 4/22. I called my surgeon's office today to see about what I need to get for the drain care (belt thingy, special bra, etc) to wear home. They said I may not need drains... huh? could this be right? Anyone go home without drains?

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • Juliecc
    Juliecc Member Posts: 4,868
    edited April 2015

    I had 2 drains on each side but I also had tissue expanders placed at the same time so it was a bigger surgery than just MX. Are you having any reconstruction?

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited April 2015

    I had 2 drains. One out at 2 weeks - no problem. Other out at 4weeks and developed a lg. seroma there. I had a UMX with no recon.

    I just used a large safety pin to hook them to a belt loop on my jeans during day and to pin to my sweats at night.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • ucfmom
    ucfmom Member Posts: 127
    edited April 2015

    I had 2 drains (1 on each side) when I had my BMX last year. During the day I wore oversized button up shirts with pockets and put the drains in the pockets. At night, we pinned the drains to my nightgown.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Sunflowercat
    Sunflowercat Member Posts: 177
    edited April 2015

    I had BMX with expanders placed at the time of MX. I had 2 drains and they came out 4 days later. I just pinned them to my surgical bra. I had ordered two camis with drain pockets, but ended up not needing them, so I returned them.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BarredOwl
    BarredOwl Member Posts: 2,433
    edited November 2015

    Hi LT:

    "Might" being the key word. I had a BMX (no recon), with SNBs on both sides. I was barely a B cup and am smallish (105 lbs). I had one drain on each side, although my surgeon had extra tubing on one side so one could be draped over and "stored" on the same side as the other (convenient). They were removed after six days. I bought camisoles, but only used them twice. Once to find out I didn't like them and once to go out to dinner. The rest of the time I used Pink-pockets which I heard about on breastfree.org and which accommodated the drains better. They are peel and stick fabric pockets you stick inside your top. They are a relatively inexpensive solution if you want to be prepared with something. About $20 for a large pack of 5 pairs. Each pocket holds 2 bulbs. http://www.pink-pockets.com

    Hope all goes well for you.

    BarredOwl

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • AmyQ
    AmyQ Member Posts: 2,182
    edited April 2015

    Your surgeon will make the drain decision once he/she is in there. The drains are placed to prevent/drain fluid build up in the empty spaces, however if the voided space is small, they may opt to not insert drains. So the long answer is yes, they may not place drains, depending on how everything looks once the surgeon actually gets in there. Drains are no picnic but they serve a vital function so if you have them, know it's to prevent much worse problems down the road. Good luck -

    Amy

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • angelia50
    angelia50 Member Posts: 381
    edited April 2015

    I had mast and expander at same time and yes, I had drains. I woke up with a bra on that had the little drain pumps attached with pins but my doctor had also given me a prescription for a cami prior to the surgery that held the drains. All I had to pay was a copay for those.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • LostLittle1
    LostLittle1 Member Posts: 28
    edited April 2015

    Thanks ladies! I'm planning on no reconstruction. My natural "girls" are a little mis-matched. Lefty is a small C cup but the right one (loser one) is a small B so maybe it is small enough for no drain. I'm okay with having the drain as I know it serves a good purpose but have not seen anyone on the forums without drains. Surgery in 6 days... have never been in the hospital so I'm nervous. They said Home Health care workers will be coming to my house to check the drain (if necessary), giving me sponge baths, etc. I told my friend I hope I get a Channing Tatum look-a-like!! ha ha But honestly I was just diagnosed less than a month ago so everything is a little surreal right now. My husband has been a rock for me. He says he doesn't care if I have boobs or not, just that he has me around for a long time. That's my plan!!

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • angelia50
    angelia50 Member Posts: 381
    edited April 2015

    I had never heard of home health coming after a mastectomy, so thats something new I learned.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • eaglemom
    eaglemom Member Posts: 76
    edited April 2015

    I had BMx w/o reconstruction; cancer on the right & prophylactic on the left. I also had some lymph nodes removed on the right. My breasts were a small B cup and I'm slim (5'-8" and 130#). I had 3 drains; 2 on the right and 1 on the left. I spent 2 nights in hospital and had 2 of the 3 drains removed the morning I was discharged. I pinned the one remaining drain to the inside of my shirts or stuck it in the inside pocket of a jacket or tucked it into the waistband of my pants until it was removed one week post-op.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • hummingbirdlover
    hummingbirdlover Member Posts: 421
    edited April 2015

    I've had 2 surgeries, BMX in October with no (delayed reconstruction) and most recently TE placement and I had 2 drains, one on each side for both surgeries. The TE drains came out much quicker than the BMX drains. They're annoying but doable. I've heard of reconstruction without drains, I think all surgeons are different. Best wishes for your upcoming surgery, you're goimg to do great

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories