Preparing for mastectomy

I bought a scrub vest with buttons. However, I was sent home in a chest binder, and it was fine to pin the bulbs onto it.

I have two gentle touch post-surgical camisoles. I had just one for the first two weeks after surgery and got another one a week ago, I love them! I have been one of the unlucky ones that has her drains in forever (3 weeks and counting) and these have been great. I will be having DIEP flap recon in about six months so I know I will getkenty of use out of them even though they are expensive

I ended up buying them just before my bmx and had them shipped 2 day delivery. I am so glad that I did! Yes - it's a lot of money for a week or so but I would spend that money again if I had to. I'm doing delayed construction so I figure I'll be able to use them again. I bought 2. In all honesty, you could get away with only one. You can just wear something else while it's in the wash. I negotiated with my nurse that I would get up an walk as soon as the catheter came out and I could put pants on. I then asked if I could put my own top on if it was easy enough for the dr and nurses to get to. It was really important to me to feel as human as possible and as quickly as possible. The drains fit in the little pockets really nicely and the drains were much more manageable after I put the shirt on. Before that, in the hospital, they were getting tangled in the shits and stuff (ouch) The velcro on the top makes access really easy for nurses and drs. They look at you so many times, you almost want to just leave your shirt open! My insurance paid for me to get two cami's with pillow boobs and drain pockets. I hate those. The elastic and the pouches pull at the drains and made me really uncomfortable. I lived in my shirts until my drains came out.

Unless money is not an issue, there are quite a few easy and inexpensive ways to manage drains, many of which have been mentioned above. The tubing is long enough to be comfortably pinned to the inside of a loose top, placed in the inner pockets of a hoodie or even a nail pouch. You can sew little pockets that stick on the inside of your tops to hold the drains. That being said, check with your insurance carrier as some do cover a post surgical garment. My insurer covered one camisole with drain pockets. I liked it and it was convenient, but when I washed it, it was hardly any more trouble to safety pin the bulbs inside my loose button down shirt. Best wishes for an easy recovery.

PS: Here's a link to Pink Pockets. You can get 5 pairs of stick on drain pocket holders for $20.00. If you sew, they would be easy to make yourself.

http://www.pink-pockets.com/en/buy-now/

I had my drains in for 10 weeks. It sucked but I found a way to wear them that was very comfortable to me and hid them well. I found tube bras, thin circle bra tops, at Forever 21 for $1.99 each. I bought a bunch and layered two on top of each other. Wore them near my waist with the compressed drains tucked between. They were snug, didn't move, easy to go to the ladies room, easy to hide. It just looked like the bottom of a camisole or tank top. I wore loose or gathered tops over.

I just used a long pink shoe string to tie my drains around my neck when I was home.

AmyA - What an awesome idea!! I wish I had known about your solution. When I left the house, I tucked the drains into my yoga paints. Worked fine until I had to use the restroom. :-)

Jan-

We want to welcome you to our community here at BCO! We hope your recovery continues to go well, and that you find the support you're looking for here on the boards!

The Mods